What a beautiful start to this term we have had. The grounds are looking wonderful, the weather is perfect, and the students have returned with so much energy and purpose. It has also been a busy start of term. Along with all the usual life and energy in the school, we have also been concentrating on revising our mobile phone policy - specifically in relation to internet-enabled smartphone use by lower High School students. Conversations with parents, wider research on the impact of smartphones on wellbeing, and our own observations and experience, increasingly worry us about this issue. Whilst we know that some technology can be a good servant, it can also be a very bad master, and it is incredibly hard for young people to not be mastered by smartphone technology. Smartphones are, in one sense, an unusual technology, because they are designed to be used in isolation from social checks and balances, and they open up unfettered access to the entire internet. In this, they offer huge…

‘It’s not happiness that brings us gratitude. It’s gratitude that brings us happiness.’ A lovely way to finish and round off all the good work of a productive term with a class of students, is to take some time together in a circle, to reflect on what has happened, what we have learnt, what we have noticed, and all within a mood of gratitude and appreciation for self and others. Sometimes it is the very simple things that a student will share, such as their joy in playing handball, or when they spotted the Tawny Frogmouths, or how they just love seeing all their friends each day and feeling happy. Naturally, for our school community, as we near the close of our first term of 2021, there is so much we can take the time to reflect on in a mood of gratitude and appreciation… For the beauty and lush abundance of the plants, trees, fruit, vegetables, herbs and flowers in our school grounds and for the wonder of the wildlife that abounds... For the hot sun and the wild rains, puddles,…

Can you feel that Autumn’s coming? Can you feel it in the air? For the secrets are revealed to you In everything everywhere… Its the green of hills and valleys And pink grasses everywhere And the rainbow arched so high above Its beauty for all to share... Such a wonderful, industrious feeling of purpose and progress is permeating our school in the 6th week of Term 1. With the beautiful sounds of student voices singing in choir, and recorders and string instruments playing, a soothing mood meanders through the school each day, giving the lovely, reassuring feeling ‘that all is well’! In the Kindergarten, children are busily working with beeswax modelling, making a twisty tie, finger knitting and sewing and their seasonal transition to Autumn and Harvest is underway. As always, much is happening elsewhere in the school; Class 9 are currently away on a 10 day hiking camp at Yuraygir National Park, Class 12 are preparing for an excursion to Sydney this week that will enhance…

At a recent P&F meeting, I was asked if I would tell the community a little about myself. This feels highly egotistical, but, with that request in mind, I thought I might share some answers to the questions the students have been asking me. 1. Where are you from? Well, England, originally (specifically, Buckinghamshire.) However, since leaving University I’ve lived and worked in various schools and Universities in England, Scotland, Japan and, most recently on the Gold Coast, where for the last seven years I have had the privilege of being Principal of Emmanuel and setting up Emmanuel’s ‘baby sister,’ Josiah College. 2. What did you do in those other schools, and were the boarding schools like Hogwarts? I began as a High School English Teacher, then became a Housemaster (who still taught English.) After that I became a Head of English and something called a “Director of International and Spiritual Citizenship” which is a bit like a Deputy/Chaplain in charge of student…