From our Head of School

When you read what comes next, you will realise that St Andrew’s Cathedral School is no ordinary school; it is an inspired school.

In the truest sense of the word, it is a school that is filled with and moved by the spirit of God.

There is a unique feeling in the School that is hard to articulate. It is the binding force that grows our community, that lifts our heads up, that fills us with joy, that moves our creativity and that makes the education that occurs immeasurable. We call it ‘the SACS spirit’.

In this issue of Inspired, all of that is on display; whether its providing an opportunity for students to challenge themselves trekking in Nepal; or student’s gaining more resilience in the face of life’s challenges through our Wellbeing Programme or, of course, to be taught and inspired by our very talented and skilled teachers, such as music accompanist, Szu Yu Chen and much more!

The gift of doing hard things

In total, they covered about 80km of track over steep terrain – one day was 25,000 steps made up exclusively of up and down stairs. Along the way, the travelling party became an amazingly tight-knit, open-minded, caring and supportive group.

Mr Ric Van Wachem, Director of Sport and Co-Curricular Education, says there are many educational benefits to this sort of experience.

“The experience of travelling to other countries, especially where the culture is markedly different, gives students the opportunity to learn some of life’s most precious lessons – including humility, responsibility, compassion, tolerance, understanding and the acceptance of others,” he says.

The trip had two major components: the sheer challenge and character-building involved in walking the trek itself, and the work and community connection in the village of Lespar.

Each day involved up to eight hours of hiking in very difficult conditions. Students needed to navigate altitude and camp out in sub-zero temperatures in a test of mental and physical endurance. It was in that extreme environment students learned so much about themselves and grew through the experience. They faced the difficulties of the actual hike, missing home, and even pushing through sickness.

“The trip was a really pure moment of connection, resilience and growth and was too good to be a fluke of nature,” Mr. Wu says.

Leading the tour was Mr. Selwyn Wu Deputy Head of Junior School (Pastoral Care & Educational Admin) who has been teaching at St Andrew’s Cathedral School for 23 years.

One of the key changes in the group dynamic that Mr. Wu saw was the physical challenge of trekking broke down barriers of age and gender.

“When we first started, students tended to cluster in their different groups but by the end they were truly part of one group,” he says.

“They became less inhibited and this allowed them to reach out both to other students and kids in the village.

“It gave me a real sense of joy and hope that the students we are producing at St Andrew’s Cathedral School are of such good character.”

For Zoe Charles (Year 11 2024), the journey came at a difficult time in her life.  She says she went to Nepal just after her grandfather passed away.

“I left on the trip when everything had just happened,” she says. “I remember one day just crying my heart out. Everyone was so supportive and Mr Wu made it possible for me to call home and speak to my parents. It was a lot of mental growth.

“There’s a very clear moment that I remember: along the trail, we did a group meditation session and sat in a silence on a brick wall looking at the Annapurna Range. It felt like real self-discovery – I had only joined St Andrew’s Cathedral School mid-year and I realized then how far I’d come far in my studies and the people I’d met, especially through the COVID years.

“Times like this were also an opportunity to explore exactly what I was feeling and how I could work around it. Embracing this led to my own personal growth.” 

The second component was their time in the village of Lespar where they assisted making improvements to the local school by cleaning and painting. The company that coordinated the tour had a relationship with the village, which was in the vicinity of the trekking trail. So, there was a good basis for St Andrew’s Cathedral School to be introduced and also establish its own relationship to support the village.

All students were asked to raise money to support the work in the village. Zoe says she raised funds by doing a bake sale and umpiring at netball.

“I felt like I was contributing to something bigger than myself,” she says.

In the end, the St Andrew’s Cathedral School students raised enough to help with the refurbishment of five classrooms and the purchase of seeds and fertiliser for new vegetable patches. There was even money left over for the Lespar school leaders to put more resources into the school as a whole.

“We cleaned and painted classrooms, dug up and then cleaned up areas to plant potatoes and spent time playing with and befriending the students and staff,” Mr Wu says. “There was a cultural afternoon where the locals showed off their traditional dance and costumes (and our students then did the Macarena!). Underlying all of this was an appreciation of the country, history, culture, architecture and people of Nepal – a welcoming and emerging country with much to offer our students in appreciating the diversity and expanse of our world.”

“I felt like I contributed to something bigger than myself,” Zoe says. “Together we raised more money than was required for the work. It was satisfying that we were having long-term impacts.”

