Junior School News
Head of Junior School
Opening night was sensational! Our very first hybrid production, The Little Mermaid Jr., brought together the entire Year 6 cohort, our talented Year 5 Cantilena singers, and a number of Senior School performers in an outstanding celebration of music, drama and teamwork.
This vibrant production showcased the incredible talents of our students across the years, with energetic performances, heartfelt storytelling and beautiful musical moments. It was a joy to see our Junior and Senior students collaborating so confidently and creatively.
A heartfelt thank you to our exceptionally talented and dedicated staff who brought this magical production to life. Their guidance, creativity and unwavering support made it all possible.
We also extend a very special thank you to our wonderful parents for their invaluable support, from creating stunning costumes to helping behind the scenes. Your contributions made all the difference.
Tickets are still available! Book them here. Don’t miss your chance to see this fabulous production – we’d love to see you there.
This is a friendly reminder that our very first Junior School Walkathon is coming up on Wednesday 25 June! We’re so excited for this fun in the Junior School.
Thank you to all our families for your generous contributions and support so far. Your involvement is truly appreciated and plays a big part in making this event a success. We are very grateful for the many generous donations we’ve received so far and it’s not too late to contribute. Please use the QR code below or follow this link.
We’re really looking forward to a happy day in the final week of term; it’s sure to be a highlight and you are welcome to attend.
Mrs Jessica Allard – Director of Teaching and Learning K-6
At Illawarra Grammar Junior School, we use a range of assessments to support and track each child’s learning journey. From Kindergarten onwards, teachers use both formative assessments, such as in-class observations and discussions, and summative assessments, including end-of-unit tasks and projects. This information is reflected in your the semester reports.
In addition to regular classroom assessments, we use MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) testing in Mathematics and Reading to monitor student growth. These results, alongside other internal assessments, help us form an accurate picture of each child’s learning needs and are used to inform teaching programs and targeted areas of focus. School reports are also shaped by this data to ensure they reflect both progress and achievement.
Junior School Semester 1 Reports are comprehensive and carefully prepared. They consider a wide range of assessment data, teacher observations, and student progress over time. Reports will be available to families in Week 9 on Tuesday 24 June.
We are pleased to share that the recent NAPLAN results reflect excellent growth across key areas, providing valuable insight into student learning and development. These results will be shared with families once they are released. Growth and achievement across the Junior School continue to be strong, reflecting the effectiveness of our teaching and the engagement of our learners.
While MAP testing continues throughout the year, and is an important source for teachers to analyse data to inform instruction and program development. Over time, we have found that an overemphasis on these scores can place unnecessary pressure on students and detract from the broader purpose of learning. Growth is not always linear, and at Illawarra Grammar, we work closely with students to maximise learning opportunities and support them in achieving their individual goals.
MAP results are available for families to access and if you would like to receive a copy please contact your child’s class teacher or the Junior School Office.
As always, we remain committed to using assessment data meaningfully and sensitively to guide our teaching and ensure every student has a personalised program and is challenged in their learning every day.
Although NAIDOC Week falls during the school holidays this year (7–14 July), we look forward to acknowledging and celebrating this important event when we return for Term III. NAIDOC Week is a time to recognise and honour the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We will be marking the occasion in meaningful ways as a Junior School community.
Monday 28 July – Junior School Athletics Carnival
Monday 4 August – Friday 8 August – Student Led Conferences
Monday 18 August – Friday 22 August – Book Week
Wednesday 3 September – Junior School Music Showcase
Thursday 4 September – Kindergarten Celebration of Learning
Thursday 4 September – P&F Father’s Day Stall
Friday 5 September – P&F Father’s Day Breakfast
Wednesday 10 September – Year 2 Celebration of Learning
Thursday 11 September – Year 3 Celebration of Learning
Thursday 11 September – Year 1 Celebration of Learning
Wednesday 17 September – Orchestra Promenade
Thursday 18 September – Year 6 Showcase of Learning
Tuesday 23 September – Year 5 Celebration of Learning
Wednesday 24 September – Year 4 Celebration of Learning
Senior School News
Head of Senior School
The School has recently received some concerns from our neighbours on Western Avenue, who have expressed their frustration regarding cars involved in the collection of students being parked across driveways in the mornings, and particularly during the afternoon pick-up. Traffic at these times can be heavy and the presence of buses and students crossing the road to enter School require care and consideration from all to ensure we avoid accidents and protect our young people.
