Haileybury students have excelled in the 2023 NAPLAN tests, with an impressive 96.25% surpassing proficiency benchmarks, reflecting the school's commitment to academic excellence and the collaborative efforts of dedicated teachers, diligent students, and supportive families.
More than 1,600 Haileybury students across Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 sat National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) tests at Haileybury during March.
2023 was the first year that the tests were brought forward to Term 1 with the purpose of proving more timely feedback to schools and families. At the same time the four Proficiency Standards were developed as the main reporting measure in consultation with teachers across the country. These reflect the point in time performance of students against the national curriculum at the appropriate level. The collective results for schools provide valuable data to assess a key element of school performance, literacy and numeracy.
As a part of the streamlined process to get data back to schools as quickly as possible, schools across Australia have received the early data showing proficiency standards for Haileybury students achieved in reading, grammar, spelling and numeracy. Writing, which is marked by human assessors, not AI, takes longer to return and will be released to families with all the data.
The four proficiency standards are Exceeding, Strong, Developing and Needs Additional Support.
Haileybury student results in recent years have seen the school ranked in the very top few open entry schools in the country at all year levels tested. As we receive the data each year, we use it to analyse teaching practice and ensure that the best evidence-based practice is used by Haileybury’s wonderful teachers. Teachers look at the data across the school, identify where best practice has occurred and share with each other. It is this process that leads to continued improvement in Haileybury’s performance which is a direct reflection of the incredibly high standards of literacy and numeracy of Haileybury students.
I am very pleased to report that since Haileybury students outstanding performance in 2023, the early release of 2025 proficiency standards shows that Haileybury students across all year levels tested (Years 3, 5, 7 and 9) and the four domains for which data has been received (reading, grammar, spelling and numeracy) have shown continued improvement off an incredibly high base.
An exceptional 96.25% of all students in all domains and year levels were above the proficiency standard set for the relevant year level and domain with Exceeding (62.25%) and Strong (34%).
These are truly outstanding results and reflect the exceptional focus of Haileybury as a school, the brilliant work of the teachers, the strong work of the students and the support from families.
I look forward to the release of the full set of results later in the year and to families receiving their individual NAPLAN reports.
Derek Scott
CEO | Principal
Haileybury’s recent production of Mamma Mia was a spectacular triumph, drawing a record-breaking audience, standing ovations and a joyous finale that erupted into a karaoke-style singalong of ‘Waterloo.’
This vibrant musical showcased the talents of 90 students from Years 9–12. This high-energy performance was bursting with heart, humour and unforgettable music, brought to life by a cast rich in depth and diversity. Alexis delivered a powerhouse rendition of ‘The Winner Takes It All,’ filling the theatre with emotional intensity and stunning vocal strength. Ruby captivated the audience with her exquisite and heartfelt performance of ‘I Have a Dream.’ Framed by a stage glowing with stars, the final moments of the show truly captured the themes of hope, community and love.
From lead roles to ensemble moments, every performer contributed to a polished, emotionally resonant experience. The dynamic choreography flanked the audience on all sides, creating an immersive atmosphere that had the crowd completely engaged.
This production was not only a celebration of ABBA’s timeless music, but also a testament to extraordinary talent, creative storytelling and above all, collaboration.
Nicole Smith
Head of Drama and Theatre Studies
Anzac Day is one of the most significant dates on the Australian calendar — a time to pause and honour the courage, service and sacrifice of those who have served their country in times of conflict. Over the years in this newsletter, I have often reflected on the vital role music plays in our community, not only as a source of entertainment, but as a powerful force in ceremony, celebration and remembrance. Anzac Day is a profound example of this.
In this edition, I would like to acknowledge the outstanding contribution our musicians made at the official Melbourne Anzac Day Commemoration March.
Two of our ensembles proudly represented Haileybury: Haileybury Bugle Corps and Haileybury Pipes & Drums.
The Haileybury Bugle Corps, under the leadership of brass tutor Mr David Robinson, led an enthusiastic and moving performance. Mr Robinson, a corporal in the Army Reserve, has previously performed ‘The Last Post’ and ‘Reveille ‘at the Melbourne Shrine Dawn Service and regularly appears at AFL and A-League Anzac services. His deep understanding of the occasion brings an authenticity and dignity to the Bugle Corps’ role in the parade. This year, 80 students and nine staff performed as part of this remarkable ensemble.
The Haileybury Pipes & Drums, led by Mr Daniel Staley, also participated with distinction. As one of Haileybury’s most decorated ensembles, the Pipes & Drums Band has earned an elite reputation through its success at international competitions and the high calibre of its performances. The pride and reverence they inspire are always a privilege to witness — and Anzac Day was no exception. More than 70 students and staff marched with Haileybury Pipes & Drums this year.
I am incredibly proud of the dedication, discipline and spirit our student musicians and their teachers brought to such an important day.
Rod Marshall
Director of Performing Arts & Head of Haileybury Music
We are thrilled to present our Senior School community with an abundance of creative workshops and experiences as part of the upcoming LEAP Week that celebrates Literature, Enterprise, Arts and Politics at Haileybury.
In the next few issues, I will be giving voice to the staff and students involved in the exciting opportunities our VCE students have experienced in the Semester 1 excursion program. Thanks go to the arts industry and gallery partners, and the staff facilitating these trips to broaden our students’ horizons and give them exposure to the cultural landscape Melbourne has to offer.
Earlier this year, the 2025 Artmaking and Exhibiting Units 3 and 4 students embarked on an excursion to explore various exhibition types and spaces in the city of Melbourne, identifying and experiencing exhibition design. Their journey took them to the National Gallery of Victoria to experience the iconic Yayoi Kusama retrospective, followed by a visit to the Tony Clark exhibition at Buxton Contemporary to compare how large-scale public galleries can present works for exhibition and the relevant characteristic of these spaces. The day culminated in a portfolio viewing at the Ian Potter Museum, showcasing the 2024 Top Arts students whose works have been selected for exhibition. This unique experience provided invaluable insights into curatorial roles and responsibilities, exhibition design and ways of presenting artworks in different exhibition spaces and provided students with a visual benchmark for what they can achieve through their individual artmaking practice.
Rachelle Rae
Head of Visual Arts Senior School
The Pipes & Drums commenced Term 2 with a busy week of performances. The week began with the Senior School Anzac Day Service shortly followed by the annual Anzac Day march in the city. It is an honour for the P&D to perform at these events to remember and pay respect to our Australian and New Zealand soldiers.
Anzac Day meant an early start for the P&D, with more than 70 members marching down Swanston Street to the Shrine of Remembrance, including several new members marching for the first time. This is a huge event on the P&D calendar.
The P&D performed the following day on Rendall Oval, forming a guard of honour for the Haileybury First Football Team as they entered the ground for their first match of the season. It was a pleasure to support our First Football Team, and the atmosphere from the crowd was truly amazing.
On Sunday 17 May, the P&D competed in the Victorian Championships in Maryborough for our final competition of the season.
Daniel Staley
Director of Pipes & Drums
Students across the Junior and Middle Schools had their pockets jingling and taste buds tingling as the Year 8s showcased their entrepreneurial skills at the much-awaited Startup Makers Market.
On Thursday 1 May, across the gym and Dickinson Hall, our Year 8 students unveiled the market-style creations they had designed in Startup, all with a fantastic sustainability twist. From upcycled goodies to eco-friendly marvels, there were over 60 stalls with something for everyone to love and cherish. From arcade games to homemade soap bars, hot chips to designer pins and everything in between — like face painting, milkshakes and brownies — the market offered a delightful array of sustainable products. All items were crafted with love and sustainability in mind, ensuring you could shop guilt free while supporting our budding Year 8 entrepreneurs. Plus it was for a great cause, with fifty per cent of all the profits sent to our chosen charity — Our Village.
LEAP Week kicked off today, and this year we are celebrating the theme of First Nations People with a vibrant line up of activities that honour and explore indigenous cultures from around the world.
Across this week, students will have the chance to take part in a delicious Mini Master Chef session using traditional indigenous ingredients, express themselves through innovative art activities and creative musical performances, and be inspired by guest readers sharing captivating stories of First Nations People across the globe. The PE department is leading engaging sessions exploring traditional indigenous games and practices, adding a physical and cultural dimension to the week. A true highlight will be the visit from Torres Strait Islander artist Chris Tamwoy, who will perform and share his powerful personal story. It promises to be a week full of connection, creativity and cultural discovery — an exciting opportunity for students, staff and the community.
We are extremely proud to share that Castlefield ELC has been officially rated as Exceeding the National Quality standards (NQS) in all seven quality areas.
The NQS sets a national benchmark for the quality of children’s education and care services across Australia. An overall rating of Exceeding is given to services that go above and beyond the requirements of the standard.
The NQS is informed by best practice and ongoing quality improvement in seven key areas, including the education program, health and safety, physical environment, staffing, relationships with children, families and communities, and the management of the service.
During the assessment, Castlefield ELC was described as “an exceptional service,” with the assessor highlighting the strength of our embedded Social Thinking program and the high quality of interactions and support across the service.
We thank our passionate educators, families and community for being part of this journey and for continuously supporting our mission to provide the best possible start for every child.
The ELC was full of love when we celebrated Mother’s Day with a ‘stay and play’ morning, honouring our very special mums. The children were so excited to have their mums and special visitors sharing their learning environments, singing songs and giving special handmade cards and gifts. There were many smiles, happy tears and so much pride, from both children and mums. It was a beautiful and meaningful celebration, where memories were made.
Mummy takes me to the park and to the ELC. Anais
She buys me some nice food, healthy food to make me big and strong. Penelope
Mummy likes gardening — she always gets prickles out and cuts the roses. Hunter
I love mummy because she’s my favourite girl. Teddy
We had a gorgeous morning celebrating our mums and motherly figures with open classrooms in the Junior School. From building Minecraft worlds to pampering hand massages, planting succulents to crafts, there was something for everyone. The day began with our Junior School ukulele groups performing whilst visitors enjoyed a coffee and delicious biscuits from Lou’s on Hampton Street.
I love my mum because she takes me to the footy. Charlie
My mum is the best because she lets me stay up late and watch movies. Audrey
– I love to cuddle with my mum on the couch. Anya
Mr McCallum’s Year 4 class had their first session at Hampton Community Centre recently. The students and teachers walked from school down Hampton Street to engage in a multi-generational workshop. Lots of laughs were had and stories told. The Junior School has participated and funded this program, and the feedback is always fantastic from both sides.
Thursday, 29 May – Community BBQ in East Quad after school
Friday, 20 June – PJ Day
Thursday, 26 June – Cross Country 2.00 pm onwards
On Tuesday, 6 May we hosted our Castlefield mum’s and special friends breakfast for our annual Mother’s Day event. The morning saw a sea of kindness and gratitude as our students showed their appreciation for all these incredibly important people in their lives. Mums and special friends were rewarded with medals of appreciation from Best mum to Boss Lady and a crowd favourite, Driver, Snack Provider and All-round Awesome Human. Families connected through coffee and croissants and making origami, and students showed off their artistic flair by drawing portraits of their mums. A beautiful morning for all.
