Burford 

Welcome to 2025!

 As the new college year begins here at Chev, BURFORD HOUSE continues to grow in strength and stands together as one strong, yet gentle FAMILY. Ours is a spirit of kindness understanding, and compassion. Seeing the many new faces who bring with them a warm and kind smile along with fresh energy to our community, coupled with our senior students leading the way, we are off to a strong start – ready to ‘Share our part of the Sacred heart!’   

A Celebration of the New House System   

We began this year with the introduction of the new House System. To say that BURFORD has already become an even more tight knit tapestry than before, is an understatement. Working together with our Leader of House, Mrs White, our Lead Tutor Mrs Whitton alongside our supportive Homeroom Tutors has been extremely rewarding. It has been great to begin each morning with our BURFORD House gathered with a real buzz in the F Block, creating a stronger sense of community. Reflecting on the words of the MSC constitution, ours truly, is a spirit of family.   

Welcoming New Students to our House - Yr 7 students + new students Yrs 8-11  

During our first BURFORD House Meeting and Welcome Day, we spent time ensuring that the new members to our BURFORD family felt our true sense of hospitality. In BURFORD we are excited to have thirty-two new Year 7 students and five new students from Years 8-11. They continue to experience kindness and MSC hospitality from members of their Home Room groups each day.     

Year 7 Retreat  

Retreats remain such an integral aspect of life here at Chev and it was exciting for our Year 7 BURFORD students to receive their Retreat Books. Under the leadership of our Assistant Principal of Faith, Formation and Mission, Mr Abbey and Fr John Mulrooney msc, supported by Mrs White and Mrs Whitton, the Year 7 BURFORD students explored the theme ‘The Heart of Chevalier’. 

They spent the day considering the idea that whenever they act with kindness, forgiveness, hospitality and a sense of humour, they are living the Spirituality of the Heart. They soon realised that this means simply being the best version of themselves they can be. With the support of our College Vice Captain and BURFORD House member, Eden, we had the privilege of facilitating a session with the BURFORD students, sharing our own treasured memories of our time at Chev, particularly from our own Year 7 Retreat.

We then brainstormed and collaborated to create a strong practical understanding of our MSC constitution #32 and the values on which our House is built. We are excited to see how these are transferred into our BURFORD House Shield.    

Opening College Liturgy: Lantern Lighting for our House   

Our Opening College Liturgy reflected a true sense of unity and strong faith. Sitting together as BURFORD House, we were able to reflect on the 2025 theme “Share your part of the Sacred Heart”. The energy that each House member put into singing was uplifting. 

The simplicity of our lantern-lighting ritual was special when our Year 7 BURFORD student Leia lit our candle to signify the beginning of the Chev journey for each new BURFORD student. The flame symbolised the ability to find light even in times of challenge and encouraged a spirit of forgiveness and humility.  

Buddy Leader Program  

The Buddy Leader Program continues to be an integral part of life at Chev, exemplifying the values of mentorship, kindness and understanding. Our Year 11 BURFORD students have demonstrated remarkable dedication, gentleness and hospitality not only through their active participation in the leadership training course but in the genuine care and kindness they extend to the Year 7 students in our House. 

This commitment is most evident during the fun Tuesday morning sessions, as the Buddy Leaders guide and engage the younger students with patience and encouragement, ensuring they feel welcomed and valued in the Chev community. We are especially proud of how our BURFORD Buddy Leaders have conducted themselves with maturity and have fostered a true sense belonging.   

House Meetings and Cheering  

In BURFORD House, our team has been impressive in their demonstration of House Spirit through cheering and team building activities. Our fortnightly House Meetings and Cheer Preparation Sessions have confirmed what we already suspected - Burford would be fierce and dominant in House pride this year. We welcomed every new student with the traditional introduction to our iconic BURFORD ‘Whale Call’ chant.  We are thrilled with the success of our House Meetings. They are filled with energy, humour, and true friendships are being formed across year groups. 

A huge shout-out goes to our Year 12 Senior Leaders, who have played a crucial role in creating a space where every member feels valued and included. They bravely put their positive voices forward to support our work as House Captains. This highlights the kindness and understanding that strengthen our BURFORD family.  

Annual New Parent Welcome Night   

Our annual new parent Welcome Night was a lovely event to kick off the year. There was great feedback from parents and carers who all had a wonderful time. Our BURFORD parents particularly appreciated the hospitality provided and the opportunity to meet our Leader of House Mrs White along with other senior leaders. 

As House Captains, we also had the opportunity to attend the event, and it was great to meet a number of the new BURFORD parents.  We were able to hear about how their child is really enjoying Chev life so far. It is inspiring to see the MSC spirit alive as kindness, compassion and understanding shine, and our community comes together to celebrate the beginning of new Chev journeys.   

Swimming Carnival  

If there is ever one event that brings out passion within students, it is the Swimming Carnival. We encouraged all members of BURFORD splash their way through the day by participating. As House Captains, we are beyond thrilled by the achievements of our swimmers and cheer squad who have made BURFORD so proud!  

The purple costumes were out in full force on the day. BURFORD was thrilled to gain a podium place in the Best Dressed Competition. We look forward to hearing our final overall position for the Carnival.  A big thankyou also to the BURFORD parents who came along and supported our team.  

Yr 12 Retreat   

The Year 12 retreat welcomed hot sunny days, and clear night skies at the Collaroy Centre. This was the perfect place for our Year 12 cohort to come together with the theme “The Heart’s Journey”. Our BURFORD leaders were all provided with valuable time away from the hustle and bustle of the HSC year. We can confidently say that the week was one of the most powerful experiences for all of us. 

Father John and Mr Abbey lead a profound candle ritual providing us with the opportunity to reflect on forgiveness and reconciliation. We also shared a special liturgy on our final night together, reflecting on the MSC values of compassion and mutual forgiveness.  The time away also allowed for sunrise walks along the beach, swimming together in the ocean pool and have our band ‘Track 5’ knock our socks off with their performances. Simplicity was central to this humbling experience.    

International Women's Day 

As BURFORD House Captains, we collaborated with the Student Care Captains to facilitate the celebration of the 2025 International Women’s Day! The theme for this year is ‘March Forward’. Students had the opportunity to wear a splash of purple and write an affirmation for a significant woman in their lives during Home Room. This was the perfect way for BURFORD to encourage the display of kindness, compassion and understanding.