If you are collecting or dropping off your son/daughter please be mindful of our neighbours and park considerately, avoiding the area immediately in front of the old Uniform Shop which is strictly reserved for buses collecting students, as well as the Western Ave car park which is reserved for staff parking. Please be advised that the preferred and safer pick up location for Senior School students is the IGC car park, entered via Powell St.
Thank you for your understanding and kind assistance in this regard.
Each year the School Production is among the largest and most popular events on the Senior School calendar and this year’s production of The Little Mermaid Jr. has been no different. It has been a joy to see the way our Junior and Senior School students have worked together over recent months as they have honed their routines, perfected their delivery and contributed hundreds of hours to performances that have been delighting members of the Illawarra Grammar community immensely in performances this week.
I am told that there is still a small number of tickets available for the remaining performances so, if you haven’t already purchased a ticket or attended a performance, I thoroughly commend this opportunity to you. Book your tickets here.
I would like to close with a word of gratitude to the Illawarra Grammar staff who go above and beyond in their commitment to ensuring each year’s production is so successful. The fruit of the long evenings and weekends of rehearsals and preparation is so evident in the nightly performances that have taken place thus far and they are so greatly appreciated by our community. Thank you, and well done indeed.
Mr Chris Breheny – Head of Academics
A reminder that the final Parent Teacher Interview evening will be held in the Goodhew Library from 3.30pm – 7.00pm on the following date:
- Year 8 – Tuesday 22 July (Week 1 Term III)
Parents/guardians of students in Years 8 will have the option of selecting either 5 minute or 10 minute appointments. Students are strongly encouraged to attend with their parents/guardians and are expected to wear full school uniform.
You will have received an email from School with your unique login details. Once this has been received, you will be required to follow the following steps to login to the booking system:
- Log in to the TIGS Portal https://portal.tigs.nsw.edu.au/
- Click on the Booked Icon
- Click the Senior School Booked Icon
- Enter unique login details from the email
Please note that the system will be accessible from 5.00pm on the day the email is sent until 10.00am on the day of the Parent Teacher Interview evening.
You will be guided through the remaining steps after login. Please note the following points:
- Bookings are made for individual parents/guardians, not for couples. If two parents/guardians wish to attend a single timeslot, one parent/guardian should make the booking, and both parents can attend that timeslot.
- Booked prevents double-booking of teachers or parents/guardians. You will only see timeslots that are available.
- Please ensure that you confirm your bookings by clicking on the green plus ( + ) sign to the right of the time selection window.
- Once you have made your bookings, you can print the details.
- You can log in and change bookings any time up to 10am on the day of the interviews.
- If you see this symbol ( ! ) displayed alongside the class name, it means this teacher recommends that you book an interview.
- Other parents may be making bookings while you are using the system. It is possible, though unlikely, that a timeslot is displayed to you as available but is then booked by another parent. If you attempt to book this time slot, it will not be available and a message will be displayed to indicate this.
If you are unable to attend your evening/s or find suitable timeslots, please contact the School to arrange an alternative time to speak with your child’s teacher/s.
If you have any problems or questions, please contact Mrs Kerrie Sheldon via email at ksheldon@tigs.nsw.edu.au
For current Year 8 students and families, we will be holding the Year 9, 2026 Subject Selection event on the evening of Thursday 24 July at 5.30pm. This event will take place in the IGC. I will be in touch after the School holidays to provide families with a digital copy of the Stage 5 Subject Selection Guide and you will also be provided with a physical copy of this book on arrival at the event.
In Years 9 and 10, students continue to learn core subjects such as English, Maths and Science but have the opportunity to select two additional elective courses that align with their passions and interests. The Subject Selection Guide will provide plenty of details to help students make an informed decision regarding the Stage 5 courses they would wish to study
To further assist decision making, Mr Breheny (Head of Academics) will make a brief presentation which will be followed by an opportunity to talk to a number of our teaching staff, representing each of the Stage 5 elective subjects on offer.
Should you have any questions ahead of the event, please contact Mr Breheny, or speak with Mrs Egan, Dean of Year 8.
Cambridge IGCSE Global Perspectives and Coordinated Sciences
Applications are invited from Year 8 students interested in studying the Cambridge IGCSE Global Perspectives and Coordinated Sciences courses during Years 9 and 10 (2026-27). These courses are suited to students who have excelled in their studies of Geography and Science during Years 7 and 8, and who are looking for an additional academic challenge.
