Welcome to 2025

A year of outstanding achievements

Andrew McGregor - Principal: 2024 was a landmark year for our School, as we proudly surpassed key milestones: over 1,000 students enrolled, 100 boarders, and 150 Indigenous students as part of our diverse and inclusive community. We were also honoured to be named the Northern Territory’s best primary school in NAPLAN for the fourth consecutive year and to receive two prestigious awards for ‘Regional School of the Year’ and ‘Best Wellbeing Program’ in the Australian Education Awards. These accolades are a testament to the dedication of our students, staff and families.

Felicity Pearson - Vice Principal: One of my most memorable moments of the year was our spectacular school musical, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Held at the Darwin Entertainment Centre, it brought together 94 talented students from Years 5–12, showcasing their skills in acting, singing, dancing, set design, and technical production.

Looking ahead to an exciting Term 1

The new year kicks off with a warm welcome to our 100 returning boarders and 35 new staff members. We are also excited to celebrate the Lunar New Year and the Year of the Snake. Our student leaders will take centre stage early in the term, with special induction assemblies and a leadership trip to Melbourne for our Prefects.

Other highlights include the start of the Toastmasters program for our Senior students and a special visit from the Pat Cronin Foundation, delivering valuable social justice sessions to our students. We also look forward to our highly anticipated Community Cocktail Party later this month, where our Haileybury Melbourne CEO | Principal, Derek Scott, and members of the Haileybury Executive team will join us in Darwin.

Top tips for a successful year

Andrew:At Haileybury Rendall School, we believe in three key values: Be Kind. Always Do Your Best. Get Involved. These simple but powerful principles will help every student make the most of the opportunities ahead.

Felicity: As students return, re-establishing good routines early on is crucial. Balancing sleep, study, and physical activity will set the foundation for success. Prioritising quality rest, reducing screen time, staying organised, and maintaining open communication with teachers will help students start the year strong.

We are excited for what 2025 has in store and look forward to working together as a community to make it another exceptional year. Let’s make it great!