Newsletter Term 3 Weeks 6 & 7
Executive Report
Welcome to Week 8 at the College.
With so much going on it's hard to know where to start.
VET award
Last Thursday, at State Parliament House, Winston Warburton was given a VET award of his outstanding work in VET entertainment. These awards are given to the top students in the state, and we are delighted that Winston has been recognised for his effort and achievement. For anyone who has attended Rose Bay Secondary College events, Winston is a constant at the sound and lighting desk.
HSC and Preliminary Years
Our Year 12's successfully completed their Trial exams in week 4 and we can see improvement in the scores compared to last year's cohort. A reminder that the next few weeks can be powerfully used to improve one or two aspects of your responses to ensure higher marks.
We celebrated with our Art exhibition last week and parents can still attend our inaugural showing of Design and Technology and Industrial Technology project this afternoon from 5:30 am - 7 pm. The quality is outstanding.
Our Drama students completed their practical exams for the HSC last Friday with Music exams coming up on September 10 and 16. We wish all these students well in these exams.
Planning is in progress for the last week of Year 12 to celebrate their time at the College. More on this later but the traditional picnic day and dress like a teacher event remain strongly valued by our students. It was a joyful moment to hear our Year 12's exclaim their last affirmation led by Ms Martin at today's assembly; "We are not afraid of the HSC the HSC is afraid of us!" which has been a feature of every assembly this year.
Year 11 is currently in examinations and the College wishes them well and thanks our community members who invigilate for us to ensure our students get an authentic exam experience. Captains voting is being wrapped up and counting has commenced and we look forward to revealing our new leadership team at Graduation.
Subject Selection
Year 10 will be going into interviews and conferencing around 2026 choices next week. These discussions are designed to support each student and ensure that they have clear goals and supports in reaching these. Our students are already setting personal goals with a number taking part in work experience, completing white card training and receiving scholarships to progress their career. I want to acknowledge the commitment and dedication of Ms Georgia Bowd in Careers who is providing this pathways and additional support.
This Thursday we have our next whole school Assembly which is built around the theme of RUOK.
RBSC Socials
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IEF News
Year 12 Work Experience at Bunnings
This week, our Year 12 students proudly began their work experience program at Bunnings.
Each student was fitted with their uniform and gloves before taking part in a practical orientation and induction session. They were then paired with supportive Bunnings staff members, who provided valuable tips, guidance, and one-on-one training.
Students had the opportunity to explore a variety of work areas throughout the store, with the garden centre proving to be the most popular. Their tasks included organising plants and other items on the shelves, as well as sorting and arranging products in different sections. The day passed quickly, with students fully engaged and enthusiastic about their new responsibilities. In fact, many said they didn’t want to leave at the end of the day!
We are incredibly proud of their positive attitude and commitment, and we look forward to seeing them continue to grow in confidence and skills when they return to Bunnings next week.
Year 12 Visual Arts Body of Work Exhibition
Last Wednesday evening, the Year 12 Visual Arts cohort of 2025 proudly showcased their completed Bodies of Work in the annual exhibition. With 38 works on display, the evening celebrated the creativity, dedication and artistic growth of our students.
Parents, friends, and staff enjoyed an inspiring range of works across multiple mediums, including drawing, painting, photography, textiles, printmaking, and graphic design. The quality of the pieces was exceptional, highlighting both the diversity of the Visual Arts course and the imagination and skills our students have been developing since Year 7.
The exhibition opened with a warm speech by class representatives Lily and Poppy, who spoke on behalf of the cohort:
“Good evening, everyone, my name is Lily and this is Poppy and we are members of the 2025 Year 12 Visual Arts cohort.
We would first like to acknowledge the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation and Bidjigal people. I extend my respects to the Elders, past, present and emerging.
We would like to thank our teachers, Ms Alonzo, Ms Cave and Ms Arundel for all their support, we couldn’t have done this without you – thank you for helping us bring our concepts to life. We started this journey back in October and after months of messy houses, tears and late-night breakdowns, our major works are finally completed. From complex drawings to insane photography, we have all progressed so much from those first portraits in Year 7.
Lastly, thank you to all our parents and carers for their support over the past 6 to 7 months – again, we couldn’t have done it without you.
So welcome everyone to the annual Visual Arts Exhibition, we hope you enjoy the works as much as we do.”
