34 minute read
MIDDLE SCHOOL
MIDDLE
SCHOOL
MR RICHARD LEDGER
HEAD OF MIDDLE SCHOOL
HE SCHOOL YEAR commenced amid a fire season in the eastern states and Western Australia. As the fires were extinguished, the news of COVID-19 T A Middle School year always begins quickly and five days into the year we held our Inter-House Swimming Carnival. On a 42-degree day, when being in a pool was a great place to be, Andrew House set a new caught our attention. How we ran benchmark making it four successes in our school, how we behaved, how we a row, despite a great challenge from interacted with each other and what Bruce House. we were able to do all changed. Great leadership was evident as intervention, innovation and adjustments were made as a school, a country and a global community. At the same time, we were reminded of our role in developing young men; the next generation of leaders with a willingness and ability to be calm and act for the benefit of others. Into Autumn Term and our culminating event of the Middle Years Programme, the Community Project was under serious threat due to COVID-19 restrictions. A mid-term conference to assess the impact on the Community Project saw the reconfiguration of this collaborative activity into individual events. Beach clean-ups, performances There was an enormous sense of relief at aged-care homes and art installations and pride as the Year 8 boys marched from recycled plastics unfolded, and out of the Dickinson Centre at the end of Speech Night. They had reached the end of a challenging year during which they obtained achievements, results and the reflection presentation in Winter Term was as much about overcoming obstacles as it was about delivering the service itself. and activity, a celebration of spring arriving and being able to be safe, outside and engaged in group activities. qualities such as patience, acceptance, resilience and gratitude. Whilst our Inter-House Athletics Carnival got the chop from the Winter Term calendar, the Middle School Highland Games ran successfully with the soon-to-be-retired Mr Wayne Ramsay anointed Chieftain for the day. It was a glorious afternoon of colour The Year 6 to 8 Drama production hit the stage in Spring Term and the joy at being able to deliver this was infectious. Kicker Thompson was a remarkable story about a 12-year-old boy’s aspirations and his battle with anxiety. A unique play, it was delivered in a ‘round the campfire’ style whereby the entire cast, bar two, were on stage for the whole performance. The Middle School Drama production continues to grow in numbers and sophistication. The same holds true for the Middle School Pipe Band. At the start of 2020, we had six boys piping at Assembly. At our final Awards Assembly in December, we had 19 pipers and drummers performing.
Year 8s Bram Ezekiel, Ned Fletcher-Harrison and Hugo Silbert with their jellyfish sculpture made from single-use plastic for the Year 8 Community Project; A well-earned break on the Bibbulmun Track; Chieftain for the day, Mr Wayne Ramsay, alongside Mr Richard Ledger at the Highland Games
For our boarders, life had a significant disruption with the Boarding House being emptied and everyone returning home during the COVID-19 hiatus, only to continue lessons via Microsoft Teams. The online learning period gave us all a few laughs and a wonderful glimpse of rural life as our Boarding boys took us in trucks and utes to the sheds, stockyards, paddocks being seeded and introduced us to their dogs, pet sheep and chooks. In the process, we saw some beautiful countryside, from the blue waters of Beagle Bay in the Kimberley to the rolling green vineyards of the Frankland River region. It was a great reminder of the diverse perspectives that sit within each year group at Scotch College. Inter-House Spelling Bee
James House
Inter-House Debating
Bruce House
Inter-House Philosothon
Andrew House
Mo Maslin Citizenship Award Winners
Year 6: Fletcher Hector Year 7: Johnny Gattorna Year 8: Harry Osborne J A Gooch Scholarship
Jack Mayo G G Gooch Scholarship
Joshua Thomas
Ramsay Cup
The Staff vs Students competition was won by the teachers.
Mrs Sarah Sekulov Year 6 Coordinator
Ben Campbell and Campbell Morgan at Year 6 Surf Camp Year 6 Inter-School Gaelic Football champion team
CURRICULUM Year 6 is an important year at the College as it marks the commencement of the Middle Years Programme.
ILEARN SAW SCIENCE integrated with Individuals and Societies to explore the causes of natural disasters and their effect on people who dwell in unpredictable areas. The key concept was ‘change’, and the boys developed their understanding of the relationship between ‘causality’ and the ‘environment’. They developed inquiry skills and gained an understanding of electrical energy, contextualising Australia’s energy crisis and sustainable solutions.
Science Fair saw boys enjoy sharing their understanding of the scientific method in student-led presentations. Presented as an interdisciplinary unit, Mathematics and Science culminated in students using their data processing skills to formulate tables and graphs and present their data in the iWork app Numbers. The broad range of programmes allowed students to practise transferable skills, including notetaking, research and referencing in multiple contexts. Our English programme started with a focus on identity and boys looked into their past to create autobiographies. Analysing the adventure genre built on reading, comprehension and narrative writing. The boys enjoyed integrating digital skills and presented their understanding of the novel Hatchet using audio, text, photography and video. Students examined non-fiction texts by analysing the feature film Rabbit Proof Fence and explored persuasive writing techniques using themes from the film.