While it was the first opportunity for our trekkers to visit the village, Zoe says they certainly connected with people once they were there.

“I was talking to one of teachers of the Lespar school about differences in study techniques,” she says. “He tried so hard to overcome the language difference to let me know his thoughts on this topic that he was so passionate about. It was very rewarding because it was a small connection to a very different part of the world.”

She says the school welcomed the trekkers with a special assembly and they were provided with traditional hats and scarves and had their foreheads painted (pictured above), and the school children sang.

Zoe says she felt as if the trip opened her eyes to the differences in the world.

“This trip has also given me opportunities to embrace community service on a different level,” she says.

Zoe also says, “The people made it ‘SACS’ because we had people from different year groups and different walks of life, different personalities and interests (from theatre to sports). People with very different interests cemented together and formed a very wonderful experience and strengthened each other.”

Mr. Wu reflects that there was immense value in experiencing life in a developing country.

“There is something to be said for living in an area that is outside of your comfort zone,” he says.  

“There was a realisation among our group that creature comforts and possessions don’t equal happiness.”

So for all the hardship, what did it mean for Mr. Wu on a deeply personal level?

“It was a big responsibility to be looking after 18 young lives and I was alert to that responsibility every day and night,” he says. “But I loved it and I felt very honoured to be tasked with that.”

He reflects that the journey gave him a real sense of the presence of God.

“The trip was a really pure moment of connection, resilience and growth and was too good to be a fluke of nature,” he says.

“Sometimes in difficult moments, we can’t support ourselves and it’s great that God can be in those spaces, interested in the biggest and smallest moments of our lives. That was of great comfort to me.”

The heart of wellbeing

For the past several years, Mrs Wake’s role has been designing and implementing the Wellbeing Programme in the Junior School to assist students in things like Character Strengths, emotional management, attention and awareness, positive relationships, coping and habits and goals.

Backflips Against Bullying is a really engaging way to explore positive relationships with our youngest students. It is an example of the way in which the Wellbeing Programme finds strong points of engagement, assisting children in these important areas of growth and development.

This year her role has expanded to head up Wellbeing across Years K-12. The programme is about students understanding their individual character and identity and creating a sense of belonging in order to positively relate to those around them and serve our world.

Mrs Wake says the benefit of the Programme expansion is that the wholistic approach to wellbeing can be consistently implemented from Kindergarten to Year 12 in age-appropriate ways as students progress to graduation.

“The character development and learning that is an essential part of wellbeing takes time,” she says. “The expanded programme means that students have the time for the concepts to be deeply embedded over the course of their school life. It enables them to shape who they are as people.”

“The School’s Christian foundations are the basis of the Programme and this shapes the Positive Psychology approach taken throughout.”

Across K-12 the core elements of the Programme don’t change, however the content and activities reflect the developmental stage of the students. So, in terms of positive relationships, Junior School students learn about healthy friendships whereas Senior College students, for example, learn also about consent and romantic relationships.

In the several years that Bronwyn has been at St Andrew’s Cathedral School, the Wellbeing Programme has developed in a variety of ways including the initial introduction of the Character Strengths programme (including Character Strength illustrations that are evident throughout the School), the Wellio classroom programme and further tailoring of content to better suit students and the ethos of the School.

The 15 Character Strengths are a key part of the School’s approach to Character Education. Students are encouraged to consider their individual and group strengths, and how they can apply them across a number of contexts in the school community, such as service, leadership and social responsibility.

As an International Baccalaureate World School, approaches to learning skills (ATL) and IBDP learning dispositions have been incorporated into the School’s Character Strengths, backed by research and Christian perspectives, systematically building skills and character, setting students up for success.

Ms Kate Layhe, Director of Learning (Middle School) and MYP Coordinator at St Andrew’s Cathedral School says “MYP does not provide content but oversees the way subjects are taught and assessed. In line with character development, it’s not about the final product, it’s about a journey of learning, a journey of developing.

“The MYP framework enables the School in its efforts to support the development of character, such as the need to be Reflective, Open-minded or Principled; strengths that are written into both academic units of work and pastoral care programmes. Character Strengths are at the centre of the MYP,” says Ms Layhe.

“The framework also supports the School to develop caring members of the community who act to make a positive difference to the lives of others and their environment.”

