Magis Report 

State Final: British Parliamentary Debating

The State Final of the British Parliamentary Debating Competition was held last Monday at North Perth Lesser Town Hall. With the highest-ever number of teams participating in this year's competition, it was an outstanding achievement for our College to have two teams in the State Final (the only school with multiple teams). Our teams represented both the government and opposition’s position on the topic: This House believes that governments should substantially reduce regulatory barriers that apply to mines for resources critical to developing green energy. Our teams were commended for their eloquent and persuasive arguments. We are pleased to announce that Luke Nicol and Zachary Sartorello (Year 9), were named the State Runner Up British Parliamentary Debating Champions (Cygnet Division), with Zachary named the State’s Top Debater. We would also like to commend Niamh Jennings and Ciara Thornton (Year 8), who were among the youngest debaters to make it to the State Final. An outstanding achievement for all our State Debating Finalists. Go JTC!

Magis Academic Challenge Cup

Our final Magis Academic Challenge for the 2025 season tested student knowledge of music theory, classical music, musicals, retro music and current hits. This was our seventh Academic House Challenge, with each Homeroom nominating up to 10 students to take part in a quiz testing students’ knowledge across a number of disciplines. Other challenges this year included Theology, Spelling, STEM, Humanities, Languages, Literature, and Art. Students have received valuable House points for participating, and points for place positions. These points go towards awarding not only the Magis Academic Cup, for the highest achieving House, but also the overall College House Shield. Students from Years 7 through to Year 9 took part in the Music Challenge last week, whilst our Years 11 and 12 students competed this week. We congratulate the following Year group winners:

• Year 7: Charlotte Counsel (Ward) – with a near-perfect score
• Year 8: Tilly Finucane (Loreto) and Niamh Jennings (Loyola)
• Year 9: Charlie Tegg (Loyola)
• Year 10: Jonah Liew (Loyola)
• Year 11: Poppy Finucane (Loreto)
• Year 12: Sofie Giannas (Loreto)

Pictured is Mr Williams’ Homeroom, Year 12 Loreto, celebrating their win as the top performing Year 12 Homeroom in the Music Challenge.

We commend all students who took part in the various Magis Academic Challenges this year. Congratulations to St Louis House, who are the overall Challenge Champions for 2025. A full list of Music Challenge Results, as well as the Challenge Leaderboard, can be found below. We look forward to recognising the top performing students across these challenges, as well as awarding St Louis with the Academic Cup, at our Magis Awards Breakfast next term.

Magis Community Mass

This morning’s Community Mass was prepared by Magis students – and it was a wonderful way for us to come together, in celebration and support of our Gifted and Talented Program.  Many thanks to Ms Lumley and our students who assisted in the beautiful liturgy, and to the staff, students and parents who attended. It was a lovely way to finish a very busy term.

What’s happening next Term?

The term break is a wonderful time for us to rest and recharge (energy and mindfulness), but it also affords us a terrific opportunity to get ahead and prepare. Term 4 will be a busy term for all, with competitions and events taking place, as well as exams. All Magis Elective classes and Competitions have a Teams file with useful preparation materials. Our Semester 2 Magis Elective students are reminded that their Personal Projects will be displayed in an exhibition in the Thomas More Exhibition Centre on Thursday 27 November (Week 17). This will mark the culmination of many months of hard work and planning, and we very much look forward to sharing with students, staff, and parents in the celebration of our talented students. Ideally, Year 7 students want to have completed 60% of their project by the start of Term 4, whilst Year 8 students should aim to complete Part A, to keep on schedule.

Our annual Magis Awards Breakfast will be held on Thursday 30 October (Week 13) at 7:30am in the Thomas More Exhibition Centre. This provides us with a wonderful opportunity to recognise our Magis graduating Class of 2025, as well as celebrate the success of our students across the Magis Elective Course and within Magis Co-Curricular.

Here’s to striving for the ‘more’ in Term 4! You can keep up to date with our schedule of competitions and events by viewing the Magis calendar, which can be accessed by clicking on the link below.  

Daisy Farley

Head of Magis – Gifted and Talented

Magis: Opportunities to do more!

TKEthics Competition

“AI will be the best or worst thing ever for humanity, so let’s get it right” – Elon Musk

“Alongside the benefits, AI will also bring dangers, like powerful autonomous weapons, or new ways for the few to oppress the many” – Stephan Hawking

If these quotes resonated with you, then TKEthics could be the competition for you. The TKEthics tournament blends competition with collaboration, providing students a dynamic platform to explore complex ethical questions and the moral dimensions of emerging technologies. The Pan Atlantic Middle School Ethics Olympiad will have students confront real-world ethical and technological challenges at the centre of today’s most pressing moral and political conversations. These cases are examined through the lens of diverse philosophical traditions, fostering deep engagement with normative ethical theories and frameworks.​ Each tournament invites students in Years 6–12 to grapple with the ethical dilemmas shaping our technological future, while offering a flexible, high-calibre learning experience. Participants sharpen their reasoning, strengthen their communication skills, and cultivate the moral imagination needed to lead with integrity in an increasingly complex world. A key component of the TKEthics experience is the opportunity to engage directly with accomplished philosophers who serve as judges—facilitating thoughtful dialogue, posing challenging questions, and providing in-depth feedback after each round. Expressions of interest are due Monday, 20 October (Week 12).

National Youth Parliament

150 motivated young Australians - one from every federal electorate - will be selected for a five-day residential program in Canberra in 2026.  You don’t need to have any experience - just a desire to contribute, learn and represent your community. Eligibility: All young people who will be aged 16 to 17 and living in Australia in August 2026 are welcome to apply - regardless of background, education or experience. All essential costs, including travel to and from Canberra, accommodation, all meals and activities, are covered by the program. See website for further details: Apply - National Youth Parliament. Applications close 21 November 2025.

Ethics Olympiad Case Writing Competition

Ethics Olympiad are holding a case writing competition with prize money to be won. Submissions should follow the general format for Ethics Olympiad cases: a scenario, between 400 and 800 words long, which highlights a clear moral issue and is appropriate for middle or high-school students and is written in a way that encourages civil discourse. The scenario should be framed so that the central issue is clearly moral and not simply or primarily legal or professional. Knowledge of the structure of the Ethics Olympiad competition is important, and it is for that reason that we would recommend the case writing competition to students who have previously participated in an Ethics Olympiad.

Entries due by 23 April 2026, view Ethics Olympiad website (Case Competition - EthicsOlympiad) for further details.

Astronomy Club

Calling all stargazers and astronomy lovers! Join our College’s Astronomy Club, where you’ll learn more about the night sky and the history behind constellations, gain confidence with telescopes, and discover tips to make stargazing more enjoyable. It is a great social club where you’ll meet like-minded people of all ages, who share a passion for learning and stargazing. The Astronomy Club meets on the College Oval on various evenings throughout the year – and has a few events booked with the Perth Observatory. For more information, please email the Club Coordinator, Mr Peter Mazur (Mathematics Learning Area), or the Head of Magis.