As we head into a busy assessment time in Middle School, we extend our best wishes to all students as they embark on exams and assessments. Both are opportunities to ‘show off’ what they know and be proud of their progress and ability to take on feedback and improve in all areas of their learning. In the theme of working hard and taking on feedback, we congratulate our Years 7 and 8 students on their great start to the winter season, and to our Year 5 and 6 students on their start to Term 2 Sport. We are proud of the way you compete, try your best and win and lose with grace.
In Middle School, we consistently ask our students to do three things: work hard; try new things; and be kind. We always want to provide experiences and opportunities to exhibit these. With our annual inter-campus Cross Country taking place on Tuesday 20 May at our Berwick Campus, There is a chance for all our students to work hard at never giving up, try something new if Cross Country is a sport you haven’t tried yet, and be kind in everything: how we speak, how we act and how we are. We look forward to another amazing event for students to showcase these three important ‘asks.’
Katrina Manson
Head of Castlefield (Brighton)
Hundreds of students attended the HPFC Mother’s Day stall with envelopes of cash ready to be exchanged for precious gifts for mum and the special women in their lives. A huge shout out to all the parents who supported the stall and volunteered their time so presents could be purchased. Thank you to Annie Karamountzos for continuing to work with the HPFC to provide the huge choice of gorgeous gifts for our students to select.
2025 saw another spectacular Mother’s Day Luncheon being held at Encore. It was brilliant to see so many mums in attendance, dancing, dining and celebrating Being Bold, Being Beautiful and Being You, the theme for this year. A big thank you to the families that donated raffle prizes, Michelle Greene, Irene Wang, Kelly Nikolakopoulos and Bianca Verginis, and congratulations to the winners.
It is always so lovely to welcome our ELC parents attending their first luncheon, and particularly special is the attendance of our Year 12 mums who join the festivities for their final luncheon as parents of Haileybury.
We are so grateful to our community and for everyone who came and had a fun afternoon.
We warmly invite our Brighton parent community to join us for a special film screening of the Australian film Seen. Seen provides a reflective and proactive view into raising children in the ever-evolving landscape that is now and the future. The film includes excerpts and input from some of Australia’s top contributors, including parenting author and educator Maggie Dent, Developmental Paediatrician Dr Billy Garvey and best-selling author Dr Vanessa Lapointe.
At the end of the screening we will be joined for a Q&A with Lael Stone (author, speaker and educator) and Scott Doran (Vice Principal Community Engagement and Advancement).
Date: Monday, 2 June 2025
Time: 6.30 pm refreshments, 7.00 pm screening
Location: Dickinson Hall, Brighton campus
Tickets: $22.49
Our community here at Castlefield is special and we greatly look forward to welcoming you to this event.
Film Preview Exciting New Discovery
Event bookings: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/seen-the-film-haileybury-brighton-film-discussion-with-lael-stone-tickets-1354466498759?aff=oddtdtcreator
We look forward to seeing you there.
Haileybury Parents & Friends Castlefield
A reminder for families that South Road is the preferred pick-up and drop-off location for students in Junior and Middle Schools and the roundabout is an efficient way to collect your child. Staff are on duty before and after school to help children remain safe within our grounds.
For Senior School students, South Road is the only drop-off and pick-up area for parents who drive their child to school. Students in Years 10 – 12 are not to enter via Villeroy Street gates at any time. We encourage older students to walk, ride or take public transport, rather than being driven to school. The PTV planner can be found here.
Get ready for an inspiring and dynamic LEAP Week in Week 5 as we celebrate the theme of First Nations People with a series of engaging and culturally rich activities. Students will explore indigenous flavours in an exciting Mini Master Chef session using native ingredients, express their creativity through innovative art activities, and enjoy the vibrant atmosphere of our Book Fair, featuring stories that highlight First Nations voices and experiences.
The PE department will lead sessions exploring traditional indigenous games and practices, encouraging movement and cultural connection. A true highlight of the week will be a special performance and storytelling session with Torres Strait Islander artist Chris Tamwoy, who will captivate students with his music and personal journey. This will be a week full of thoughtful learning, celebration and community connection — an opportunity for everyone to come together and embrace the richness of indigenous culture and heritage.
What wonderful celebrations we enjoyed this year. We loved showcasing the Arts and family fun, as we designed each School’s activities to celebrate our mothers and significant women. Each School had a huge turnout, and the students enjoyed the events almost as much as our families. Thank you for partnering with the School to celebrate these special days in a child’s life. I thank all the staff who were involved in creating, supporting and delivering our Mother’s Day events at City, especially our Heads of School.
Our World of Imagination project invited the Reception children to explore their creativity through play and storytelling. The children embarked on a magical journey, where they created their own imaginary worlds using art, building blocks and dress-up costumes. From becoming jumping unicorns and stomping dinosaurs, the children brought their wildest dreams to life as they manipulated different resources to create an art piece representing their interests.
This project encouraged teamwork, problem-solving and imaginative thinking. It was a joyful and inspiring experience, allowing the children to express themselves and explore the limitless possibilities of their imaginations.
For Mother’s Day, the ELC recently celebrated and gave thanks to the mothers and significant women in their lives. The morning was filled with smiles, as well as activities shared by children, mothers and significant people and included sewing, threading and board games in our ground floor assembly area. A photo booth was also created by the children.
Having worked hard on their gifts of appreciation for the special people who do so much for them, the children were excited to present their mother or special person with beautiful keepsakes. Thank you to everyone who joined us in this celebration.
The Junior School began Term 2 with renewed vigour and focus after the Easter Holiday. The students were excited to welcome back Ms Lizzy Gibney from parental leave, as our Acting Head of Junior School, and to welcome Ms Lauren Hevey to our Junior School teaching team as the Academic Learning Support Teacher. Our students have continued to show empathy and respect for each other, leading to our Junior School 2025 focus ‘Glow Together, Burn Brighter.’
On Monday 12 May, City Campus Prep students welcomed their parents into the classroom as part of our Prep Parent Information Session: Inquiry. Our parents gained insight into the transdisciplinary skills taught during Inquiry lessons, including communication and wonderment, before delving into the Term 2 key concepts of culture, expression and traditions. The Prep students were excited to learn about birthday traditions, and celebrated the birthday of HaileyBEARy, our Haileybury City Teddy Bear, in the classroom and engaged in hands-on learning with their families watching. Of course, no birthday would be complete without singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to our Haileybury Teddy Bear.
The Junior School Assemblies form an important part of our Junior School life and provide an ongoing connection between school and home. Our Year 4 Leaders relish opportunities to speak publicly, and students enjoy receiving recognition of their hard work through our Care, Learn, Play awards, and other significant accolades. We are delighted to share highlights from all areas of our Haileybury Learning with our families, including individual and whole-class musical performances and our year level Snapshot of Learning. City parents are invited to attend the next Assembly on Thursday 12 June.
Please note that on Thursday 29 May, we will be holding our Junior School Science Fair in place of our usual Assembly, which families are warmly invited to attend from 2.45 pm. Our 2025 theme is ‘Decoding the Universe: Exploring the unknown with nature’s hidden language.’ Please refer to the published hub notice for further information.
We are excited to host The Book Fair at Haileybury City this week (May 19–22) during LEAP Week. The fair has opened on the school’s ground floor assembly area, near Reception. Families are invited to purchase a range of texts supplied by Lamont Books, with a portion of proceeds going to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. The fair is open from Monday – Thursday from 7.45 am – 9.00 am, and after school from 3.00 pm – 4.30 pm.
At Haileybury, we are proud to equip students with essential enterprise skills through innovative programs like StartUp — a core part of our academic curriculum that introduces students to the world of entrepreneurship.
Our Year 8 students have been hard at work designing, crafting and innovating for this year’s vibrant Maker’s Market. The event featured a wide array of eco-friendly treats and treasures, from upcycled gifts and handmade goods to snow cones, hot chocolates, designer pins, tote bags and delicious brownies — delighting shoppers from both the Junior and Middle Schools.
More than just a market, this project provided students with valuable real-world experience. They explored the art of marketing, learned how to scale ideas and gained insight into the many moving parts of running a successful business.
A percentage of proceeds were proudly donated to Melbourne City Mission, helping support those in need and showcasing not just entrepreneurial spirit, but a kind heart for social justice.
Our Year 5 families recently joined us for a wonderful Middle School in Action experience with their Homeroom teachers. Both GMS and BMS students participated in an engaging English lesson alongside their parents and guardians. Having our parents join us in the classroom reminds us of the strong partnership we share in instilling a love of learning amongst our students. We love seeing our community learning together.
This year, our Middle School students celebrated the special women in their lives with a memorable visit to van Gogh Reimagined at The LUME Melbourne. This immersive exhibition brings Vincent van Gogh’s iconic artworks to life through vibrant digital projections, creating a rich, multisensory experience of light, sound and colour.
The event featured a touching performance of ‘Mama’ by the Spice Girls, beautifully sung by the City Singers. The Haileybury community came together to explore the stunning exhibition and share in this meaningful afternoon.
Special thanks go to all the remarkable women in the Haileybury community who continue to shape our students into the people they are today. We deeply appreciate your ongoing support and partnership in their learning journey.
Caroline Merrick
Head of City
The City campus has been buzzing with celebrations for Mother’s Day. We hope all the mums and significant women enjoyed the special celebrations whether at Haileybury or at home and felt truly loved and appreciated. This is a wonderful time of year to cherish special people in our lives. We also remember and honour those watching over from above.
Have you got your tickets yet for the Middle School Family Trivia Night on Friday, 13 June?
Preparations for the event are in full swing, with Haileybury City staff assisting with the questions, and HPF City arranging the games, pizza, popcorn and plenty of things sweet. All the details on how to order food, tickets and more are on the myHaileybury app notice. 160 tickets are available, Middle School parents and students as a family can attend and we strongly encourage you to purchase your tickets early to avoid missing out. Don’t forget those gold coins for some of the popular games run during the night.
We held additional pop-up shops on Tuesday, 6 May and Wednesday 7 May, which were very successful. A big thank you to parent Andrea Livingston, the SHUS team and Gabe and the facilities team for pulling it all together, and for the coffee and tea facilities provided by the school. What a great service this team of volunteers is providing, supporting sustainability and affordability in second-hand uniforms for many Haileybury student families. We have introduced several new and popular items, including branded umbrellas now available for order and purchase. Another new initiative allows you to buy spare buttons to help extend the life of existing school uniform items.
Our next SHUS pop-up shop will be held on Thursday, 19 and Friday, 20 June. As always, you can continue to drop off second-hand uniform items to be sold into the blue bins at City Reception or basement. Please ensure that a form is submitted with your items and is attached to all bundles (a photocopy of the form is great if you have multiple items on hangers or bags). Items without forms will be treated as a donation. Should you have any queries, please email hpfcity@haileybury.com.au.
Have a great month and enjoy the lovely autumn sunshine.
As always if you have any questions or would like to be involved in HPF City please do not hesitate to contact us directly or catch us around the school.