St Andrew’s Cathedral School takes a holistic view of student wellbeing. The approach integrates these Character Strengths and service with a strong curriculum, including high expectations of student learning, student leadership opportunities, a wide variety of challenging co-curricular activities including world class performing arts and outdoor education activities, and comprehensive pastoral care and Christian development programmes. 

Deputy Head of School, Mr. Brad Swibel, plays a key role in developing and implementing the Wellbeing Programme for Senior College students.

He says that the focus for the Senior College programme is based on “what we know of young people’s concerns and mental health in Australia informed by our own regular wellbeing surveys.”

“The main focus areas are development of character, respectful relationships, positive growth mindset, resilience, balanced lifestyle and community engagement,” he says. “This is supported through evidence-based, high-quality programmes combined with visiting workshop speakers.”

Mr Swibel says the aim is for students to learn skills and embed thinking that helps them have their own agency and use their time well when they are studying and preparing for tests and tasks.

“We want them to be able to recognise when things are not going well for themselves and in their relationships, and to have the self-advocacy and courage to take steps to improve these,” he says. “We also want them to feel that they can contribute to a vibrant and diverse school community and beyond through involvement and service.”

Partnering with students, the programme material is teamed with a very effective use of data by pastoral leaders to identify areas of focus and to support individual students through regular monitoring of attendance, behaviour and wellbeing survey results.

So with the ongoing development of the Wellbeing Programme, how does it extend further to support students outside of school? Mrs Wake says that by far the most essential element to the success of the Wellbeing Programme is the involvement of parents.

“It’s very much a partnership,” she says. “We have staff who are experts in this area but parents have the relationship.

“We have some excellent guest speakers about important topics but it’s the conversations that parents have with their children at the dinner table that really integrates that learning.”

The School has a variety of ways to bring parents into the learning process. The SchoolTV is an excellent platform with video content from experts tailored to the needs the School has identified on a variety of topics that parents can access.  The Coffee in the Hub events are also specially designed to build relationships between parents.

Junior School and Gawura parent seminars are held once a semester and cover subjects such as how to help your child manage big emotions or develop resilience.

The School is also partnering with the company, Wellio, which helps secondary students proactively improve their mental wellbeing using research-backed habits and techniques. The programme supports students in improving their sleep, managing social media use, building healthy relationships, improving physical wellbeing, and reducing anxiety. Alongside their work with secondary students, Wellio is delivering webinars each term to parents on topics such as phone addiction.

Creative contemplation: reflecting the personal through the arts

We talked to former and current students on the personal reflections they made through creative projects.  And as amazing as their works are, they represent just brief snapshot of all the explorations of the arts currently underway at the School.

Olivia Phoon’s (OA2023) (pictured above) series of beautifully blurred images titled Hazy recollections had the honour of being selected for ArtExpress last year. The artwork is based on faded stories and memories of her grandmother’s life. Olivia was one of 27 St Andrew’s Cathedral School students nominated for HSC Showcases last year.

She was drawn to creating this work by her interest in feminist perspectives of women in families but also by how much she didn’t know about her paternal grandmother’s life.  

“The blurring effect used throughout this series of images represents this obscured connection.  Most of the photos were taken in Singapore, but I’m not sure as my grandmother moved around a lot.

“I went through her photo album and I chose images that I thought would work with this piece.”

For Olivia, while the journey began with the album and family story, it extended out to be a more universal reflection on the recollection of family history and how that memory fades. She says she has mixed feelings about creating a work that represents both private stories and public reflection.

“I have shame in the artwork because it implies that I didn’t get to know my family in the process,” she says. “On the other hand, I’m proud of the work as it was displayed in a public place (the Art Gallery of NSW) where people can have some understanding of my interpretation of the photographs. I hope the work will shape how people view their lives with family members.”

For Bronte Critchley (OA2023) (pictured below) her written work was an unexpected journey. She did English Extension because English was a subject she was strong in. While she expected to do a critical essay as it would be relatively quick, a topic caught her eye that changed all that – and gave her new-found inspiration in life.

Bronte has always loved Greek mythology and feminist literature and found a way to incorporate them both into a project – a personal essay telling a first-person story of Circe, the mythical daughter of Helios, the sun god, and the ocean nymph Perse, critiquing how under-represented she has been in history and literature.

Bronte says as she explored the story and legend of Circe, she was drawn further into it.

“The story connected with so many different interests of mine,” she says. “From pre-Raphaelite art to the literature of Margaret Atwood.”

“By researching so deeply I could see all these connections.”

