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High Notes, Vol 27 No 19, June 26 2026

From the Principal

High Talent

Well done to our U19 Epee Teams at the NSWSFL event that concluded on Saturday 20 June 2026:

Our U19 A Team came 1st with Gold, and our U19 B Team came in 2nd with Silver.

The Team Members Are:

• U19 A Team: Ben Wu 12F, Hudson Cai 12M, Daniel Zhu 11R, Oscar Li 10M.
• U19 B Team: Lucas Wang 12R, Jiekai Miao 11E, Andrew Gu 11E, Daxton Sor 10M.

Congratulations to the cadets on their passing out parade on Tuesday 23 June 2026. Congratulations Delbert Zou, Benjamin Dang and George Mermelas for their six years of service.

Interpreting Year 10 Reports – Semester 1

Semester 1 reports have now been issued to Year 10 boys following consultation with the Principal.

Year 10 is a key year. It is a time to test electives and begin to shape Stage 6 choices.

Some courses confirm genuine interest. Others confirm what students will not pursue.

Above all, electives should be chosen because the student enjoys the content and the work.

Parents should note that the method for calculating rank order in Year 10 has changed. High Distinctions and Credits are no longer combined into a single score. Instead, we use the individual marks provided by teachers. PDHPE is included as 30% of a two-unit subject.

This reflects its four-period structure and practical assessment in Year 10. PASS continues to be calculated in the usual way. Students who are strong in PDHPE and who elect PASS may see an advantage in their ranking.

Rank movement between Year 9 and Year 10 can be significant. There are several reasons. Students take on additional electives. These do not need to include History or Geography. Over 50 boys are also accelerating in Stage 6 courses. These are assessed against more demanding criteria. At times, students overcommit to these courses. This can impact performance in other subjects and affect overall rank and ATAR estimates. Some Stage 5 electives, such as Commerce, Robotics and Filmmaking, include elements of Stage 6 content. The Online Elective is calculated differently. As a mastery-based course, it is reported as the average of a student’s other results. This can either lift or reduce a student’s rank.

Science is delivered in modules—Chemistry, Biology and Physics. Engagement can vary across these areas. Some students are more invested in one module than another. In some cases, students disengage from subjects they do not intend to continue in Year 11. This may include electives chosen for interest but no longer valued, or courses in which engagement has declined.

When reviewing the report, please consider these factors:

• Speak with your son about his three electives.
• Ask how he is engaging.
• Ask whether he is enjoying them.
• Ask how they are informing his Stage 6 selections.
• Also review his Learning Behaviours profile.

This provides a clear view of how his teachers are seeing his engagement across subjects.
George Barris
Relieving Principal