The Anchor

Secondary School

From the Head of Secondary 

On Saturday night the Class of 2023 celebrated in style at this year’s Ball.  The students arrived elegantly at Retravision Stadium in an impressive variety of vehicles.  All students looked amazing and I was struck this year by the joyful array of colours on show.  The cohort conducted themselves beautifully and came together as a cohesive and happy group, intent on having a fabulous night.  The choreographed whole year dance was a highlight for me; the students’ joy was visible and audible as they connected with each other, swapped partners and remembered their moves!

 

The success of the event was also the result of a team of helpers and a shining example of our community coming together.  I would like to thank all the parents and staff for their support and commitment before, during and after the Ball.  The team at Retravision Stadium and our DJ Darian were amazing on the night.  The Ball committee worked tirelessly to make the evening a memorable event.  Thank you to Annie Wilson, Ava Smith, Ivy Moir, Jake Knight, Darcy Barrett, Gabrielle Poole, Thomas Dremel-Galvez, Lily Shanks, Brianna Harris, Nat Heron, Jaap Smit and Isabel Hannig.

 

Finally, a huge thank you to Mrs Emma Poole, our event organiser and her assisting crew Mrs Renae O’Donnell, Ms Kate Valleri and Mrs Nicole Towes.  Emma is one of those extraordinary people who is a creative genius as well as having great attention to detail and organisational skills; we are so lucky to have her!

 

Here is a 'sneak peek' of the red carpet photographs. Information will be emailed to families next week about how to access the full gallery of images.

 

Beyond School

Mr Sawle, Mrs O’Donnell and I have met with Years Eleven and Twelve students over the last couple of weeks to share some of the changes happening outside of school. 

Our big message is that workplaces, TAFE and Universities are looking for:

  • School results
  • Community Service
  • Sport / Music / Hobbies
  • Work experience

To show evidence of:

  • Drive, resilience
  • Selflessness, empathy and compassion
  • Initiative, teamwork

We encourage students to develop their whole selves to best prepare them for the future and to make the most of all opportunities offered through school.

 

Early offers to University will continue.  In the Eastern states, these are not made available until September and rely on results from Year Eleven and Semester One of Year Twelve.  In WA, we expect early offers to open in Semester One and that offers will be made based on Year Eleven results.  Students can, of course, also apply at the end of Year Twelve in the way that they have always been able to. 

 

There are pluses and minuses to this system.  On the one hand, students have two opportunities to apply to University and two chances to access their dream course; some students perform better in Year Eleven, others in Year Twelve.  However, some students with a place at University part way through Year Twelve can struggle with motivation to complete Year Twelve strongly and this can have an impact on their peers’ marks during the moderation and scaling process.  Fortunately, we have a positive culture here at GSG and our results over the last couple of years have shown that our students generally strive for excellence right to the end of their final year at school.

 

UWA introduced its Experience-based entry pathway to University at the end of last year and we showed students how they can now access many University courses through this route.  Feel free to check your child’s eligibility at this link Experience-based entry eligibility checker : The University of Western Australia : The University of Western Australia (uwa.edu.au). 

 

University is now a viable option for almost all our students. 

 

UWA is also offering micro-credentials for the first time this year and GSG is one of the pilot schools. Students in Years Eleven and Twelve are able to sit three micro-credentials while at school and these are equivalent to one unit of an undergraduate degree at UWA. 

Year Ten Information

Thank you to all families who joined us on Friday night.  A copy of the PowerPoint I showed can be found at this link MyGSG - Senior School Home.

Values and Christian Service (VACS)

Our Values and Christian Service program started on Wednesday and the students enjoyed all manner of activities.  Years Ten to Twelve enjoyed their first sports rotation and are eager to play their sport again next week to see which team triumphs in their first sport. Students participated in volleyball, touch rugby, basketball, tail tag, netball and softball.

 

Meanwhile, Years Seven to Nine enjoyed the first week of their Arts and Culture rotation.  Students were involved in ceramics, cooking, craft, dance, debating, drawing, fishing, lego masters, maker challenge, Minecraft, photography, rowing, painting or woodcraft. 

 

I look forward to sharing stories and images from these activities in coming weeks.

 

Mrs Victoria Turnor | Head of Secondary

Camfield News

Camfield started the year with a bang! The inaugural Camfield owl onesie relay/tunnelball race erupted on the grass behind the Watami Building. Who knew that getting in and out of owl onesies was so challenging? And the winner of this prestigious event in its first incarnation? Who else but Mr Ruggera's homeroom, Camfield 1. Congratulations to all participants and we look forward to continued competition and excitement in the upcoming swimming carnivals. 

 

Mrs Alexis Stone | Head of Camfield

Wilson News

On Thursday last week Wilson House students from Years Seven to Twelve met at the boarding house dining hall to share a delicious lunch of pancakes. Who doesn’t like pancakes for lunch? Students were mixed into homeroom groups and it was lovely to see Year Elevens and Twelves chatting with our younger students. Wilson staff also came along and shared in the feast. The Year Twelves made the pancakes at home and the strawberries and maple syrup were a big hit with everyone. It was a great way to start the year for the Red Army.

 

Mr Adam Scott | Head of Wilson

ATAR Revision Course

Each course is six hours (three hours a day, over days days) and taught by a fully qualified teacher. So what can you expect from an ATAR Revision Course?

  • Comprehensive revision of Term One content
  • In-depth preview of Term Two content
  • A boost to your confidence, knowledge and understanding
  • Guidance from a highly qualified ATAR subject specialist, ready to help answer questions
  • Familiarise yourself and practice different exam-style questions
  • A course workbook to help you revise at home
  • An engaging and interactive learning environment alongside your peers

Courses are available at Rossmoyne SHS, Perth Modern School, Duncraig SHS and online.