The essay is 5,000 words and Bronte didn’t think she could do such a big project she says.

“But by taking it on, I discovered more about what I was capable of,” she says.

Bronte says this is a theory that can be applied to the real world.

Through doing the work, Bronte reflected on the struggles women have faced to gain more freedom and a more realistic and recognised role in society. She could see that women face further struggles but the path is easier than it was.

“Just as Circe journeyed, so did I,” Bronte says. “The patriarchy back in the day used to be really oppressive but now there’s a way through it – and that’s very inspiring to me.”

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The enchanting sea journey that brought everyone along

It was truly a team effort for both the staff and students involved. Staging the musical was a profound and emotional journey. The cast delivered outstanding performances, including Emily Dries shining as Ariel with her powerful voice and charismatic stage presence. William Bootes portrayed Prince Eric with a resonant baritone that captivated the audience, while Jessica Langley brought Ursula to life as the dark and mischievous sea witch with astounding characterisation and vocal strength.

Andrew Medellin imbued hilarity to the production in spades with his portrayal of Sebastian and who could forget Tim Box as the energetic and effervescent Scuttle. The student-only orchestra was also a highlight, delivering professional level performances over the six performances, as noted by audiences and theatre staff alike.

The Director of Performing Arts, Dr Christian Watson, says students took risks to make the performance as good as it was, digging deep into their characters’ personas as they donned their costumes and make-up, learning the lines, choreography, and music – and continued to smile, laugh, and cry as they honed their craft and shared their talents with audiences across multiple performances.

“Musical theatre of the highest quality brings music, drama and dance together and mingles them in moments of breathtaking creativity,” he says.

“To achieve this successfully in schools and beyond, the separate faculties of performing arts must come together as one. At St Andrew’s Cathedral School, the collective energy necessary for this to occur was facilitated by superb teachers who inspired students to believe in their own ability for transformation as performers.

“Our School’s inclusive culture also breathes confidence into students as they tread the stage: singing, acting, playing musical instruments, and dancing as a united force.”

The rousing voices and rollicking tale regularly brought cheers, applause – and tears – from the audience and brought students to new heights in performance.

“Students entered an amazing threshold where we as performing artists experienced God’s gifts firsthand, re-creating beauty, humour and drama with materials first authored by our Creator,” Dr Watson says.

“The resilience they showed throughout the course of the production inspired teachers to continue to share their deep love of performing arts with them.”

Director, Ben Milis, says students and staff went on a profound journey with the musical and showed their character all the way.

“At the end of 2023, we made the difficult yet necessary decision to change the show we had started rehearsing in order to better serve our St Andrew’s Cathedral School community,” he says. “Amidst the grief and various other emotions experienced by the student cast and staff team at the time, they rallied together with humility and determination.

“We knew we needed to find a show with themes that would uplift our cast and our audiences, a show that students all the way from Kindy to Year 12 could enjoy. So, we turned to Disney (and big kids born in the 80/90’s said ‘Amen’)!

“It has been extraordinary to witness the adaptability of our students, particularly the seniors, who courageously embraced new roles they were initially unsure about. I am immensely proud of their open-minded, servant-hearted attitudes and grateful for their positoovity!”

Producer Dominique Haynes worked tirelessly behind the scenes to bring the vision to fruition.

“Every student and staff member – on, below or at the side of the stage – played an integral part in making this musical come to life,” she says.

She reflects that she learned so much through the production.

“The students taught me to be patient, act with kindness, walk in another’s shoes, and listen wholeheartedly. Above all, they showed me that we can do anything (as long as it’s clear in the rehearsal schedule!).”

Little Mermaid album

From early vision to character-building adventures: Kirrikee celebrates 40 inspiring years

Outdoor Education had been part of the education of the students up to this time and many of the programmes that were run occurred in the Southern Highlands. As a result, it was the obvious location to source a suitable property. The Outdoor Education Programme at the School grew substantially as a result of the purchase and continued to develop into today’s ground-breaking, inspiring programme.

Mr Colin May was the visionary behind the purchase and development of Kirrikee. He says the aim of Kirrikee from the outset was for students to strive for excellence and endurance whilst reflecting on God’s creation and environment.

“The Kirrikee programme was based on trust and responsibility and the overarching Christian theme of the Biblical image of the Eagle in Isaiah, 40:30-31.”

‘Even youths will faint and be weary,
and the young will fall exhausted;
but those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength,
they shall mount up with wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.’”