In Mathematics, boys were challenged to take risks, extend their knowledge and communicate their ideas in a variety of ways. They explored patterns within Pascal’s triangle, created linear patterns using matchsticks and identified the function of these. In exploring a realworld situation, students analysed data collected from the Year 6 Science Fair and applied this information in their individual research. The integration of digital skills in Mathematics was also a key focus. Boys applied their digital skills to creatively display their knowledge and understanding of different types of angles and two-dimensional shapes, using Clips.
Design lessons were a favourite with students experiencing Food Design, Materials Design and Digital Design. The opportunity to explore coding an Edison Robot, designing and custommaking kalimbas and kazoos, and creating culinary delights such as
smoothies, muffins and scones meant a variety of skills were explored in different contexts.
Boys in Phase 1 French learnt to describe themselves whilst Phase 2 students focused on describing their family and where they live. A highlight for students was the ATL-focused task where they designed and created their dream house, and presented it in French. Indonesian students engaged in many fun immersion activities, including learning to play the angklung, a set of bamboo instruments from West Java. Angklung music is collaborative and requires cooperation and mutual respect among a group.
The Winter Term kicked off with the ever-impressive Science Fair, where students showcased their understanding of the scientific method to parents, peers and teachers. Highlights included learning the practice of graphing, developing presentation skills and mastering the process of conducting a scientific experiment. Parents and teachers were impressed with the boys’ ability to passionately discuss their experiments. Jack Ashby was the overall winner for his experiment that posed the question: “Does the colour of light affect plant growth?” A big congratulations to the Year 6 boys for the high standard of work. As a part of the iLearn unit on Migration, students participated in an interactive excursion to the Maritime Museum to explore the stories of people who had migrated to Western Australia. They learned about the challenges, achievements and contributions of a group of migrants and how they impacted the future of Australia. The boys thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to recreate, through roleplay, some of these migrants’ stories.
Following the excursion, Headmaster Dr O’Connell and Arad Rad (Year 12) told their personal stories of migrating to Australia. They were two contrasting stories; Dr O’Connell is an English migrant who immigrated to Australia on the Assisted Passage Scheme, commonly known as the ‘ten pound Pom scheme’. Arad’s journey to Australia was full of challenges as his family navigated their way through many countries across five years, including an attempt to reach Australia in a sinking boat.
The culmination of Winter Term was the ‘classroom walkthrough’, where Year 6 boys had the opportunity to present the migrant suitcase they had created to the rest of the cohort. A vast range of migrant stories was presented, including Victor Chan, Penny Wong, CY O’Connor and Majak Daw.
The highlight of the year was Lancelin Surf Camp; an action-packed three days where students experienced many activities including fishing, ‘The Amazing Race’ and surfing.
Luca Niardone, Kush Narula, Angus Oakeley and Luca Kegli at Surf Camp
OUTDOOR EDUCATION The Outdoor Education programme was hugely popular with the Year 6 cohort.
Despite an interrupted schedule this year, all boys learnt new skills in an outdoor environment including learning to fish, developing their orienteering skills, cooking with a Trangia and working collaboratively in a team environment.
One of the most exciting experiences of the Year 6 Outdoor Education programme was during Spring Term when boys learnt to surf in the Indian Ocean.
The Year 6 classes enjoyed three actionpacked days camping with the Outdoor Education team in the coastal town of Lancelin. During their stay in October, they built on their understanding of beach safety and surf awareness while developing their confidence and skillset in a marine environment. Highlights included camping out with their buddies, catching a variety of fish off the Lancelin Jetty, taking part in ‘The Amazing Race’ and surfing some large waves all the way to shore at Back Beach.
Throughout their stay, they gained a real insight into the history surrounding the coastal town of Lancelin and the characteristics of the area and the surrounding ecosystems. The students had an absolute ball developing their practical skills, overcoming challenges and improving their resilience and perseverance in a dynamic learning environment.
The Year 6 boys are already counting down the days to additional extended camping experiences in Moray next year.
Top to bottom: Mitch Williams, Banjo Riley, Alexander Fry and Ryan Dent at Surf Camp; Hamish Byass and Jackson Walters reenacting a migrant’s journey at the Maritime Museum; Eddie Bowyer surfing
SPORT Thursday afternoon has been the highlight of the week for the Year 6 boys, as they represented the College in their chosen team sports.
From Basketball, Cricket, Tennis, Volleyball and Water Polo in summer to Soccer, Rugby, Hockey and Football in winter, the Year 6 boys have loved competing against students from fellow JPSSA schools.