Melissa Fisher and Michelle White
Co-Presidents, Haileybury Parents & Friends City
As a School community we are very proud of the way that we promote all aspects of national reconciliation through Haileybury Rendall School.
Our guiding framework is our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) which we introduced in 2019 and which we have updated via several iterations since. You can view the 2024–2025 RAP on myHRS at Reconciliation Action Plan - Haileybury Rendall School. RAPs, supported by Reconciliation Australia, have enabled organisations since 2006 to sustainably and strategically take meaningful action to advance reconciliation.
Based around the core pillars of relationships, respect and opportunities, RAPs provide tangible and substantive benefits for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, increasing economic equity and supporting First Nations self-determination. At HRS we understand that reconciliation is best driven by our non-indigenous community members, working with our Indigenous colleagues, whilst NAIDOC week is led by our Indigenous staff and students.
To ensure that our RAP is dynamic, ongoing and meaningful we have established the RAP Working Party made up of staff at HRS and sometimes including students and community members. The RAP Working Party is coordinated by the Chair, who is currently Mr Anthony Barker. This is a significant leadership role in the School previously held by staff such as Jye Strugnell and Ian Smith. Over 20 staff attend regular meetings of this group.
One of the key actions at HRS is to develop a program each year for National Reconciliation Week (NRW) which runs from 27 May – 3 June. This week is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia. The theme this year is Bridging Now to Next and you can explore more about this at the official website at Home - Reconciliation Australia.
Our program for NRW this year has many highlights, and the program will be released via myHRS notices closer to the date. One highlight will be the opening concert on the morning of Tuesday, 27 May which parents are welcome to attend.
Andrew McGregor
Principal, Haileybury Rendall School
Last week was a wonderful celebration of our Haileybury mothers, with three separate Mother’s Day events held across the campus. ELC and Junior School mums enjoyed time in the classrooms with their children, playing, creating and sharing special moments together. Middle School mothers were treated to a breakfast event in John Twist Hall, complete with entertainment and a raffle. Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make these occasions so memorable.
A very big thank you to our HPFE parent group who generously gave their time to assist with the Mother’s Day stall. The children thoroughly enjoyed the experience of choosing a special gift for their mums and grandmothers and it was one of the highlights of the week.
Recently we held our annual ELC Family Morning. The Junior School Quad was transformed into a haven of experiences for children and families to enjoy, including a coffee van, doughnut stall, animal farm, face painting, sandpit play and construction materials. This is an opportunity for families to meet each other, build relationships and begin their connection and sense of belonging to the Haileybury community.
Children belong to diverse families, neighborhoods, local and global communities. Belonging acknowledges children’s interdependence with others and the basis of relationships in defining identities. In early childhood, and throughout life, trusting relationships and affirming experiences are crucial to a sense of belonging (EYLF V2.0, 2023).
This was a wonderful morning enjoyed by all the families and children who attended.
Junior School students at Edrington have been learning to skip since the beginning of the year. On Friday, 2 May we held a Jump Off to raise money for the Heart Foundation. A massive thank you to our community for the support of this fundraiser. We have raised over $10,000 to support this worthwhile cause. Social Justice is an important Haileybury Pillar, ensuring our students look at how to help others.
Well done, Edrington!
It was fantastic to witness the participation of our students in the Anzac Day Memorial Service in Berwick. Anzac Day is such an important event on the Australian calendar, and we are fortunate to have an involvement in this. Thank you to all the students who participated and represented the school so admirably.
Years 7 and 8 students completed their end of Semester 1 examinations on 15 and 16 May. It was pleasing to see the commitment and initiative the Year 8 students demonstrated as they worked towards their exams. Year 7 students sat their first examinations to complete their studies in Geography and semester-based subjects. Staff worked hard to teach and guide all students about the most efficient and effective ways to prepare for and sit examinations.
Our recent Boys Night In was a fantastic success, raising over $3,000 for Kids Helpline. The evening was filled with fun activities and lively trivia, making it an enjoyable night for a great cause. Thank you to all families who gave additional donations to the cause.
Hello Edrington. I hope you all loved the very carefully curated gifts your children purchased for you at our Mother’s Day Stall. The Mother’s Day stall is such a highlight for us in the HPFE, seeing the kids’ faces light up with so much excitement when they see the items available to purchase. We could not run it without the help of our amazing volunteers, so once again, thank you to those who helped set up and run our event. Congratulations also to the winner of the HPFE hamper at the middle school Mother’s Day Breakfast.
Every Wednesday you will find Jenelle and Amphil at the SHUS from 8.30 am to 10.45 am. The SHUS is always looking for an extra hand, so if you have an hour to spare on a Wednesday to give Amphil and Jenelle a hand in the shop please contact them shus-berwick@haileybury.vic.edu.au.
Just a friendly reminder that we all volunteer our time to run these services for the families of our school. Sometimes it gets busy, sometimes you might need to wait, so please remember to be patient and kind with our volunteers when you are in the uniform shop.
Kerry Ilic & Tracy Day
HPFE Presidents
Gifts to the Haileybury Foundation Building Fund are making a difference to the lives of our students and staff. We thank our donors who contribute regularly to the Building Fund and in particular our parents who donate to the Voluntary Building Fund. A summary of some of the projects that have been funded through these gifts appears below.
Installation of a new playground/obstacle course in the junior school.
As the main driveway at Brighton is surrounded by ovals either side of the roadway, there has been a risk identified with students’ activities during peak times. To alleviate this risk, a new heavy duty commercial flat top fence was installed on both sides of the main driveway. This will ensure that activities on these ovals are contained away from general traffic.
With the continued growth of Pangea, further dedicated teaching spaces were required. Four high quality, acoustically sound spaces were constructed to meet this growing need. These spaces provide world class spaces for our teaching staff.
With the hours worked by our ELC staff, they often leave site during dark periods. We identified that the poorly lit car park was an issue in winter months. Three LED carpark lighting poles were installed across the car park to ensure safety during darker periods of the year. The light fittings are operated via individual solar panels rather than a direct electrical source. This project showcases the fact we are always considering sustainable practices as an integral part of building works at Haileybury.
The original focus of the Art facility at Newlands was to appear as a venue with minimalistic features, hence the architects designed the space to appear as a shed. To modernise this space to function as a state-of-the-art facility, while keeping to our nominated budget allowance, a new vinyl floor was installed over the existing concrete surface and a suspended ceiling installed with superior bright LED fittings. The space now looks more like a top-class modern art facility.
The Haileybury Foundation is now on socials. To keep updated on Foundation activities, please follow us at:
www.Facebook.com/Haileyburyfoundation
https://www.linkedin.com/company/36137842
https://www.instagram.com/haileyburyfoundation
Your Foundation Team
We held a number of lovely Mother’s Day community events across all our schools at Newlands recently. Thank you to all families who supported these celebrations as well as our Haileybury Parents and Friends Keysborough (HPFK) for their support throughout.
Get ready for an unforgettable LEAP Week at Newlands in Week 5 as we celebrate the rich and diverse cultures of First Nations People through a series of thoughtful and engaging experiences.
This year’s theme will immerse students, staff and the wider community in indigenous perspectives, such as an exciting Mini Master Chef session featuring native ingredients that will connect us to country. Dive into innovative art activities, listen to guest readers sharing powerful stories of First Nations People from around the globe, and join the PE department as they explore traditional indigenous games and practices. The highlight of the week will be a special visit from Torres Strait Islander artist Chris Tamwoy, who will perform and share his inspiring journey, and a parent within the community who will share their culture and heritage.
LEAP Week promises to be a vibrant celebration of culture, heritage and connection.
Reception
Term 2 has seen our Newlands ELC more energised than ever in its commitment to sustainability. Children across the centre have immersed themselves in gardening by planting flowers that attract pollinators, and seasonal edibles, caring for our worm farms, composting and working together to care for country. Our youngest learners have taken the lead, with Reception classes proudly tending to garden beds, some now yielding enormous Kent pumpkins. These are set to be harvested and transformed into a delicious pumpkin soup to be shared for all to enjoy.
Pre-Prep
Our Pre-Preps welcomed Rethink Recycling Co-op and their innovative solar-powered trailer, RUSTIE (Regenerative Upcycling Solar-powered Trailer with Interactive Education). This hands-on incursion deepened the children’s understanding of the circular economy. The children were surprised to learn that Australians use approximately nine billion plastic lids annually — enough to fill 75 Olympic-sized swimming pools — and that single-use plastics can take up to 500 years to decompose. Those are very big numbers — even higher than 20!
The children sorted plastic lids by type and colour, identified recycling numbers, learnt about their characteristics and potential uses, and operated machines that shredded and melted plastic into new items such as slinkies and carabiners. This experience not only enhanced the children’s STEM knowledge but also nurtured their environmental awareness and sense of agency, seeing the lids that they had rescued from becoming waste in a landfill being repurposed into something valuable. Such rich experiences nurture confident and involved learners who, at their young age, are already contributing to a more sustainable world.
Get ready to read along. On Wednesday, 21 May our Newlands ELC and Junior School students will be joining in the fun of the 2025 National Simultaneous Storytime. This special event happens every year, when children all over Australia enjoy the same picture book at the same time — in schools, libraries, homes, bookshops and more.
This year’s book is The Truck Cat, a delightful story about a truck-driving cat and his human as they travel together and explore big ideas like identity, immigration and finding where you belong.
It is a great way to celebrate the joy of reading and the magic of storytelling, while reminding us how important language, learning and libraries are in every child’s journey.
We are excited to present the Newlands Junior String Recital, taking place on Tuesday, 27 May in Aikman Hall from 2.30 pm to 3.30 pm.
The recital will be the highlight of the term for our Year 2 students, as they take to the stage for the very first time with their string instruments. Joining them will be the talented Years 3 and 4 Scrolls students, coming together to showcase their hard work and musical growth.
For many of our Year 2 students, this will be a memorable milestone, and we are sure the pride and joy on their faces will speak volumes.
We warmly invite our families and friends to come along and support what promises to be a wonderful celebration of music and learning.
Languages and Cultures Week at Newlands is one of the most exciting celebrations of the year. It is a special week when the Haileybury Community comes together to celebrate the many languages spoken here at Newlands and around the world.
Throughout the week, the school is transformed into a vibrant hub which celebrates global traditions. Some of the activities that are planned are student-made posters and cultural displays from different countries. Students will have the opportunity to enjoy international cuisine from the Newlands canteen during lunch.
The school will showcase mini cultural zones where students engage in fun activities including music, dance, art projects, language games, workshops and incursions that highlight different customs and traditions.
Languages and Cultures Week reminds us that understanding and respecting other cultures makes our communities richer. It encourages curiosity, empathy and appreciation for the diversity around us. Most importantly, it inspires students to become global citizens who are proud of their own heritage and excited to learn about other languages and cultures within our diverse community.
Hugo Engele
Head of Newlands (Keysborough)
Friday, 30 May – 2.00 pm to 4.00 pm
Saturday, 31 May – 9.00 am to 12.00 noon
Amy Ching
President, Haileybury Parents & Friends Keysborough
We were thrilled to welcome over 50 Haileyburians to the third OHA, Haileybury Foundation and Archives Morning Tea, held in the welcoming surrounds of the Jim Brown Centre at Keysborough.
