Magis Report 

WA Law Society Mock Trial Competition

Round 2 of the 2025 Law Society of Western Australia Mock Trial Competition was held on Monday evening at the WA Supreme Court. Our team went up against Canning Vale College, appearing for the Defence in a criminal matter. Specifically, the Accused was charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice by threatening to harm a witness if they gave evidence in an upcoming trial. There is a lot of preparation involved in the lead-up to trial, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the students who enthusiastically attended lunchtime meetings despite their busy schedules and upcoming senior school exams.  

Our Round 2 team:

• Junior Barrister: Tighe O’Toole
• Senior Barrister: Samuel Watts
• Solicitor: Jennifer Ong
• The Accused: Thomas Ellis
• Witness: Leilani McDonnell
• Judge's Associate: Luca Robson

WA Debating League Update

Round 4 of WA Debating League (WADL) Schools Debating Competition (SDC) was held on Tuesday night at Shenton College. As an impromptu round, students received their motion (debate topic) on the night and had one hour to prepare. This rigorous form of debating challenges students' ability to analyse the motion, process thoughts, organise points, and deliver them in a clear, coherent manner. Special thanks to Ms Rogers for her supervision on the night. Our debating students are now preparing for Round 5 (the final of the preliminary rounds), which will be held on Tuesday, 3 June (Week 16). We continue to provide after-school debate tutoring sessions – details are communicated to students through their Teams channel.

College Chess Tournament

Round 1 of our College Chess Tournament was played this week. Students from Year 5 through to Year 12 are competing for the title of 2025 College Grandmaster. It was wonderful to see the students engage across year levels, and I commend all participants on displaying great sportsmanship. Special thanks to Mr Wilson for his assistance with the tournament. Round 2 fixtures have been sent to students, and a hard copy can be found on the Magis Noticeboard. Chess players are reminded that games begin at 1pm sharp and must be concluded in their allotted timeslot. Only final games can be played over multiple lunchtimes. 

What’s happening next week?

Years 7 to 10 student representatives will participate in an Academic Challenge which will test their knowledge of Humanities, Art, Languages and Literature (H.A.L.L. Challenge). It’s almost alpaca time! Our World Scholars will be taking part in the Perth Round of the World Scholars Cup on Friday and Saturday, and we wish our teams the very best of luck.

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!

Junior Gifted Stretch

We are in the process of selecting twelve Year 8 students to take part in the 2025 Junior Stretch and Challenge Conference, in conjunction with Oxford University and Thriving Minds. This transformative event is crafted to unleash the full potential of gifted minds, with a specific focus on philosophy, science and ethics. Nurturing self-discovery, innovation, and intellectual growth, the conference is designed to inspire ambition. By attending, students will be inspired to think deeply, gain valuable insights, and develop skills essential for future success. The conference will be held on Tuesday, 2 September (Term 3, Week 7).

Middle School Ethics Olympiad

Ethics Olympiad provides students with a unique opportunity to develop skills in critical thinking, collaboration, and communication. It is designed to get students thinking, talking, and ultimately working together on some of the tough moral issues of our time. Its objective is to do more than just help students think through ethical issues: It is to teach students how to think through ethical issues together, as fellow citizens in a complex moral and political community. This international competition is open to students in Years 7 to 9. Team positions are highly coveted, with only 10 spots available. Expressions of interest are due Monday, 23 June (Week 19). A training clinic will be held in Term 3, with the competition scheduled for Term 4.

International Debating Championships

International Debating Championships provide quality debating teaching and tournaments for Australian and international schools, continuing to develop students’ public speaking skills, analytical ability, and general knowledge. The tournament will be held entirely online via Zoom on Friday nights during Term 4 of the NSW school term. It is open to students in Years 7-10 across Australia, New Zealand and Asia and will be conducting two divisions; Junior (Years 7-8), and Senior (Years 9-10). The tournament will be adjudicated by qualified and experienced university debating adjudicators. We will be holding debate development training seminars in Term 3, in the lead up to the Term 4 competition. Expressions of interest are to be emailed to the Head of Magis by Monday, 4 August (Term 3, Week 3).

The Global Voices Fellowship

Attention Year 12 students: Applications are now open for the Global Voices Fellowship. This life-changing program aims to upskill and develop the next generation of Australian leaders to contribute to domestic and global decision-making. This is a fully funded scholarship, with all domestic and international flights, accommodations, breakfasts, visas, insurance, and registration fees covered. For more information, please click the link below or speak with the Head of Magis.

Further information is available here. 

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.