It has been a joy this week to welcome students and staff from Yachiyo Shoin and to continue the relationship with our Japanese sister school, which stretches back to 1992.
Over more than thirty years, young people from two great cities have had the opportunity, which our students have had this week, to connect, build friendships and grow cultural understanding. Thank you to Mrs Casey and Year 10 students who have helped to provide a warm welcome to our visitors.
This week, close to thirty students have also benefited from connections built over the HICES Music Festival, which culminated in students performing on stage yesterday at the Sydney Town Hall and Darling Quarter Theatre.
Many of these same students will head to Sydney again on Sunday to compete in the State Band Championships. We wish students and staff well for the weekend and commend all involved for their commitment to musical excellence.
On Saturday, the 1st XI Soccer Team will take to the field for the ISA Grand Final at Macquarie University Sports Field. Our 1st XI Soccer Team have brought home the premiership previously, and I know they will give it their all on Saturday as they endeavour to bring it home again.
On the horizon for families are some community events which include:
Junior School Art Exhibition on Thursday 27 August
Father’s Day Preparatory School and Kindergarten Breakfast on Friday 3 September (register via CarerOrbit)
Father’s Day Senior School Breakfast on Friday 4 September (register via CarerOrbit)
We are once again well into a term of boarding activities, and there is boundless energy within and around the house. The boys have been having a wonderful time on weekend activities and getting out of the house each afternoon during our “active hour”. Each afternoon, all the boys head outside for an hour of activity to keep them moving, with lots of positivity surrounding their choices!
The start of the term saw “piggy in the middle” and footy being our two most popular choices, with the boys running around the oval practising their throws and kicks. There were even some guest appearances from Mr Bolton, as he spent some time getting to know the boys. As the weeks have passed, Year 7 have moved on to playing cricket at the stumps near our house, as we have some budding cricketers who want to practice before the summer sports season kicks off. It is lovely to see a communal game, with lots of laughing, running, and most importantly teamwork.
Inside the house, the table tennis competition remains ever popular, especially now we have our new house poster of player rankings. Jack is currently our reigning champion, with not only the most wins in full games, but a continuous win streak of 16 games in a row! I have seen lots of practice across the others to see if they can make their way to the top of the table.
There has also been involvement in the Cattle Team and Equestrian, with Quade representing the school at EKKA in Brisbane and doing an excellent job. He regularly heads down to the horses in the afternoon for riding and practice.
Weekend activities have had high participation levels, with the boys recently attending the driving range to practice their swings and looking forward to some tenpin bowling which is on offer soon. We also have some budding bakers in the house – Oliver and Charlie have done an excellent job on our weekend baking activities, making delicious brownies and caramel slice for the house.
The boys are also demonstrating commitment to their school studies, with Charlie and Fin joining Mrs O’Neill for help during our weekly prep sessions. When wandering on a Wednesday, it is nice to see the boys working hard on their homework (especially their science questions – I get a few questions on those). Year 7 are currently preparing for an exciting P.E. assessment, where they will plan, prepare and present a healthy meal. It’s almost time to hit the shops!
Ms Constant Head of Bulkeley House
National Science Week
We have been celebrating National Science Week at Scots All Saints College Senior School this week.
Each day, a science trivia question has tested the minds of our young scientists. The following students are our winners so far:
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Yr 7/8
Ava Middleton
Erica Langworthy
Charlie Hundy and Jack Duggen
Issac Munns and Ariahana Batinich
Yr 9/10
Olive Moppett
Jackson Munns
Hugh Drum
Alex Clements
Yr 11
Annabelle Webb
Bella Starr
Seona Chapman
Bella Starr
Here is a taste of some of our trivia questions. How would you go?
If you travelled to a planet with the exact same mass as Earth but it was compressed to half the Earth’s radius, what would happen to your weight?
If you have two identical-looking closed metal spheres of the exact same size and mass. One is completely solid made of light metal and the other is a hollow shell made of a heavy metal. Without drilling into them, weighing them or using magnets, how could you determine which is hollow?
You place a fresh egg in a beaker of pure water and it sinks to the bottom. You then dissolve a large amount of a white powder into the water and the egg floats to the top. What did you add, and what physical property of the water changed?
