Week 4, Term 4, 2025 | Friday 31 October

World Teachers’ Day 2025: The Demands and Distinctions of Modern Teaching

Teaching in 2025 is a fundamentally different profession compared to a generation ago. The role has expanded, the expectations have intensified, and the complexity has deepened. Today’s teachers must be agile thinkers, emotionally attuned mentors, and highly skilled communicators. They are expected to respond to diverse learning needs, manage the social dynamics of their classrooms, and stay ahead of rapid changes in technology and pedagogy.

This work is intellectually demanding. It requires deep content knowledge, constant professional learning, and the ability to design and redesign and adapt lessons that are both rigorous and relevant. Teachers must think strategically, reflect critically, and pivot continuously. It is also psychologically taxing. The emotional labour of teaching: supporting students through challenges, maintaining classroom culture, and balancing care with accountability, is significant and often invisible.

At Canterbury, we are fortunate to have a staff who meet these challenges with clarity, purpose and compassion. They choose this work not because it is easy, but because it matters. They choose to invest in the whole student, embracing our Four Dimensions—Academics, Sport, Performing Arts and CLS (Character, Leadership and Service)—as a serious holistic framework for education.

What sets Canterbury apart is not just the quality of classroom teaching itself, but the school culture they create. It is a culture of high expectations, deep care, and shared responsibility. Our staff understand that success is not just about academic results, though these are fundamentally important. It is about helping young people become compassionate, confident and optimistic contributors to their communities.

On World Teachers’ Day, I want to express my sincere gratitude to our teaching staff. Their work is complex, demanding and deeply personal. They show up every day with energy, insight and integrity. They do this not for recognition, but because they believe in the transformative power of education and the innate quality of the young people we work with.

To our teachers: thank you for choosing to dedicate your life to the development of future generations. Thank you for choosing to work at Canterbury.

Pink Ribbon High Tea 2025 – A Celebration of Hope and Community

On Wednesday, 30 October, Canterbury College hosted its annual Pink Ribbon High Tea, a beautiful celebration of hope, strength, and community spirit, all in support of Breast Cancer Research. The event brought together a fabulous group of parents, staff, students, and friends of Canterbury, all dressed in shades of pink to honour those whose lives have been touched by cancer.

The morning was filled with warmth and connection, as guests enjoyed delicious treats, lively conversation, and an atmosphere of genuine care and generosity. The event was fully catered and served by our exceptional Canterbury College Food and Hospitality students, whose professionalism and attention to detail made the morning truly special. Thank you to their dedicated teachers, Ms Holly Westphal and Ms Kim Cooper, for guiding and supporting the students in delivering such outstanding service.

A highlight of the event was the heartfelt keynote address from Mr Dervish Ali, who courageously shared his personal story of cancer diagnosis and survival, inspiring all with his message of resilience and gratitude.

We extend a huge thank you to the many Canterbury families and local businesses who so generously donated raffle prizes and supported the event, your kindness helped make the day such a success.

The Pink Ribbon High Tea once again showcased the power of our community. When staff, students, parents, and friends come together, we not only raise vital funds for research but also celebrate the incredible culture that defines our school.

As part of our day of celebration, we were thrilled to host the long-awaited Pink Stumps Cricket Match, an event years in the making! Our First XI Cricket team took on the staff team in a thrilling T20 showdown that provided plenty of excitement and friendly rivalry.

The students put on an impressive display, finishing their innings at 4 for 203 runs, with some exceptional batting performances. Not to be outdone, Mr Woolacott, Cricket Coordinator and staff captain, claimed 3 wickets for just 13 runs, earning well-deserved bragging rights!

The staff team held their own against a very determined group of students, with strong contributions from Mr Burgess (23 runs), Mr Aldridge (26 runs), and Mr Flower (22 not out). They wrapped up their innings at 8 for 169 runs, a tremendous effort all around.

While the First XI claimed victory on the scoreboard, the real win was the continued conversation and awareness raised for cancer research. We look forward to making the Pink Stumps Match an annual tradition in the years ahead.

ELC Term 4 Update

Term 4 is already proving to be an incredibly busy and exciting time for our ELC students, filled with wonderful events and learning opportunities. One of the key highlights so far has been our first ELC Orientation Session last week.

