Message from the Principal

What an exceptional evening we shared at our 2026 Balmoral State High School Awards Night. Engage 26 was a wonderful celebration of our students, their achievements, and the strength of our school community.

The evening showcased the very best of Balmoral, with incredible student performances, outstanding academic achievements, and a genuine sense of pride across our school community. It was a privilege to recognise the dedication, persistence, and personal excellence of so many students, alongside the families, staff and community partners who support them.

A particular highlight was celebrating our strongest academic outcomes in the school’s history. This is an outstanding achievement and reflects the collective commitment of our students, teachers, and families to learning, high expectations and continuous improvement. Congratulations to every student who received an award. Your achievements deserve to be celebrated, and we are incredibly proud of your efforts.

Awards Night also provided an opportunity to reflect on our broader journey at Balmoral. Over the past three years, we have continued to challenge ourselves to rethink student engagement, strengthen learning partnerships and create the conditions for every learner to thrive. Our commitment to Agency, Belonging and Innovation remains central to this work. We want every learner to be curious, capable, and courageous, with the confidence to pursue their own personal excellence and make a meaningful contribution to their community.

It was particularly pleasing to acknowledge the growing recognition of this work, with Balmoral named a 2026 Employer of Choice and recognised among Australia’s Most Innovative Schools for the second consecutive year at the Australian Education Awards. While these achievements are significant, the measure that matters most is the difference we make in the everyday learning experiences and opportunities of our students.

I would also like to sincerely thank our P&C for their generous $27,000 contribution towards the fit out of our school gym equipment. This investment is a wonderful example of the difference strong community partnerships make in providing improved facilities and opportunities for our young people. Thank you to Raelene, our P&C President, and all members of our P&C for your leadership, fundraising, time, and ongoing commitment to Balmoral. Your contribution is genuinely valued. The P&C provided drinks and food options at Awards Night with the profits of this fundraiser providing support to our student welfare fund for 2027.

Thank you to our staff for the enormous work that went into making Awards Night such a success, particularly the preparation and coordination of the evening’s outstanding student performances. To our families, thank you for your encouragement, support, and high expectations. Most importantly, to our students, thank you for the energy, talent, and pride you bring to our school. You made the evening a memorable celebration of what it means to be part of Balmoral.

As we move through Week 3 of Term 4, we carry this sense of achievement and momentum into the final weeks of the school year. 

Our focus remains on consistent, purposeful practice that strengthens engagement, supports learning growth, and ensures every student can finish the year well.

I wish all our Year 12 students all the very best towards their final external exams commencing next week. It was great to connect in with our Year 12 leaders and hear how they have been using this week to go deeper and use their increased study time more flexibility. 

Awards Night reminded us that excellence is not defined by a single achievement or an individual award. It is built through the relationships we develop, the effort we invest, the challenges we embrace and the progress we make together.

Thank you for being part of the Balmoral story. Let us continue to build on this momentum and create brighter futures for every learner.

Timothy Barraud, Principal, Balmoral State High School