I am an evolutionary remnant of your body that does absolutely nothing now. My name comes from the Latin word meaning “worm” due to my shape. What am I and what is my function?
You are in a perfectly sealed, insulated room and you leave the door of a running refrigerator wide open. Will the room get warmer, stay the same temperature or get colder and why?
You place a beaker of water on a camping stove at the very peak of Mt Everest and heated it to a rolling boil, will an egg become hard-boiled in 10 minutes. Why, why not?
I am a tissue and a cell that comes from the word “Little mouse”. What am I and what is my function?
How many vertebrae are there in a giraffe’s neck and is this more, less or the same numbers as humans?
How does water, ice, and steam to coexist in equilibrium?
During lunch, we have had some fun with experiments that demonstrated that everyday science is all around us and can be both fascinating and fun! The experiments included; Upside down water, rainbow skittles and invisible fire extinguisher.
We were very fortunate to have wonderful weather for our Athletics Carnival. Congratulations to the following students for their fine performances on the day.
Junior School Athletics Carnival House Point Score
House Placing
House
Points
5
Cuthbert
402
4
Mawson
414
3
Booth
501
2
Dunlop
533
1
Cowan
574
Junior School Athletics Age Champions
Age Group
Runner Up
Age Champion
8 Years Girls
Scarlett Hamilton
Charlie Fisk
8 Years Boys
Samuel Reeks
Rory Fingleton
9 Years Girls
Aaliyah Minhajuddin
Audrey Middleton
9 Years Boys
Darby Schafer
Brody Klower
10 Years Girls
Harriet Granger
Peggy Hunter
10 Years Boys
Kieran Fingleton, Cooper Sutton
Oliver Reeks
11 Years Girls
Olivia White
Savannah Wilkinson
11 Years Boys
William Kenny
Albert Johnston
12 Years Girls
Summer Hasofer
Leila Fisk
12 Years Boys
Patrick Lenehan
Records
Aaliyah Minhajuddin 8/9yr Girls 800m 3:15.18
Leanna Klower 11yr Girls Shot Put 10.31m
Leanna Klower 11yr Girls Discus 24.13m
Patrick Lenehan 12yr Boys 1500m 5:23.20
HICES Athletics Carnival
Today, Thursday 20 August, our Junior School Athletics team travelled to Blacktown, Sydney, to compete in the HICES Athletics Carnival. I look forward to seeing the results of their efforts.
International Competitions and Assessments for Schools
ICAS concludes next week. Catch-up sessions will be held tomorrow for Science and Spelling, whilst Mathematics will be held on 25 August.
Junior School Art Exhibition
Our annual Junior School Art Exhibition will be held on Thursday 27 August and will coincide with our Book Fair and Parade. We’ll be displaying artwork from every child in the Junior School in the Kemmis building. The Kemmis building will be open from 2:30- 5:00 pm and will feature a wonderful array of work. So whilst you’re visiting the Book Fair, feel free to pop into the Exhibition where we’ll also be hosting a range of quality artworks from IPSHA (Independent Primary School Heads of Australia) schools. Known as the Travelling Art Show, this will feature a range of work from a group of IPSHA schools.
National Science Week
This week is National Science Week, and the theme invited students to grow in their scientific understanding of seeds. Just as seeds need the right conditions to grow, knowledge flourishes when it is nurtured, shared and applied to real-world and authentic challenges. During STEM lessons this week, some of our students investigated how seeds grow and created their own seed bombs, exploring how a small seed can be nurtured and given the right conditions to grow and flourish—just like a great idea!
Use of School Play Equipment Before School (8:30 am) and After School (3:15 pm)
Students and their younger siblings are not allowed to play on the school play equipment before 8:30 am or after 3:15 pm unless they are being directly supervised by a teacher.
Sign In for Students Who Are Late to School
Any children dropped off at school after 9.00am need to sign in at Front Reception before they go to class.
Prep Banksia are having a marvellous time learning about Community Workers in Term 3.
We enjoyed our visit from Dr Theresa, the dentist, and Healthy Harold. We also have more to come. The children are really taking on board the health and safety messages and including this in their play.