Our current Kindy students thoroughly enjoyed their transition morning in the Junior School, where they explored a variety of spaces and experiences under the guidance of some our dedicated Junior School staff. These transition visits play an important role in supporting a smooth and confident move into the next stage of the student’s learning journey.  Through experiences such as attending library sessions, visiting the STEAM room, playing on the popular Prep–Year 2 playground (complete with its much-loved pirate ship!), exploring the Kitchen Garden, joining the Prep students during break times, and even discovering where the toilets will be next year, our students are gaining valuable familiarity and comfort within their new environment.

It is always such a joy to see the excitement and pride on our Kindy student’s faces as they return from their Junior School visits and eagerly share their stories from “over the fence.” While academic readiness is certainly important, we recognise that emotional and social development are equally vital to a successful transition. Seeing our students approach these new experiences with such confidence and enthusiasm is truly heart-warming.

While our Kindy students were exploring the Junior School, we had the pleasure of welcoming our new families to the ELC. Our Pre-Kindy students, who will be moving into Kindy next year, embraced their role as “buddies” by helping new children feel welcome. It was beautiful to watch them take a new friend by the hand, invite them to play, and show them around the learning environment. These moments highlight the nurturing and inclusive culture that makes our ELC such a special place.

During the orientation, new families attended an information session to support their transition, while the children enjoyed exploring the outdoor areas and new learning spaces. The joy and excitement were evident, with many children running enthusiastically into the playground—some even reluctant to leave when the session ended!

By offering these engaging and supportive experiences, we help ensure that each child begins their next chapter with confidence, curiosity, and a sense of belonging.

We feel privileged to be part of your child’s early learning journey and to witness their incredible growth and development throughout the year. And while the end of the year is approaching, there is still plenty to look forward to, including additional orientation sessions, Meet the Teacher, the ELC–Year 2 Christmas Concert, Transition Statement meetings, the Bravehearts incursion, the Year 9 Drama performance, and much more.

We look forward to sharing these final weeks of the year with you and celebrating the many milestones your children continue to achieve.

Stretch and Support: Nurturing Each Child’s Learning Journey

Every child’s learning journey is unique. At Canterbury College, we believe that true learning happens when each child feels both supported and stretched; when they experience success yet are also challenged to grow.

To ensure all students are met at their point of need, every student in the Junior School participates in targeted intervention sessions for English and Mathematics twice a week. These sessions are dedicated to small group learning, designed to meet the specific needs of each student. They are data informed, ensuring that teaching is precise and purposeful. Our Learning Support staff are timetabled across all classes during these sessions, allowing us to provide focused, personalised support exactly when and where it’s needed.

For students ready to extend their thinking, English and Mathematics extension lessons are timetabled weekly for selected high-performing learners. During these sessions, students explore class concepts at a deeper level, tackling complex problems, exploring real world connections, and thinking critically and creatively. Extension at Canterbury is about going deeper, not just faster.

Our streamed Spelling groups in Years 3–6 are another way we tailor learning. Students attend spelling classes three times a week that meet them at their point of need. This structure allows us to fill knowledge gaps while extending and enriching the learning of high-performing students. Groups at both ends of the continuum are intentionally smaller to enable focused, specialised teaching. Our extension group, for instance, is currently delving into etymology. They are exploring Greek and Latin roots and uncovering the fascinating stories behind words and myths that have shaped the English language. The images below showcase some of the outstanding work these students have produced.

The partnership between school and home plays a vital role in supporting and extending students. Encouragement at home makes a world of difference. Taking an interest in what your child is learning, asking open-ended questions (“What challenged you today?” or “What did you learn that surprised you?”), and celebrating effort as much as achievement reinforces the message that learning is a journey, not a race. By supporting and stretching each learner, we nurture not only what children know, but who they become.

The Meaning Behind All Hallows’ Eve

As October draws to a close, some of us look forward to dressing up, carving pumpkins, and enjoying sweet treats on Halloween. But did you know that Halloween actually has deep Christian roots?

