Week 5, Term 2, 2025 | Friday 23 May

The Momentum of the School Year 

As we reach the midway point of Term 2, I want to take a moment to reflect on our collective journey and the importance of maintaining momentum. This is a pivotal time in the term and the school year, one where routines are set, goals are being pursued, and focus becomes even more crucial.

I’ve been encouraged by the positive participation I’ve witnessed across the campus this term. From the classroom to the stage, the sports field to service activities, our students are immersing themselves in the full breadth of the Canterbury experience. This engagement speaks directly to our commitment to the Four Dimensions of a Canterbury education: Academics, Sport, The Arts, Service and Leadership. Each plays a vital role in shaping well-rounded, resilient young people.

As we look ahead, I encourage all students to continue to embody our College values, particularly the value of Effort. It’s easy to start strong, but it takes character and stamina to sustain that energy. Whether you’re working toward personal academic bests, supporting your peers, or leading by example in co-curricular life, remember that consistent effort is what turns potential into achievement.

Stamina is not just about pushing through challenges; it’s about doing so with purpose and pride. Let’s keep lifting each other, celebrating the wins both big and small, and holding ourselves to the high standards we know lead to success.

Thank you to our families and staff for your ongoing support and dedication. Together, we continue to build a vibrant and caring community.

Let’s finish the term as strongly as we started; driven, focused, and united.

Year 10 Senior Subject Selection

This year, Year 10 students have engaged in a process to prepare them for their senior subject selections. It commenced in Term 1 with the World Ready Expo, which provided an opportunity for students to engage with post-schooling educational institutions and employers to offer them insight into different careers, pathways, and courses. During Term 2, students have been having one-to-one careers meetings with the Head of Student Pathways, Mrs Clarke. These meetings are an opportunity for the students to ask questions and get guidance on the options that exist for their preferred pathways as well as the requirements to access those pathways. Last week, Mrs Adamson and I spoke to the cohort about senior schooling and what it entails. The discussion educated the students on the Queensland Certificate of Education, the Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR), and senior subjects to assist them in making well-informed decisions around their Year 11 and 12 subjects.

Looking ahead to Tuesday, 10 June (Week 8), all Year 10 parents, carers, and students are encouraged to attend our Subject Selection Evening. This evening will involve a presentation to parents from Mrs Adamson and I about senior schooling and the subject selection process. Afterwards parents and carers join their child to speak with our Heads of Faculties and senior teachers about specific subjects and suitability for their students, along with various post-schooling providers.

The process will culminate in Term 3 with individual subject selection meetings for students. Parents and Carers play a vital role in their child’s subject selection, and I encourage plenty of conversations over the coming weeks.

Some potential questions you could ask:

• Which pathway are you thinking of taking: ATAR, Flex or VET?
• What subjects are you wanting to study and why?
• Is your current achievement aligning with success in those chosen subjects?
• What are you unsure about or what do you need to find further information about?

We look forward to seeing you at the Subject Selection Evening and supporting your child as they progress into their senior schooling.

Becket House and Year 12 Students Support Rosies Street Outreach Program

Becket House continues to build a meaningful partnership with Rosies Friends on the Street. This inspiring organisation provides vital support to people experiencing homelessness or social isolation, offering essentials, warm food and drinks, and heartfelt conversation. Rosies’ mission aligns with the values of Thomas Becket—service, compassion, and standing up for those in need. Becket is leading a collection drive, calling for donations to support those doing it tough. This year, we are collecting hygiene products (such as deodorant, shampoo, and face wipes) and cup noodles. Our students will use the donations to create care packages, each including a handwritten message and helpful information about crisis management centres available to Rosies patrons.

The care packages will be distributed by our dedicated Year 12 students who volunteer for the Rosies Street Outreach Program. It’s been inspiring to see so many students and staff volunteer to support this important initiative. Monday night Outreach shifts ask students to prepare food and drinks, load the Rosies van, and head out to Outreach locations. There, our students provide more than just supplies—they offer compassion, conversation, and a sense of connection. After the shift, the team returns to the Community Hub to clean up and debrief about the experiences of the night. Our student volunteers have shared thoughtful reflections on their Outreach shifts, highlighting how these meaningful experiences have deepened their perspective and strengthened their empathy, resilience, and leadership skills.

