Senior School

Kambala Debating Teams Shine in 2024 ISDA Competition

Our Kambala Junior and Senior debating teams have been competing in the 2024 Independent Schools' Debating Association (ISDA) Competition on a weekly basis on Friday evenings this term. The ISDA competition is the premier debating competition in Sydney, drawing participation from 32 prestigious Independent Schools from across Sydney.

This esteemed competition provides a platform for students ranging from years 6 to 12 to grapple with contentious age appropriate issues. This year, 42 students spanning Year 6 to Year 12 have represented Kambala, demonstrating dedication and perseverance.

I would like to acknowledge the exceptional performance of our Primary A, Primary B, Year 7, Year 9, and Year 10 teams. Their hard work and commitment have positioned them favorably for advancement to the knockout stages of the competition.

Student quote from Clara Khoury (Year 7), ‘Over the past 6 rounds, my debating team and I have had an enjoyable, yet challenging experience, debating against other private schools all across Sydney. It has been full of raging rebuttals, emotive introductions and challenging decisions, which have made it such a great experience overall.’

School Counselling Insights: Strengthening bonds and belonging at the end of the school day.

“Presence is the greatest gift we can give to another person”.

Daniel J. Siegel

A strong sense of belonging at home and at school has long been associated with higher levels of wellbeing, positive emotion and academic achievement in children and adolescents. Belonging grows in everyday micro-moments. The time you spend with your children at the end of a school day is a great chance to harness those micro-moments of connection and strengthen your child’s sense of belonging. We have compiled our top five quick tips to make those post-school moments count:

The Puppy Principle: How you react when your child first walks through the door after a long day of school can instantly help them feel seen, loved and connected. Psychologist and mother Susan Bauerfeld suggests “Greet your children once a day like they are the family puppy: with total, unabashed joy”. This could look like a warm smile, a big hug or an enthused “Hello!”.
Listen Up, Actively: Encourage your kids to spill the beans about their day, and be ready to really listen. Eye contact, nods, and paraphrasing their words show that you're tuned in and eager to understand.
Deep Dive into Dialogue: Ask open-ended questions that spark meaningful conversations. Think about the questions you are asking - try to focus on your child’s experiences, feelings and what went well rather than solely on academics or challenges. Show them that their thoughts matter and you are interested in their whole day, not just the results they got in a test. The questions you ask can send powerful messages about where you place importance.
Share Special Moments: Try to set aside some time each night to connect through doing. Cook up a storm together, get creative with crafts, or go for an after-school walk. These activities don’t have to last for long, 5-10 minutes of genuine connection time is usually sufficient. Be sure to put away distractions and savour these moments of togetherness.
Embrace Routine: Consistency is key, folks! Establish those after-school rituals that bring comfort, connection and stability. Whether it's a snack time chat, a mindful moment or singing in the car together on the way home, these routines anchor your relationship amidst the chaos of daily life.

Remember, connection is the name of the game. By investing in these moments, you're not just building memories—you're nurturing a relationship that'll stand the test of time, foster a sense of belonging and allow your child to thrive when faced with life’s challenges. So, grab those opportunities, cherish the laughs, and let the love flow! 🌟

Ms Catriona Daly

Head of Counsellling

Senior Career Night

Year 10 to 12 students were invited to attend a joint Scots and Kambala Careers Evening. The girls had the opportunity to listen to three to four speakers on a range of career journeys. We had parents and community connections speak on a range of topics from applied finance, marketing, agribusiness, allied health, medicine and defence.

The students found it interesting to listen to the different guest speakers and understand a little more about the different industries that they worked in and what their journeys had been from high school, through university and then into the world of work.

History Teachers Association of NSW "High Achievers" Awards

Recently our Head of History, Philosophy and Religious Education Mr David Van Tol had the privilege of representing Kambala at the History Teachers Association of NSW ‘High Achievers’ Awards evening held at Sydney University.

Sara Zimmerman OG 23 received first place in the ‘Ancient Past’ category for her essay titled ‘Chinese Whispers: In what ways do the purposes of historians inform their translation of an ancient text?’.

Zoe Dyson OG 23 placed second in the Australian History group for her essay: ‘To what extent have historians contributed to the cultural memory of Ned Kelly?’

Kambala was the only school that collected two awards. Several History teachers from other schools passed comment that Kambala must be doing something special!

Congratulations to the girls and the History department.

Rostrum Voice of Youth Public Speaking 2024

Well done to all our representatives who competed in this year’s Rostrum Voice of Youth Public Speaking Competition 2024. The first set of heats are now complete, with our entrants Saskia Munro (Year 7), Leyla Saurajen (Year 7), Sabine Reja (Year 9), Zara Dempsey (Year 11) having competed last Thursday 21st March and Bonnie Zheng (Year 11) allocated to compete soon at the competition heat set for Wednesday 3rd of April.