It was a wonderful night of celebration and recognition, where the talent, hard work, and resilience of our Year 12 students shone brightly. Congratulations to the Class of 2025 Visual Arts students on their incredible achievements!
My New Gallery
RBSC Jazz Ensemble. Lazybones Lounge 13 Aug
I just wanted to say what a great show Murray Jackson and the Rose Bay Secondary College Jazz Ensemble put on at Lazybones Lounge in Marrickville.
The ensemble opened the show for the TJNO Tuesday Night Jazz Orchestra (featuring the one and only Murray Jackson’s himself) and featured existing band members Josh from Year 11 on alto sax, and Year 10 students Isobel on bass guitar, Tom on keys, and Olly on drums, assisted by the talented duo of RBSC alumni Xavier (Class of 2024) on electric guitar and Edan (Class of 2022) on sax.
It was a rip-roaring success - we overheard comments from other audience members thinking they were a professional group as they sounded so great. Side note, Xavier and Edan are now studying at the Conservatorium and have their own band called Dink, so they kind of are! Anyway, it was another fabulous opportunity for the students to experience playing in a live venue to a packed crowd.
Many thanks to Murray for going the extra mile once again to organise a great night.
Melissa, MEP Parent
Empowering women in Finance and Tech
On the 1st of September a group of our students attended a special conference on empowering women in finance and technology. The event brought together inspiring leaders from across the financial and tech industries to share their journeys, insights, and advice for the next generation. Students had the privilege of hearing from keynote speakers, including the CEO of Macquarie Bank. The conference highlighted the importance of diversity, resilience, and leadership, and gave our students the opportunity to engage directly with professionals driving change in global industries. Our students represented the school with maturity and enthusiasm, asking thoughtful questions and reflecting on how these themes connect to their own studies and aspirations.
Year 12 Geo Excursion
On the 4th September our Year 12 Geography students took part in an engaging excursion to the zoo as part of their fieldwork program. The day provided a unique opportunity to explore the links between tourism and global sustainability. Students investigated how modern zoos operate not only as popular tourist destinations but also as centres for education, research, and the conservation of global biodiversity. They examined the challenges and opportunities of balancing visitor experiences with ecological sustainability.
A highlight of the excursion was the fieldwork component, where students collected and recorded data to support their geographical inquiries. We are very proud to report that our students represented the school exceptionally well. Their behaviour was exemplary, and they participated enthusiastically in all activities. This excursion also marked the completion of their 12 hours of mandatory fieldwork for Geography, a key requirement of the Stage 6 course.
TAFE Open Day
On Friday 5th September, RBSC attended the TAFE NSW Design Centre Enmore (DCE) Open Day. One of the Southern Hemispheres largest creative industries institutions, DCE is a fantastic post school pathway for students who wish to continue in the creative field, and attain a Nationally Recongised Qualification.
Students participated in a a range of workshops including: jewellery making, fashion zip - lines, animation and web design, photography and prop making, which were facilitated by TAFE NSW Head Teachers.
If you are interested in DCE and would like to see what qualification within the creative industries they offer, you may read more here: https://www.tafensw.edu.au/specialty-schools/design-centre-enmore
V-Fest is coming!
Careers News
* Please find the School Leavers Handbook here
* Please click here for the latest Careers Bulletin
* Find information on University Open Days here
* Year 10 subject selection guide
Careers - Support for Parents
- Support Indicator Quiz - is your child thinking of pursuing an apprenticeship or traineeship and want to test your literacy and numeracy skills? Ask them to complete practice literary and numeracy tests here to find their strengths and areas for improvement
- Open Days 2025 - find all information about tertiary open days for 2025 here
- Work Experience Toolkit - download the electronic toolkit to read more about work experience and to support your child to find a host employer
- My Future - Parent Portal - access parent friendly career resources, including Career Bullseyes and creating a Career profile, to support career conversations around the home.
For information about TVET courses which may be offered in 2026, please read the TVET 2026 Course Guide
Fast Track
Homework Centre
The Homework Centre runs every Monday and Wednesday in the library from 3:00pm to 4:40 PM. This is a great opportunity for students to receive extra support with homework and assessments, with tutors available to provide guidance across various subjects.
We encourage all students to take advantage of this valuable resource to stay on top of their studies in a supportive environment.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Foster Carers needed
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NSW public schools offer high-quality, well-rounded education that provides a strong foundation for lifelong learning and success.
So for the best education money can't buy, choose Rose Bay Secondary College.
