Beyond the Bell
As we approach the holiday break, we are proud to celebrate the many ways our students are engaging with learning beyond the classroom. From challenging themselves in competitions to exploring new ideas and interests, it has been wonderful to see their curiosity, creativity and perseverance in action.
Competition Overview
Our school participates in a range of competitions throughout the year, providing students with opportunities to challenge themselves, extend their learning and explore their interests.
Families can view the full Competition Overview Calendar, which includes key dates for competitions such as ICAS, Maths Talent Quest, Science Talent Search and more, via the link below:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mZgXY7rh0P5jOMc-6Tsx_PpDCzlTrV2v/view
We encourage families to refer to this calendar when planning participation across the year.
Bebras Challenge
Congratulations to all students who participated in the Bebras Computational Thinking Challenge earlier this term. This international competition encourages students to develop problem-solving and computational thinking skills in engaging and challenging ways.
We are incredibly proud of the effort, persistence and enthusiasm shown by all students. Their willingness to take on complex problems and think creatively is to be commended.
Certificate of Excellence
Congratulations to Austin (Year 4), who achieved a Certificate of Excellence for outstanding performance.
High Distinction Award
Well done to James (Year 3), Angus (Year 3) and Xavier (Year 4), who received High Distinction Awards for their exceptional results.
Distinction Award
Congratulations to Imogen (Year 4), Harry (Year 3), Sophie (Year 4), Lucas (Year 4), Remy (Year 3), Ethan (Year 6), Nam (Year 5) and Richard (Year 5), who achieved Distinction Awards.
Credit Award
Well done to Harrison (Year 4), Santiago (Year 4), Mia (Year 3), Alexander (Year 6), Gabriel (Year 6), Rohan (Year 6), Hudson (Year 6), Leander (Year 5), Sienna (Year 6), Timur (Year 5), Lawson (Year 6), Kevin (Year 5), Alexander (Year 5) and Patrick (Year 6), who received Credit Awards.
Merit Award
Congratulations to Matthew (Year 3), Leo (Year 3), Jackson (Year 3), Jaiden (Year 3), Eshan (Year 4), Armin (Year 4), Hugo (Year 3), Dilein (Year 4), Adem (Year 6), Harshad (Year 6), Spencer (Year 5), Seth (Year 5), Noah (Year 6), Sathvika (Year 6), Scarlett (Year 5), Mason (Year 6), Ivy (Year 6), Georgia (Year 6) and Owen (Year 6), who achieved Merit Awards.
Participation Award
Well done to Philip (Year 3), Nivaan (Year 6), Thomas (Year 5), Daksh (Year 6), Wren (Year 5) and Ankush (Year 6), who received Participation Awards.
(Award Levels – for reference)
Certificate of Excellence – 135 marks
High Distinction – 114–134 marks
Distinction – 102–113 marks
Credit – 87–101 marks
Merit – 60–86 marks
Participation – 0–59 marks
Maths Talent Quest (MTQ) & Science Talent Search (STS)
We are now launching our involvement in both the Maths Talent Quest and Science Talent Search. These competitions provide students with valuable opportunities to explore their interests, think creatively, and apply their learning to real-world problems.
Students are encouraged to begin thinking about possible ideas over the holidays. Families can access further information via the resources below:
Maths Talent Quest Slideshow
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YH8hC7FyQ2zaYKdo4vqE8RrAzUZ2wEMf/view
Science Talent Search Slideshow
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rxHY00PeAAFBJsbogrFV3nPbhxx4VAed/view
Register interest (Google Form) https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc84DfEgdpOj_bOfI30hjztoyO3DMQaEAf4LqRKidZivCPlbw/viewform
Holiday Opportunities for High-Ability Students
For students seeking additional challenge, a range of STEM-based holiday programs are available across Melbourne, including hands-on science workshops, coding and robotics camps, and inquiry-based programs designed to extend high-ability learners.
Swinburne PrimeSCI! Holiday Workshops (Years 1–8)
Scienceworks Holiday Programs & Workshops
https://museumsvictoria.com.au/scienceworks/whats-on/school-holidays/
Scienceworks STEM Workshops
https://museumsvictoria.com.au/scienceworks/whats-on/weekend-workshops/
STEM Birds Holiday Camps
https://www.stembirds.com.au/holiday-camps
Melbourne Kids STEAM Lab
https://melbournekidssteamlab.com.au/
STEM Monsters
SciencePlay Kids Workshops
https://www.scienceplaykids.com.au/
TwistED Science
https://www.twistedscience.com.au/tickets/melbourne/
Mad About Science Holiday Programs
https://madaboutscienceincursions.com.au/holiday-programs/
GATEWAYS Program
Nominations for the GATEWAYS program will be sent out shortly. This program provides opportunities for high-ability students to engage in challenging and enriching learning experiences beyond the classroom.
As we head into the break, we encourage all students to stay curious, keep asking questions and continue to challenge their thinking. Whether through reading, exploring new ideas, or engaging in hands-on experiences, learning doesn’t stop at the classroom door.
We look forward to seeing the creativity and curiosity our students bring back next term.
Kind regards,
Carole Upton
Learning Enrichment Leader
Carole Upton, Year Six Classroom Teacher and Learning Enrichment Leader
Carole Upton, Year Six Classroom Teacher and Learning Enrichment Leader