The students above worked incredibly hard and produced fantastic speeches on subjects including the pervasiveness of racial stereotypes in popular entertainment media, the notion of confidence and its impact on all aspects of life, the extensive and overlooked gap between political powers and the general public, an engaging analysis on the highly underestimated power of words produced by public figures, as well as the gruelling sexism embedded in the 5-9 preparation stage of life constantly advertised towards young women. Our Junior Competitors were required to present a prepared speech at length of 6 minutes, with our Senior Competitors required to present a speech at the length of 8 minutes guided by the following topics: Uncovering the Secrets, Building Bridges & What’s Next.

A special congratulations to Saskia Munro and Leyla Saurajen, who were both awarded 2nd Place in their respective competition heats on the 21st! Kambala congratulates you both on these phenomenal results. It has most certainly been a fantastic start to the year for Public Speaking with this competition kicking us off!

Ms Victoria Tsingos

Public Speaking Coordinator

Space Camp 2025

An amazing opportunity is available for current Yr 9 and 10 students to journey to USA next year in July 2025. Trip highlights include:

3-day NASA Space Camp at Kennedy Space Centre, Orlando, where students will be immersed in astronaut training and solving problems faced by astronauts
fieldwork with marine scientists at the Florida Marine Discovery Centre
Universal Parks science-themed workshops
Wonderworks and Exploratorium science museums
Silicon Valley tour including Intel Museum & workshop, and a visit to the Apple company store
USS Hornet & flight simulator

For the detailed itinerary plus information about cost here: Kambala NASA Tour July 2025

An information meeting will be held via Zoom on Tue 9 April 6pm-7pm so please join James Whitely from Educating Adventures and me for more information and to have your questions answered. Please use the following Zoom link https://kambala.zoom.us/j/87610706787

Ms Nikki McDonald

Head of Science

Paideia students immersed in the saga of "The Lehman Trilogy"

Recently, a theatrical journey unfolded as 27 Paideia students, accompanied by teachers Mr. Sebastian Knox, Ms. Robyn Howell, Ms. Hattie Wilson, and Ms. Himmi Cheruvu, attended the play "The Lehman Trilogy."

This narrative was presented in three parts, spanning approximately 3 hours and 20 minutes - yet, despite its substantial runtime, the storytelling, stagecraft and stellar performances ensured an immersive experience.

"The Lehman Trilogy" chronicled 163 years of the Lehman Brothers firm, from its modest beginnings to its collapse, reflecting on themes of ambition and the consequences of corporate influence. The play's relevance was underscored by the events of 2008, when the Lehman Brothers firm's bankruptcy triggered a global financial crisis.

During intermissions, students could be heard discussing themes such as immigration, the American Dream, capitalist ambition, hubris, personal, and public success, leaving a profound impression.

Attending this production provided Paideia students with a rich exploration of storytelling and historical reflection, offering insights into modern finance and historical events' enduring impact.

Stay connected with Student News, search “Paideia” on Sundial, or email Ms Himmi Cheruvu to find out more about upcoming enriching opportunities.

Ms Himmi Cheruvu

English Teacher

Embodying Textual Conversations

Year 12 English Advanced students recently delved into a unique pedagogical opportunity while studying Module A, "Textual Conversations." This module offers students a chance to explore the ways in which the comparative study of texts can reveal resonances and dissonances between and within texts. To enrich their learning experience, Ms Webster and Ms Cheruvu, guided by moderator Ms Walsh, assumed the personas of the absurdist author Albert Camus and the French Algerian writer Kamel Daoud. In a live model, teachers embodied the essence of the "textual conversation," exemplifying the dynamic interplay of ideas, perspectives, and cultural contexts that shape new meaning.

Ms Himmi Cheruvu

English Teacher

The Kambala Voice: The International Baccalaureate Diploma Program - Part 4

IB Creative Arts: Music and Visual Arts

The IB Diploma approach to the Creative Arts curriculum fosters critical and reflective learning, as each student develops a rich body of work over two years.The emphasis is on creativity, through highly disciplined, project-based learning that draws upon international cultural influences.

Joining Principal Jane Danvers in the conversation is Head of IB Phillip Bird, Head of Music Mark Grandison, Head of Visual Arts Drew Bickford and our luminous former students Eli Alfassi, Catie Bako, Annabel Cox and Lily Tucker.

Sound Engineer: Nathan BarracloughPresenter: Jane DanversProducer: Anna Messariti

Available on Spotify, Amazon and via Sundial.