The event was a celebration of connection, history and community spirit. Guests were taken on an inspiring journey through Haileybury’s remarkable past with captivating displays from the School’s extensive archives collection — an opportunity to relive cherished memories and discover hidden gems from years gone by.
The morning also featured a moving presentation by the Haileybury Foundation, highlighting the incredible impact of philanthropic support across the School community. Attendees were introduced to the Winged Heart Society, a group that honours those who have chosen to leave a legacy through bequests.
To round out the morning, students led guests on a guided tour of the School, offering a glimpse into the vibrant life of Haileybury today. Their energy and pride in their school left a lasting impression and reminded everyone of the bright future that continues to unfold at Haileybury.
It was a morning filled with reflection, inspiration and connection — one that truly celebrated the enduring Haileybury spirit.
A huge thank you to everyone who joined us. We will do it again on Wednesday, 17 September.
Please click here for our upcoming events schedule.
Earlier this month, Mac triumphed in the Over 80 Division of the Byron Bay 2.2km Ocean Swim, adding yet another impressive title to his name. Not surprisingly, Mac has been dominating the Over 70s and Over 75s divisions for years, although he commented he would much rather see Carlton win a Premiership.
Mac was Captain of the Swimming Team at Haileybury in 1958 and 1959. In the first year Haileybury entered the APS, he claimed victory in four swimming races. In 1959, he made the final of the 400m at the Australian Championships and placed an impressive sixth.
He swam competitively until he was 20, then made waves in the Australian Surf Championships at 30, ran marathons, and even made a comeback to the pool at 68. Now, he trains with a Masters squad three times a week, swimming a solid 2.5km each session.
Mac is a highly engaged member of the OHA. He is a regular at the 1950s Christmas lunch and the OHA Gold Coast Chapter dinners, where he has thoroughly enjoyed conversations with the younger alumni about his time at the school.
When he is not swimming, you can find Mac enjoying a round of golf or keeping busy as the secretary of the Residents’ Committee at his retirement village.
We are so grateful for Mac’s generous support of the Haileybury Foundation Fighting Fifties Scholarship, and we admire his humility, sense of humour and his Bloods spirit.
Once a Haileyburian, always a Haileyburian
The OHA Office is here for all members, and we encourage you all to reach out if required via stayconnected@haileybury.com.au or contact me on 03 9904 6615.
Kylie Phillips
Development Office Operations Lead
During the Term 1 holidays, 28 students and four staff travelled to New Zealand’s South Island for a nine-day rugby tour. The squad played three matches against strong local opposition, emerging with three wins from three. The tour provided an excellent opportunity to build match fitness, test combinations, and experience rugby in one of the sport’s heartlands.
Off the field, students explored Queenstown, Lake Tekapo and Christchurch, and took part in activities including jet boating, luging, waka paddling and stargazing. The tour has already had a positive impact on the First XV, who have opened their season with two strong wins. We wish the Haileybury Rugby program all the best for the season ahead.
At just 14 years old, Anay presents at global space conferences, conducts research, and studies university-level space science through the University of Southern Queensland’s (UniSQ) Head Start program. The initiative is designed to give high-achieving students the opportunity to undertake university-level learning and is open to Years 10, 11 and 12 students across Australia.
Through his involvement with the UniSQ Head Start program, Anay is laying the groundwork for a future in space medicine and bioastronautics, fields that explore how humans can survive and thrive in the harsh environment of space. “UniSQ has such a strong reputation in space research, with world-class researchers and facilities like the Minerva-Australis facility and their strong industry partnerships through the iLAuNCH Trailblazer program,” Anay said.
“It felt like the perfect place to start my academic journey.”
Anay has already contributed to space research through active participation and success in STEM challenges at the national and international levels. He designed an innovative Lunar Regolith Acquisition Device as part of the Australian Space Agency-funded ELO 2 Big Dipper Challenge, securing third place in a highly competitive field against PhD and engineering students. His work directly contributed to Australia's first lunar rover initiative.
His research has already taken him to prestigious forums, including the 2024 Australian Space Research Conference in Sydney, where he presented findings on biophilic and terraphilic elements in virtual reality environments to support astronaut mental health.
In 2024, Anay became the youngest-ever presenter at the International Astronautical Congress (IAC), the world’s largest space conference, held in Italy. He presented his collaborative research, exploring how indigenous knowledge-informed extended reality (XR) immersive technology can help astronauts survive isolation on deep-space missions.
Anay’s experience at IAC reinforced his belief “that age is no barrier to success.”
At 13 years old, Anay launched his podcast, I Am Not a Rocket Scientist, to challenge the stereotype that space careers are restricted to engineers and physicists. “At conferences, I meet incredible people across fields like astrobiology, space psychology, robotics and space law,” Anay said. “I realised people need to hear these stories to know that no matter what their passion is, there’s a place for them in space.”
Through his podcast, Anay has interviewed inspiring guests like the first named female commercial Canadian astronaut Dr Shawna Pandya, aerospace medicine physician Dr Rowena Christiansen, Australian Astronaut Reserve candidate for ESA Dr Meganne Christian and AROSE Director of Resources and Space Michelle Keegan.
One of his favourite podcast conversations was with UniSQ astronomer Professor Jonti Horner, when they discussed exoplanets and asteroid impacts and debunked astronomy myths.
The UniSQ Head Start program is helping Anay to build a solid foundation in space science before diving deeper into specialised areas like space medicine. “It’s exciting to be part of a university that is so committed to supporting young students and fostering innovation in space research,” he said.
UniSQ continues to be a leader in space education, providing students with the knowledge, resources and industry connections to pursue careers in the growing Australian space sector. Find out more about studying Head Start at UniSQ.
Excitement is building across Pre-Senior as families receive invitations for this year’s Explore & Expeditions program. With more than 500 Pre-Senior students preparing to journey across Victoria, Australia and the globe, this program remains a cornerstone of the Haileybury experience. Whether hiking the Larapinta Trail, exploring ancient temples in Cambodia, or snorkelling over Ningaloo Reef, each itinerary has been carefully designed to inspire personal growth, resilience and a sense of global citizenship.
Families are reminded to read the documents attached to their invitations carefully, as they contain essential information on itineraries, packing lists, behavioural expectations, visas and key dates. Over the coming weeks, students will take part in structured preparation sessions with their teachers and peers — opportunities not only to learn the practicalities of their journey, but also to reset relationships, develop teamwork and prepare for new challenges. Time and again, I have seen students return from these experiences with greater confidence, maturity and new friendships.
The subject selection process will begin in Term 2 for students in Years 9, 10 and 11.
We are delighted to announce the Senior School Subject Expo, live and in-person at Keysborough Senior School. The event will take place from 3.00 pm – 7.30 pm on Tuesday, 20 May in the Langford Pavilion and Music Annex.
From the wonders of science to the enchanting realms of literature, the intricacies of mathematics to the vibrant tapestries of history and the creative arts — there are subjects for everyone, and we invite you to speak directly with educators to ensure every subject you select meets your needs and passions.
It may be helpful to visit VTAC (the centralised admissions centre for most undergraduate university and TAFE courses) and the VCAA (the body that sets guidelines for what students from Prep to Year 12 learn in Victorian schools). Please remember that you can always make an appointment for yourself and your child with one of our Careers advisors to discuss these matters. Your child’s Head of House or relevant Head of Pre-Senior can help you to make these appointments.
Dr Nicholas Grigsby
Deputy Principal, Head of Senior Schools
If ever there was an Insight update that best illustrated the breadth of outstanding achievements by our Haileybury students, this is the one. Swimming, dancing, skipping, walking and horse riding all feature as Haileybury students take on the best at regional, national and international level.
Campbell (Year 12 Brighton) had a brilliant National Age Swimming Championships. His results included gold in the 100m freestyle (fastest of all 17 and 18 year olds at national age), bronze in the 200m freestyle (even after he split his suit in marshalling!), silver in both the 50m and 100m backstroke, and bronze in 200m backstroke. Overall, Campbell was the national age champion for 17 year old Men and as such has made the Australian Youth Team to compete in the green and gold in Romania in August.
We wish Campbell all the best as he heads off to the staging camp in Slovakia, before taking on the World.
I also wanted to share an update on Xavier’s (Year 9 Brighton) performances at the Age Swimming Nationals held in Brisbane over the April school holidays. Xavier progressed through the heats to swim in three finals (top 10 finishes in the country), recording personal best times for 4th place in the 200m breaststroke, 6th place in the 100m breaststroke and 7th place in the 50m breaststroke. These results are a testament to his hard work and commitment, and we are thrilled to share that his performances have also qualified him for the World Swimming Championship Trials in Adelaide this June — an incredible achievement given this was his first national championships.
On Saturday 3 May, over 110 Haileybury students from Years 7–12 travelled to Rowville Secondary College to compete in the 2025 Dance Star Regional Finals. With energy, pride and passion, our dancers took to the stage across a full day of fierce competition, performing in competitive sections against schools, dance academies and clubs from across the region.
The standard of performance was exceptional, and our students rose to the occasion with skill, strength and spirit. Their success is a direct reflection of the countless hours of preparation, unwavering commitment and genuine love for their craft.
In total, an outstanding 28 of 29 Haileybury teams and soloists have now qualified for the State Championships in early June.
Highlights include First place finishes for:
Congratulations to soloists Ruby, Candela, Amy, Kaylin, Lexi, Tigerlily, Karina, Mia and Dalenna, all of whom won their solo sections.
A huge thank you to all students, coaches and coordinators for a fantastic day at regionals. We wish all competitors the very best for states.
We would like to congratulate Yvette (Year 9 Brighton) who has been selected to compete for Australia at the IRJU – World Jump Rope Championship Series. This event will take place in Japan from late July. Yvette is truly passionate about skipping, dedicating considerable time for training several times a week.
Yvette will also be attending the Australian Rope Skipping Championships in Brisbane.
It was an extremely successful national meet for walking brother and sister dynamic duo Damian (Year 9 Keysborough) and Julia (Year 7 Keysborough), with Damian winning the U/14 1500m walk and Julia coming third in the U/12 girls 1500m walk.
They were joined on the podium by Portia (Year 7 Berwick) who had a standout event, achieving the following results in the U/14 age group: 1st in the 80m hurdles, 1st in the long jump, 3rd in the 200m, 3rd for the 4 x 100m Vic Team and 8th in the 100m individual.
Haileybury also enjoyed success at the recent Petstock Interschool State Championships (five-day event). Haileybury had the biggest number of horse and rider combinations that we have ever put forward, with students from all campuses competing proudly in magenta, finishing as the Reserve Champion School for the entire event. We also had five of our riders gain entry into the Victorian State Equestrian Team and will be representing the Big V in their respective events up in Sydney in September. They are Olivia (riding Ngahiwi Lady), Marly (That’s Limo), Queenie (Stormy), Pearl (Red Rue) and Zara (W Park Rupert).
This is only the first round of national qualifiers. The eventing team is still to be announced as well as the VEIS grand final for showjumping and dressage, which also gives students the opportunity to gain a state team place should they win.