Despite an interrupted and modified JPSSA schedule, boys continued to display unwavering enthusiasm and
commitment by training every Tuesday morning with their respective teams, even in torrential rain.
Another highlight of the sporting season was the fifth annual InterHouse Gaelic Tournament. All students enjoyed participating in a sport they have been learning about during their weekly Physical Education lessons. The winner of the 2020 Inter-House Gaelic Tournament was David House with Alexander Fry scoring a crucial goal in the final minutes of the game to seal the victory.
Throughout the year, Scotch students continued to build on their reputation of displaying a respectful attitude towards their opponents and the officials, regardless of winning or losing. This was clearly evident again this season, as all boys displayed wonderful sportsmanship while positively developing their skills and teamwork.
All boys are now eagerly looking forward to making their transition into the Public Schools Association competition in 2021. REFLECTIONS “One of the things I most enjoyed this year was how we were able to move around to different classrooms. It made us feel like we were gaining the trust of our teachers and gave us a little bit of freedom.
“I also really enjoyed the Lancelin Surf Camp with the Outdoor Education crew because it was a great experience and everyone was really helpful from breakfast to wash up after dinner every day.
“Finally, I really enjoyed the Science Fair because I got to do an experiment over the holidays and into Winter Term. This was really fun because at the end we got to present what we found out and identified if our hypothesis was correct or proven incorrect. Plus, at the end of the Science Fair people could win best of the year or best in your class.” Andrew Katsambanis, Year 6.4 “I’ve really enjoyed Year 6 because of the wonderful new subjects, such as Food, Materials and Digital Design. I had lots of fun in Drama and Art. Also, the new club opportunities such as Dungeons & Dragons, French Games, 3D and Art Stars.
“I liked being able to participate in the Highland Games. It was awesome and I loved seeing all my friends have fun together. Lastly, the Outdoor Education programme – Surf Camp. I found that really fun and got up for the first time, which was amazing.” Luca Niardone, Year 6.1
Jake Cuomo, Soma Baba, Kush Narula, James Stephan, Campbell Morgan and Eden Bairstow at Surf Camp “I also really enjoyed the Lancelin Surf Camp with the Outdoor Education crew because it was a great experience and everyone was really helpful from breakfast to wash up after dinner every day.”
Year 6.1
FRONT ROW: Mitch Williams, Xavier Riley, Kush Narula, Ben Campbell, Ryder Campbell, Soma Baba, Edmond Bowyer, Angus Oakeley SECOND ROW: Mrs Sarah Sekulov (Teacher), Eden Bairstow, Anderson Strk-Lingard, Ryan Dent, Bryce Harding, Alexander Fry, Ruhaan Satija, Jake Cuomo, Mrs Terri Spartalis (Teacher) THIRD ROW: Luca Niardone, Campbell Morgan, James Stephan, Zachary Blakey, Thomas Lovegrove, Luca Regli, Edward Meadows ABSENT: Angus Newman
FRONT ROW: Julian Argyle, Ezekiel Ritchie, Brendan Chin, Spencer Chapple, Harry Nicholls, Aidan Willoughby, Cooper Royle, Charlie Martin SECOND ROW: Mr Michael Campbell (Teacher), Shaylan Sondhi, Alexander Griffin, Henry Goyder, Flynn Booker, Leighton Young, Fletcher Hector, Oban Hopkins THIRD ROW: Abraham Prendiville, Oscar Herbert, Matthew Hale, Rafferty Donovan, Jack Ashby, Jacob Branchi, Benji Landau ABSENT: Charlie Warden Year 6.2
Year 6.3
FRONT ROW: Hugo Atkins, Lucas Disley, Dane Morrison, Brenn Armstrong, Oscar Zucal, William Golsby, Harrison Bain, Erik van de Veire, Thomas Chambers SECOND ROW: Mr Peter Gaspar (Teacher), Thomas Houliston, Leon Hugo, Bjorn Rothwell, Thomas Ahern, Cooper Sekulov, Jackson Walters, Lachlan Bird THIRD ROW: Logan Herbert, George Young, Daniel Weustink, James Mitchell, Alexander Marshall, Hamish Byass
FRONT ROW: Andrew Katsambanis, Banjo Parker, Elliot Gaspar, Oliver Montandon, Anderson Roblin, Cody Willis, Cooper Lisle, Seth Loveday, Charlie Robinson SECOND ROW: Mrs Sarah Blunt (Teacher), Jack Mayo, William Macknay, Jake Freestone, Johntie Schulz, Hamish Middleton, Magnus Fleming, Alexander Everett THIRD ROW: Angus Meadows, Sonny Garlick, Luke Schaufler, Oliver Campbell, Guillaume Daoud, Oliver Payne, Sonny Mutter
Year 6.4
Mr Peter Tresise Year 7 Coordinator
Max Donaldson, Sam Arts, Hudson Weir, Oscar Ho and Simon Pocock raft building at Moray
CURRICULUM The Middle School curriculum aims to develop our boys’ knowledge and conceptual understanding across all learning areas.
