Department News

The HSIE Department

Term 4 has been both productive and busy, with the completion of the HSC examinations, the finalisation of formal assessment tasks for Stage 4 and Stage 5 and Year 11 concluding their first year of the HSC program. We extend our thanks to Ms Andersen for her efforts in establishing a History Extension class. They are working collaboratively as they develop and refine their History Extension projects. 

Year 9 and 10 Commerce students participated in the ASX Sharemarket Game, competing against other students from the School and across Australia and New Zealand to generate the most profit on a virtual share portfolio over 10 weeks. Congratulations to our school winners Holly Hodgson, Victoria Hamilton and Claire Race. 

Year 10 Commerce students also participated in the UNSW Playconomics Game, which uses a rich, immersive video game environment to further their economic and financial literacy. We also commend the Elective Year 10 Commerce for entering in the superannuation competition to promote the importance of superannuation.  

Legal Studies Excursion to the NSW Supreme Courts at Queens Square, Sydney

Our first session was a tour of the Supreme Court of NSW (Law Courts Building) led by Max Burns-McRuvie who is a Historian that specialises in NSW Legal History. He guided us through the historic building and shared some very interesting stories about the development of the Australian Legal System since the arrival of the First Fleet. During our tour, we saw barristers on their way to court, wheeling large trollies filled with specific case information which was transferred from the law firms nearby. We went inside a courtroom in the Law Courts building named BANCO, where the Palestine Action Group protest case about the Harbour Bridge had been heard. Max showed us where each person in the court sat based on their roles, including the Barristers, Judges and their assistants, transcribing officials and the general public. 

We then explored the Supreme Court King Street Court complex which was adjacent to the Law Courts building, the site of the historic Myall Creek Massacre Trial. Max explained the tragic story of the murder of at least 28 Indigenous Australians in 1838 whilst we sat in the room where the trial took place. Some of the girls in our class got to sit where the defendant sits and the rest of us sat in the jury spot, experiencing what court life looks like for different people during a trial.

Whilst at the King Street Court Complex, we also learnt that the Supreme Court is not guarded by regular police officers, but by Sheriffs. Sheriffs are specially trained to protect Australian courts and are part of a separate law enforcement agency. Before entering, we had to go through a security check similar to those at airports. Once cleared, we stood outside courtrooms 3 and 4, both of which had active trials occurring. As members of the public gallery, we were reminded to respect court protocol and the sensitive nature of the cases. The Judge emphasised that the trials had significant impacts on those involved, instructing us to remain silent and limit our verbal and non-verbal reactions. Photography, recording and filming are prohibited to prevent confidential or sensitive information from being publicly disclosed before proper evaluation.

The trial we observed was related to a suspected murder (R v Forrest), with a jury carefully listening to evidence, arguments from both sides and instructions from the Judge. Juries are composed of everyday Australian citizens eligible for jury duty and are intended to reflect societal values in determining guilt or innocence. The defendant sits across from the jury and is guided by a Sheriff to and from holding cells during breaks and only speaking when directed. Next to him were the defence barrister and her assistant, while the Crown prosecutor sat opposite, with her assistant. Both barristers presented arguments, called witnesses and cross-examined the other side. The Judge ensured order in the courtroom and a fair trial, explaining matters to the jury and determining which evidence and arguments were valid. 

This experience provided a clear insight into courtroom procedure, the roles of legal personnel and the careful balance required to ensure justice is fairly administered. Witnesses were called to give evidence virtually, via Zoom. This was due to the fact that they lived far away from the Supreme Court, making travelling between their homes and the trial to give evidence extremely difficult. 

Kayla Brydon and Ava Runcie (Year 12 Legal Studies 2026)

Magali Foote

Acting Head of HSIE

The TAS/VET Department

TAS Show:

Our annual TAS Show was on Tuesday the 2nd of December. Technology projects from Years 7–11 were on display in Cullen Hall. The evening featured a mini Fashion Walk with Year 7 students displaying the pyjama shorts and accessories they made throughout the year.  Families and friends were invited to come along, explore the displays and support our students’ fantastic work.

Year 8 Farm Excursion: 

Our Year 8 students had a fantastic day in Camden with our Technology Department, bringing their Food & Agriculture learning to life. They explored sustainable horticulture at Grech Farm, discovered how emerging technologies support modern farming and even harvested their own lettuce and potatoes to take home. Students then visited Camden Valley Farm to learn about dairy farming, herd management and the journey from milk to cheese. A brilliant hands-on experience for all!  