Matthew Dwyer
Head of Sport (One Haileybury)
More than 1,600 Haileybury students across Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 sat National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) tests at Haileybury during March.
2023 was the first year that the tests were brought forward to Term 1 with the purpose of proving more timely feedback to schools and families. At the same time the four Proficiency Standards were developed as the main reporting measure in consultation with teachers across the country. These reflect the point in time performance of students against the national curriculum at the appropriate level. The collective results for schools provide valuable data to assess a key element of school performance, literacy and numeracy.
As a part of the streamlined process to get data back to schools as quickly as possible, schools across Australia have received the early data showing proficiency standards for Haileybury students achieved in reading, grammar, spelling and numeracy. Writing, which is marked by human assessors, not AI, takes longer to return and will be released to families with all the data.
The four proficiency standards are Exceeding, Strong, Developing and Needs Additional Support.
Haileybury student results in recent years have seen the school ranked in the very top few open entry schools in the country at all year levels tested. As we receive the data each year, we use it to analyse teaching practice and ensure that the best evidence-based practice is used by Haileybury’s wonderful teachers. Teachers look at the data across the school, identify where best practice has occurred and share with each other. It is this process that leads to continued improvement in Haileybury’s performance which is a direct reflection of the incredibly high standards of literacy and numeracy of Haileybury students.
I am very pleased to report that since Haileybury students outstanding performance in 2023, the early release of 2025 proficiency standards shows that Haileybury students across all year levels tested (Years 3, 5, 7 and 9) and the four domains for which data has been received (reading, grammar, spelling and numeracy) have shown continued improvement off an incredibly high base.
An exceptional 96.25% of all students in all domains and year levels were above the proficiency standard set for the relevant year level and domain with Exceeding (62.25%) and Strong (34%).
These are truly outstanding results and reflect the exceptional focus of Haileybury as a school, the brilliant work of the teachers, the strong work of the students and the support from families.
I look forward to the release of the full set of results later in the year and to families receiving their individual NAPLAN reports.
Derek Scott
CEO | Principal
Haileybury’s recent production of Mamma Mia was a spectacular triumph, drawing a record-breaking audience, standing ovations and a joyous finale that erupted into a karaoke-style singalong of ‘Waterloo.’
This vibrant musical showcased the talents of 90 students from Years 9–12. This high-energy performance was bursting with heart, humour and unforgettable music, brought to life by a cast rich in depth and diversity. Alexis delivered a powerhouse rendition of ‘The Winner Takes It All,’ filling the theatre with emotional intensity and stunning vocal strength. Ruby captivated the audience with her exquisite and heartfelt performance of ‘I Have a Dream.’ Framed by a stage glowing with stars, the final moments of the show truly captured the themes of hope, community and love.
From lead roles to ensemble moments, every performer contributed to a polished, emotionally resonant experience. The dynamic choreography flanked the audience on all sides, creating an immersive atmosphere that had the crowd completely engaged.
This production was not only a celebration of ABBA’s timeless music, but also a testament to extraordinary talent, creative storytelling and above all, collaboration.
Nicole Smith
Head of Drama and Theatre Studies
Anzac Day is one of the most significant dates on the Australian calendar — a time to pause and honour the courage, service and sacrifice of those who have served their country in times of conflict. Over the years in this newsletter, I have often reflected on the vital role music plays in our community, not only as a source of entertainment, but as a powerful force in ceremony, celebration and remembrance. Anzac Day is a profound example of this.
In this edition, I would like to acknowledge the outstanding contribution our musicians made at the official Melbourne Anzac Day Commemoration March.
Two of our ensembles proudly represented Haileybury: Haileybury Bugle Corps and Haileybury Pipes & Drums.
The Haileybury Bugle Corps, under the leadership of brass tutor Mr David Robinson, led an enthusiastic and moving performance. Mr Robinson, a corporal in the Army Reserve, has previously performed ‘The Last Post’ and ‘Reveille ‘at the Melbourne Shrine Dawn Service and regularly appears at AFL and A-League Anzac services. His deep understanding of the occasion brings an authenticity and dignity to the Bugle Corps’ role in the parade. This year, 80 students and nine staff performed as part of this remarkable ensemble.
The Haileybury Pipes & Drums, led by Mr Daniel Staley, also participated with distinction. As one of Haileybury’s most decorated ensembles, the Pipes & Drums Band has earned an elite reputation through its success at international competitions and the high calibre of its performances. The pride and reverence they inspire are always a privilege to witness — and Anzac Day was no exception. More than 70 students and staff marched with Haileybury Pipes & Drums this year.
I am incredibly proud of the dedication, discipline and spirit our student musicians and their teachers brought to such an important day.
Rod Marshall
Director of Performing Arts & Head of Haileybury Music
We are thrilled to present our Senior School community with an abundance of creative workshops and experiences as part of the upcoming LEAP Week that celebrates Literature, Enterprise, Arts and Politics at Haileybury.
In the next few issues, I will be giving voice to the staff and students involved in the exciting opportunities our VCE students have experienced in the Semester 1 excursion program. Thanks go to the arts industry and gallery partners, and the staff facilitating these trips to broaden our students’ horizons and give them exposure to the cultural landscape Melbourne has to offer.
Earlier this year, the 2025 Artmaking and Exhibiting Units 3 and 4 students embarked on an excursion to explore various exhibition types and spaces in the city of Melbourne, identifying and experiencing exhibition design. Their journey took them to the National Gallery of Victoria to experience the iconic Yayoi Kusama retrospective, followed by a visit to the Tony Clark exhibition at Buxton Contemporary to compare how large-scale public galleries can present works for exhibition and the relevant characteristic of these spaces. The day culminated in a portfolio viewing at the Ian Potter Museum, showcasing the 2024 Top Arts students whose works have been selected for exhibition. This unique experience provided invaluable insights into curatorial roles and responsibilities, exhibition design and ways of presenting artworks in different exhibition spaces and provided students with a visual benchmark for what they can achieve through their individual artmaking practice.
Rachelle Rae
Head of Visual Arts Senior School
The Pipes & Drums commenced Term 2 with a busy week of performances. The week began with the Senior School Anzac Day Service shortly followed by the annual Anzac Day march in the city. It is an honour for the P&D to perform at these events to remember and pay respect to our Australian and New Zealand soldiers.
Anzac Day meant an early start for the P&D, with more than 70 members marching down Swanston Street to the Shrine of Remembrance, including several new members marching for the first time. This is a huge event on the P&D calendar.
The P&D performed the following day on Rendall Oval, forming a guard of honour for the Haileybury First Football Team as they entered the ground for their first match of the season. It was a pleasure to support our First Football Team, and the atmosphere from the crowd was truly amazing.
On Sunday 17 May, the P&D competed in the Victorian Championships in Maryborough for our final competition of the season.
Daniel Staley
Director of Pipes & Drums
Students across the Junior and Middle Schools had their pockets jingling and taste buds tingling as the Year 8s showcased their entrepreneurial skills at the much-awaited Startup Makers Market.
On Thursday 1 May, across the gym and Dickinson Hall, our Year 8 students unveiled the market-style creations they had designed in Startup, all with a fantastic sustainability twist. From upcycled goodies to eco-friendly marvels, there were over 60 stalls with something for everyone to love and cherish. From arcade games to homemade soap bars, hot chips to designer pins and everything in between — like face painting, milkshakes and brownies — the market offered a delightful array of sustainable products. All items were crafted with love and sustainability in mind, ensuring you could shop guilt free while supporting our budding Year 8 entrepreneurs. Plus it was for a great cause, with fifty per cent of all the profits sent to our chosen charity — Our Village.
LEAP Week kicked off today, and this year we are celebrating the theme of First Nations People with a vibrant line up of activities that honour and explore indigenous cultures from around the world.
Across this week, students will have the chance to take part in a delicious Mini Master Chef session using traditional indigenous ingredients, express themselves through innovative art activities and creative musical performances, and be inspired by guest readers sharing captivating stories of First Nations People across the globe. The PE department is leading engaging sessions exploring traditional indigenous games and practices, adding a physical and cultural dimension to the week. A true highlight will be the visit from Torres Strait Islander artist Chris Tamwoy, who will perform and share his powerful personal story. It promises to be a week full of connection, creativity and cultural discovery — an exciting opportunity for students, staff and the community.
We are extremely proud to share that Castlefield ELC has been officially rated as Exceeding the National Quality standards (NQS) in all seven quality areas.
The NQS sets a national benchmark for the quality of children’s education and care services across Australia. An overall rating of Exceeding is given to services that go above and beyond the requirements of the standard.
The NQS is informed by best practice and ongoing quality improvement in seven key areas, including the education program, health and safety, physical environment, staffing, relationships with children, families and communities, and the management of the service.
During the assessment, Castlefield ELC was described as “an exceptional service,” with the assessor highlighting the strength of our embedded Social Thinking program and the high quality of interactions and support across the service.
We thank our passionate educators, families and community for being part of this journey and for continuously supporting our mission to provide the best possible start for every child.
The ELC was full of love when we celebrated Mother’s Day with a ‘stay and play’ morning, honouring our very special mums. The children were so excited to have their mums and special visitors sharing their learning environments, singing songs and giving special handmade cards and gifts. There were many smiles, happy tears and so much pride, from both children and mums. It was a beautiful and meaningful celebration, where memories were made.
Mummy takes me to the park and to the ELC. Anais
She buys me some nice food, healthy food to make me big and strong. Penelope
Mummy likes gardening — she always gets prickles out and cuts the roses. Hunter
I love mummy because she’s my favourite girl. Teddy
We had a gorgeous morning celebrating our mums and motherly figures with open classrooms in the Junior School. From building Minecraft worlds to pampering hand massages, planting succulents to crafts, there was something for everyone. The day began with our Junior School ukulele groups performing whilst visitors enjoyed a coffee and delicious biscuits from Lou’s on Hampton Street.
I love my mum because she takes me to the footy. Charlie
My mum is the best because she lets me stay up late and watch movies. Audrey
– I love to cuddle with my mum on the couch. Anya
Mr McCallum’s Year 4 class had their first session at Hampton Community Centre recently. The students and teachers walked from school down Hampton Street to engage in a multi-generational workshop. Lots of laughs were had and stories told. The Junior School has participated and funded this program, and the feedback is always fantastic from both sides.
Thursday, 29 May – Community BBQ in East Quad after school
Friday, 20 June – PJ Day
Thursday, 26 June – Cross Country 2.00 pm onwards
On Tuesday, 6 May we hosted our Castlefield mum’s and special friends breakfast for our annual Mother’s Day event. The morning saw a sea of kindness and gratitude as our students showed their appreciation for all these incredibly important people in their lives. Mums and special friends were rewarded with medals of appreciation from Best mum to Boss Lady and a crowd favourite, Driver, Snack Provider and All-round Awesome Human. Families connected through coffee and croissants and making origami, and students showed off their artistic flair by drawing portraits of their mums. A beautiful morning for all.