The word ‘Kirrikee’ is a derivation of an Aboriginal word which means ‘whistling kite’, a bird indigenous to the area. Kirrikee itself is located on the lands of the Gundungurra People.

Situated on 48 hectares, Kirrikee is located 90 minutes’ drive south-west of Sydney. Surrounded by bushland, the site has accommodation for groups of up to 120 people and a diverse and interesting array of challenging outdoor activities. The evolution of outdoor education at the School has seen a growing number of expeditions added to the progressive Year 3 to Year 10 programme.

The beginnings of Kirrikee were rudimentary to say the least. After the purchase of the land, Mr May, with his wife Kay and their children, packed up and moved to the undeveloped site – living in yurt with no power. While Mr May had by that time had a long association with the School, having been a chorister, sports captain, teacher and Sports Master, this was a very different experience.

His role was to initiate the building programme at Kirrikee, beginning with a covered common area, kitchen and bathrooms. The first student facilities were basic with a shipping container used to house all the cooking and camping equipment for up to 110 students at a time. Year 7 camps went for seven days, Year 8 for eight days, Year 9 for nine days and Year 10 for 10 days.

Mr May says the learning programme was innovative because it allowed for experiential content in a rural environment while supporting the classroom curricula in areas such as mathematics, science, geography and commerce.

Mr Ric Van Wachem, Director of Sport and Co‑curricular Education, says Kirrikee is now central to Outdoor Education at St Andrew’s Cathedral School.

“Over the years, we’ve taken what we do there and extended it,” he says. “Whether it’s at Kirrikee itself or a trip to Tasmania, that Kirrikee ethos of being challenged is there.

“The limits kids think they have are not usually their actual limits. They can do more than they think and we show them how to surpass their limits. To do this, they need to dig deeper, persist more – and through that they develop aspects of their character such as courage and self-control. Once they pass their perceived limits, a whole new world opens up because they have such a boost to their confidence and can see so many more possibilities for their lives.”

The St Andrew’s Cathedral School Outdoor Education Programme is certainly extensive, and tailored to each age group. Students start off in Kindergarten with an introduction to the outdoors through a day of oval games, creative bush play and a nature walk in Centennial Park, and each year the challenges – and the skills to meet them – are levelled up. In Year 3 students spend their first overnight at Kirrikee and in Year 6 they are abseiling, canoeing, initiative games and some bushwalking. It keeps ramping up to the culmination of the Programme in Year 10 with students being offered a variety of adventure activities including the iconic a 20-day “Kosi to Coast” expedition where students trek and carry all their own gear across the headwaters of The Snowy River and then raft the river to its end at Bass Strait.

The internationally recognised Duke of Edinburgh Award is offered as an optional programme for students from age 14, or at the beginning of Year 8. To achieve an Award, each young person must learn a skill, improve their physical wellbeing, volunteer in their community and experience a team adventure in a new environment.

 Mr Van Wachem says the significance of the site is that it gives young people from our city school a sense of the country, challenge and community and outdoor experiences.

“In that environment, we also pose the question to students about how can we live simply” he says. “We don’t need a lot.”

From the Kirrikee archives

Gawura: a diverse community

Surrounding Gawura is a strong network of support for students to succeed, including from parents to corporate supporters and many from across the community.

Mr. John Ralph, Head of Gawura, says community is at the heart of Gawura.

“We’re a relational school, especially when to comes to our parents,” he says. “Without that relationship we can’t build the trust at home so necessary for the deep engagement and ongoing success of our students.”

This is shown in the Gawura Parent Advisory Committee (GPAC) which is an opportunity twice a term for parents to come into the School and be updated on all things “Gawura” – and also give advice on matters relating to school, community and culture.

“It’s the regularity that builds the relationship.”

Aunty Sharon Minniecon (pictured below) is the Co-Founder of Gawura with her husband, Pastor Ray Minniecon. She speaks of an even wider community engagement with both extended family groups and community service providers.

Gawura students and families are mostly from inner Sydney where Aunty Sharon and Pastor Ray have been long term residents and community workers, and so have existing community trust and knowledge.

Aunty Sharon says that the relationship with, and understanding of, families is key.

“A great example of that was the strong turnout of non-Indigenous St Andrew’s Cathedral School parents to the recent Gawura Cocktail party fundraiser.  It really was about people showing up to stand with Gawura in support.