We had the privilege of visiting two working farms, Grech Vegetable Farm and Camden Valley Dairy Farm. At Grech Vegetable Farm, we had the opportunity to harvest lettuce and potatoes. These hands-on experiences gave us an insight into what it is like to work on a farm and the regulations behind it. They talked about the importance of agriculture and enlightened us on ways their farm is sustainable. They also talked about the farming process and how farmers need to be able to work and harvest at any time. The presentation showed us the farm to mouth process and then we were lucky enough to see it in action through the enormous workshop and paddocks upon paddocks of produce. We are also so grateful for the produce they gifted us - it was delicious!

At Camden Dairy Farm, we learnt about the dairy farming process and had the opportunity to do it ourselves. They taught us about all the steps you need to take to milk cows, make soft cheeses, pasteurise raw milk and explained the difference between homogenised and non-homogenised milk. Afterwards, we were able to milk a cow ourselves and pat a calf. While we did this we learnt about cows' diets and lifestyle. It was a very enlightening experience that used interactive activities to take us through the inner workings of a farm. These encounters will stay with us as lifelong memories, this was truly a great learning experience.

Eleanor Barton

Year 7 Solar Power Engineering Incursion:

A big day for Year 7 TAS! UNSW’s Renewable Energy team visited our college to run a hands-on engineering workshop, exploring renewable energy and women in engineering. Students built and raced solar-powered cars, competing for the fastest design. Thank you to the UNSW team for an amazing experience!  

This Thursday, Year 7 students came together to take part in a renewable energy workshop hosted by a lecturer and students from the renewable energy course at UNSW. At the beginning of this workshop they discussed the different kinds of renewable energy sources and how each works, focusing on solar and its potential to help change our planet. During the second part of our workshop we made solar cars using many different materials such as mini solar panels, motors, wheels and more. After finishing our cars we took them outside to race and see whose was the fastest!

Lola Boosey

We firstly gathered together to listen to a group of speakers who spoke about renewable energy. They explained how solar and other clean sources can help reduce pollution and protect the planet. After, we moved on to building solar cars. Working in teams of two or three, we designed small cars powered by solar panels. It was a bit difficult at the start but once we got the hang of it, it only took about 20-30 minutes to put them together. After we built them, we went outside and put the cars in the sunlight and watched as they moved. We then had a race. Some cars went fast, others needed adjustments, but every group had fun experimenting and learning. 

Sky Mee

Year 9 VET Business Services Placement:

Our Year 9 Early Commencement students recently completed their work placement at the Sydney Catholic Schools Head Office, offering them an insight into the corporate environment of the CBD.

During their placement, students undertook a range of business administration tasks, including filing documents, preparing organisational resources and operating a variety of office equipment. These hands-on experiences support key competencies from the VET Business Services syllabus, such as workplace communication, organisational skills, use of business technology and the development of practical, entry-level administrative capabilities.

This experience not only strengthened students’ understanding of the expectations of a modern workplace, but also allowed them to build confidence, professionalism and teamwork: attributes that are essential in both the business services industry and future vocational pathways.

We thank the SCS team for welcoming our students and providing such a meaningful learning opportunity.

In Week 6, our Year 9 Business Services class had the opportunity to complete a three-day work placement at the Sydney Catholic Schools Head Office. From Monday to Wednesday, we experienced what it’s like to work in a professional environment and learned many valuable skills that we can apply in the future.

On the first day, we helped format documents for Sydney Catholic Schools, including syllabus materials for future year groups. We also created learning activities for Eileen O’Connor Catholic College in Lewisham by printing, cutting, laminating and sorting activity sets. It felt great knowing our work would support students in their learning.

The second day focused on formatting more documents for the 2026 syllabus. We also printed and bound booklets containing HSC content to help us prepare for our exams next year. As Year 9 students, we don’t usually get much exposure to HSC materials, so this experience gave us a head start and helped us understand what to expect.

Overall, the placement was an amazing experience. We learned so much and got to practise the skills we’ve been developing in Business Services. Everyone at the office was welcoming, helpful and kind. It was a great opportunity to build confidence, gain independence and see how our classroom learning applies in the real world. 

Sophia Howes 

Lucy Collins

Head of TAS/VET

The Music Department

End of Year Music Showcase

Congratulations to the College’s music department and all students and staff involved who, on Friday night, held their 2025 End of Year Showcase, showing off the amazing talents of all of our music students! A massive thanks to all the girls who participated and dedicated so much time to rehearse for this amazing show and another major thank you to our incredible music teachers Ms Hanniffy and Ms Lau who put a lot of effort into making this concert a successful night for everyone.