IN YEAR 7, through many varied and challenging tasks, we aim to develop students into independent, lifelong learners. Attributes which will stay with them long into the future and well beyond their time at Scotch College.
In English and Visual Art, boys delved into their creative attributes. Two of the more popular tasks included composing and presenting a slam poem and constructing an expressionist-influenced self-portrait, where they utilised forms of non-verbal communication to explore identity.
In both Mathematics and iLearn, there was a strong focus on applying skills from the classroom to solve real-world problems. A fine example of this was a measurement assignment in Mathematics, where students calculated the cost of fertilising the Middle School quad lawn. In iLearn, boys worked collaboratively to gather and analyse information, gain insight, comment upon and address key issues arising from things such as introduced species, technical innovation and the global water crisis.
Design and Technology classes were extremely popular and provided engaging opportunities. In Materials Design, boys created and raced CO2 Dragsters, whilst in Food Design they developed, cooked and ate a healthy hamburger. In Digital Design, students were challenged to apply their programming skills to code a micro:bit to make life easier for someone else.
In both Drama and Physical Education, students enhanced their ability to work collaboratively. When studying Drama, they worked in small groups to script, rehearse and perform a melodrama. In Physical Education, they participated in the Sports Education in Physical Education Programme, a studentcentred approach where they were responsible for organising and running their own programme.
Languages provided the opportunity to practise skills in a variety of engaging tasks, such as sampling authentic French cuisine and bartering with storeowners in Indonesian.
Finally, due to COVID-19, students further demonstrated their ability to work independently and collaboratively, this time in an online learning environment. Whilst their online experience was limited, the Year 7 boys
demonstrated their ability to solve problems, collaborate and adapt. Their focus and dedication towards learning during such an uncertain time was extremely impressive.
EVENTS Even in an interrupted year, there were many events throughout the Year 7 calendar, the highlight being the combined Scotch and PLC Quiz Night.
This year we had our biggest quiz night ever in the Dickinson Centre with students having fun getting to know new friends and answering some fantastic questions.
Students were also heavily involved in Community and Service activities throughout the year. There were several fundraisers for UnitingCare West including Wear Something Sporty Day and Crazy Sock Day. They also donated generously to the annual Christmas Hamper Collection. In Winter Term, students raised funds for the Balga Senior High School Intensive English Unit through the Wear Something Blue Day fundraiser. Another favourite fundraiser was Boardies Day, which raised money for Surf Lifesaving WA.
In Winter Term, we drew attention to R U OK? Day through a series of events that highlighted the importance of youth mental health. Year 7 ambassadors contributed to activities in the Chapel and classrooms. NAIDOC Week was a particular highlight this year with some Year 7 students contributing to the amazing sand art mandala on the oval. Students designed a segment of the Middle School mandala which told the story of their connection to Country.
Max Donaldson, Nicholas Chadwick and Nicholas Lovegrove in Science Lab Sailing in Outdoor Education
SPORT
The boys enjoyed the Public Schools Association programme and participated in a variety of team sports throughout 2020. During both Summer and Spring Term, boys had the opportunity to represent Scotch College in Basketball, Cricket, Tennis, Volleyball, Water Polo, Golf, Sailing, Swimming and Rowing. The boys displayed dedication to their chosen sports by attending training and representing the College with a sense of pride and sportsmanship.
In Autumn and Winter Term, boys change their Sport and have the opportunity to play Football, Soccer, Rugby, Hockey and Badminton. They knuckled down in the wet conditions and enjoyed the crash and bash of Friday afternoons. Thank you to all the coaches who took the time to guide the boys on the sporting journey.
Throughout 2020, selected Year 7 boys represented the College in numerous carnivals. This year the Scotch Swimming team finished third at the PSA Inter School Carnival. Xavier Smith had an outstanding campaign and was awarded the Year 7 Champion Boy. Scotch College continued to dominate at PSA Athletics with another first-place finish. Oliver Knuckey was awarded the Year 7 Champion Boy. Congratulations to all the boys who represented the College with such distinction.
Sport is a valuable part of the Scotch College community and once again the boys continued to show their development in this area. In Physical Education and Health, they participated in many different activities, ranging from gymnastics, European handball, ultimate frisbee and more.
OUTDOOR EDUCATION
In Summer Term, classes attended our Outdoor Education facility at Moray in Dwellingup. During the four-day camp, staff and students challenged themselves in activities such as swimming, hiking, rock climbing, raft building, outdoor cooking and orienteering. Students spent two nights sleeping in tents and hutchies. They learnt lessons on sustainability and bush fire safety in our world-class facilities.
Due to COVID-19, some students were unable to attend Moray, so the Outdoor Education staff created a ‘Moray at Scotch’ experience. Activities such as swimming, outdoor cooking, orienteering and bush arts and craft were quickly organised.