Illawarra Grammar is offering the Cambridge IGCSE Global Perspectives course for the first time in 2026. It equips students with the skills necessary to think about significant global issues from a range of perspectives. Learning focuses on developing capabilities in research, critical thinking, communication, evaluation, collaboration and reflection. A large component of Global Perspectives involves students undertaking self-directed research projects into a global issue of their choosing; one is completed independently, and another is undertaken collaboratively with peers. Students studying the Global Perspectives course will complete an accelerated program of the mandatory Stage 5 NSW Geography curriculum during Year 9 before commencing Global Perspectives in Year 10.
The Cambridge IGCSE Coordinated Sciences course provides a rigorous curriculum that explores scientific concepts with considerable intellectual depth and complexity. It will be taught to selected students throughout Year 9 and Year 10, and involves a deeper and more rigorous study of Physics, Chemistry and Biology than the NSW Stage 5 Science curriculum. The course will be timetabled as a regular Science lesson and is programmed to concurrently address the NSW Stage 5 Science curriculum to ensure that students satisfy all the mandatory NESA content and syllabus outcomes.
Entering these courses in Year 9 involves a two-year commitment. At the end of these courses, students sit the internationally recognised IGCSE examination.
If your son or daughter in Year 8 is interested in applying to study either or both courses, they should select them when choosing their Year 9 courses in early Term III. Further information will be provided at the Year 9 Subject Selection Evening on 24 July 2025. In the meantime, questions can be directed to the Director of Studies, Dr Michael Molkentin, via email at mmolkentin@tigs.nsw.edu.au.
Well done to all senior students who have made use of the Library for study or to receive support from one of our tutors on Saturdays during Term II. The final opportunity to attend will be Saturday 21 June, with the Library resuming Saturday hours from Week 1 of Term III, Saturday 26 July.
Date: Thursday 5 June 2025
Location: Kerryn McCann Athletic Centre
The Senior School Athletics Carnival was a fantastic day of competition and School spirit. With the wind holding off, students enjoyed ideal conditions as they took part in events including javelin, shot put, high jump, discus and more.
Congratulations to Kogara, the winning House.
A special congratulations goes to our record breakers:
- Zali Rose McIlwraith (13G) – Shot Put – 8.77m
- Emma Denley (16G) – Long Jump – 4.70m
A big thank you to our Year 12 students who ran a BBQ throughout the day, raising funds for their chosen charity, The Water Gift – a wonderful display of leadership and service.
Finally, congratulations to all students for their effort, enthusiasm and sportsmanship, and thank you to staff for supporting such a successful day.
Age Champions for the day were as follows:
Mr Chris Breheny – Head of Academics
This term, students will receive their Half Yearly Reports, which provide a valuable snapshot of their academic progress so far this year. These reports are designed to offer meaningful insights into each student’s current achievements, highlight areas presenting the greatest opportunities for growth, and reflect their broader contribution to the life of the School.
At Illawarra Grammar, we believe that reporting is not merely a record of past performance, but an important part of the learning process. Reports help students develop self-awareness and agency by identifying their strengths and areas for improvement. For families, they serve as a platform for meaningful conversations about learning, study habits, and personal goals. Importantly, they also enable teachers to continue shaping instruction and support based on each student’s evolving learning needs.
Please note that Half Yearly Reports will be accessible at 5.00pm on OLLE on the following dates:
- Year 11 – Friday 23 May
- Year 10 – Friday 30 May
- Year 7 – Friday 6 June
- Year 9 – Friday 13 June
- Year 8 – Friday 20 June
To access reports via OLLE, please follow the steps below:
- Log in to OLLE via the TIGS Portal under the Parent tab.
- In the My Students section, click the three dots next to your child’s name and select Academic Reports.
- Alternatively, click on your child’s name and then select the Academic Reports button.
We know it’s not always easy to meet other parents, so we thought we’d organise a very casual get-together – just a chance to say hi, have a chat, and put some faces to names.
🍷 Drop in anytime from 7.00pm, Friday 8 August 2025 for a drink, some nibbles, or just a quick hello!
📍 North Bar, Novotel Wollongong
We’re your Year 9 parent reps – Naz, Helen, Tania and Esther – and we’d love to see as many of you there as possible. Hope to see you then!
