Principal 

Again, welcome back for Term Four. I extend a particularly warm welcome to our three new families whose children have commenced at the College this term. I look forward to seeing you in person, and reflecting on the start your child has made here. 

It has been pleasing to see students settle so quickly back into school, and especially pleasing to see the Year 12s continuing their study from last week’s Practice Exam and Revision Week. Term Four reminds us quickly that academic study is the heart and focus of our pursuit here – students will be undertaking their last units of work for the year, with Senior School students looking ahead already to examinations which begin in week seven. Simultaneously, we turn our heads towards 2027, with Junior School Orientation Day on Thursday 29 October, and the Step-Up for senior students immediately following exams. 

Senior School Speech Day is also less than two weeks away, as we begin the celebrations and farewells for the Class of 2026. In my address at Speech Day I will attempt to touch on a variety of topics relevant to the students in the audience. One of them will be about the importance of slow work and ‘cognitive percolation’ – the idea that sometimes you have to let an idea sit while it forms itself (at least that’s what I’ll tell myself while procrastinating over my speech…). In a context where we can produce a speech or an essay in seconds, I will argue that we have to hold onto the character and intellectual benefits that come from slow mental slogging through something. The classroom is the beaker for this experiment – it allows as to discuss ideas, to iterate and revise thoughts and opinions, and to see that the benefits that come from most endeavours at school come from the process, rather than the end product. This is true of sport, camps (hello, Year 7s), and academic work. 

I hope that students are glad to back and having the opportunity to do that work this term. 

Biennial isLEAD School Effectiveness Surveys – Last Call

In the last week of August families were sent the link to complete the 2026 isLEAD parent survey. If you haven’t yet had the chance to complete it, I ask that you give 10 minutes to help inform the continued growth and flourishing of our school. Further information about the surveys is available here.  

If you would like the link resent to you, please contact EA to the Principal, Kate Stevens, on kstevens@hamiltoncollege.vic.edu.au.