Term 1 Highlights

Junior School Winter Olympics

In conjunction with the opening of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, the Junior School held their own Winter Olympics (despite the heat of the day)! This was a fun, age-appropriate way for the students to connect global events with everyday learning. 

Through movement-based activities and teamwork challenges, students explored the Olympic values of participation, collaboration and resilience, while building social connections and a sense of shared celebration. 

This fun event was a joyful reminder that meaningful learning happens not only in the classroom, but through experiences that spark curiosity, engagement and community (plus, there was ice cream!)

Year 12 Leadership Dinner

On 3 February 2026, Year 12 students gathered to celebrate the start of their final year at the Leadership Dinner, an evening designed to strengthen connections and recognise their role as leaders within the school community. Embracing the theme “recreate a photo from when you were younger,” the night was filled with light-hearted fun. 

This year’s quote, “Journey Through Joy,” aligns with the cohort’s chosen charity, the SHE Foundation, highlighting the importance of supporting women with gynaecological cancers and their families with dignity, strength and moments of joy. 

Guest speaker Christine Finnegan, CEO of the Tasmanian JackJumpers and a SHE board member, shared powerful reflections on purpose-driven leadership, drawing on both her professional experience and personal connections to the cause. Her message centred on the importance of compassion, connection and finding joy even in challenging times, leaving students inspired to lead with authenticity, courage and positivity.

Principal's Welcome Evening

Our Principal's Welcome Evening brought together our wonderful Collegiate community—families, staff, Board members, alumni, and more—for a special celebration of connection and togetherness.

It was a delightful chance to reconnect, share stories, and embrace the warmth of our close-knit all-girls school. A huge thank you to everyone who attended and supported the evening, and especially to our senior students who generously volunteered their time to serve food with such grace and enthusiasm.

The highlight? Magical mini pop-up performances from our talented SPA (School of Performing Arts) students.

Year 10 Connect Program

Year 10 students immersed themselves in the 10 Connect program, stepping beyond the classroom to engage in experiences designed to challenge, inspire and connect. Students chose from a 4-day Derby Mountain Bike adventure, a series of action-packed day experiences including coasteering, bushwalking and ocean swimming, or meaningful service learning through hands-on work in our community garden.

At its heart, 10 Connect is about creating the time and space for students to better understand themselves — who they are, what they are capable of, and how they respond to challenge. Through shared experiences, students build stronger, more authentic relationships with one another, fostering a genuine sense of belonging and community.

Just as importantly, the program encourages students to develop a deeper connection to the world around them — whether that’s through engaging with the natural environment, contributing to their local community, or reflecting on their place within it.

Head of the River

Well done to Collegiate Rowers who competed at the Head of the River. 

We had some fantastic results, and it was great to see so many supporters line the bank of Lake Barrington to cheer on our rowers. A big thank you to the parents, volunteers and coaches who put in countless hours over the season to make it all possible.

SPA Students Professional Workshops

Our Acting, Vocal and Dance SPA students have been fortunate over the past three weeks, to experience workshops from industry professional in Musical Theatre, Josh Gates.

Hobart-born and bred, Josh starred in his first professional musical, The Boy from Oz, alongside Hugh Jackman at the age of 9. He then went on to play the title role in Billy Elliot (original Australian production). 

Our SPA students were encouraged to step out of their performance comfort zones and to embrace other disciplines in the Performing Arts with Josh. We are so proud of their energy, focus and willingness to take on this challenge -allowing themselves to discover the unique differences but also similarities in each style of performance. We thank Josh for his inspirational leadership of the workshops, his supportive feedback to the students and his ability to ‘build’ the students’ work to a higher level via his own passion and expertise.

Middle & Senior School Athletics Carnival

Dressed proudly in their house colours, our community came together to cheer, compete, and celebrate every effort.

Our girls showcased incredible spirit, sportsmanship, and determination across track and field events. 

A special congratulations to Year 5 student Remi Baghurst for breaking the record in the 800m with an outstanding time of 2:52.52! 

House Track Events winners: Kilburn/Mitchell

House Field Events winners: Rivers/Stevens

Overall House Cup: Rivers/Stevens

Launching Leadership Lab

Term 1 saw the launch of a brand-new club in our cocurricular program: Collegiate Leadership Lab! 

Open to any Senior School student – whether you hold a leadership position or not – this is your space to explore leadership as a mindset, not just a title.

Facilitated by Mr Jack Reed and Mr Andrew Robinson, sessions run on Thursdays after school (3:30–4:30 pm in IF11). 

The aim of this program is for students to see leadership, not as a title, but as a set of values, a way of doing things and a means to grow. Each session will have themes that the group will discuss, unpack and put into action. These are underpinned by the Collegiate School values ‘Courage, Integrity and Compassion’, and the aim is to make each session interactive and authentic. 

No commitment required – come to as many as you like, drop in when it suits you, and grow at your own pace.

International Women's Day Breakfast

What a beautiful way to honour International Women’s Day! Our community gathered for a heartfelt breakfast, coming together to celebrate the achievements, contributions, and inspiring impact of women in our lives and across the wider world.

We were delighted to welcome guest speaker Bess Clark, who shared powerful insights and experiences, followed by an engaging Q&A and fun activities that sparked connection and joy.

A huge thank you to the generous local businesses who donated raffle prizes to support the SHE Foundation—your kindness helped make the morning even more special:

Francesca – $50 gift voucher

Hobart Bookshop – gift voucher

 Pennicott Wilderness Journeys – voucher for 2 adults on an award-winning Wilderness Cruise (Bruny Island Cruises, Tasman Island Cruises, or Vista Lounge with Wineglass Bay Cruises) valued at $360

Thank you to everyone who joined us—students, families, staff, and friends—for making it such a meaningful and uplifting celebration. Together we honour women’s strength and give back to empower others.

Visiting Authors

Throughout Term 1, we have had three visiting authors to the School: Blake Nuto, Robyn Mundy and Peter Carnavas. 

Blake spoke openly with our TCE students about the craft of writing, the skills he’s developed along the way, and his real-life pathway to getting three books published—both in Australia and internationally. His talk was honest and motivating, giving our students insight into what it takes to become a published author.

Our Year 10 students were fortunate to welcome author Robyn Mundy to Collegiate to speak about her novel Wildlight, which they are studying across Terms 1 and 2. Students asked thoughtful questions about characterisation, setting and the complex ideas explored in the text, and hearing Robyn speak about the experiences that inspired her writing brought the novel to life in a powerful way.

Our Prep to Year 4 students welcomed Australian author and illustrator Peter Carnavas for a series of workshops at the end of Term 4. 

Peter held the students’ attention as he demonstrated in real time how he creates his illustrations and brings stories to life. He shared valuable insights into what makes an engaging story — a strong subject, a problem to solve, and the journey that follows.

We thank Blake, Robyn and Peter for sharing their time, talent and passion with our students.

Da Vinci Decathlon

Collegiate was proud to participate in the Da Vinci Decathlon, a prestigious academic competition that challenged students across 10 disciplines, with this year’s theme, Machines and Mechanics, inspiring creative and critical thinking. Our students achieved outstanding results throughout the event. In the Year 5 division, the team placed 1st in the English paper and finished 3rd overall. In the Year 6 division, the 6A team achieved 1st place in both the Codebreaking and Ideation papers, and were awarded 1st place overall. We congratulate all students involved on their excellent efforts and achievements.