In Spring Term, the Outdoor Education staff took classes sailing on the Swan River. Students learned the ins-and-outs of sailing before embarking on a sailing adventure to Point Walter. Along with fantastic memories of fun, adventure and overcoming challenges, they also learned teamwork and communication skills.
We hope these fantastic Outdoor Education opportunities convert to a lifelong love of the outdoors, challenging themselves and adventure.
REFLECTIONS
“Something I am grateful for is the safe feeling I get when I enter the room. I feel like nothing bad is going to happen and I can share personal feelings without being judged. When I was Boarding, everyone was kind and supportive of me. Being the only one in the class that was boarding, I was a little overwhelmed. At the end of the year, we went sailing with the class and it is an awesome experience.” Jonah Withers, Year 7
“In 7.2 at the start of the year, everyone was very welcoming. Throughout the entire year, everyone was supportive and if anyone needed something, someone was always there. A highlight was when we went sailing, lots of teamwork was needed and it was the funniest experience this year. Being able to be in control of a sailboat in the middle of the river was a unique experience. The weather was rough but there was lots of wind, therefore we were able to go fast and win the race. This year has gone so quickly and we are going to miss the experiences we had together.” Rafferty McDonald, Year 7
“I have really enjoyed this year because of all the different subjects that Scotch College has to offer. Events like the Da Vinci Decathlon, World Scholars Cup, and Specialist Music. These events all allowed me to be creative while learning and improving my capabilities. My two main highlights of the year were camp and PSA because I met and got to know so many kids and strengthened lots of my friendships. PSA also allowed me to play sport outside and have a fun time with my mates while playing for Scotch. Overall, Scotch has offered me lots of opportunities to improve as a person in all areas and ways.” Simon Pocock, Year 7
“One of the main highlights of this year would be the great co-curricular clubs; one of my favourite clubs, Coding Club, allowed me to learn new programming languages and expand my knowledge about the ones I already knew. Programming is one of my passions so being able to get help when I needed it and hearing about what other people were doing was extremely helpful. Another highlight for me was the Specialist Music class. It was great being able to get into groups and work with other people to play songs with multiple instruments in front of our peers and improve on our musical skills in general.” Riley Schellack, Year 7
Rock climbing at Moray; Pipe Band; Zachary Anderson running the kilt race in Highland Games; Sailing
Art class; Sam Arts, Sam Bult and Lachlan Palich on the BBQ at Moray
Year 7.1
FRONT ROW: Gabriel Reynolds, Oliver Knuckey, Orlando Capobianco, Oliver Headley, Samuel Bult, Oliver Cooper, Nicholas Chadwick, Max Donaldson, Cameron Motherwell SECOND ROW: Ms Anna Eriksson (Teacher), Lucas Marley, Thomas Magtengaard, Bruno Erickson, William Henderson, Sam Arts, Reid Knox Lyttle, Lachlan Palich THIRD ROW: Fletcher Morgan, Raazi Arafa, Jarrad Coppen, Luke Knowles, Oscar Robinson, Nicholas Lovegrove, Cruz Braddock
Year 7.2
FRONT ROW: Kai Barton, Oliver Spurling, Jack Vallance, Simon Pocock, Oscar Ho, Harrison Hill, Charlie Dean, Riley McKinnon-Smith, Lucas Nageon de Lestang SECOND ROW: Ms Andrea Goodison (Teacher), Charlie Banfield, Cameron Todorovic, Jacky Yang, Justin Ma, Kristian Bellekom, Jonah Withers, Marc Ricciardello, Riley Schellack, Mrs Terri Spartalis (Teacher) THIRD ROW: Tommy Clements, Rafferty McDonald, Xavier Smith, Hudson Weir, Miles Edwards, Charlie Roads, Luca Wheeler
Year 7.3
FRONT ROW: Oliver Langford, Dhilan Sarkar-Tyson, Benjamin Stack, Fraser Braddock, Luke Brennan, Shuchang Liu, Xavier Risinger, George Sermon, John Townsley SECOND ROW: Mr Justin Shaw (Teacher), James Bowie, Tarquin Slieker, Henry Alexander, James Wall, Richard Gamble, Russell Campbell, Daniel Welch THIRD ROW: Lachlan Morgan, William Arundel, Finn Tuohy, Karl Faulkner, Timothy Jorda, Benjamin Pritchard, Haotian Liu
Year 7.4
FRONT ROW: Zachary Anderson, Adam Round, Piers McNeil, William Bennett, Jack Nelson, Xavier Vanden Driesen, Charlie Barron, Nicholas Chi, Nicholas Livingston SECOND ROW: Abel Algie, Finn Leary, Digby Smith, Joseph Finn, Jayden Clarke, Alasdair Watson, Jesse Scotford, Cameron Sutherland THIRD ROW: Mr Peter Tresise (Teacher), Oscar Brazier, George Hodgson, Alexander Garbowski, William Wallace, Jason Rietveld, Willem Buckley
Year 7.5