Our 1st XI Football team will compete in their ISA Grand Final this Saturday 22 August, at Macquarie University Sports Field, with kick-off at 11:00 am. The team has worked hard throughout the season and will be looking to finish the year by claiming the ISA Premiership. We encourage our school community to get behind the team and show their support if you can make it along. Best of luck to the 1st XI as they look to bring home the premiership!
Next week is shaping up to be a particularly busy one, with a number of teams representing the school across the region and in Sydney.
Junior School Touch Football: Several junior teams will compete at the Bathurst Touch Football Gala Day next Wednesday. This is a great community-focused day aimed at growing the sport and providing opportunities for young players across the region.
Senior School Netball: Our Senior School netball teams will compete in the first round of the Senior Schools Netball Cup at Orange.
Under 14 Boys and Under 16 Boys Rugby 7s: Both teams will compete at the Central West Rugby 7s Finals next Friday at Orange.
1st XV Rugby: Our 1st XV will travel to Sydney next Wednesday to compete in the Rugby Waratah Shield, representing ISA.
It is fantastic to see so many students representing the school across a range of sports and competitions.
Best of luck to all teams competing next week — we look forward to following your results and supporting you along the way!
Our Senior School Athletics Carnival is coming up next Thursday, 27 August. It should be a fantastic day of competition, participation and school spirit, with students having the opportunity to compete, challenge themselves and support their peers.
Best of luck to all students competing, and we hope everyone has a great day!
Just one week to go until we celebrate Book Week on the Junior campus! The excitement is palpable as our students work on the Book Week colouring competitions P-6 and the album design competition 3-6. All entries are due by the end of lunch next Monday; hand them in at the library for a chance to win!
Our exploration of the CBCA shortlist continues as we eagerly await next week’s announcement of the winners. This week we turned our attention to Bob and Dob by Sean Avery and had lots of fun making paper crocodiles while considering the importance of trying to get along with our siblings.
Our Book Parade and Book Fair will be held on Thursday 27 August. All Junior school children are invited to dress up as their favourite book character and join in the fun. The parade will commence at 2:30pm behind the Junior School library, around the path to the Innovation Centre. A reminder to students that weapons (swords, guns, etc) or scary masks are not to form part of any costume.
The Scholastic Book Fair will be held in the Junior library on the same afternoon. The Book Fair will be open to Prep and Kindergarten students and parents at 1:30 pm. Parents may collect their child from their classroom and head to the Book Fair at this time.
Students in Year 1 and 2 are invited to the Book Fair at 2:00 pm and may be collected from the stairwell at the bottom of their classrooms and taken to the Book Fair.
Any P-2 families that can’t make these times are welcome to attend the Book Fair after the Parade.
All other students and parents are invited to visit the Book Fair following the Book Parade from 3:00 pm onwards. EFTPOS preferred, but cash sales will be accepted.
We will do our best to meet demand on the day, but if demand exceeds supply, we will be taking orders to submit to Scholastic following the Book Fair. These orders will need to be fully prepaid at the Book Fair and will be sent home with your child once filled by Scholastic.
If you can’t make the Book Fair, the goodies on offer will also be available for order through the next issue of Scholastic Book Club or via the Scholastic website.
Book Week will be celebrated on the Senior campus in Week 9 after our Year 12s have completed their Trial Examinations.
As the assessment tasks start to pile up for our senior students, the advice below on how to manage cognitive load from Study Skills is worth considering:
Learn more effectively by reducing mental overload
Many students feel overwhelmed when studying — not because they can’t understand the content, but because their brain is trying to process too much at once. This mental strain is called cognitive load. When cognitive load is high, learning slows down, focus drops, and information doesn’t stick. By managing cognitive load, you can study more effectively, stay focused for longer, and absorb information with less stress. Small adjustments make a big difference.
1. Study one idea at a time
Trying to learn several concepts at once overloads your working memory.
Break topics into smaller sections before you begin.
Focus on just one concept, formula, character, or skill at a time.
Move on only when you understand the first idea clearly.
This approach strengthens understanding and prevents confusion.
Tip: If you feel stuck or foggy, it’s a sign your cognitive load is too high — simplify or break the task down further.
2. Remove unnecessary distractions
Every distraction adds extra “mental noise” that makes learning harder.
Put your phone in another room or switch it to Do Not Disturb.
Close unused tabs or apps on your laptop.
