Deputy Principal 

Year 7 and 10

Year 7  

Spring has arrived and the weather has turned - and then turned again. Sydney weather in Spring is characterised by inconsistency. Epping Boys, however, is different. 'Consistency is key' and 'best practice becomes normal practice'. As I stated on the Year 7 Camp, and in my first report to you in February, we really emphasise ‘simple things done well.’  

While I am not saying that the boys have embraced this attitude, they are certainly working towards it; arrive to school early, in the correct school uniform, polished shoes (we can work on that), ties up, shirts in, correct schoolbooks, pencil case, diary, timetable and phones (off and away). Get the simple things – done well – and you are half way there.  

The big push – and it will remain central to our philosophy on education – is the importance of the PEN and the BOOK. To achieve academic success the boys must be actively engaged in writing – and writing is best done in a book, not on a computer screen. We will continue to emphasise writing strategies such as the Bubble Method to increase the clarity and depth in student writing.  

So, well done Year 7. You now deserve a 2-week break. Again, the same message at the end of every Term: please get off your electronic devices and enjoy the great outdoors. While there is uncertainty in the weather there is certainty that the outdoors is the best place for a Year 7 Epping Boy. 

 Year 10 

Assessment tasks have been completed, subjects for 2027 have been chosen and the boys are heading into the HSC mindset. It is so important that the boys start to develop good habits: a routine where you balance the academic rigour of a school day with external exercise - through team sport, study  - where you consolidate the classroom learning, and the enjoyment of a social life with family and friends. Another key routine to address is the mobile phone. As much as it is smart, overuse is not. Please get off your devices in the coming break and enjoy the social interaction of friends and family. 

School Camp has always been a highlight of Year 10. It provides an opportunity to enjoy the Aussie bush: to camp in a tent, to cook by a campfire, to canoe on the Shoalhaven River. The exposure to camping with your mates may be the start of a lifetime love of nature and the great outdoors. Bring your fishing rods and get keen – get around it.  

Richard Edwards

Deputy Principal Year 7 and 10