General School News
TIGS Foundation is raising money for the new Hoskins Building with a ‘Take a Seat’ campaign, offering parents or grandparents the chance to purchase the naming rights of a chair in the Lecture Theatre.
Learn more here.
Thank you to the families who have already contributed in this way. For generations to come, students will appreciate the legacy of those who contributed, seeing their names proudly displayed on the Lecture Theatre chairs.
Dive under the sea with us for our annual School Production. This year our cast includes Junior and Senior School members, as we present The Little Mermaid Jr., a much loved musical adaption of the Disney classic.
Remaining performance details:
- Friday 20 June 2025 – 6.30pm
- Saturday 21 June 2025 – 1.00pm and 6.30pm
Mrs Naomi Sullivan – Head of Academic and Pastoral Care
On 4 August 2025, we will host a webinar for all Illawarra Grammar parents, led by youth expert, David Kobler. It will cover some of the biggest challenges facing young people today: sexting, pornography, consent, relationships and more.
Brave Conversations will show parents how to turn taboo topics into everyday conversations with confindence.
The 75 minute webinar will start at 7.00pm and will cover:
- Powerful research and information on loneliness
- The impact of societal influences like social media, pornography and sexting
- Practical tools for parents to empower their children when it comes to topics like consent, sexual-decision making and respectful relationships.
About the Presenter:
David Kobler is a leading youth expert who has been delivering Respectful Relationship Education to young people for over a decade. Alongside his wife, Katie, and their team at YourChoicez, they have spoke to over 300,000 students worldwide on topics like pornography, sexting, sexual-decision making, consent and more.
The Perm-A-Pleat Uniform Shop will operate during the winter school holidays, continuing with its regular trading hours:
- Tuesday: 8.00am – 12.30pm
- Wednesday: 1.00pm – 5.30pm
- Thursday: 10.00am – 6.00pm
- Saturday: 9.00am – 1.00pm
New Perm-A-Pleat shop details:
Address: 2 Marshall Road, Dapto NSW 2530
Phone: (02) 7259 9200
Email: dapto.retail@permapleat.com.au
The Second-Hand Uniform Shop near the Western Ave car park will be open during the following times:
- Thursday 17 July: 9.00am – 10.00am
- Saturday 19 July: 12.00pm – 1.00pm
You are warmly invited to join us for our Term III Prayer Breakfast.
Date: Tuesday 5 August
Time: 7.30am – 8.20am
Location: Goodhew Library
The morning is an opportunity to gather in prayer for our School community: students, teachers, staff and more.
Our aim is to make the occasion as accessible and approachable for all. We use set prayers, prayers spoken on behalf of others, and for those who are comfortable there will be opportunities to pray off-the-cuff in small groups.
Breakfast and child supervision will be available. We would love for you to be part of it.
Student Voice
Production: Interview with Ursula – Joanna Miller and Jax Turner, Year 7 Students
This week Jojo Miller and Jax Turner caught up with one of The Little Mermaid Jr. stars, Sophia Murrie, for an interview about her experience as one of the leading cast members in our production. She shares her personal experience in acting as Ursula:
What does the preparation for a lead role in the School Production look like?
The Production process is fun and stressful. As a person who loves doing musical theatre and dance, I really enjoy it. I think I’m on top of everything, and although there are always some challenges, the stress and nerves are a bit of what makes performing a production, a production!
What were your favourite and most memorable moments?
I really enjoyed finding out I got a lead role. After going through all the auditions, it was amazing to figure out that I was a lead. Additionally, I can’t wait to perform as there has been so much work put into the production and it’ll be really exciting to be Ursula. I can’t wait to sing the songs on stage – they are the best part of the dancing/singing/acting mashup.
I also think that the community and the cast are amazing, and I’ve met so many new friends from different year groups and bonded with many different people. The students playing Flotsam and Jetsam (Hi, Georgia!) have been particularly supportive of me, and I have really enjoyed meeting them and becoming good friends.
But probably my favourite part of all was finally, seeing my costume – it is so cool!
What were some of the challenges you have encountered during the production process?:
Probably remembering what the focus of the last rehearsal was and remembering what I need to improve on. At the first few rehearsals it was a little scary. I am feeling a little nervous coming up to the production and singing in front of people. However, it is a very supportive community to be around and I know they’ll have my back.
What is your favourite scene or act in the show?:
‘Poor Unfortunate Souls’ – but I’m really looking forward to doing the whole Production! The bows are really fun too, I’m really looking forward to doing those as everyone claps along.