The concert featured performances from all of our music ensembles and elective classes, including a rendition of ‘Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree’ by our choir and combined orchestra, ending the show with some Christmas spirit! A shout out to the Year 9, 10 and 11 elective classes, each of which spent some class time working together to perform some fantastic pieces; and another special mention to all of our small ensembles and student leaders whose enthusiasm and dedication helped bring the showcase to life. Well done everyone!

Emily Molloy - College Orchestra Leader

Shrek The Musical

The Music and Drama department are very exited to announce that Brigidine will be performing Shrek The Musical next year on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th of July. 

Based on the Oscar-winning DreamWorks Animation film, Shrek The Musical is a Tony Award-winning fairy tale adventure, featuring all songs from Jeanine Tesori and a side-splitting book by David Lindsay-Abaire. Shrek brings all the beloved characters you know from the film to life on stage and proves there's more to the story than meets the ears.

"Once upon a time, there was a little ogre named Shrek...." and thus begins the tale of an unlikely hero who finds himself on a life-changing journey alongside a wisecracking Donkey and a feisty princess who resists her rescue. Throw in a short-tempered bad guy, a cookie with an attitude and over a dozen other fairy tale misfits and you've got the kind of mess that calls for a real hero. Luckily, there's one on hand...and his name is Shrek.

Well done to all the students who auditioned for a lead role and congratulations to the following students:

Shrek 2026

Jacqueline Hanniffy 

Head of Music

The Language Department

As we near the end of another busy year at Brigidine College, I would like to thank all of our language students for the energy and enthusiasm they have shown for learning Italian in 2025!

I would also like to take the opportunity to mention that we have a number of students who have spent the year learning other languages through Distance Education. Some of the languages studied include Chinese, French, German, Greek, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean and Spanish. These students have demonstrated an excellent level of maturity and independence in navigating their language learning throughout the year. Here are some reflections from a few of our students:

Taking Indonesian Continuers with NSW School of Languages has been such a fun way to connect with the language and culture, especially as someone with Indonesian heritage. It’s been amazing to speak my native language more fluently!

I’ve also loved bonding with classmates and learning face to face with my Indonesian teachers during lesson days. It’s great having a whole network of Indonesian-speaking friends to learn from and share cultural experiences with.

Kayla Sani - Year 11 

Learning Spanish has been a really enjoyable and rewarding experience for me. Over time I’ve become so much more confident with my speaking, writing, listening and reading and it’s exciting to be able to engage even more in conversations with my family. Learning the language has also helped me connect more deeply with the culture and appreciate it in a new way. The lesson days are also very fun and helpful, it's interesting to meet other students learning the same language and make friends with people with a similar culture. Overall, I’m proud of the progress I’ve made and motivated to keep growing.

Ajelen Castillo Year - 11

My Year 12 German Beginners Course is one of my favourite subjects as it has allowed me to not only become confident in another language but learn about German culture and engage with students all across the state which has been really fun. Although it is for beginners, the independent nature has allowed me to explore so many new ideas and concepts and I've really seen an improvement in my speaking and listening. I am comfortable talking to German people and I am able to pick up quite a lot when hearing it being spoken on the street. 

Mila Boshuizen - Year 11 

Bonjour! Je m’appelle Ava. J’adore apprendre à NSL; voici pourquoi. 

(Hello! My name is Ava. I love learning at NSL, here is why.)

I have been doing French as a subject with NSL for nearly 3 years now and it has been great! Every week, I get to have a 1-to-1 speaking lesson with my teacher, getting detailed feedback for my writing and speaking and constantly working on my comprehension skills; something which students do not often get in a classroom. We have access to the full course on Canvas, so we can work at our own pace and refer to it any time we need. 

On lesson days, we get to see our whole class! Activities vary every lesson day, but it is not just a full day of learning. We listen to songs, eat French food and sometimes watch a movie! It is great being able to put our French into practice. 

This year, I have been incredibly lucky to be a part of the NSL leadership team. As language ambassadors we get the opportunity to implement changes in the school to promote language learning and engagement. One of the exciting projects we are working on is compiling an eLibrary for all the languages taught at NSL. We also have assisted in launching the NSL podcast, NSL’s Language Exchange. 

Ava Azemi - Year 11

Learning Modern Greek from the NSW School of Languages has been a very enjoyable experience. I have had the opportunity to learn new things through different teaching methods and have participated in lesson days on the campus, online work like quizzes and worksheets, and speaking lessons with my teacher. This unique way of learning has made Modern Greek a subject I love and look forward to. 

Anastasia Kalkandis - Year 9

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all our students and families! See you in 2026!

Janine Christofides

Head of Languages