FRONT ROW: Philip Pizimolas, Jack Hogarth, Dallmyn Kelly, Jonathan Gattorna, Daniel LeClezio, Hague Brennan, Cooper Matera, Harry Gibson SECOND ROW: Mr Andrew Arbuckle (Teacher), Sebastian Carmichael, Fletcher Drake Neal, Bowie Abbott, Oscar Coenen, Nicholas Zhao, Jarrod Hutchison, Charlie McCall THIRD ROW: Tristan Ilse, Thomas Lister, Luke Pope, Ben Marris, James Vaughan, Luke Rorke, Shiran Zhang ABSENT: Jake Taboni
Year 7.6
FRONT ROW: Dylan Burke, Charles Cooper, Harry Mengler, Henry Dyke, Benjamin Rayner, Kristian Hunter, Joshua Hopkins, Heath Arbuckle SECOND ROW: Mr David Watson (Teacher), George Jerinic, Lewis Stepatschuk, Alexander Donald, Jack Boylson, Phillip Pitt, Edward Quinlivan, Thomas Sojan THIRD ROW: Joshua Maxwell, Rory Thorpe, Yanlin Song, Isaac Oddy, Cambell Johnston, William Weaver ABSENT: Lachlan Cairns
Year 7.7
FRONT ROW: Darcy Gifford, Joshua Cook, Charles Bates, Harrison Lewis, George Keenan, Tex Braddock, Caden Hart, Zach Fredericks, Hamish Macgeorge SECOND ROW: Mr Daniel Turco (Teacher), Mandeep Singh, Harrison Marshall, Alexander Bunning, Luke O’Connor-Smith, Luis Nettleship, Maxwell Clarke, Matthew Berglin THIRD ROW: Myles Davies, Billy Chambers, Daniel Doheny, Charlie Bedbrook, Bo O’Neill, Zane Levy
Mrs Tracey FitzPatrick Year 8 Coordinator
Brandon Wright (front) with (left to right) Hayden Houghton, Keion Mongoo, Jai Moxham, Digby Bozanich and Charlie Dawson
CURRICULUM Our Year 8s are the ‘big boys’ of Middle School, so it is only fitting that our curriculum focuses heavily on developing the self-management skills needed to tackle the rigours of Senior School.
BY ESTABLISHING and following plans, overcoming obstacles independently and bouncing back after disappointments, the Year 8s are well prepared for the last phase of their childhood education.
In a diverse and thought-provoking English programme, the boys were asked to think deeply about thematic ideas presented in texts and explore what it truly means to be human. The novel Bamboo People led to discussions about compassion, friendship and empathy, while the play Compass took the boys on a deep dive into the struggles between conformity and originality, and how fear can lead to a battle between savagery and civilisation. Boys were empowered to learn how they can participate in our democracy by campaigning for change using various written platforms. Comedy writing continued to be a popular unit of work, engaging boys in the art of making others laugh through the clever manipulation of language and text structure.
Our Individuals and Societies units firstly explored medieval history, culminating in a museum display of pivotal inventions, events and people, and how they led to the evolution of our current world. In conjunction with this, boys learned about the development of our legal system such as the use of precedents when making judgements and the idea that we are innocent until proven guilty. More recently, boys embarked on a journey of selfpaced learning during our Economics unit. They planned their own learning using results from pre-tests, attended masterclasses of their own choosing and checked their understanding via quizzes.
Mathematics in Year 8 progressed the boys’ skills of algebra with increased variables in equations. Students designed intricate and aesthetically appealing gardens to flex their creative measurement muscles. Lessons were intermingled with maths games and interactive quizzes, helping them to engage with the content and practise their skills.
In Science, students have had a wonderful time exploring intriguing topics including the workings of the human body and the mystery of chemical reactions. Learnings about rocks were brought to life with the abseiling expedition at Statham’s Quarry. Conversations about COVID-19 and vaccinations were refined in a report about the effectiveness of vaccines for other common diseases such as measles, chickenpox and influenza. Finally, students researched the pros and cons of hydrogen fuel, becoming greater experts and advocates of a greener future.
We are proud of our Year 8 cohort of 2020 and their development into fine young men. They leave Middle School as independent learners, armed with
memories and equipped with the skills to take on any challenges presented to them in the Senior School.
EVENTS
With the restrictions of COVID-19 in Autumn Term, most of our events took place in the latter half of the year. During Winter Term, Middle School celebrated National Science Week with myriad in-house events and exciting workshops. The team at Scitech joined us for the STEM workshop, Beyond the Beaker. This focused on some of the rapidly evolving artificial intelligence technologies used in everyday life and in future careers. Some remarkable technologies presented included facial and voice-based detection and recognition, virtual voice assistants and automation in vehicles, and research being carried out to make this a reality. This interactive session was a revelation for what is possible in the future world of STEM.
