Senior School
Aspirational Power at Kambala
Recent findings from the OECD’s 2025 report The State of Global Teenage Career Preparation confirm what educators in girls’ schools like Kambala have long observed: young women are aspiring higher, and a girls’ education plays a critical role in supporting those ambitions.
The aforementioned report and the graph below informed by that report, reveal a notable shift over the past two decades. In 2000, girls’ top career choices included traditionally gendered roles such as hairdresser or office clerk. By 2022, those had been replaced with professions like architect, psychologist and veterinarian, with over 50% of girls now aspiring to one of ten professional careers, including doctors. This evolution reflects growing confidence and opportunity awareness among young women and is magnified at Kambala with the table below reflecting the areas of aspiration and achievement of our most recent alumni.
A girls’ school environment fosters this upward momentum as students see themselves in leadership roles, explore non-traditional pathways and challenge societal expectations. Without the presence of gender stereotypes that can subtly shape classroom interactions and participation, girls are empowered to engage more freely in the Sciences, Politics, Law and Entrepreneurship. Kambala, with a strong culture of aspiration and pastoral support is uniquely placed to address what the OECD refer to as an “aspiration gap” by fostering confidence, connection, and clarity in future planning. This is reflected in the individual subject selection interviews that are ongoing with every Year 10 student as they make plans for their final two years of academic school study.
This global data affirms, the right environment can make all the difference. At Kambala, we are proud to equip our students with the confidence, ambition and vision to aspire beyond limits and achieve.
Reference: here
Ms Carolyn Gedling
Deputy Principal - Academic
English Student Work Published
The HSC Extension 2 Major Work offers students the opportunity to commit to an extended project, guided by a mentor, yet independently driven. The creative possibilities of this course are complemented by the development of fundamental skills for 21st century learners; motivation, perseverance, self-reflection and an openness to engage in trial and error. Commitment to a tertiary-style approach to research and drafting, and a passion to share a perspective or impart a message are essential ingredients.
For 2024 Kambala Old Girl Evangeline Chu, this resulted in her Major Work being nominated and ultimately selected for inclusion in the Young Writer’s Showcase, a selection of 1 exemplary Major Works across New South Wales.
Evie was invited to present her work at NSW Parliament House in May and received an award from Professor Peter Shergold AC, Chair of the NESA Board and Member of Parliament Mr Greg Warren. Her full work can be read in the 2024 Young Writer’s Showcase Anthology, and we congratulate Evie on now being a published author.
The project was equally about the process as well as the product. Sustained engagement in a self-devised work provided Evie with a creative platform to cultivate and expand her own sense of self and convey formative experiences that have shaped her identity.
Subsequently, Evie has been invited by the English Teacher’s Association of NSW to share her expertise with students and teachers in a professional learning environment in 2026.
We congratulate Evie on her significant achievements.
Ms Greta Beaumont-Kennedy
Head of English
Bannockburn - Group 2 - Term 2
At the end of term 2, 24 SCOTS and 24 Kambala students set off for an unforgettable co-educational experience at Bannockburn.
Josie Criddle, Year 8 shares the following reflection about her time away:
"Whilst on the Bannockburn camp, the Year 8 Term 2 group explored a variety of challenges, experiences and workshops that brought together our intellectual abilities and skills of collaboration. We completed activities such as insect trapping, pH water testing, education of the land, beekeeping and much much more! The two nights spent at the Bannockburn campus were ones filled with huddling by the campfire, playing footy in the dark and watching State Of Origin, with both schools becoming deeply invested, and, in the end, deeply disappointed, the Blues losing by 2 points. Both The Scots College boys and Kambala girls were given the opportunity for early morning beach walks, which we eagerly took part in, despite the menacing cold! Overall, this exciting, new and immersive experience was a fantastic opportunity for all, and we look forward to continuing the connections we made."
The Bannockburn experience has been so well received since commencing at the start of this year, and we very much look forward to taking the next group in Term 4 2025.
Ms Anna Derrig
Head of Curriculum Experiences
Cultural Immersion through Music and Performance
Towards the end of Term 2, the Year 10 Mandarin classes embarked on an excursion to Chatswood. There, we participated in a variety of activities.
In the morning, we visited the Sydney Guzheng School and took part in a workshop where we learned about the history and techniques of two traditional Chinese instruments: the Guzheng and the Pipa. The Guzheng is a 21-string plucked instrument known for its rich, resonant tones. Pieces often draw inspiration from elements of nature, such as water and wind. The Pipa is a pear-shaped lute with four strings, celebrated for its expressive and intricate melodies. Our class learned to play Mary Had a Little Lamb on the Guzheng, and some students had the opportunity to try on traditional Chinese clothing known as Hanfu.
After the instrumental workshop, we headed to Haidilao Hotpot for lunch. Traditional hotpot is a Chinese dining experience where you cook a variety of meats, vegetables, and noodles in a simmering pot of broth at the table. During our meal, we chose four different types of broth (e.g., tomato, spicy mala, chicken bone), allowing everyone to enjoy a range of flavours while cooking their selections.
In the afternoon, we visited the Taiwanese Cultural Centre, where we learned about traditional Taiwanese hand puppets and how to manoeuvre them. In small groups, we created puppet shows to perform for each other. We also watched a tutorial on how to make Aiyu jelly, a staple Taiwanese night market snack. It is made from Aiyu seeds and water, which are mixed together and refrigerated until solidified, then combined with lemon juice and melon drink.
Overall, our excursion was a highly enjoyable experience, and we learned many things about Taiwanese and Chinese culture.
