Dear Parents, Students and Staff,

Welcome back everyone to the start of Term 2. This will be a particularly busy time for our Grade 12 students who must complete many internal assessments, the Extended Essay and the TOK essay. The International Baccalaureate Diploma is a demanding yet very rewarding learning experience that leaves students well set up for their future academic endeavours.

As a school we choose to celebrate the International Day of Failure because we believe in encouraging students to take risks and try.  People that are paralysed into inaction through the fear of possible failure are unlikely to reach their full potential. Paraphrasing Aristote:

“There is only one way to avoid failure, do nothing, say nothing and be nothing.”*

We want to nurture in students the capacity to endeavour, to reflect, to practice trial and error and develop the capacity to learn and grow. Hence the Failure Day celebrations.

We are in the middle of our annual enrolment process and have already tested large numbers of students. Please note that a few grades are at capacity.  Early enrolment will help avoid disappointment.

To our High School students, please reflect on the information given to you in your Progress Reports as an opportunity to both celebrate your successes and in the spirit of the International Day of Failure, reflect on what you can do and whom you can call on to support you in improving your performance. 

Finally, thank you to the PSG, OSIS and StuCo teams for their support of International Teachers’ Day and World Food Day. It was amazing to have PSG members in the school welcoming our teachers on the first day back and giving them treats. Similarly, our student leaders put on an incredible assembly showing their gratitude.

Have a great week.

Martin Blackbuirn

Executive Principal

• The original quotation substitutes the word “criticism.”