As we head into a busy assessment time in Middle School, we extend our best wishes to all students as they embark on exams and assessments. Both are opportunities to ‘show off’ what they know and be proud of their progress and ability to take on feedback and improve in all areas of their learning. In the theme of working hard and taking on feedback, we congratulate our Years 7 and 8 students on their great start to the winter season, and to our Year 5 and 6 students on their start to Term 2 Sport. We are proud of the way you compete, try your best and win and lose with grace.
In Middle School, we consistently ask our students to do three things: work hard; try new things; and be kind. We always want to provide experiences and opportunities to exhibit these. With our annual inter-campus Cross Country taking place on Tuesday 20 May at our Berwick Campus, There is a chance for all our students to work hard at never giving up, try something new if Cross Country is a sport you haven’t tried yet, and be kind in everything: how we speak, how we act and how we are. We look forward to another amazing event for students to showcase these three important ‘asks.’
Katrina Manson
Head of Castlefield (Brighton)
Hundreds of students attended the HPFC Mother’s Day stall with envelopes of cash ready to be exchanged for precious gifts for mum and the special women in their lives. A huge shout out to all the parents who supported the stall and volunteered their time so presents could be purchased. Thank you to Annie Karamountzos for continuing to work with the HPFC to provide the huge choice of gorgeous gifts for our students to select.
2025 saw another spectacular Mother’s Day Luncheon being held at Encore. It was brilliant to see so many mums in attendance, dancing, dining and celebrating Being Bold, Being Beautiful and Being You, the theme for this year. A big thank you to the families that donated raffle prizes, Michelle Greene, Irene Wang, Kelly Nikolakopoulos and Bianca Verginis, and congratulations to the winners.
It is always so lovely to welcome our ELC parents attending their first luncheon, and particularly special is the attendance of our Year 12 mums who join the festivities for their final luncheon as parents of Haileybury.
We are so grateful to our community and for everyone who came and had a fun afternoon.
We warmly invite our Brighton parent community to join us for a special film screening of the Australian film Seen. Seen provides a reflective and proactive view into raising children in the ever-evolving landscape that is now and the future. The film includes excerpts and input from some of Australia’s top contributors, including parenting author and educator Maggie Dent, Developmental Paediatrician Dr Billy Garvey and best-selling author Dr Vanessa Lapointe.
At the end of the screening we will be joined for a Q&A with Lael Stone (author, speaker and educator) and Scott Doran (Vice Principal Community Engagement and Advancement).
Date: Monday, 2 June 2025
Time: 6.30 pm refreshments, 7.00 pm screening
Location: Dickinson Hall, Brighton campus
Tickets: $22.49
Our community here at Castlefield is special and we greatly look forward to welcoming you to this event.
Film Preview Exciting New Discovery
Event bookings: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/seen-the-film-haileybury-brighton-film-discussion-with-lael-stone-tickets-1354466498759?aff=oddtdtcreator
We look forward to seeing you there.
Haileybury Parents & Friends Castlefield
A reminder for families that South Road is the preferred pick-up and drop-off location for students in Junior and Middle Schools and the roundabout is an efficient way to collect your child. Staff are on duty before and after school to help children remain safe within our grounds.
For Senior School students, South Road is the only drop-off and pick-up area for parents who drive their child to school. Students in Years 10 – 12 are not to enter via Villeroy Street gates at any time. We encourage older students to walk, ride or take public transport, rather than being driven to school. The PTV planner can be found here.
Get ready for an inspiring and dynamic LEAP Week in Week 5 as we celebrate the theme of First Nations People with a series of engaging and culturally rich activities. Students will explore indigenous flavours in an exciting Mini Master Chef session using native ingredients, express their creativity through innovative art activities, and enjoy the vibrant atmosphere of our Book Fair, featuring stories that highlight First Nations voices and experiences.
The PE department will lead sessions exploring traditional indigenous games and practices, encouraging movement and cultural connection. A true highlight of the week will be a special performance and storytelling session with Torres Strait Islander artist Chris Tamwoy, who will captivate students with his music and personal journey. This will be a week full of thoughtful learning, celebration and community connection — an opportunity for everyone to come together and embrace the richness of indigenous culture and heritage.
What wonderful celebrations we enjoyed this year. We loved showcasing the Arts and family fun, as we designed each School’s activities to celebrate our mothers and significant women. Each School had a huge turnout, and the students enjoyed the events almost as much as our families. Thank you for partnering with the School to celebrate these special days in a child’s life. I thank all the staff who were involved in creating, supporting and delivering our Mother’s Day events at City, especially our Heads of School.
Our World of Imagination project invited the Reception children to explore their creativity through play and storytelling. The children embarked on a magical journey, where they created their own imaginary worlds using art, building blocks and dress-up costumes. From becoming jumping unicorns and stomping dinosaurs, the children brought their wildest dreams to life as they manipulated different resources to create an art piece representing their interests.
This project encouraged teamwork, problem-solving and imaginative thinking. It was a joyful and inspiring experience, allowing the children to express themselves and explore the limitless possibilities of their imaginations.
For Mother’s Day, the ELC recently celebrated and gave thanks to the mothers and significant women in their lives. The morning was filled with smiles, as well as activities shared by children, mothers and significant people and included sewing, threading and board games in our ground floor assembly area. A photo booth was also created by the children.
Having worked hard on their gifts of appreciation for the special people who do so much for them, the children were excited to present their mother or special person with beautiful keepsakes. Thank you to everyone who joined us in this celebration.
The Junior School began Term 2 with renewed vigour and focus after the Easter Holiday. The students were excited to welcome back Ms Lizzy Gibney from parental leave, as our Acting Head of Junior School, and to welcome Ms Lauren Hevey to our Junior School teaching team as the Academic Learning Support Teacher. Our students have continued to show empathy and respect for each other, leading to our Junior School 2025 focus ‘Glow Together, Burn Brighter.’
On Monday 12 May, City Campus Prep students welcomed their parents into the classroom as part of our Prep Parent Information Session: Inquiry. Our parents gained insight into the transdisciplinary skills taught during Inquiry lessons, including communication and wonderment, before delving into the Term 2 key concepts of culture, expression and traditions. The Prep students were excited to learn about birthday traditions, and celebrated the birthday of HaileyBEARy, our Haileybury City Teddy Bear, in the classroom and engaged in hands-on learning with their families watching. Of course, no birthday would be complete without singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to our Haileybury Teddy Bear.
The Junior School Assemblies form an important part of our Junior School life and provide an ongoing connection between school and home. Our Year 4 Leaders relish opportunities to speak publicly, and students enjoy receiving recognition of their hard work through our Care, Learn, Play awards, and other significant accolades. We are delighted to share highlights from all areas of our Haileybury Learning with our families, including individual and whole-class musical performances and our year level Snapshot of Learning. City parents are invited to attend the next Assembly on Thursday 12 June.
Please note that on Thursday 29 May, we will be holding our Junior School Science Fair in place of our usual Assembly, which families are warmly invited to attend from 2.45 pm. Our 2025 theme is ‘Decoding the Universe: Exploring the unknown with nature’s hidden language.’ Please refer to the published hub notice for further information.
We are excited to host The Book Fair at Haileybury City this week (May 19–22) during LEAP Week. The fair has opened on the school’s ground floor assembly area, near Reception. Families are invited to purchase a range of texts supplied by Lamont Books, with a portion of proceeds going to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. The fair is open from Monday – Thursday from 7.45 am – 9.00 am, and after school from 3.00 pm – 4.30 pm.
At Haileybury, we are proud to equip students with essential enterprise skills through innovative programs like StartUp — a core part of our academic curriculum that introduces students to the world of entrepreneurship.
Our Year 8 students have been hard at work designing, crafting and innovating for this year’s vibrant Maker’s Market. The event featured a wide array of eco-friendly treats and treasures, from upcycled gifts and handmade goods to snow cones, hot chocolates, designer pins, tote bags and delicious brownies — delighting shoppers from both the Junior and Middle Schools.
More than just a market, this project provided students with valuable real-world experience. They explored the art of marketing, learned how to scale ideas and gained insight into the many moving parts of running a successful business.
A percentage of proceeds were proudly donated to Melbourne City Mission, helping support those in need and showcasing not just entrepreneurial spirit, but a kind heart for social justice.
Our Year 5 families recently joined us for a wonderful Middle School in Action experience with their Homeroom teachers. Both GMS and BMS students participated in an engaging English lesson alongside their parents and guardians. Having our parents join us in the classroom reminds us of the strong partnership we share in instilling a love of learning amongst our students. We love seeing our community learning together.
This year, our Middle School students celebrated the special women in their lives with a memorable visit to van Gogh Reimagined at The LUME Melbourne. This immersive exhibition brings Vincent van Gogh’s iconic artworks to life through vibrant digital projections, creating a rich, multisensory experience of light, sound and colour.
The event featured a touching performance of ‘Mama’ by the Spice Girls, beautifully sung by the City Singers. The Haileybury community came together to explore the stunning exhibition and share in this meaningful afternoon.
Special thanks go to all the remarkable women in the Haileybury community who continue to shape our students into the people they are today. We deeply appreciate your ongoing support and partnership in their learning journey.
Caroline Merrick
Head of City
The City campus has been buzzing with celebrations for Mother’s Day. We hope all the mums and significant women enjoyed the special celebrations whether at Haileybury or at home and felt truly loved and appreciated. This is a wonderful time of year to cherish special people in our lives. We also remember and honour those watching over from above.
Have you got your tickets yet for the Middle School Family Trivia Night on Friday, 13 June?
Preparations for the event are in full swing, with Haileybury City staff assisting with the questions, and HPF City arranging the games, pizza, popcorn and plenty of things sweet. All the details on how to order food, tickets and more are on the myHaileybury app notice. 160 tickets are available, Middle School parents and students as a family can attend and we strongly encourage you to purchase your tickets early to avoid missing out. Don’t forget those gold coins for some of the popular games run during the night.
We held additional pop-up shops on Tuesday, 6 May and Wednesday 7 May, which were very successful. A big thank you to parent Andrea Livingston, the SHUS team and Gabe and the facilities team for pulling it all together, and for the coffee and tea facilities provided by the school. What a great service this team of volunteers is providing, supporting sustainability and affordability in second-hand uniforms for many Haileybury student families. We have introduced several new and popular items, including branded umbrellas now available for order and purchase. Another new initiative allows you to buy spare buttons to help extend the life of existing school uniform items.
Our next SHUS pop-up shop will be held on Thursday, 19 and Friday, 20 June. As always, you can continue to drop off second-hand uniform items to be sold into the blue bins at City Reception or basement. Please ensure that a form is submitted with your items and is attached to all bundles (a photocopy of the form is great if you have multiple items on hangers or bags). Items without forms will be treated as a donation. Should you have any queries, please email hpfcity@haileybury.com.au.
Have a great month and enjoy the lovely autumn sunshine.
As always if you have any questions or would like to be involved in HPF City please do not hesitate to contact us directly or catch us around the school.
Melissa Fisher and Michelle White
Co-Presidents, Haileybury Parents & Friends City
As a School community we are very proud of the way that we promote all aspects of national reconciliation through Haileybury Rendall School.
