Magis Report
British Parliamentary Debating
The State Semi-Finals of the British Parliamentary Debating Competition were held last Monday at Presbyterian Ladies College (PLC). With the highest-ever number of teams participating in this year's competition, it was an outstanding achievement for our College to have multiple teams in the State Semi-Final. Our teams represented both the government and opposition’s position on the topic: this house opposes female only divisions in non-physical sports (e.g. chess, esports competitions etc). I would like to take this opportunity to commend Asha Bowers and Rosie O’Toole (both Year 7), who were the youngest team to compete at the State Semi-Final. They held their own in a spirited debate and should be immensely proud of their achievement.
We are excited to announce that we have two teams (only school with multiple teams) progressing to the State Final, which will be held on Monday, 22 September at North Perth Lesser Town Hall. We congratulate Niamh Jennings, Ciara Thornton, Luke Nicol and Zachary Sartorello, and wish them all the best with their debate. For those interested in attending the State Final, doors will open to the public at 5:00pm, with the Cygnet Division concluding at 6:30pm and the Swan Division at 8:30pm. The 2025 British Parliamentary Debating State Finalists are:
Cygnet Division
- Hale Team 2
- John XXIII College Team 4
- John XXIII College Team 8
PLC Team 6
Swan Division
- Wesley College Team 1
- St Stephen's School Team 1
- Guilford Grammar School Team 4
- St Hilda’s Anglican School Team 1
Save the date!
Our Magis Community Mass is scheduled for 8am on Friday, 26 September, in the College Chapel. Not only will this be a terrific way to finish a very busy term for students, but moreover, it provides us with a wonderful opportunity to come together as a community in celebration and support of the Magis Program. Some students have nominated to take an active role in the mass, and we thank them in advance. We look forward to seeing our Magis students and their families on the last day of term!
What’s happening next week?
Besides the state Finals of the British Parliamentary Debating Competition, we also have our Years 11 and 12 students taking part in our final academic challenge to decide the winner of the 2025 Magis Academic Cup. This challenge will test students' knowledge of music. Our Years 7 to 10 Homerooms competed this past week. We wish all students participating in the Music Challenge the best of luck! We also look forward to seeing all Magis students (and families) at our Community Mass.
You can keep up to date with our schedule of competitions and events by viewing the Magis calendar, which can be accessed by clicking on the link below.
Daisy Farley
Head of Magis – Gifted and Talented
Magis: Opportunities to do more!
Nature in Focus Photography Competition
Entries are now open for the 2025 Nature in Focus Photography Competition. Last year’s competition saw nearly 500 entries from across Australia, showcasing the extraordinary biodiversity and sustainability efforts across this great land. With nearly $8,000 worth of prizes to be won, show Australia how you keep ‘Nature in Focus!’. Students can enter in three (3) themed categories: Oceans, Wetlands, and Rivers; Sustainability; Species and Habitats. Participants may submit one (1) photograph per entry, per themed category. Photographs must be submitted in digital format and should not be digitally altered beyond standard optimisation (e.g. colour correction, cropping). The competition closes at 11:59pm on 26 September, 2025. Visit Conservation Volunteers Australia for more information (Nature In Focus Photo Competition)
National Youth Parliament
150 motivated young Australians - one from every federal electorate - will be selected for a five-day residential program in Canberra in 2026. You don’t need to have any experience - just a desire to contribute, learn and represent your community. Eligibility: All young people who will be aged 16 - 17 and living in Australia in August 2026 are welcome to apply - regardless of background, education or experience. All essential costs, including travel to and from Canberra, accommodation, all meals and activities, are covered by the program. See website for further details:
Apply - National Youth Parliament. Applications close 21 November 2025.
Ethics Olympiad Case Writing Competition
Ethics Olympiad are holding a case writing competition with prize money to be won. Submissions should follow the general format for Ethics Olympiad cases: a scenario, between 400 and 800 words long, which highlights a clear moral issue and is appropriate for middle or high-school students and is written in a way that encourages civil discourse. The scenario should be framed so that the central issue is clearly moral and not simply or primarily legal or professional. Knowledge of the structure of the Ethics Olympiad competition is important, and it is for that reason that we would recommend the case writing competition to students who have previously participated in an Ethics Olympiad.
Entries due by 23 April 2026, view Ethics Olympiad website (Case Competition - EthicsOlympiad) for further details.
Astronomy Club
Calling all stargazers and astronomy lovers! Join our College’s Astronomy Club, where you’ll learn more about the night sky and the history behind constellations, gain confidence with telescopes, and discover tips to make stargazing more enjoyable. It is a great social club where you’ll meet like-minded people of all ages, who share a passion for learning and stargazing. The Astronomy Club meets on the College Oval on various evenings throughout the year – and has a few events booked with the Perth Observatory. For more information, please email the Club Coordinator, Mr Peter Mazur (Mathematics Learning Area), or the Head of Magis.