In the Classroom

Secondary Semester 1 Academic Awards

On Friday, 1st August 2025, MCHF proudly acknowledged the outstanding academic achievements of our Secondary students. Their dedication, resilience, and pursuit of excellence have truly shone through so far this year. These accomplishments would not be possible without the unwavering commitment of our teachers, whose guidance and passion continue to inspire. We also extend heartfelt thanks to the parents and guardians for their ongoing support in helping students reach their academic goals.

A special thank you to our guest speaker, Sarah Nakhel, whose inspiring words resonated deeply with our students and community. Her message of perseverance and purpose was a powerful reminder of the impact education can have on shaping futures.

Congratulations to all our students—your hard work is commendable, and we look forward to seeing what you achieve next!

-Ms Dalla

Exploring 2D Shapes with Kindy Rose

On the 21st of July, Kindy Rose embarked on an exciting journey of creativity as they explored the world of 2D shapes! Using a variety of resources, our little artists engaged in hands-on activities that stimulated their imagination and critical thinking. From coloured paddle pop sticks, geoboards, play dough, and whiteboards, everyone had so much fun discovering and creating different shapes. These activities not only enhanced their understanding of geometry but also fostered teamwork and collaboration. Stay tuned for more exciting learning adventures in the upcoming weeks!

Counting and Threading with Kindy Red

On the 25th of July, Kindy Red continued developing their counting skills through a hands-on and engaging maths activity. Using a 20-face numbered dice, each child identified the number it landed on, then threaded that many beads on their pipe cleaner.

Science Fair

This year’s Science Fair was an exciting display across a range of scientific areas, allowing students to see science in action. From experiments and demonstrations to interactive models, the Fair showcased how science connects to everyday life and the world around us. It was a valuable experience for students to explore different fields of science and spark their curiosity for future learning.

Primary STEM Day 2025 – Where Curiosity Took Flight! 

From the very first “wow!” to the last “I did it!”, our Primary students spent the day thinking, tinkering, testing, and triumphing during Primary STEM Day — proving that science, technology, engineering, and maths aren’t just subjects… they’re adventures!

Kindergarten became storytellers and scientists, building wolf-proof houses in The Three Little Pigs challenge, erupting fizzing Baking Soda Volcanos, programming BeeBots to follow their commands, and discovering the wonder of the outdoors in a Natural Features nature walk. They learnt how materials behave, how to give clear instructions, and how to observe the world like true explorers.

Year 1 put their problem-solving hats on with Building Structures that could hold weight, using LEGO to bring creative designs to life, coding their own animations in Scratch Junior, navigating obstacle maps in Move Like a Robot!, and investigating how to make a Floating Boat that stays upright. They learnt how shapes, materials, and sequences can turn ideas into working creations.

Year 2 explored the power of design and testing in the Tallest Tower Challenge, discovered the forces that keep a Paper Plane soaring, watched science in action with Dancing Raisins, and mastered gravity and motion in a Marble Run build. They learnt how small design tweaks can make big changes in results.

Year 3 built strong, balanced designs with Marshmallow Constructions, experimented with stability in Paper Tower building, compared flight patterns in Gyrocopters, and investigated why some objects sink and others float in Sink or Float. They learnt that engineering and science are about predicting, testing, and improving.

Year 4 launched Balloon Rockets, tested cushioning in the Egg Drop Challenge, discovered polymer magic with the Leakproof Bag, and applied motion principles in a Marble Run. They learnt how air, forces, and material properties work in the real world.

Year 5 took on real-world challenges by making Aluminium Foil Boats that could carry the most weight, designing Sustainable Cities, puzzling through Straw Mazes, and sending toys racing down Ziplines. They learnt how science and design can make solutions both fun and functional.

Year 6 faced engineering feats with Kitchen Chemistry reactions, designing Earthquake-Resistant buildings, creating Sustainable Cities with future-ready features, and constructing Paper Towers strong enough to hold a dictionary. They learnt how innovation comes from combining creativity with scientific principles.

It was a day buzzing with curiosity, teamwork, and the thrill of discovery — showing our students that STEM isn’t just learned… It’s lived.

A big thank you to our Year 10 boys, whose enthusiasm, encouragement, and helping hands made the day even more memorable for our budding innovators.

Year 7 HSIE: Chinese Cultural Exchange Museum Visit

Year 7 HSIE students had an amazing time welcoming our Chinese international students into the History, Geography, and Culture Museum in C205.

