Print

• Deputy Principal/Head of Senior School appointment
• NAIDOC Week
• 110 Years of Boarding
• SCSA grading

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Jamie Foster as our new Deputy Principal/Head of Senior School, commencing Thursday 1 January 2026. Many of you know Jamie from his current role as Director of Planning and Co-Curricular and as a member of the Christ Church Grammar School executive committee. Having dedicated 20 years to our School, Jamie’s contributions are deeply woven into the fabric of our community. He has held a range of significant roles in the Walters Residential Community, including as Indigenous Program Co-ordinator, held the Head of Noake House position for eight years and admirably executed his current role for the past five years. His wealth of experience and profound understanding of the Senior School make him exceptionally well-suited to this leadership position. I look forward to working alongside Jamie as he steps into this role following Mr Mark Morrissy’s retirement at the conclusion of this year, after an extraordinary 36 years of service. We are immensely grateful to Mark for his dedication and look forward to celebrating his remarkable career together.

This week marks our annual NAIDOC Week celebrations, a highlight of Term 3. The 2025 theme, ‘The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy,’ speaks directly to our mission as we nurture tomorrow’s thinkers and leaders. Our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students have created unique lamp shades showcasing personal and cultural iconography. This year’s exhibition draws inspiration from the winding Derbarl Yerrigan (Swan River), a site of deep significance to the Whadjuk Noongar people, where young men have traditionally grown, learned, and become leaders. The river’s spirit and meaning are reflected in our students’ artworks, featuring flowing forms and motifs that honour growth, learning, and cultural connection. Last night’s opening in the Old Boys’ Gallery was attended by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families, special guests, and staff. The exhibition remains open to the public until Tuesday 12 August, on weekdays from 12.00pm to 1.00pm, and I encourage everyone to experience these moving works in person. Read more here.

This year also marks 110 years of boarding at Christ Church Grammar School. This weekend, we will celebrate with our boarding students and their families, special guests, past boarders, and past boarding staff. Boarding has consistently built a close-knit and supportive community, where boys learn about themselves, develop lifelong friendships and a deep understanding of the world around them. The values of camaraderie, resilience, and inclusivity remain at the heart of our boarding experience. As we acknowledge this milestone, we celebrate the enduring legacy of boarding at Christ Church – a legacy built on a foundation of shared experiences, cherished traditions, and the unique opportunities that only boarding life can offer.

As part of the WACE (Western Australian Certificate of Education) Refreshment, the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA) has determined that ‘a student who achieves a D grade for any pair of Year 12 ATAR course units and a moderated written school mark or ATAR course written examination mark of approximately 40 will receive a C grade equivalent for each of those pairs of units which can contribute to meeting WACE requirements.’ SCSA has advised schools that this ‘C grade equivalent will be applied to as many Year 12 ATAR courses as relevant for a student.’

It is important to note that this application of a ‘C grade equivalent’ will be issued by SCSA, not schools. SCSA have therefore advised schools not to anticipate the potential C grade equivalent as part of their assessment of student performance. This means that our grading judgements at Christ Church will continue to be made, as has always been the case, in accordance with the grade descriptors stipulated in the SCSA syllabus documentation.

Alan Jones
Principal

Print

• Parent Tutor meetings
• Year 12 Parent Information Evening
• NAIDOC Week activities
• Anglicare WA School Sleep Out

It’s been a hive of activity on campus this week. On Monday night, we had a great turnout of parents and students at the Parent Tutor meetings. This is an important opportunity to meet with tutors and for the students to review and set goals for the coming semester. These face-to-face meetings always help set the tone for the semester ahead. These meetings were also the first opportunity for parents and tutors to discuss the new pastoral competencies, which reframe our feedback, instead of the pastoral comment. It was reassuring to receive the positive feedback from parents and their appreciation of the direct and clear message that comes from the new report format. Following the Parent Tutor meetings, we saw a large number of Year 12 Parents attend an information evening regarding ATAR/TISC processes, non-ATAR post-school pathways and supporting your son in the final stages of Year 12. Not long to go for our Year 12 students.

There have been lots of activities happening throughout the week as part of NAIDOC Week, including a very competitive staff vs Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student basketball game, the opening of the NAIDOC Week Art Exhibition and a traditional dance performed by the students during assembly this morning. I encourage you to have a look at the School’s social media to see some images from the week.

Tomorrow night, the Year 10 Anglicare Ambassadors will participate in the 2025 Anglicare WA School Sleep Out. The students will show their support for young people experiencing homelessness this winter, whilst raising vital funds for Street Connect, a service that works with young people on the streets of Perth to help them get their lives back on track. We thank the students for their service to the community.

With only a few weeks left of the winter sports season, in preparation for the Inter-house and PSA Athletics Carnivals, training began this week. Students have been emailed athletics training times, and they are also up on the Physical Education notice boards.

Upcoming Senior School Events

• PSA Sport vs Aquinas – Friday 8 and Saturday 9 August
• ‘Shakespeare in Love’ MYTC Production – Wednesday 13 to Saturday 16 August at 7.00pm
• PSA Sport vs Guildford – Friday 15 and Saturday 16 August

Mark Morrissy
Deputy Principal/Head of Senior School

Print

• Celebrating NAIDOC Week
• The Phases of Learning
• Artist in Residence

This week all students in the Preparatory School have been taking part in NAIDOC Week. Starting Monday morning, classes have had sessions with Olman Walley to better understand aspects of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

We hosted the Term 3 Parent Forum on Tuesday, with the topic being the Phases of Learning. The Phases of Learning is a structured guide that outlines the typical stages of a boy’s learning journey across the years of schooling. Additionally, it supports developmentally appropriate practice, aligns teaching and assessment, enhances curriculum continuity, informs differentiation, improves communication with families, promotes shared language across the School and anchors pedagogical decisions. If you would like your own copy of the Phases of Learning, please stop by the Preparatory School reception to collect a hardcopy.

Leila Jeffreys is a renowned contemporary artist working with photography, moving images and installation. She is best known for images of birds, photographed on a human scale, that explore and subvert the conventions of portraiture. Jeffreys’ work is a result of years-long periods of research and exploration. In the tradition of artist-activists, she conducts fieldwork, collaborates with conservationists, ornithologists and sanctuaries and champions programs to protect and restore endangered habitats. We are very fortunate to have Leila work with our Year 5 students as an artist in residence this term. Students will explore wildlife photography as part of their understanding of digital photography and composition. Leila will also be conducting a professional learning session with the Preparatory staff.

Congratulations to our BGM award winners!

Dr. Steven Males
Head of Preparatory School