Our guiding framework is our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) which we introduced in 2019 and which we have updated via several iterations since. You can view the 2024–2025 RAP on myHRS at Reconciliation Action Plan - Haileybury Rendall School. RAPs, supported by Reconciliation Australia, have enabled organisations since 2006 to sustainably and strategically take meaningful action to advance reconciliation.
Based around the core pillars of relationships, respect and opportunities, RAPs provide tangible and substantive benefits for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, increasing economic equity and supporting First Nations self-determination. At HRS we understand that reconciliation is best driven by our non-indigenous community members, working with our Indigenous colleagues, whilst NAIDOC week is led by our Indigenous staff and students.
To ensure that our RAP is dynamic, ongoing and meaningful we have established the RAP Working Party made up of staff at HRS and sometimes including students and community members. The RAP Working Party is coordinated by the Chair, who is currently Mr Anthony Barker. This is a significant leadership role in the School previously held by staff such as Jye Strugnell and Ian Smith. Over 20 staff attend regular meetings of this group.
One of the key actions at HRS is to develop a program each year for National Reconciliation Week (NRW) which runs from 27 May – 3 June. This week is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia. The theme this year is Bridging Now to Next and you can explore more about this at the official website at Home - Reconciliation Australia.
Our program for NRW this year has many highlights, and the program will be released via myHRS notices closer to the date. One highlight will be the opening concert on the morning of Tuesday, 27 May which parents are welcome to attend.
Andrew McGregor
Principal, Haileybury Rendall School
Last week was a wonderful celebration of our Haileybury mothers, with three separate Mother’s Day events held across the campus. ELC and Junior School mums enjoyed time in the classrooms with their children, playing, creating and sharing special moments together. Middle School mothers were treated to a breakfast event in John Twist Hall, complete with entertainment and a raffle. Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make these occasions so memorable.
A very big thank you to our HPFE parent group who generously gave their time to assist with the Mother’s Day stall. The children thoroughly enjoyed the experience of choosing a special gift for their mums and grandmothers and it was one of the highlights of the week.
Recently we held our annual ELC Family Morning. The Junior School Quad was transformed into a haven of experiences for children and families to enjoy, including a coffee van, doughnut stall, animal farm, face painting, sandpit play and construction materials. This is an opportunity for families to meet each other, build relationships and begin their connection and sense of belonging to the Haileybury community.
Children belong to diverse families, neighborhoods, local and global communities. Belonging acknowledges children’s interdependence with others and the basis of relationships in defining identities. In early childhood, and throughout life, trusting relationships and affirming experiences are crucial to a sense of belonging (EYLF V2.0, 2023).
This was a wonderful morning enjoyed by all the families and children who attended.
Junior School students at Edrington have been learning to skip since the beginning of the year. On Friday, 2 May we held a Jump Off to raise money for the Heart Foundation. A massive thank you to our community for the support of this fundraiser. We have raised over $10,000 to support this worthwhile cause. Social Justice is an important Haileybury Pillar, ensuring our students look at how to help others.
Well done, Edrington!
It was fantastic to witness the participation of our students in the Anzac Day Memorial Service in Berwick. Anzac Day is such an important event on the Australian calendar, and we are fortunate to have an involvement in this. Thank you to all the students who participated and represented the school so admirably.
Years 7 and 8 students completed their end of Semester 1 examinations on 15 and 16 May. It was pleasing to see the commitment and initiative the Year 8 students demonstrated as they worked towards their exams. Year 7 students sat their first examinations to complete their studies in Geography and semester-based subjects. Staff worked hard to teach and guide all students about the most efficient and effective ways to prepare for and sit examinations.
Our recent Boys Night In was a fantastic success, raising over $3,000 for Kids Helpline. The evening was filled with fun activities and lively trivia, making it an enjoyable night for a great cause. Thank you to all families who gave additional donations to the cause.
Hello Edrington. I hope you all loved the very carefully curated gifts your children purchased for you at our Mother’s Day Stall. The Mother’s Day stall is such a highlight for us in the HPFE, seeing the kids’ faces light up with so much excitement when they see the items available to purchase. We could not run it without the help of our amazing volunteers, so once again, thank you to those who helped set up and run our event. Congratulations also to the winner of the HPFE hamper at the middle school Mother’s Day Breakfast.
Every Wednesday you will find Jenelle and Amphil at the SHUS from 8.30 am to 10.45 am. The SHUS is always looking for an extra hand, so if you have an hour to spare on a Wednesday to give Amphil and Jenelle a hand in the shop please contact them shus-berwick@haileybury.vic.edu.au.
Just a friendly reminder that we all volunteer our time to run these services for the families of our school. Sometimes it gets busy, sometimes you might need to wait, so please remember to be patient and kind with our volunteers when you are in the uniform shop.
Kerry Ilic & Tracy Day
HPFE Presidents
Gifts to the Haileybury Foundation Building Fund are making a difference to the lives of our students and staff. We thank our donors who contribute regularly to the Building Fund and in particular our parents who donate to the Voluntary Building Fund. A summary of some of the projects that have been funded through these gifts appears below.
Installation of a new playground/obstacle course in the junior school.
As the main driveway at Brighton is surrounded by ovals either side of the roadway, there has been a risk identified with students’ activities during peak times. To alleviate this risk, a new heavy duty commercial flat top fence was installed on both sides of the main driveway. This will ensure that activities on these ovals are contained away from general traffic.
With the continued growth of Pangea, further dedicated teaching spaces were required. Four high quality, acoustically sound spaces were constructed to meet this growing need. These spaces provide world class spaces for our teaching staff.
With the hours worked by our ELC staff, they often leave site during dark periods. We identified that the poorly lit car park was an issue in winter months. Three LED carpark lighting poles were installed across the car park to ensure safety during darker periods of the year. The light fittings are operated via individual solar panels rather than a direct electrical source. This project showcases the fact we are always considering sustainable practices as an integral part of building works at Haileybury.
The original focus of the Art facility at Newlands was to appear as a venue with minimalistic features, hence the architects designed the space to appear as a shed. To modernise this space to function as a state-of-the-art facility, while keeping to our nominated budget allowance, a new vinyl floor was installed over the existing concrete surface and a suspended ceiling installed with superior bright LED fittings. The space now looks more like a top-class modern art facility.
The Haileybury Foundation is now on socials. To keep updated on Foundation activities, please follow us at:
www.Facebook.com/Haileyburyfoundation
https://www.linkedin.com/company/36137842
https://www.instagram.com/haileyburyfoundation
Your Foundation Team
We held a number of lovely Mother’s Day community events across all our schools at Newlands recently. Thank you to all families who supported these celebrations as well as our Haileybury Parents and Friends Keysborough (HPFK) for their support throughout.
Get ready for an unforgettable LEAP Week at Newlands in Week 5 as we celebrate the rich and diverse cultures of First Nations People through a series of thoughtful and engaging experiences.
This year’s theme will immerse students, staff and the wider community in indigenous perspectives, such as an exciting Mini Master Chef session featuring native ingredients that will connect us to country. Dive into innovative art activities, listen to guest readers sharing powerful stories of First Nations People from around the globe, and join the PE department as they explore traditional indigenous games and practices. The highlight of the week will be a special visit from Torres Strait Islander artist Chris Tamwoy, who will perform and share his inspiring journey, and a parent within the community who will share their culture and heritage.
LEAP Week promises to be a vibrant celebration of culture, heritage and connection.
Reception
Term 2 has seen our Newlands ELC more energised than ever in its commitment to sustainability. Children across the centre have immersed themselves in gardening by planting flowers that attract pollinators, and seasonal edibles, caring for our worm farms, composting and working together to care for country. Our youngest learners have taken the lead, with Reception classes proudly tending to garden beds, some now yielding enormous Kent pumpkins. These are set to be harvested and transformed into a delicious pumpkin soup to be shared for all to enjoy.
Pre-Prep
Our Pre-Preps welcomed Rethink Recycling Co-op and their innovative solar-powered trailer, RUSTIE (Regenerative Upcycling Solar-powered Trailer with Interactive Education). This hands-on incursion deepened the children’s understanding of the circular economy. The children were surprised to learn that Australians use approximately nine billion plastic lids annually — enough to fill 75 Olympic-sized swimming pools — and that single-use plastics can take up to 500 years to decompose. Those are very big numbers — even higher than 20!
The children sorted plastic lids by type and colour, identified recycling numbers, learnt about their characteristics and potential uses, and operated machines that shredded and melted plastic into new items such as slinkies and carabiners. This experience not only enhanced the children’s STEM knowledge but also nurtured their environmental awareness and sense of agency, seeing the lids that they had rescued from becoming waste in a landfill being repurposed into something valuable. Such rich experiences nurture confident and involved learners who, at their young age, are already contributing to a more sustainable world.
Get ready to read along. On Wednesday, 21 May our Newlands ELC and Junior School students will be joining in the fun of the 2025 National Simultaneous Storytime. This special event happens every year, when children all over Australia enjoy the same picture book at the same time — in schools, libraries, homes, bookshops and more.
This year’s book is The Truck Cat, a delightful story about a truck-driving cat and his human as they travel together and explore big ideas like identity, immigration and finding where you belong.
It is a great way to celebrate the joy of reading and the magic of storytelling, while reminding us how important language, learning and libraries are in every child’s journey.
We are excited to present the Newlands Junior String Recital, taking place on Tuesday, 27 May in Aikman Hall from 2.30 pm to 3.30 pm.
The recital will be the highlight of the term for our Year 2 students, as they take to the stage for the very first time with their string instruments. Joining them will be the talented Years 3 and 4 Scrolls students, coming together to showcase their hard work and musical growth.
For many of our Year 2 students, this will be a memorable milestone, and we are sure the pride and joy on their faces will speak volumes.
We warmly invite our families and friends to come along and support what promises to be a wonderful celebration of music and learning.
Languages and Cultures Week at Newlands is one of the most exciting celebrations of the year. It is a special week when the Haileybury Community comes together to celebrate the many languages spoken here at Newlands and around the world.
Throughout the week, the school is transformed into a vibrant hub which celebrates global traditions. Some of the activities that are planned are student-made posters and cultural displays from different countries. Students will have the opportunity to enjoy international cuisine from the Newlands canteen during lunch.
The school will showcase mini cultural zones where students engage in fun activities including music, dance, art projects, language games, workshops and incursions that highlight different customs and traditions.
Languages and Cultures Week reminds us that understanding and respecting other cultures makes our communities richer. It encourages curiosity, empathy and appreciation for the diversity around us. Most importantly, it inspires students to become global citizens who are proud of their own heritage and excited to learn about other languages and cultures within our diverse community.
Hugo Engele
Head of Newlands (Keysborough)
Friday, 30 May – 2.00 pm to 4.00 pm
Saturday, 31 May – 9.00 am to 12.00 noon
Amy Ching
President, Haileybury Parents & Friends Keysborough
We were thrilled to welcome over 50 Haileyburians to the third OHA, Haileybury Foundation and Archives Morning Tea, held in the welcoming surrounds of the Jim Brown Centre at Keysborough.
