Magis Report 

Personal Project Exhibition

Yesterday, our Years 7 and 8 Magis Elective students displayed their Personal Projects in an exhibition held at the Thomas More Exhibition Centre. This is a very special event on the Magis calendar, for it allows us to come together as a community to celebrate the talents of our GATE students. Our Magis Elective Course draws its academic rigour from the International Baccalaureate (IB) framework. The IB’s emphasis on inquiry-based learning, critical thinking, and international-mindedness aligns perfectly with our College’s Ignatian educational principles. The Personal Project Assessment forms a major component of the Elective Course. Students are challenged to choose a topic related to a major interest or passion of theirs – with some students exploring topics that they won’t study until later years. The results were simply outstanding! The exhibition’s program, with the full list of Personal Projects, can be found on the link below.

This exhibition marks the culmination of many months of hard work and planning, and we would like to take this opportunity to congratulate our Semester Two Magis Elective students on the enthusiasm in which they discussed their projects and the professional way they were executed. The students are pictured below celebrating the completion of their exhibition. Many thanks to the staff, family, and friends who came to the exhibition. It was also wonderful to see so many students come in support of their peers. 

Whilst the Personal Project Exhibition marks the completion of our 2025 Magis Competitions and Events Calendar, expressions of interest for some 2026 competitions have already opened. Students have been reminded through their Magis Teams and GATE student newsletter (the Magis Memo) that it is imperative that they stay organised so that they don’t miss out on a place in one of our 2026 academic co-curricular teams. Please note that nominations for the National Youth Parliament and State Debating Trials have now closed; however, further opportunities can be found below.

Daisy Farley

Head of Magis – Gifted and Talented

Magis: Opportunities to do more!

BRAINways GATE Summer Camp

BRAINways Education, in conjunction with the University of Western Australia, is pleased to offer the BRAINways Summer Camp program for gifted and talented students in Perth. The programme has two components: a two-day immersion and a challenge, being held on 12-13 January 2026 (9:30am - 2:30pm). The following topics will be offered to students year levels 2-4 and 5-7:

• Day 1:
  • ⁠Advances in Biotechnology

  • The Science of Architecture

     

• Day 2:
  • Mathematics of Astronomy
  • Greek Tragedy: A Window into the World Around Us

If you are interested in attending, please discuss with your parents to ensure that you are available for both dates. Expressions of interest are to be emailed to the Head of Magis by Monday, 1 December (Week 18). 

World Scholars

Expressions of interest are now open for the annual World Scholar’s Cup. This is a BIG commitment, both academically and financially, so we have asked students to take the time to carefully consider whether this competition is best for them. The World Scholar's Cup is a global academic competition that challenges students to explore diverse topics and develop a range of skills. More than 50,000 students from over 65 countries participate every year. Students compete in teams of three at a Regional Round (~May 2026), with the top-performing teams qualifying for a Global Round (for example: Kuala Lumpur or Bangkok Global Round August/September 2026*). The top-performing teams at Globals will then qualify for the Tournament of Champions, which is held at Yale University in the US (November 2026). An information session will be held for students next week. You can also check out the WSC website for information (including videos) concerning the different events teams compete in. Students will need to learn the 2026 curriculum, on top of their schoolwork and other co-curricular/family commitments. Expressions of interest are to be emailed to the Head of Magis by Monday, 1 December (Week 18). We will reopen expressions of interest in January 2026, for our Year 7 students only.

WA Law Society Mock Trial Competition

The WA Law Society coordinates an inter-school Mock Trial Competition for students in Years 10 to 12. A mock trial is a simulated court case in which teams contest a fictitious legal matter in the WA court system. The cases are presented by two teams – a prosecution/plaintiff team and a defence/defendant team – comprising students who play the roles of barristers, solicitors, witnesses, and court officials. The Mock Trial Competition offers students the opportunity to acquire valuable skills in research, as well as in developing and presenting persuasive arguments. An information session will be held for students on Monday, 10 February at lunchtime in A9. For further information, please see the flyer below. Nominations close Friday, 20 February 2026 (Week 3).

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.