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From the
Principal’s Desk

Dr Julie Greenhalgh
BSc. BAppSc. DipEd. DipMgt. MEd. EdD

Welcome to Term IV

We warmly welcome the new families who have joined Illawarra Grammar this term. We are delighted to have you in our school community, and hope that you and your children soon feel connected to the School.

We also welcome several staff members to the School:

  • Mr Keiran Wallace who is the Director of our Podium Program. Mr Wallace will also be teaching Geography in the Senior School
  • Mrs Lisa Parker who will be looking after 5D while Mrs Duncan is on Long Service leave
  • Miss Savanna Haddow who will be looking after KC while Mrs Cook is on personal leave.

Mrs Lisa Hughes will also be the Acting Head of Academic and Pastoral Care in the Senior School while Mrs Sullivan is on Long Service leave. Mr Tome and Mr Wilson will also be enjoying a term of parental leave with their newborn children.

We also welcome back Mrs Avery and Mr Carroll from their periods of leave.

Last Term

Several special events were held at the very end of last term, all culminating in a wonderful way to conclude a busy 10 weeks.

Firstly, the Year 6 Celebration of Learning saw the first official event involving the new Hoskins handball courts and courtyard. It was a joy to see students and parents mingling together in these spaces as well as in the impressive adjacent classrooms. Thank you to the P and F for providing the afternoon tea as well as a handball for each Year 6 student. Photos from the event can be viewed on OLLE.

Secondly, our Class of 2026 graduated in a beautiful way on Wednesday 23 September. At the Graduation Assembly, we welcomed back Mr John Weeks OAM, former Headmaster of Illawarra Grammar, as our guest speaker. Assembly was followed by the Valete Dinner that evening at which Year 12 Mentors “marked the roll” for the last time. Year 12 Dean, Ms Lokys, also spoke poignantly about the metaphorical mountain that has been climbed so well by this year group. Photos from both events can be found on the Year 12 OLLE page.

And on the last night of the term, Year 10 celebrated the end of their Stage 5 studies with their Formal. With the boys looking very debonair and the girls looking very elegant, these students enjoyed a night of speeches, awards and dancing. (The girls’ shoes seemed to be discarded under the tables very quickly, once the dancing music commenced!). More photos can be viewed on the Year 10 OLLE page.

Next Strategic Plan – Parent Consultation Meetings

For the past two to three years, the School has been operating under the Strategic Plan, Educating for the Future. Happily, this Plan has been completed ahead of schedule, so we are now in the planning stage for the next Strategic Plan.

As a result, I would like to invite any interested parents to attend a consultation meeting on any of the following dates, in the Lecture Theatre. Please bring your ideas to the meeting. I am particularly keen to hear what aspects of the School are working well, and which aspects of the School could do with some improvement. Each meeting will run for an hour.

  • 28 October: 5.00 – 6.00 pm (before the P&F Meeting)
  • 29 October: 12.15 – 1.15 pm (before Junior School Assembly)
  • 4 November: 5.00 – 6.00 pm

Please RSVP here.

Similar opportunities for feedback will be provided for staff and students.

First Cambridge Exam

This week, some of our Year 10 students sat Illawarra Grammar’s first ever IGSCE Cambridge exam. These students have been completing the Co-Ordinated Science subject over the past two years and will receive an IGSCE qualification following successful completion of the exam. We are the only Cambridge International School south of Sydney and one of only a handful in Australia.

Sport Uniform Design

As part of the new uniform launch in 2027, we are now ready to share the sport uniform design which will be worn by all students at the relevant times, from Pre-K to Year 12.

New sports uniform items will include socks, shorts, track pants, jumper and jacket for boys and girls. They will be available for sale during the back-to-school January trading days, which will be advertised in a future newsletter. We are confident that this new sports uniform will provide durability, flexibility and warmth for our students, Please see below image.

More information about the uniform transition can be found here.

Update to Social Media and Student Photo Approach

In response to a desire to strengthen student privacy, current eSafety guidance and the broader shift towards more considered use of student imagery, the School has been undertaking a review of how photographs and video of students are captured, stored and shared.

From 2027, the following changes will apply:

Photo consent: Parents will be asked each year via Consent2Go to opt in to the external use of their child’s image. This replaces the current opt-out model. If the annual form is not completed, a student’s image will not be used on the School’s website, social media or promotional materials. Parents wishing to update their preferences before 2027 can email enrolments@tigs.nsw.edu.au.

Newsletter moves to internal audience only: The newsletter will no longer be sent via email and will only be available on OLLE to students, parents and staff who are logged in. It will remain the primary source of School news and events, and will now be where we share student success and achievements.

Reduced social media sharing: Images shared on social media will primarily feature group shots or students photographed from the side or behind. While some students may still be identifiable, these approaches help reduce the risk of images being misused by AI. Only students’ first names will be used. Many student achievements previously shared on social media will instead be celebrated through the newsletter.

