Campus News
Recognising academic achievement and accomplishment
Our Junior School Awards and Presentation Assembly was a wonderful celebration of the Junior School’s achievements in 2025. I congratulate all our Academic and Accomplishment Award winners and thank our string musicians who entertained us with their performance.
Our Middle School Celebration of Excellence was a glorious event on the banks of the Yarra. As the sun set over the City skyline, we were uplifted by our many musical performances, our young people’s successes and the finale of every student singing the song ‘Celebrate.’ Our campus is a special place for us all and as the sun sets on 2025, we think with gratitude about all the great things we have achieved this year. We have all worked hard and achieved much.
Holiday wishes
I express my gratitude to our City Executive Team for their wonderful leadership and contribution. Finally, I wish you a happy and safe holiday break and I will be out the front of our City campus in 2026 to start our celebrations of 10 years @ City.
Early Learning Centre
Reduce, Reuse and Recycle
The ELC children engaged in an educational and hands-on incursion with Precious Plastics to deepen their understanding of sustainability and machinery. This workshop provided rich opportunities for the children to learn about how plastic is made, the different types of plastics, why we use them, and why it is important to think of ‘waste’ as a valuable resource. They also explored which plastics can be recycled, how the recycling process works, and the many ways recycled plastics can be transformed into new and functional items.
The ELC particularly enjoyed the opportunity to break down recycled plastic using a professional machine and transform the materials into a functional object of their choice, including a pen, a small plant pot or a carabiner.
It was a wonderful opportunity for the children to make meaningful links between their learning and real-world sustainability practices, inspiring them to think creatively about reducing waste and caring for the environment.
Sharing our learning
As we draw closer to the end of the year, we thank you for joining us at our End of Year Celebration of Learning to showcase our learning journals and a musical performance.
It was wonderful to celebrate the children’s growth and learning and we thank our families for working in partnership with Haileybury City throughout the year.
Junior School
Celebrating the Arts in Term 4
Term 4 has been a vibrant celebration of the Arts, with students showcasing their creativity, confidence and collaborative spirit. The annual Dance Gala was a particular highlight, when students enrolled in our Dance Club took to the stage to perform two dance routines in the Prep–Year 2 troupe, or Years 3 and 4 troupe. The enthusiasm and joy were evident as students demonstrated skills learnt during the year, with supportive families and staff cheering from the audience at Aikman Hall.
Our Year 2 Strings students delighted the community with their end-of-year performance, demonstrating their growth and musicality. It was inspiring to see the young musicians play with such enthusiasm, reflecting the dedication of both students and their teachers throughout the year.
The Junior School Sing Celebration on Level 9 at City brought the community together for a joyful afternoon of singing. Students performed in their year level choir groups, before joining together as a whole Junior School choir with community singing to conclude the event. We extend a heartfelt thank you to our passionate music team for their commitment, guidance and encouragement, which has enriched the musical journeys of all our students.
Visual arts achievements were on full display at the City Art Show, where a diverse range of student artworks was exhibited. From vibrant paintings to imaginative sculptures, the showcase highlighted the creativity and skill of our young artists. The exhibition was a testament to the hard work of both students and teachers in nurturing artistic expression.
Year 4 Graduation
A significant milestone for our oldest Junior School students, the Year 4 Graduation was a memorable occasion. Families and staff gathered to celebrate the achievements and growth of our Year 4 cohort as they prepare for their transition to the next stage of their educational journey. The ceremony recognised not just academic success, but the development of character, leadership and friendships. We congratulate our Year 4 students and wish them every success in the years ahead.
Junior School swimming
This term, students enjoyed swimming lessons and activities at the North Melbourne Recreation Centre. These sessions provided valuable opportunities for skill development, water safety and fitness. It was wonderful to see students challenge themselves, support one another and build confidence in the water.
We wish everyone in our Junior School community a safe and happy summer holiday.
Middle School
Celebration of Excellence
Our City community came together to celebrate the 2025 academic year in what was a brilliant showcase of student achievement. The evening highlighted the strength of our music program and the hard work, dedication and passion of our staff and students.
Congratulations to Candela (Dux Haileybury Girls College) and Nam (Dux Haileybury College), as well as Nevendie (Dux Proximus, Haileybury Girls College) and Christian (Dux Proximus, Haileybury College).
We thank our families for joining us on this special occasion and for their ongoing support of our students.
Thank you, Mrs Bell
On behalf of the Middle School, we extend our thanks to the extraordinary Philippa Bell. Mrs Bell has dedicated 30 years of service to the Haileybury community, with the final chapter of her career spent here at City.
From The Lion King to Alice in Wonderland, Mulan to The Wizard of Oz, Mrs Bell has brought countless stories to life. An inaugural staff member of City, she has built a rich and enduring culture that champions the importance of Drama and the Arts. Passionate about both her students and the curriculum, she transformed the Level 2 space into a haven for creativity, self-expression and imagination.
Mrs Bell will be deeply missed, and we thank her for the legacy she leaves and for everything she has given to our community.
City Art Show
The world of City Art was on full display at this year’s Art Show, where our Junior and Middle School community came together to celebrate creativity, imagination and artistic expression.
As guests arrived, they were greeted by the familiar faces of iconic artists, including Vincent van Gogh, Frida Kahlo, Salvador Dalí and Andy Warhol, reimagined in playful cartoon form.