“An important element is also knowledge sharing, consulting and inspiring learning.  Recently, a group of non-Indigenous parents organised a cultural tour of Berry Island as a way of taking responsibility for educating themselves about First Nations history and culture.  It was another moment of showing up, leading with action.”

A lifelong love of performance

How did you start playing music?

I grew up in Taiwan and started playing music at aged five. Then at school when I was six my teacher asked me to accompany 50 of my fellow students who were doing a singing performance. I really enjoyed doing that.

My teacher also encouraged me to attend a specialist music school, which I did. At those sorts of schools, playing piano is compulsory, so that was extra impetus.

Also, at the church I grew up in, the priest asked me to play piano for services and I ended up doing that for years. There was also a nun who came to serve in our church at that time who encouraged me greatly.

What has been your career path to come to be working at St Andrew’s Cathedral School?

I graduated from the Peabody Conservatory at John Hopkins University in the U.S and I also graduated in both music performance and teaching in Taiwan.

I toured Australia to perform with a choir and met my future husband. When I started my life here, I gained a scholarship at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. I then worked at Newington before working at St Andrew’s Cathedral School.

What is important in your role as accompanist?

In this role, I wanted to build relationships with students. To make good music together, it’s important to build trust as an accompanist.  If students trust you, they take feedback better.

Part of that has been creating opportunities to get to know students better. For example, I started the School’s Chamber Music Ensemble in 2019.

Some musicians don’t like the role of accompanist because it means playing the same piece over and over again, especially with younger students. But for me, each of those sessions is about inviting students to enjoy the music.

What do you love about your job?

I love performance. So in this role, I get to perform a lot. The great challenge of the role is the wide variety of music styles I play, including classical, jazz and musicals. Before I came to Australia, I had never performed for musical theatre. But this has been a very special experience for me. The first musical I performed in at St Andrew’s Cathedral School was Fiddler on the Roof, which was a very cool experience.

What is the most memorable highlight of your career so far?

Playing in the Vatican as part of the Music Tour. The nun who encouraged me in my piano playing when I was young, Loida Dula Lim, happened to be based in Italy at the time. So it was even more poignant and emotional for me with her in the audience.  I felt so nervous but I felt like I God had prepared me for that moment and given His blessing.

What role does performance play in your life overall?

My kids check with me every day to see if I am practicing because they know it means so much to me.

I love to take any opportunity to perform that I can. Before I came to St Andrew’s Cathedral School, I had a few opportunities to perform at the Sydney Opera House to raise money after the 2011 Japanese tsunami. I also perform with the Sydney Youth Orchestra.

I love to play with external musicians who visit the School, including Australian Chamber Orchestra violinist, Aiko Goto.

Every Thursday, I get together to play with other St Andrew’s Cathedral School teachers: Peta Dries (violin) and Kellie Grennan (flute).

In the past few years, I had the great honour to perform and work with Susan Blake, Georg Pedersen, James Korturm from the Conservatorium of Music and Janis Laurs, previously from the Adelaide Symphony. 

I also have a pop music band with friends. It’s name in Chinese translates as We’re never going to get old.  I see my friends playing music and I get so inspired.

The secret to success in maths

John went to university after having served in the army, based in Townsville and East Timor. Originally he studied Physics but ended up doing Maths as he found it much more straight forward. This is his 19^th year as a teacher – but the enthusiasm is as strong as ever.

What is a key challenge you deal with in your role?

I don’t like that there’s a love / hate relationship among many students with Maths. I want to get rid of that and the stigma that Maths is only for a few. Everyone has the potential to succeed in it at some level.

People frame it as something that they can or can’t do. Often that comes from the parents who remember that they hated Maths. It’s almost a generational thing. However, parents have a key role to play in supporting and encouraging their kids in the subject.

The challenge is, how do you engage with students who believe they are mediocre? It’s about convincing them that they can progress. A solid foundation in Maths now is a good basis for Maths later down the track.

How do you bring about that change?

It’s about fostering positive culture with staff and emphasizing the quality of instruction that has the right pace. It goes hand in hand with assessments that are rigorous, robust and reflective of student skills and knowledge – that then helps them in their learning.

The question I ask most in interviews is “Do you love Maths?”. That’s because, without passion how do you inspire students? Without that, it’s going to be a long, hard slog.

The priority is to encourage students to take pride in their work. We ask them to keep a learning journal to reflect on what they are learning. They write about what they find useful and it’s another way for them to retrieve what they have learned.