Are you planning to continue participating in future Productions?
I’m planning to continue performing in our School Productions, going for big roles, and just being in the ensembles as much as possible. I think I’ll always try for big roles, even if I don’t get them, as the ensembles are just as important. It has been a really great experience, and everyone has been so supportive even throughout the challenges and hurdles we’ve had to get over. You want everyone to do their part and do well and its wonderful to see everything finally coming together.
You can catch Sophia playing Ursula in The Little Mermaid Jr. THIS weekend if you have booked tickets. We are all looking forward to seeing Sophia acting as the evil Ursula!
Caitlin Mitchell, Year 8 Student
Over the semester, Year 8 students have brought culture to life through clay, colour and creativity in Visual Culture, an exciting new elective that blends hands on art making with cultural meaning. Year 7s could this be the perfect subject for you next year?
To provide insight, I interviewed Laura Hernandez, one of our talented students from the elective.
- What is Visual Culture about?
Visual culture is all about making art whilst learning about its cultural connections. In this subject, a lot of time is spent creating; a big part of these creative focuses are very hands-on, like drawing, sketching, shaping clay and painting.
- What project are you working on in Visual Culture?
Our most recent completed project was on Reshaping Traditions. This project focused on the use of clay to create ceramic pieces inspired by traditional blue and white pottery. In class, we practised many techniques like shaping clay, underglazing and using cobalt carbonate glaze to paint our own ceramic pieces. Furthermore, we’ve looked at how cobalt blue ceramic designs have been interpreted in different cultures, becoming a key part of ceramic traditions in many societies. As well as this, we have looked into the artist Gerry Wedd, who uses traditional cobalt pieces as inspiration for modernised cobalt ceramic creations.
- What is something intriguing that you have learnt so far in this elective?
One of the most interesting things I’ve learned is how to shape and work with clay. Each step of the project like shaping, smoothing, painting and firing was a new and even more exciting way to learn about how to create ceramics, which helped me appreciate the amount of care and creativity put into ceramic works.
- What is the most challenging aspect of this elective?
What I would say is the most challenging part of Visual Culture so far has been creating my ceramic vessel. It takes time to learn how to properly sculpt clay, but after some practice, it became easier.
- What advice would you give to Year 7 students who are interested in doing Visual Culture for their elective in Year 8?
If you enjoy being creative, then Visual Culture is a great choice. My advice would be to give everything a go, even if you’ve never worked with clay or paint before. It’s a fun and hands-on subject that I really enjoy, and you’ll learn a lot of new skills along the way. Ultimately, I highly recommend Visual Culture to anyone with an interest in creative expression and art making.
Jemima Hemmes and Lucy Bernie – Year 11 Students
At Illawarra Grammar one of the pillars of our Colonnade Model is Cocurricular Opportunities. As part of this, our School offers various lunchtime and recess cocurricular activities for students to get involved with throughout the week such as Culture Club, Drama Club and Student Christian Group (SCG). Each offers a unique opportunity to develop new skills, as well as connect and collaborate with a vast range of students from Years 7–11.
Culture Club is hosted by the Year 11 Language Captains, Year 9 student Antonio, and members of the Languages Department during Wednesday lunchtimes. Students are involved in activities such as origami, games from around the world and trying different snacks from various cultures.
Drama Club, is run on Wednesday lunchtimes by Mr Trennery. It is a fun and engaging way for students to try out something new at Illawarra Grammar and build new skills and friendships. Students play a variety of different Theatresports games and the improvisation helps to build confidence, quick thinking, problem solving and teamwork that can be applied both on and off stage. It is also a great way for students from different year groups to form friendships, as bonds are quickly formed over the fear and then immense accomplishment that comes from performing on the spot with other people.
Student Christian Groups (SCGs) are a Bible study that is held across different lunches according to your respective year group and run by different members of the Chaplaincy team. In these, students, from different backgrounds with faith, discuss different Bible teachings and their relevance to the real world, as well as the context of the time in which they were being taught. SCGs are an opportunity for students to share their understanding and to open their minds to different points of view. It is easy to feel apprehensive about attending an SCG, but it is a judgement-free space to question faith, God and your place in the world, and even find comfort in your peers questioning and gain some insight from the teacher running the group.
For more information on any of these cocurricular activities, or any others offered, there is a cocurricular page on OLLE.