This year, guests were also invited to contribute to a collaborative artwork celebrating the idea that the Melbourne skyline would not be the same without Haileybury City and Haileybury City would not be the same without its wonderful community. Led by the Haileybury City Art Club, families and students worked together to create a striking City skyline that will be proudly displayed in the Level 2 Art Space.
It was a pleasure to see the Mini Makers Market thriving, adding a vibrant, hands-on element to the evening. The musical performances throughout the event further elevated the atmosphere, showcasing the breadth of talent across our School.
Thank you to Mr Blake Hicks and the entire Arts team for bringing together such a thoughtful, inspiring and memorable celebration of the Arts at City.
Holiday reads
Summer holidays are the perfect opportunity to relax with a great book. Research shows that reading for pleasure not only strengthens literacy skills but also supports wellbeing, making it the ideal combination for a long break.
This year, our most borrowed books were:
- Tristan Bancks: Two Wolves, Scar Town, The Fall
- Sunrise on the Reaping: hugely popular thanks to the Hunger Games revival
- Scythe: still a Middle School favourite
- Mickey7
- The Inheritance Games
- Anything by Ann Liang, always adored by our Years 7–8 girls
If you have not already, pick up one of these favourites over the break and enjoy a wonderful summer read.
Caroline Merrick
Head of City
Haileybury Parents & Friends City (HPF City)
AGM – Thursday, 13 November 2025
Our AGM, which was held in person with an option to dial in, drew an excellent turnout and provided an opportunity to reflect on our achievements, set goals, farewell and welcome new members. We extend our gratitude to the outgoing 2025 Executive Committee and Social Committee Representatives for their time, energy and commitment. Their contributions have helped further the goals of HPF City and strengthen our community.
A significant milestone at this year’s AGM worth noting was the approval of a $15,000 contribution towards building a first HPF City Scholarship. Further discussions with the Haileybury Foundation will continue into the new year as we work towards this exciting initiative.
As your newly elected Co-Presidents for 2025 we are honoured to serve and grateful for the support of our community. Melissa Fisher concluded her term as Co-President at the conclusion of the 2025 AGM and will step into the Past President Representative role for 2026 along with other familiar and new members. In our next edition we will include more info about the team for 2026.
As Mel steps down from the Co-President role this year, she has a few final words to share.
A note from Melissa Fisher:
After three truly wonderful years as President/Co-President of HPF City, I want to say a big, heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported me along the way. HPF City has grown so much in this time, with sell-out events, an automated second-hand uniform shop, and an incredible committee and social representation. Watching our ideas turn into real change and seeing the positive impact in our community has been one of the most rewarding parts of this journey.
Thank you to the fabulous Michelle White, who has been a wonderful Co-President in 2025. Thank you for sharing the fun with me.
I would also like to give a very special thank you to Caroline Merrick. Caroline has been an incredible mentor and a constant source of encouragement over these past three years. We are truly lucky to have someone so dedicated cheering on HPF City. So much of what we have achieved is thanks to Caroline and her executive team’s unwavering support.
Even though I am stepping back from the presidency, I am not going far. I will still be part of the committee in 2026. So please, as always, come up and say hi. I am excited to continue being part of this wonderful community.
Second-hand Uniform Shop (SHUS)
With the end of the year approaching, this is a perfect time to sort out those outgrown and no longer needed uniform items. You can deliver them to the collection bins for sale at the second-hand uniform shop. To assist families, the bins can be found at City Reception at King Street until Wednesday, 17 December 2025. Reception re-opens Monday, 5 January and more information can be found on the myHaileybury app.
HPF Events
As we wrap up another successful year, it is clear that 2025 has been a fantastic one bringing our HPF community closer while supporting the students at the City campus.
We ran three key events this year: the HPF City Rooftop event in March, the Middle School Family Trivia Night in Term 3, and the City Glam Disco in October. These brought families together and helped us reach our fundraising goal of $2,000 per school (ELC, JS, MS, SS) for student-selected items. Additional funds from the MS Trivia Night also enabled us to contribute to a gaga pit purchase for Middle School. To all who have given their time, donated, and supported us in so many ways, thank you. Your involvement is what makes these initiatives possible.
The Haileybury team
We are deeply grateful to Caroline Merrick, Lucy Cumming and the entire Haileybury team for their ongoing support, which has been essential to the success of every HPF City event and activity. Special thanks are extended to Gabe Di Martino and his team, who work tirelessly behind the scenes to set up each event, handle all the heavy lifting and clean up after us at the end.
To our wonderful teaching staff thank you for the dedication, patience and inspiration you bring into our children’s lives every single day. We are so fortunate to have such passionate educators guiding them.
Welcome, farewell
Welcome to the new families joining Haileybury in 2026 and we extend a fond goodbye to the families moving on and our warmest wishes to our Year 12 students as they step into the next chapter of their journey. We are cheering you on.
2026 key dates
Please take a moment to check our 2026 HPF City calendar. Next year’s events are already locked in. They are fantastic opportunities to connect, get involved and enjoy our vibrant community. Mark your diaries and don’t miss out.
For your 2026 calendar:
- Welcome Morning Tea – Term 1
- Rooftop Party – Term 1
- Middle School Trivia Night – Term 2
- Springtime Party – Term 3
Have a wonderful Christmas break, stay safe and we will see you at the Welcome Morning Tea in 2026.
Michelle White and Andrea Livingston
Co-Presidents, Haileybury Parents & Friends City