It’s also important to arrange a clear journey of learning from Years 7-12 with a real desire that kids have a solid base of knowledge by the end of Year 10, that sees them through to success in Year 12.

“I don’t like that there’s a love / hate relationship among many students with Maths. I want to get rid of that and the stigma that Maths is only for a few.”

What do you enjoy about your role?

I like seeing new teachers with enthusiasm and passion for Maths. I like to be part of their initial journey, to celebrate their successes and guide them through difficulties.

I really like seeing kids enjoy the topic and seeing student stories reflected in staff meetings.

This year’s Pi Day celebrations were very colourful. What’s the importance of that?

It says to students that no matter what their skill level is, there’s always some way to engage with Maths.  All we ask is that students be open to it. We want them to feel like they are building skills and progressing.

What is your career highlight?

Just being in the classroom. There’s nothing like that real sense of purpose when teaching. No matter what else I’ve done in my career, bringing enthusiasm for Maths is always the highlight.

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Encouraging the values, understanding the numbers

In this role, he directs, and is very involved with, the pastoral care of students in Canterbury House Years 10-12. It’s a role he relishes!

How does your work fit in with the overall ethos of the School?

I had a heart for service and that’s why I got into teaching and why I’m at St Andrew’s Cathedral School.

I see my role as an outworking of the vision of the School to value and care for the whole student. I am a familiar face that students see on a daily basis. As a Head of House, I help facilitate positive interactions between parents, students and teachers. Parents really value the fact that there is someone checking on the wellbeing of their child so regularly.

How are you developing in your role?

I’m currently finishing off my Master of Educational Management and Leadership at the University of Sydney. My qualitative research dissertation focuses on the phenomenological experiences of school leaders and teachers on datafication. In a nutshell, it explores the complex story behind the numbers and the data.

From a pastoral perspective, it is the story that contextualises the student as a person. So, if our main goal is to care for an infinitely precious student, what kind of data do we look at?

Doing this research has changed my professional practice and given me a wider view of what progress looks like.

I’ve leaned into how Character Strengths and academic achievement goals are inseparable to life giving learning –  and moving closer to the vision of the School.

How do you find doing both work and study?

I love learning and that’s why I’m studying. Also, the experience of competing demands gives me renewed empathy with students.

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The Captains’ Dinner

Started by Dr Collier in 2014, what began as a small, and quite honestly slightly awkward event, has evolved to a wonderful night of friendship, fellowship, leadership, and inspiration. It is also “incredibly fun” according to Cleo Gavagna, 2023-24 School Captain, and “a precious opportunity” to see how the skills learnt as a student leader can be applied in all future endeavours.

As the event has grown, so has the relationship amongst the participants. The tradition each year for the captains to share a little about their life after school, means that they have shared each other’s journeys from study, early career steps, various transitions and evolving professional lives – and we have shared this journey with them. Strong bonds have been created across the years, forged through shared experiences and mutual respect.

Rama Chadda Harmer (Year 12 Captain) attended the 2024 dinner and commented on the warmth: “despite never meeting most of the other people present, it almost felt like a big family reunion, and the way people said goodbye with ‘see you next time’ really built this sense of community.”

In 2021, the ‘final’ gathering of Collier’s Captains took place – or so we thought. Over a balmy dinner on the rooftop, as each captain shared their favourite memories of their time at school, it soon became clear that the captains did not want this to be the last dinner. This group are persuasive, and so it was agreed to hold just one more dinner the following year, to introduce them to the new Head of School.

And so we did – this time with the captains sharing with Dr McGonigle what made St Andrew’s Cathedral School so special to them. Saffron Little (OA2022), was conscious of her position serving half her captaincy under Dr Collier and the other half under Dr McGonigle, “I thought it was an important and amazing way for Dr McGonigle to see the continuation of our culture through past leaders.”

And again … the captains did not wish it to be the last dinner.

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“there is a sense of pride in meeting the leaders who have helped shape the School’s spirit to what it is today …. sharing your own reflections and stories creates a lovely bond with these young leaders who are learning to balance different roles and responsibilities in their busy lives”.

And so, Collier’s Captains became the Captains’ Dinner – and was extended to include the captains from 2000, the year of our first coeducational student leadership team. This increased the depth of experience being shared, offering valuable but differing insights and opportunities for mentoring, and strengthening the support of past and present leaders.

