Teaching and Learning

2026 Book Week - A Symphony of Stories

A symphony of stories… this year’s Book Week theme evoked images of soaring melodies,

 ushering readers away on majestic and expansive tales that tug on heart strings and urge us to not just read but immerse ourselves in the worlds laid out on the pages (or tracks!) of a wonderful book.

It’s a big theme and Homestead did a marvellous job of living up to it. 

Throughout the week there were activities for students and teachers alike to participate in, including the fun of creating bookmarks, competing for glory in a literary themed trivia quiz, 

and of course, dressing up as their favourite characters. 

We saw an amazing effort this year as Homestead’s halls were populated by very hungry caterpillars, little pigs sheltering from big bad wolves, chaotic Cats in Hats and the mischievous Things 1 and 2, and the outrageous cast of Alice in Wonderland. 

It was amazing to see so many students and staff alike get dressed up to show and inspire a love of reading. 

We can also announce that Japnoor Rai (poetry) and Anoushey Danish (short story) won our Principal’s Writing Competition, responding to the theme “Pathways”. Thank you to everyone who entered; we loved reading your work. Thank you to our amazing English team who organised and led the activities, and thank you to our Leadership team who supported the week wholeheartedly! 

Amy Carpenter

(Learning Specialist - Head of English)

Year 11 Health & Human Development - Responsibilities of Parenthood

This term, the Year 11 Health and Human Development students explored the responsibilities of parenthood and caregiving through the opportunity to become temporary caregivers for a RealCare Baby. Students were required to care for the babies over a 24-hour period; changing their nappies, feeding them, keeping them warm and ensuring that they received timely care and attention when they started crying.

All students did an excellent job caring for their babies. This hands-on experience is always a highlight of Unit 2, providing students with a realistic insight into the responsibilities and commitment involved in caring for an infant. It was fantastic to see students rise to the challenge and put their learning into practice. Thank you to all of the parents and teachers that supported our students to complete this task. We look forward to seeing the babies again next year!

Alison Boxer

(Head of HaPE)

Science Week

Science Week was a fantastic success, with students getting involved in a range of lunchtime activities across the week. We kicked things off with slime making, which attracted almost 50 students, followed by movie sessions featuring Avatar: The Way of Water and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, our hands-on ‘Drop the Bass’ titration challenge, and a school-wide Science Kahoot in the Library, with plenty of lollies and café vouchers up for grabs.

A big thank you to all the students and staff who participated and helped make Science Week such an engaging and enjoyable week!

Dylan Lawler

(Head of Science)