Jasmine Zhang and Sofia Chan
Year 10 Mandarin
Schools Challenge Intermediate Theatresports Cup
If someone told me a month or two ago that my team would win the Intermediate division of the Theatresports Schools Challenge (TSC), I don’t think I would have believed them. It has been such an incredible journey and one of the best learning opportunities I’ve been given as a performer, for which I have grown in stagecraft, teamwork and skill and am indescribably grateful.
Having played last year in the Junior Division of the same competition, I was unbelievably excited to hear from Ms Moir that I had been selected to represent Kambala in the Intermediate Team – alongside Emily Carman (Year 8), Ellie-Rose and Hannah Heimans (Year 9 and 8, respectively). We quickly began training on any morning we could find to prepare for the Heat, which was held at St Andrews’ Cathedral School, where we proudly tied first with the St Andrews team. We then moved on to finding a new batch of games for the Semi-final, and then The Grand Final, which was – to our delight – held at none other than the Enmore Theatre, on June 22. It was such a memorable experience to be able to perform on the Enmore stage, and the overall calibre of all teams competing in the Final was nothing short of spectacular.
Of course, none of what we did would have been possible without our incredibly talented coach, David, and of course, the endless moral support of Ms Moir. Every second we were on stage throughout the tournament was an unforgettable experience; one my whole team will treasure forever – the cup was just the icing on the cake.
Abby Leibman
Year 9
Entering the Internet of Things
Term 2 the Senior STEM Clubs main project took us into the world of WIFI and a recent buzzword in the technology world “The internet of things” and “Smart Appliances” by building a WIFI controlled colour changing lamp. The case was 3d designed with the top 3d designers required to use math and our 3d printers tolerance to design a 2 part case that would still fit together without being too loose. Others used a technique called Lithophane to create custom light covers to diffuse the light in the shape they wanted. Students warmed up the soldering irons to wire up the LED’s and switches while a cheap microcontroller and WIFI antenna was assembled on a bread board.
A quick lesson in configuring homemade WIFI devices and our students had them connected to their phones ready to receive colour signals.
Each term our Senior STEM Club completes a different project and is open to all students. In Term 3 we hope to enter an inter school robotics competition run by Macquarie University. More information can be found on Sundial Extracurricular page of by emailing Mr Goodwin.
Mr Mark Goodwin
Senior Science
MLC Sun Safety Workshop
Earlier this week, a group of Kambala students were fortunate enough to accompany Mr Board to the MLC Junior School, holding a Sun Safety and Skin Care Workshop. The students did this alongside many esteemed professionals: Dr Phillip Tong (CEO), who has provided expert input and adolescent specialised skincare advice and demonstrations. These demonstrations were presented by MakMax, SC Johnson, and Kirstie Fitzpatrick. MakMax presented a design and engineering company who focuses on creating sun-safe environments and implementing shade structures in schools and public spaces.SC Johnson provided resources and support to engage studentsand aid creating the link between sun safety and real-world healthcare; Kirstie Fitzpatrick, a journalist and TV presenter whose diagnosis with skin cancer at the age of 19 only encouraged her passion for sun safety.
This workshop was the fifth experience run by Mr Board and the committee, and one of the most successful! The Year 5 students of MLC actively participated in a range of activities, staying engaged throughout the workshop.
This workshop was separated into two parts.
The first being a talk run by Kirstie Fitzpatrick, a successful journalist and TV presenter, who was unfortunately diagnosed with a rare form of skin cancer at the young age of 19. She touched on many topics, starting off with a guide to the different types of skin cancer, how to identify skin cancer, and looked at the science behind it. She then moved on to advocating her extreme concern and disapproval regarding the severe and dangerous tanning culture that is present and normalised in Australia today. As well as this, they were tasked with the challenge of making their own slogan, playing on the widely known slogan of ‘Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek, and Slide’.
The next part of the workshop was more interactive and was filled with many small activities that students could take part in to further their knowledge on sun safety and skin care. Dr Phillip Tong ran a UV camera station where he supplied sunscreen for the students to apply, then used UV cameras to see how effectively the sunscreen protected their skin from UV rays. Not only this, a Visia machine performed a facial skin analysis on the students. This was run and operated by girls in the Year 9 committee, and performed an analysis on 8 main areas of students' faces: Spots, wrinkles, texture, pores, UV spots, brown spots, red areas and porphyrins. Students were shown the severity of each one and were given an insight into what their personal skin type and condition are. Furthermore, Makmax ran a station focusing on the importance of shade in schools and how much of an impact it can make in one's skin journey. Students then finally took part in a trivia game, in which they had to answer a range of questions testing their knowledge about all things sun safety!
Thanks to our partners, the Year 9 committee, Mr Board and the staff and students at MLC Burwood. The MLC Burwood Junior School Sun Safety and Skin Care workshop was highly successful, and we are proud to represent Kambala, sharing the preventative sun safety message.
Olivia Dan
Year 9
Rock Concert
On the Fifth of June 2025, the annual mid-year Rock Concert was held in the Performance Theatre. Girls from Year 8 to Year 12 performed a captivating range of pieces from Grace by Jeff Buckly, sung by Olly Vasalo to You're So Vain, Carly Simon performed by the band Sunstez09. This rock concert will be the one to beat with all bands performing pieces they have put so much time and dedication into.
Congratulations to all the bands, The Melodies, Paranormal, Sunsetz09, Blue Hour, Six Degrees and Wishbone, not to mention our Yr 8 rock band. A very large thank you to all the staff in their assistance and preparation for this event; Mr Amalm, Mr Karamanos, and Mr Clark, without their support and encouragement at every rehearsal we would be nothing. An especially large thank you to the fabulous Ms Mitchell, without her these events that we know and love would not go ahead.
Charlotte Cullen Yr 11
Music Committee
