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• NAIDOC Week celebrations
• PSA Chess and Theatre Sports
• House Teams Carnival

This week we are proud to celebrate NAIDOC Week, an important occasion in our School calendar that provides opportunities for learning, reflection and the celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. A highlight of the week was last night’s NAIDOC Exhibition, which showcased the outstanding work created by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Program students. It was wonderful to welcome parents, staff, students and members of the wider community to share in this special event. This year’s student projects included the design of boardshorts and towels featuring unique artwork inspired by culture and identity. We are delighted to make these items available for purchase by members of the Christ Church community, the profits from these sales will go back into resourcing the Program. Click here to pre-order.

Congratulations go out to our PSA Chess team, who last week reclaimed the PSA Chess title following an intense final round against Scotch College. The students demonstrated remarkable commitment and resilience, dedicating countless hours to practice following last year’s narrow loss. Their efforts were rewarded with a thoroughly deserved victory, and I congratulate all involved on this outstanding achievement. We now turn our attention to tomorrow’s PSA Theatre Sports competition and wish our students every success as they prepare to represent the School.

Tomorrow will also see the Years 7 to 12 House Teams Carnival take place. The carnival is always one of the most anticipated events of the year, bringing together friendly competition, House pride and strong community spirit. We look forward to seeing students give their best, support one another and embrace the occasion with enthusiasm. We also look forward to our Walters Community Celebration Evening. Boarding is such an integral part of the fabric of Christ Church, and this event provides a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the strength of our boarding community alongside our boarders, their families and staff. It is always a pleasure to come together to recognise the relationships, experiences and sense of belonging that make boarding such a valued part of life at the School. We look forward to sharing the evening with all those who contribute so much to this community.

The PERFORM and St John’s Woods East projects are progressing strongly and generating considerable enthusiasm across the school community. These developments represent a significant step forward in delivering the School’s long-term vision, providing state-of-the-art facilities that will enrich learning, creativity, wellbeing, and community connection.

Alan Jones

Principal

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• Connecting with families
• Celebrating culture and community
• Student opportunities and upcoming events

It’s been a hive of activity on campus this week.

On Monday evening, we welcomed a great turnout of parents and students for our Parent/Tutor meetings. Tutors and Heads of House commented on how valuable it was to reconnect with families and work together to review progress and re-establish goals for the semester ahead.

Following the Parent/Tutor meetings, many Year 12 Parents attended an information session covering ATAR and TISC application processes, non-ATAR post-school pathways, and ways to support their sons through the final stages of Year 12. With the trial exams fast approaching, there is not long to go for our Year 12 students.

Throughout the week, we have proudly celebrated NAIDOC Week with a range of activities across the campus. Highlights included a highly competitive staff versus Indigenous students’ basketball game, the opening of our NAIDOC Week Art Exhibition, and a vibrant student dance performance during the Senior School Assembly. The exhibition showcased original boardshort designs created by our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, with the wider community now able to pre-order selected boardshorts and a commemorative towel here, with proceeds supporting the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student Program. I encourage you to visit the School’s social media to see photos capturing these wonderful events.

Our fingers are crossed that the weather is kind for us tomorrow so that the House Teams Carnival can go ahead as planned. Our talented Drama students will also be showcasing their creativity, quick thinking, and teamwork as they compete in the PSA Theatre Sports competition. We wish the boys every success as they aim to secure the title.

On Friday evening, the Walters Residential community will come together to celebrate boarding and recognise the many talents of our boarders. I look forward to spending time with our boarders, staff, and families at what is always a wonderful occasion.

With only a few weeks remaining in the winter sports season, preparations for the Inter-house and PSA Athletics Carnivals are well underway. Athletics training commenced this week, with training times emailed to students and displayed on the Physical Education noticeboards. I encourage all students to get involved as we build towards these exciting events.

Upcoming Senior School Events

House Teams Carnival – Friday 7 August
PSA Bye – Friday 7 and Saturday 8 August (excluding Cross Country)
PSA Sport v Hale – Friday 14 and Saturday 15 August
‘How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying’ MYTC Production – Tuesday 18 to Friday 21 August – Buy tickets here

Jamie Foster
Deputy Principal/Head of Senior School

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• NAIDOC Week storytelling sessions
• Parent Forum
• Oral language development

This week all the boys in the Preparatory School have been taking part in NAIDOC Week. Starting Monday morning classes have had sessions with Jayden Boundry who is a Noongar language teacher and cultural consultant, didgeridoo player, traditional dancer and storyteller. These sessions, along with daily information through the student bulletin, ensure the boys are able to better understand aspects of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. Read more here

We hosted the Term 3 Parent Forum on Tuesday with a focus on the 2026 NAPLAN results and how we, as a School, utilise the data from NAPLAN and standardised assessments to identify gaps in boys’ learning profiles. Once gaps are identified, teachers make adjustments to the teaching and learning cycle to target areas that an individual, class, or cohort requires. We recognise that NAPLAN represents one test on one day, however we use these results to better inform our learning programs alongside our broader data collection.

Oral language development underpins our approach to literacy learning in the Preparatory School. By ensuring boys are equipped with skills to listen, speak, and understand spoken words, we are ensuring a solid foundation for future learning. Well developed oral language impacts comprehension, writing skills, social connections, and academic competencies. Boys are provided with opportunities to share experiences, discuss findings, and present ideas to their peers on a daily basis. Boys in Years 3 to 6 engage with our public speaking competition, the Speakers’ Challenge, where they are required to write, rehearse and deliver a speech to their peers and in some cases their cohorts. Albert Hartman (4MT) and Hans Xue (4LH) will both be representing Christ Church at the Year 3 to 4 Speakers’ Challenge at Wesley College on Tuesday 11 August. We wish these boys all the best.

Congratulations to our Building Good Men Award winners!

Dr. Steven Males
Head of Preparatory School