The name Halloween comes from All Hallows’ Eve—the evening before All Saints’ Day on November 1st. In the Christian calendar, this is a time to remember and give thanks for all the saints—those faithful people, past and present, who have followed Jesus and shown His love in the world.

The word hallow means holy, and All Hallows’ Day is simply another way of saying All Saints’ Day. So, All Hallows’ Eve is the night before this special celebration.

But the story doesn’t stop there. Long before Christianity came to parts of Europe, the Celtic people celebrated a festival called Samhain (pronounced SOW-in), marking the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter. They believed that during this time, the boundary between the living and the dead was thin, and they lit bonfires and wore costumes to ward off spirits.

When Christianity spread, the Church often gave new meaning to local customs. Instead of focusing on fear or superstition, Christians used this time to reflect on the hope we have in Jesus—the One who conquered death and brings eternal life.

So, while Halloween today is often filled with fun and games, it can also be a time to remember something deeper: that we are part of a great family of faith, stretching across time and space. We remember the saints who have gone before us, and we are reminded that we, too, are called to live lives of faith, courage, and love.

As an Anglican school, this season invites us to reflect on the light of Christ shining in the darkness, and to give thanks for the “great cloud of witnesses” who inspire us to follow Him more closely.

A Prayer for All Hallows’ Eve

Gracious God,

We thank You for the lives of all Your saints—those who have gone before us and those who walk among us today.

Help us to follow their example of faith, love, and courage.

May we be lights in the world, shining with the hope of Christ.

Keep us safe in every season, and remind us that we belong to You.

In Jesus’ name we pray,

Amen.

Creative Sentences in Prep!

In Prep, we have been busy building strong sentence-writing skills through our creative writing lessons! Students have been using our Sentence Science Cards to support their learning. These cards provide visuals and manipulatives that help children monitor their own writing and check that their sentences include everything they need from capital letters and punctuation to correct grammar and interesting language features.

Through these hands-on tools, students are developing a clear understanding of what makes a great sentence. They are learning to think carefully about their word choices, sentence structure, and how to make their writing exciting for readers.

The progress we’ve seen has been fantastic! The children’s writing has improved greatly, and their confidence continues to grow each week. It’s wonderful to see them so enthusiastic and proud of their writing. During our sessions, the room buzzes with creativity as students share their ideas and work together to create imaginative, descriptive, and meaningful sentences.

We are so proud of how far our Prep writers have come. Their creative ideas shine through in every activity, and they are producing some truly amazing sentences. It’s wonderful to see them developing a love for writing that will support them well into Year 1 and beyond!

Written by the Prep Team

Katia Buckley, Olivia Dytor, Meghann Pruss, and Amelia Knight

As Year 12 students prepare for their external exams, classrooms are filled with revision, reflection and experimentation.  These exams mark the conclusion of years of learning and also the beginning of a new chapter. Students are reviewing key concepts but also thinking ahead – about their futures, careers and the possibilities beyond school.

In the midst of this intense preparation, it’s worth remembering that science is full of surprises, and sometimes, the most unexpected discoveries come from the simplest places.

Take, for example, the humble carrot. In 1888 botanist Frederich Reinitzer extracted chemicals from carrot roots and observed something strange, a substance called cholesteryl benzoate that behaved like both a solid and a liquid. With the help from a physicist Otto Lehmann, this led to the discovery of liquid crystals – a material that would revolutionise technology, forming the basis of the flat-screen TV, smartphones and even anti-counterfeiting tools.

Consider the icy depths of the Antarctic Weddell Sea, where researchers recently discovered thousands of geometric fish nest arranged in clusters, crescents and ovals. These bowl-shaped structures, built by Yellow Finn Rock Cod, are thought to help protect eggs from predators. The discovery highlights the complexity of deep-sea ecosystems and strengthens calls to preserve vulnerable marine habitats.

These stories remind us that science is not just about exams – it’s all about curiosity, persistence and the power of observation. As year 12 students sit their final papers and look forward to the future, they carry with them the same spirit that turned root vegetables and ocean robots into revolutionary insights.

Wishing our Year 12 science students every success. May your curiosity lead you to discoveries that may one day change the world.

Written by Sarka Baiada, Acting Head of Science Faculty

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