Natalie Cooney (nee Moss, OA2005) reflects … “there is a sense of pride in meeting the leaders who have helped shape the School’s spirit to what it is today …. sharing your own reflections and stories creates a lovely bond with these young leaders who are learning to balance different roles and responsibilities in their busy lives”.

Daniel Bott, attending for the first time in 2024 as 2023-24 Vice-Captain found the experience “enriching and incredibly valuable in developing our captaincy, but also in broadening my understanding of life outside of school… There is a unique and remarkable bond created through shared experiences, and whilst we all came from different generations of St Andrew’s Cathedral School students, the roles we played in the School leadership team transcend barriers. “

He further reflected on the Q&A at this year’s dinner with Dr McGonigle – “the way in which the old Andreans interacted with Dr McGonigle I found particularly fascinating …the institutional transparency displayed via the tough questions helped me to develop trust in how the School worked …  I thought a lot more about the School and how decisions are made (and) I got a clear sense that students and their wellbeing were truly at the heart of every decision.”

To Aurelia (Vice Captain Year 12) one of the highlights was to hear about the captains’ journeys beyond school. “It was quite inspiring to see how these people, who once were in the same positions as us, have done such exciting things in their lives and that they have not been limited after school to just university – they’ve seen things and done things I didn’t even realise existed.”

School Captains are the heartbeat of our school, embodying its spirit, values and aspirations. Our captains care not only about the past but are passionate about the present and our future. They have and continue to play a pivotal role in shaping our school community, leaving a lasting legacy. It is such a joy, and testament to our community, that the School continues to hold such an important place in their hearts, just as they do in ours.

In profile: Joey Watson

Joey made a particular mark on St Andrew’s Cathedral School when he was the first male to ever address the UN International Women’s Day Breakfast in Sydney as a Year 11 student. In his rousing speech, he called on men to challenge the cultural notion of manhood and violence, replacing it with empathy and compassion.

The 16-year-old said: “It is my hope that with improved education and activism we will see a generation of men who refuse to do nothing, who will stand up against other men when they are sexist… and will speak out against the wrongful harassment and degradation against women.”

His speech was met with widespread acclaim and was congratulated by the other keynote speakers who included Prime Minister Julia Gillard and NSW Governor Marie Bashir. To watch his full speech, click here.  

After leaving the School, Joey joined the ABC, first as a chaser on Radio National, working his way up to become a long form features producer by 2018. Joey worked on several long form feature documentaries, and shorts, including a three-part series for Radio National on the origins of the Australia-China relationship.

In 2022 Joey began working at The Guardian to help create the chart-topping series Ben Roberts-Smith vs The Media. He also produced high impact in-depth investigations for the Full Story podcast and wrote numerous articles. Joey’s Inside Australia’s secretive torture survival course for elite soldiers was nominated for a Young Walkley award in the long form feature category in 2023.

Nowadays, Joey is the creator and host of the Secrets We Keep S2: Nest of Traitors podcast – a chronicle of the multi-year hunt for the spy who betrayed Australia during the Cold War. Listen to the podcast here.

As part of his research, Joey found himself asking Prime Minister Anthony Albanese about the investigation at a press conference on Public Health. Check out the exchange here.

In profile: Alexandra Grant

Alex discovered her passion for economics and politics at university and took an opportunity to make a difference through public policy. She started her career at The Treasury and has then served across the Australian Public Service as a senior government advisor and diplomat specialising in economic and international development, gender, employment, skills and training policy, and Indigenous Affairs.

She has represented Australia at APEC and the G20 in Brisbane and St Petersburg and helped establish the National Skills Commission. Alex co-authored Australia’s first National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security. 

Alex has also spent time living and working in remote First Nations communities in the NT working with the Wadeye community to get the local TV station up and running, start a CDP house painting project and set up a girls’ community group to improve their mental and physical health. Following this transformative experience, she began her role as Director at the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation to pursue her passion for community development.

Alex is the Chief Operating Officer at Camali Group – an Australian consulting firm specialising in government relations, defence, economic and social policy. In 2023, she spent time delivering an address discussing the importance of an integrated approach to early education with UNICEF, World Bank and Saudi Government at the Human Capability Initiative in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.   Her experience spans across the Australian Government, private, and not-for-profit sectors, including roles at the Prime Minister and Cabinet Office, Foreign Affairs and Trade, and The Treasury. She joined us back at St Andrew’s Cathedral School in 2023 as an industry professional for the careers event run by the Old Andreans Association called Learning the Ropes.

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