Tidy your desk so only the materials you need are in front of you.
Reducing distractions frees up brain space for the task that matters.
Tip: Use noise-cancelling headphones or soft background music if your environment is noisy.
3. Use worked examples to learn difficult content
When a topic is new or challenging, your brain learns best by seeing examples.
Look at sample problems, model answers or step-by-step explanations.
Study the process before attempting the task yourself.
Practise by gradually removing the support until you can work independently.
Worked examples lighten cognitive load by giving you a clear path to follow.
Tip: After studying an example, cover it and try to replicate the steps from memory.
4. Chunk information into meaningful groups
Chunking helps your brain store information more efficiently.
Group similar ideas, events, or formulas together.
Use headings, diagrams or colour coding to show the structure.
Turn long lists into easy-to-remember clusters.
Your brain can handle more when information is organised logically.
Tip: Try explaining each chunk in your own words — if you can teach it, you understand it.
5. Take intentional breaks to reset your brain
Your working memory has limits, and regular breaks prevent overload.
Study for 20–30 minutes, then rest for 3–5 minutes.
Move, stretch, or get fresh air to reset your mind.
Avoid screen-based breaks — they increase, rather than reduce, cognitive load.
Short breaks help you maintain focus and keep your learning efficient.
Tip: If your mind starts wandering or you re-read the same line, take a break immediately — it’s your brain signalling fatigue.
6. Make learning lighter and more effective
Managing cognitive load allows you to study smarter, not harder. By focusing on one idea at a time, reducing distractions, using worked examples, chunking information, and taking strategic breaks, you create study sessions that are calmer, clearer, and more productive. When your brain isn’t overloaded, learning becomes easier and far more enjoyable.
Outdoor Education has been important in the co-curricular program at All Saints’, and all students from primary up to secondary were given an experience in some form of outdoor education. From overnight sleepouts to super hikes, caving, canoeing, cross-country skiing, surfing, scuba-diving, cross-country bike riding, horse trail riding, canyoning, rock climbing, abseiling, sailing, tree planting, orienteering, every student was given the opportunity to experience one or more of these ventures depending on their year group.
Different times of the year meant that some of the programs were held in different terms. The last week of Term 4 was when all students were given the opportunity to spend a week engaged in some of these activities. In the early days, the programs were organised and managed by the All Saints’ staff who had experience in the various ventures. For many students, these weeks were the highlight of the year, with the chance to erect tents, cook over a simple kerosene stove, and go without a shower, phone, and home comforts for the week. Not all these ventures went smoothly, however, and there were occasional misadventures.
One group of Year 9 on a super hike on the Blue Mountains Uni Rover trail lost the trail and, at the height of summer, found the normal water source had run dry, so had to find an alternative track down a blackberry-thick scree to get to a river source. Another group got lost while doing their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze award and also had to be rescued by Mountain Rescue. One student got lost for a few hours in the snow country when going to the outdoor toilet at nighttime and lost her bearings. On a caving expedition at a property Iona near Oberon, a student got stuck in an inner cave and had to be pushed through by those behind who had visions of spending their last days trapped underground. Minor problems such as leeches, blackberry scratches, skiing accidents, blisters, falls, sunburn, frostbite, soaking rain, diarrhea, weevils in food, and sleep deprivation all added to the unforgettable experiences!
It was these experiences and all the others that have been remembered by the students’ fond memories of their school life. In later years, with concern for occupational safety, the groups were managed by employed professional outdoor education personnel or companies and housed at outdoor education premises. Students will remember outdoor camp leaders Greg Tucker, Roger Herbert, Chris Robinson, Ian Isbister, and sites such as Dunn’s Swamp, Kirrikee, Kanangra Boyd, Mittagundi, Wollemi National Park, Great Aussie Bush Camp, Katoomba Conference Centre, Iona, Dubbo Plains Zoo, Mt Kosciusko and other places used over the years. These adventures would not have occurred without the help of the many staff members, gappies and, on occasion, senior students, who spent the week together managing, instructing, supervising and assisting students.
If students were asked what they took away from these outdoor education camps, most would say, after the event, that they learned how to face challenges, work with a team, make friends, or set up a tent, pack a backpack, cook over a camp stove, enjoy the scenery, and keep going despite being exhausted.