The boys also enjoyed the Van de Graaff generator; a machine that shows how electrical charge can be easily demonstrated in ‘hair-raising’ moments! Mr Robinson demonstrated his love for thermochemistry, with audible hydrogen workshops and discussions on innovation in this most abundant element. Mr Barry’s demonstrations of liquid nitrogen consolidated our curriculum learning of the particle model and states of matter. We were lucky to have liquid nitrogen ice cream as a climax to the week.
Also in Winter Term, the boys took a walk to Lake Claremont to learn about Indigenous links to the area. It was fascinating to learn the history of the lake and how the area has changed over the years.
Finally, MacKellar Hall was decked out to the theme of Willy Wonka for the Year 8 Social, held with students from Presbyterian Ladies’ College. Line dancing was the main style of the night due to social distancing requirements, and once students broke down the initial barriers of shyness, new friendships were formed.
Joshua Swan and Ronan Leishman during a Community Project introduction
Myles Beeney abseiling at Statham’s Quarry; Ned Fletcher-Harrison, Benji Barnes, Bram Ezekiel, Austin Hollier and Matthew Willis trying liquid nitrogen ice cream during Science Week
OUTDOOR EDUCATION
In Autumn Term, the Year 8 Moray Camps were unable to proceed due to restrictions on overnight camps. Instead, the Year 8s completed two day-trips consisting of canoeing, abseiling, and climbing in the Perth surrounds. Students travelled to the Middle Swan Reserve where they canoed down the Swan River towards Guildford. It was a fantastic opportunity for the boys to take in some of the local wildlife and improve the canoeing skills they had established in Year 7.
They later spent a day abseiling and climbing at Statham’s Quarry. Boys demonstrated positive commitment and communication skills as they were stretched out of their comfort zones, tackling some daunting lines on the rock face. The day tied in well with their ‘Earth, Space and Sciences’ unit, with their knowledge of rock formations on display.
The boys should be proud of their achievements over both action-packed days. Their willingness to adapt to changing environments was pleasing to see.
SPORT
Public Schools Association Sport, like most things this year, hit a few speed bumps and our 2020 winter season saw some changes. A delayed start to the fixtures meant that boys spent the first part of Autumn Term training and preparing for their Sport. Training in small groups with modified activities took some creative planning from our coaches. Our students showed outstanding participation and engagement.
Once the season was back on track, the enthusiasm was evident and it was clear to see the value of sport. Whether our teams won, lost, or drew, the fact that students were able to play and be active was a real victory.
Charlie Major helping to make liquid nitrogen ice cream; Sam MacGregor burning magnesium as part of Science Week
Throughout the year, the Middle School boys still competed in their two Inter-House events: Swimming and the Highland Games. These events are always notable features of our year and thoroughly enjoyed by all.
Two PSA inter-school events held: PSA Swimming and Athletics. Our Middle School students featured prominently in both events and were valuable members, contributing to third place in PSA Swimming, our best result in recent history, and first place at PSA Athletics.
Our students have continued to demonstrate their outstanding sportsmanship, effort and engagement with their sport throughout 2020, which has been great to see.
REFLECTIONS
Year 8 was a little different this year. As the world changed with the pandemic, our life on the top floor also changed. Online learning opened different opportunities to our boys and the Year 8s embraced the online learning model.
The Community Project underwent some adjustments this year, but the Year 8s showed their incredible flexibility and embraced the changes. There were several standout projects including a musical group that formed to entertain the public, teaching languages to children, helping the elderly with iPad setup, food collection to help Foodbank, beach clean-ups and hundreds of meals cooked for the homeless. The boys worked hard over the year and were incredibly engaged in their Community Project journey.
“I enjoyed going out in public and playing music to the community. Our response to the sessions was amazing. Many people came and tried to give us money, of course, we had to decline. Several other people came to us, complimenting us on our performance saying they loved it.” Anthony, Year 8
Approaches to Learning skills or ATLs have been an area of growth this year. Throughout the Community Project and in each of the learning areas, boys used, reflected on and developed these skills. ATLs are made up of communication, self-management, thinking, social and research skills. The boys build these skills throughout the year and explain this growth in their very honest reflections.