The event was a celebration of connection, history and community spirit. Guests were taken on an inspiring journey through Haileybury’s remarkable past with captivating displays from the School’s extensive archives collection — an opportunity to relive cherished memories and discover hidden gems from years gone by.
The morning also featured a moving presentation by the Haileybury Foundation, highlighting the incredible impact of philanthropic support across the School community. Attendees were introduced to the Winged Heart Society, a group that honours those who have chosen to leave a legacy through bequests.
To round out the morning, students led guests on a guided tour of the School, offering a glimpse into the vibrant life of Haileybury today. Their energy and pride in their school left a lasting impression and reminded everyone of the bright future that continues to unfold at Haileybury.
It was a morning filled with reflection, inspiration and connection — one that truly celebrated the enduring Haileybury spirit.
A huge thank you to everyone who joined us. We will do it again on Wednesday, 17 September.
Please click here for our upcoming events schedule.
Earlier this month, Mac triumphed in the Over 80 Division of the Byron Bay 2.2km Ocean Swim, adding yet another impressive title to his name. Not surprisingly, Mac has been dominating the Over 70s and Over 75s divisions for years, although he commented he would much rather see Carlton win a Premiership.
Mac was Captain of the Swimming Team at Haileybury in 1958 and 1959. In the first year Haileybury entered the APS, he claimed victory in four swimming races. In 1959, he made the final of the 400m at the Australian Championships and placed an impressive sixth.
He swam competitively until he was 20, then made waves in the Australian Surf Championships at 30, ran marathons, and even made a comeback to the pool at 68. Now, he trains with a Masters squad three times a week, swimming a solid 2.5km each session.
Mac is a highly engaged member of the OHA. He is a regular at the 1950s Christmas lunch and the OHA Gold Coast Chapter dinners, where he has thoroughly enjoyed conversations with the younger alumni about his time at the school.
When he is not swimming, you can find Mac enjoying a round of golf or keeping busy as the secretary of the Residents’ Committee at his retirement village.
We are so grateful for Mac’s generous support of the Haileybury Foundation Fighting Fifties Scholarship, and we admire his humility, sense of humour and his Bloods spirit.
Once a Haileyburian, always a Haileyburian
The OHA Office is here for all members, and we encourage you all to reach out if required via stayconnected@haileybury.com.au or contact me on 03 9904 6615.
Kylie Phillips
Development Office Operations Lead
During the Term 1 holidays, 28 students and four staff travelled to New Zealand’s South Island for a nine-day rugby tour. The squad played three matches against strong local opposition, emerging with three wins from three. The tour provided an excellent opportunity to build match fitness, test combinations, and experience rugby in one of the sport’s heartlands.
Off the field, students explored Queenstown, Lake Tekapo and Christchurch, and took part in activities including jet boating, luging, waka paddling and stargazing. The tour has already had a positive impact on the First XV, who have opened their season with two strong wins. We wish the Haileybury Rugby program all the best for the season ahead.
At just 14 years old, Anay presents at global space conferences, conducts research, and studies university-level space science through the University of Southern Queensland’s (UniSQ) Head Start program. The initiative is designed to give high-achieving students the opportunity to undertake university-level learning and is open to Years 10, 11 and 12 students across Australia.
Through his involvement with the UniSQ Head Start program, Anay is laying the groundwork for a future in space medicine and bioastronautics, fields that explore how humans can survive and thrive in the harsh environment of space. “UniSQ has such a strong reputation in space research, with world-class researchers and facilities like the Minerva-Australis facility and their strong industry partnerships through the iLAuNCH Trailblazer program,” Anay said.
“It felt like the perfect place to start my academic journey.”
Anay has already contributed to space research through active participation and success in STEM challenges at the national and international levels. He designed an innovative Lunar Regolith Acquisition Device as part of the Australian Space Agency-funded ELO 2 Big Dipper Challenge, securing third place in a highly competitive field against PhD and engineering students. His work directly contributed to Australia's first lunar rover initiative.
His research has already taken him to prestigious forums, including the 2024 Australian Space Research Conference in Sydney, where he presented findings on biophilic and terraphilic elements in virtual reality environments to support astronaut mental health.
In 2024, Anay became the youngest-ever presenter at the International Astronautical Congress (IAC), the world’s largest space conference, held in Italy. He presented his collaborative research, exploring how indigenous knowledge-informed extended reality (XR) immersive technology can help astronauts survive isolation on deep-space missions.
Anay’s experience at IAC reinforced his belief “that age is no barrier to success.”
At 13 years old, Anay launched his podcast, I Am Not a Rocket Scientist, to challenge the stereotype that space careers are restricted to engineers and physicists. “At conferences, I meet incredible people across fields like astrobiology, space psychology, robotics and space law,” Anay said. “I realised people need to hear these stories to know that no matter what their passion is, there’s a place for them in space.”
Through his podcast, Anay has interviewed inspiring guests like the first named female commercial Canadian astronaut Dr Shawna Pandya, aerospace medicine physician Dr Rowena Christiansen, Australian Astronaut Reserve candidate for ESA Dr Meganne Christian and AROSE Director of Resources and Space Michelle Keegan.
One of his favourite podcast conversations was with UniSQ astronomer Professor Jonti Horner, when they discussed exoplanets and asteroid impacts and debunked astronomy myths.
The UniSQ Head Start program is helping Anay to build a solid foundation in space science before diving deeper into specialised areas like space medicine. “It’s exciting to be part of a university that is so committed to supporting young students and fostering innovation in space research,” he said.
UniSQ continues to be a leader in space education, providing students with the knowledge, resources and industry connections to pursue careers in the growing Australian space sector. Find out more about studying Head Start at UniSQ.
Excitement is building across Pre-Senior as families receive invitations for this year’s Explore & Expeditions program. With more than 500 Pre-Senior students preparing to journey across Victoria, Australia and the globe, this program remains a cornerstone of the Haileybury experience. Whether hiking the Larapinta Trail, exploring ancient temples in Cambodia, or snorkelling over Ningaloo Reef, each itinerary has been carefully designed to inspire personal growth, resilience and a sense of global citizenship.
Families are reminded to read the documents attached to their invitations carefully, as they contain essential information on itineraries, packing lists, behavioural expectations, visas and key dates. Over the coming weeks, students will take part in structured preparation sessions with their teachers and peers — opportunities not only to learn the practicalities of their journey, but also to reset relationships, develop teamwork and prepare for new challenges. Time and again, I have seen students return from these experiences with greater confidence, maturity and new friendships.
The subject selection process will begin in Term 2 for students in Years 9, 10 and 11.
We are delighted to announce the Senior School Subject Expo, live and in-person at Keysborough Senior School. The event will take place from 3.00 pm – 7.30 pm on Tuesday, 20 May in the Langford Pavilion and Music Annex.
From the wonders of science to the enchanting realms of literature, the intricacies of mathematics to the vibrant tapestries of history and the creative arts — there are subjects for everyone, and we invite you to speak directly with educators to ensure every subject you select meets your needs and passions.
It may be helpful to visit VTAC (the centralised admissions centre for most undergraduate university and TAFE courses) and the VCAA (the body that sets guidelines for what students from Prep to Year 12 learn in Victorian schools). Please remember that you can always make an appointment for yourself and your child with one of our Careers advisors to discuss these matters. Your child’s Head of House or relevant Head of Pre-Senior can help you to make these appointments.
Dr Nicholas Grigsby
Deputy Principal, Head of Senior Schools
If ever there was an Insight update that best illustrated the breadth of outstanding achievements by our Haileybury students, this is the one. Swimming, dancing, skipping, walking and horse riding all feature as Haileybury students take on the best at regional, national and international level.
Campbell (Year 12 Brighton) had a brilliant National Age Swimming Championships. His results included gold in the 100m freestyle (fastest of all 17 and 18 year olds at national age), bronze in the 200m freestyle (even after he split his suit in marshalling!), silver in both the 50m and 100m backstroke, and bronze in 200m backstroke. Overall, Campbell was the national age champion for 17 year old Men and as such has made the Australian Youth Team to compete in the green and gold in Romania in August.
We wish Campbell all the best as he heads off to the staging camp in Slovakia, before taking on the World.
I also wanted to share an update on Xavier’s (Year 9 Brighton) performances at the Age Swimming Nationals held in Brisbane over the April school holidays. Xavier progressed through the heats to swim in three finals (top 10 finishes in the country), recording personal best times for 4th place in the 200m breaststroke, 6th place in the 100m breaststroke and 7th place in the 50m breaststroke. These results are a testament to his hard work and commitment, and we are thrilled to share that his performances have also qualified him for the World Swimming Championship Trials in Adelaide this June — an incredible achievement given this was his first national championships.
On Saturday 3 May, over 110 Haileybury students from Years 7–12 travelled to Rowville Secondary College to compete in the 2025 Dance Star Regional Finals. With energy, pride and passion, our dancers took to the stage across a full day of fierce competition, performing in competitive sections against schools, dance academies and clubs from across the region.
The standard of performance was exceptional, and our students rose to the occasion with skill, strength and spirit. Their success is a direct reflection of the countless hours of preparation, unwavering commitment and genuine love for their craft.
In total, an outstanding 28 of 29 Haileybury teams and soloists have now qualified for the State Championships in early June.
Highlights include First place finishes for:
Congratulations to soloists Ruby, Candela, Amy, Kaylin, Lexi, Tigerlily, Karina, Mia and Dalenna, all of whom won their solo sections.
A huge thank you to all students, coaches and coordinators for a fantastic day at regionals. We wish all competitors the very best for states.
We would like to congratulate Yvette (Year 9 Brighton) who has been selected to compete for Australia at the IRJU – World Jump Rope Championship Series. This event will take place in Japan from late July. Yvette is truly passionate about skipping, dedicating considerable time for training several times a week.
Yvette will also be attending the Australian Rope Skipping Championships in Brisbane.
It was an extremely successful national meet for walking brother and sister dynamic duo Damian (Year 9 Keysborough) and Julia (Year 7 Keysborough), with Damian winning the U/14 1500m walk and Julia coming third in the U/12 girls 1500m walk.
They were joined on the podium by Portia (Year 7 Berwick) who had a standout event, achieving the following results in the U/14 age group: 1st in the 80m hurdles, 1st in the long jump, 3rd in the 200m, 3rd for the 4 x 100m Vic Team and 8th in the 100m individual.
Haileybury also enjoyed success at the recent Petstock Interschool State Championships (five-day event). Haileybury had the biggest number of horse and rider combinations that we have ever put forward, with students from all campuses competing proudly in magenta, finishing as the Reserve Champion School for the entire event. We also had five of our riders gain entry into the Victorian State Equestrian Team and will be representing the Big V in their respective events up in Sydney in September. They are Olivia (riding Ngahiwi Lady), Marly (That’s Limo), Queenie (Stormy), Pearl (Red Rue) and Zara (W Park Rupert).
This is only the first round of national qualifiers. The eventing team is still to be announced as well as the VEIS grand final for showjumping and dressage, which also gives students the opportunity to gain a state team place should they win.
Matthew Dwyer
Head of Sport (One Haileybury)
In the spirit of reconciliation, Haileybury acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.
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