Together, they explored a rich collection of picture books about the ancient and modern world, and browsed National Geographic magazines covering diverse topics across time and place. They even observed fascinating artefacts from the museum cabinets that sparked imagination and curiosity.

Our students acted as dedicated buddies, using Google Translate and clear, supportive explanations to help their peers understand and appreciate the wonders of our historical and geographical world.

It was a fantastic example of learning, leadership, and cross-cultural connection in action!

Mrs J Gahdmar

Leader of Learning - History / Geography

Year 2 Show Inclusion and Friendship with the Chinese Exchange Students

This week, Year 2 learned about inclusion, appreciation, and being kind friends. They put these values into practice by being amazing buddies to our Chinese exchange students, helping them feel welcome and supported. We’re proud of their kindness and the friendships they’ve built across cultures!

Year 6 PBL: Exploring Other Planets

🚀 After a semester exploring the wonders of our solar system and uncovering what makes life possible on a planet, our brilliant Year 6 students proudly showcased their PBL projects! 🌍🪐 From atmosphere to water sources, they presented creative prototypes of how to make another planet habitable, proving their deep understanding and imagination are truly out of this world! 🌟

Building Bridges Through Science: Chinese Exchange Students Support Year 9 Learners

This week, our Chinese exchange students brought a global touch to the Year 9 Science classrooms as they worked alongside students to help construct and refine their science models. Their collaboration not only supported the learning process but also sparked meaningful cultural exchange, teamwork, and shared curiosity. It was a wonderful display of partnership, with both groups gaining new perspectives — in science and beyond. 

We thank our exchange students for their generosity, enthusiasm, and the global spirit they bring to our College community.

Year 11 Biology: Day of Fieldwork and Discovery

Despite a cold and wet day, our Year 11 Biology students enthusiastically embraced the opportunity to take their learning outdoors as part of their study of Module Three – Biological Diversity. On Wednesday, 30th July, students participated in a fieldwork excursion to the Australian Botanic Gardens – Mount Annan, where they explored key concepts related to adaptation and speciation. 

Throughout the day, students participated in engaging, syllabus-aligned workshops delivered by experts from the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney, Taronga Zoo, and The Australian Museum. The weather may have been challenging, but spirits remained high as students explored how organisms adapt to their environments and how these adaptations contribute to the biodiversity we observe today. 

One of the highlights of the day was the study of Eucalyptus trees, where students examined structural adaptations and collected data through measurements. They also explored fascinating examples of animal adaptations, linking real-life observations to classroom learning on natural selection, convergent and divergent evolution, and the theories of Charles Darwin. 

This immersive, hands-on experience deepened students’ understanding of structural, behavioural, and physiological adaptations in both extinct and extant Australian species. It was also a great opportunity to see how scientific research is conducted in the field, reinforcing the importance of evidence-based understanding in the study of life sciences. 

A huge well done to our Year 11 students for showing resilience, curiosity, and teamwork throughout the day. Rain or shine, they made the most of a valuable learning experience and returned to class with new insights and inspiration.

-Mrs. Bousleiman

Year 11 Business Studies Students work together to revise content

Year 11 Business Studies students working collaboratively (and competitively!) to revise content on financial statements in the lead-up to their end-of-year exams!

Miss Michael 

Following Instructions with Kindy Red

For digital technology, Kindy Red has been trying to problem-solve by following these steps. They had to create instructions to help their classmates get from the start grid box to the finish box. They were encouraged to use terms such as go, stop, forward, backwards, left, and right.

Year 11 Modern History

Imagine being transported to the outbreak of WWI…

Our Year 11 Modern History students stepped back in time as they explored the early causes of The Great War — nationalism, imperialism, alliances, and mounting global tensions — as part of their Preliminary topic "The Shaping of the Modern World: World War I."

Students were captivated by authentic war diaries, letters from the front, propaganda posters, newspapers, and government documents. These powerful sources, alongside artefacts from our History, Geography and Culture Museum (C205), brought the realities of war to life in an unforgettable way. 

What an immersive and inspiring way to engage with the past! 

Year 11 Advanced English Workshop with James Roy

On Monday, 11th August, Year 11 Advanced English students participated in a creative writing workshop with children’s and young adult author James Roy. Through his insightful tips and personal anecdotes, James engaged with the students as they were exposed to not only the inner workings of an author, but also how to create character-driven stories. He introduced the 22 Rules of Pixar, guidelines to help craft engaging and emotionally rich stories.

We thank James for his time and expertise, and Maureen Bromage from #westwordsws for suggesting and arranging his visit.