On Thursday, Becket Student Leaders will welcome Rosies Volunteer Co-ordinators to their Student Led Assembly to share the impact of our donation and community work. Year 11 Students will also lead a mini–Street Outreach and make milos for our Year 6 students at lunch time.

If you are able to support our donation drive, please drop off hygiene items or cup noodles at the Senior School office, Junior School office, or the Becket Head of House office anytime between now and Week 9.

More info: MyCC News | Website New

CaRE Update

The Term 2 CaRE program has started off in full swing with students involved in a range of different activities and experiences. Our Years 10 – 12 students, in Week 2 navigated the legal ramifications related to social media and consent presented by Adair Donaldson, while in Week 3 our Year 11 students heard from The Red Frogs on the topic of ‘Party Safe’. In Week 6 and 7, our Year 7 girls will be involved in sessions hosted by Jo Hendy from The Sacred Sisters Project where students will be looking at how they empower themselves and others.

It is great to have empowering, knowledgeable and charismatic presenters who can come to Canterbury and deliver key messages around real world issues affecting our students. It can provide a new viewpoint for students, and perhaps students can relate to the topic differently due to the way it is presented and the connection made with the presenter. However, it is important that there is a balance between guest speakers, CaRE classes and other activities that are aligned under Character and Resilience Education. This is because students need to be able to develop in-depth knowledge and foundational skills around complex societal issues and be able to apply this in practical settings. Furthermore, the support structures which exist in this pastoral space are an avenue for students to ask questions and seek help all in a safe and supportive environment.

Learning in Term 2

It’s been a busy and exciting start to Term 2 in Year 2! In English, students have been diving into the world of poetry—learning how poems use rhyme, rhythm, and descriptive language to express ideas and emotions. They’ve also been experimenting with writing their own poems, using creativity and their growing vocabulary.

In Mathematics, we’ve introduced the concept of fractions. A highlight of the term so far for the students was making fairy bread and cutting it into halves, quarters and eighths. This hands-on activity helped students understand how fractions work and the importance of equal parts.

In Science, our focus has been on sound. Students have been exploring how sound is created and how it travels. Through fun experiments, they’ve discovered how we can see sound vibrations, change the pitch of a tune, and even track sound waves as they move through different materials.

In HASS, students are learning about how communication and transport have changed over time. They are developing an understanding of how technology has shaped the way people connect and move around the world.

We look forward to exploring this learning further throughout this term.

Written by the Year 2 Team

Monique Charlton

Roohee Ali

Alesha Anderson

Tammi Cooper

2025 Interhouse Maths Teams Challenge Competition

On the 15th of May, Canterbury hosted the annual Interhouse Maths Team Challenge, a mathematical problem-solving competition where students from Years 7 to 12 represented their houses in the hope of claiming the honour of holding the prestigious and bedazzled Canterbury Calculator Trophy and the title of the Maths Champions for 2025.

Questions ranged from the quirky:

“What is the only number spelled with its letters in alphabetical order?”

To the more challenging:

Did our 2024 champions, Ramsey House, secure a consecutive victory, or has a new house risen to the occasion? All will be revealed soon…

Students who enjoyed the competition are encouraged to get in contact with Lizzie Schluter () if they are interested in joining a team to represent Canterbury at the Interschool Maths Team Challenge which see’s schools across the southeast make the journey to Canterbury to compete for the ultimate glory, of being the Math Team Challenge Champions of the Southeast region.

The 2025 Interschool Maths Team Challenge will be held on Tuesday 22nd July (Week 2, Term 3).

Congratulations to all students who competed.

Written by the Assistant Head of Faculty – Mathematics and Commerce

Lizzie Schluter

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