“I grew in my self-management and communication. My communication grew because I had to learn the difference between formal and informal language. My self-management improved because I needed to create time to cook the food and buy ingredients whilst including time for my homework and other activities.” Simba, Year 8
“I improved my communication skills by talking with my parents, Reverend Gary and my homeroom teacher as to how best to organise my tasks.” Alastair, Year 8
Ben Langdon, James Davidson and Benji Barnes making comfort crosses for their Community Project; Thomas Clement and Harry Burbury making atom diagrams; Scotch PLC Social
Year 8.1
FRONT ROW: Thomas Chalmers, Harry Coggan, James Winch, Jaxon Pantall, Marcus McKie, Oliver Macnamara, Charles Hogg, Digby Gardner SECOND ROW: Mrs Tracey FitzPatrick (Teacher), Matthew Willis, Beau Povey, Jack Douglas, Luke Megson, James Bain , Finn Byrne-Regan, Sam MacGregor THIRD ROW: Charles Gray, Thomas Gleeson, Gray Moffat-Clarke, William Tonkin, Calum Cameron, Charles Bowles ABSENT: Austin Hollier, Calum Mair
Year 8.2
FRONT ROW: Brodie Donkin, William Mahaffy, Thomas Wallwork, Alexander Buswell, Jahaan Judge, Samuel Jackson, Harris Baddeley, Noah Kassner, Samuel Doney SECOND ROW: Ms Gabriel Hodgson (Teacher), George Rowe, Aidan Marstrand, Thomas Lambo, Ronan Leishman, Jaxon Williams, Tex Cross, James Alcock, Lachlan Gooding THIRD ROW: Lucas Hyde, Flynn Robinson, Lachlan Teissier, Mitchell Henwood, Jonathon Smirk, Joshua Swan, Archie Gilchrist ABSENT: Seth Abbott, Frederick Fielder, Christopher Pickett
FRONT ROW: Alexander Johnston, Nicholas Everett, Anthony Hughes, Liam Locke, Jordan Krieser, Clancy Banfield, Noah McCreery, Rhys Poole SECOND ROW: Mrs Karen Woods (Teacher), William Howie, Jake Unsworth, Ming Soo, George Di Prinzio, Charlie Parker, Oscar Foster THIRD ROW: Jialuo Li, Luc Hellier, Isaak Ventouras, Angus King, Simbarashe Gundani, Angus Treen FOURTH ROW: Alastair Walker, Oscar Ralph, Henry Ledger, Matthew Philpott, William Fairclough, Archie Murdoch
Year 8.3
Year 8.4
FRONT ROW: Dylan Ross, William Pateman, Xavier Balnaves, Aiden Perrin, Judd Woodman, Thomas Harris, Farish Nor Arman, Isaac Smith, Lachlan Flaherty SECOND ROW: Mr Toby Robinson (Teacher), Vincent Reed, Oliver Warden, Thomas Mengler, William Buur-Jensen, Willem Campbell, Ryan Davey, Chi Him Chan, James Liston THIRD ROW: James Taskunas, Oliver Lisewski, Rory Fleming, James Tan, George Stoney, Cody Curtin, Jack Wood ABSENT: Ethan Buzza, Darcy Cocking, Noah Lisle
FRONT ROW: Clement Hardie, Myles Beeney, William Salom, Louis Poulson, Thomas Clement, Digby Bozanich, Lachlan Willmott, Maxwell Burbury SECOND ROW: Mrs Mia Sullivan (Teacher), Charles Goyder, Edward Gilmour, David Walton, Jake Hewitt, Elliot Cooper, Hudson Hammond, Thomas Duffield, Ms Gabrielle Kotai (Teacher) THIRD ROW: Karl Evans, Hugo Silbert, Oliver Wandel, Lachlan Dauth, Guy Teissier, James Meszaros, Christian Melsom, Jai Moxham
Year 8.5
Year 8.6
FRONT ROW: Cooper Campbell, Sebastian Hall, Jasper Constantine, Thomas van Kranenburg, Thomas O’Callaghan, Alexander Merry, Ben Langdon, Jesse Carter, Max Thorpe SECOND ROW: Miss Rochelle Gaudieri (Teacher), Jacob Eyers, Matthew Rayner, James Stephens, Santiago James, Mitchell Rosenberg, Miles Gaspar, Jaylan Tolentino, Alex Hudson THIRD ROW: Benjamin Barnes, Will Duplock, Cameron Schirmer, Keilan Simpson, Adrian Garbowski, James Davidson, Alec Prendiville ABSENT: Ari Coulson, Joshua Dettman, Ethan Kerr
FRONT ROW: Alex Betjeman, Marcel Michaud, Sachin Carlberg, Hudson Smith, Ned Fletcher-Harrison, Charles Major, Austin Prendiville, Owen Ray SECOND ROW: Ms Gabrielle Kotai (Teacher), Keion Mongoo, Brandon Wright, Charlie Dawson, Loch Mactaggart, Declan Riordan, James Hollier, Heydar Ismayilov, Mrs Robyn Bose (Teacher) THIRD ROW: Hayden Houghton, Dylan Kerrigan, Tane Croon-Hargrave, Harry Osborne, Rory Purser, Hugh Boxshall, Bram Ezekiel ABSENT: Rohan Bignell Year 8.7