Parents and carers taking and sharing photos: Parents and carers should only photograph their own child/ren. Images that incidentally include other students should not be shared and should be deleted. Images of students should not be shared via private messaging groups, and screenshots of student images from OLLE or the newsletter should not be distributed.

Increased student agency: Students will be able to access information through OLLE about image consent. Students may withdraw consent to having their image shared externally at any time, even where parental permission has been provided. Parents will be notified of any changes made.

Student images used for external purposes: Please note that this approach does not mean student images will never be used externally. Student images may still appear on the School website, social media channels and other promotional materials, but only where explicit consent has been provided.

These changes seek to strike a balance between celebrating student life and protecting student privacy. We remain committed to sharing the many achievements, successes and highlights from the lives of our students, while taking a more considered approach to managing students’ digital footprints in an evolving online environment.

Vale Miss Kathleen McCredie AM (1928–2026)

The Illawarra Grammar School community is saddened to learn of the passing of Miss Kathleen McCredie AM, a significant figure in the history of education in the Illawarra and in the story of our School.

At just 26 years of age, Miss McCredie was appointed the foundation Headmistress of SCEGGS Wollongong in 1954, becoming one of the youngest headmistresses in Australia. When the School opened at Gleniffer Brae in 1955, she led a community of six staff and 78 students.

Miss McCredie served as Headmistress of SCEGGS Wollongong until 1970, helping establish and shape the school whose students would later become part of The Illawarra Grammar School community following the amalgamation of the two schools.

Her contribution to education extended well beyond the Illawarra and she was later appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for her service to education.

Her contribution to our School’s history has also been recognised through the naming of the McCredie Building in her honour, ensuring her legacy remains part of the Illawarra Grammar story. Her portrait hangs in the foyer of the building.

We remember Miss McCredie with gratitude for her leadership, her commitment to education and the lasting contribution she made to generations of students.

Our thoughts are with her family, friends, former colleagues and students.

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Junior School News

Mrs Jessica Ford
Head of Junior School

Welcome back to Term IV. It promises to be a busy and exciting term, with many opportunities for learning, celebration and growth across the Junior School. There is much to look forward to in the weeks ahead; our Stage 2 and Stage 3 Camps, preparations for the K-2 Christmas Pageant, excursions and sporting events, including CASA Gala Days.

While we remain focused on making the most of this year, we are also preparing for 2027. Readiness programs play an important role in helping students feel confident and supported as they prepare for the year ahead, whether they are starting Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, moving to a new stage of learning, or preparing for the transition to Senior School.

We look forward to a wonderful Term IV and all that our students will achieve in the weeks ahead.

GATEway8
Year 7 2028 Scholarships
Gratitude for our Staff
Upcoming Significant Events
Key Term IV Dates
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Senior School News

Mr Paul Vickers
Head of Senior School

On Tuesday the 2027 Student Leadership Induction Ceremony formally commissioned the students who will serve as the Senior School leaders in 2027. The ceremony recognised a broad group of Year 11 Captains and members of the expanded Year 12 Prefect Body, reflecting the School’s commitment to developing leadership through teamwork, service and shared responsibility.

In addressing the gathering, the newly inducted Head Prefects, Georgia Agnew and Leon Do, encouraged students to make the most of the many opportunities available at Illawarra Grammar. They reflected on the richness of school life and challenged students to become involved, try new experiences and embrace opportunities in academics, sport, service, the arts and cocurricular activities. Their message was clear: growth comes when students are willing to step forward, take chances and fully engage in the life of the School.

The speech concluded with an encouragement to “seize the day” and not fear the opportunities left unexplored. It was a fitting reminder that the Illawarra Grammar experience is shaped not only by achievement, but by a willingness to participate, serve others and discover new passions. As our 2027 Student Leadership Team begins its work, we look forward to seeing them model this spirit and inspire others to make the most of every opportunity before them. Please view the list of leaders below.

Student Leaders for 2027
The Rev Bosanquet Scholarship – Applications Open
Yearly Reports, Yearly Exams, and ICAS Results
NSW All Schools Athletics Championships 
da Vinci Decathlon 2027
Duke of Edinburgh
Yr 12 2027 Next Steps Careers Lessons
2027 HSC Parent Information
Key Dates
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General School News

Term IV Music Academy Concerts
P&F Meeting – 28 October
Back to TIGS (Alumni Event)
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Dates For Your Diary

27 October

Senior Ensemble Showcase
IGC
5.30pm – 6.45pm

28 October

Strategic Plan – Parent Consultation Meeting
Hoskins Lecture Theatre
5.00 – 6.00 pm
P&F General Meeting
Goodhew Library
6.00pm – 8.00pm

29 October

Strategic Plan – Parent Consultation Meeting
Hoskins Lecture Theatre
12.15pm – 1.15pm

31 October

Back to TIGS Day – Alumni Event

10.00am to 12.00pm
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The Son is the image of the invisible God.

Col. 1:15

Why can’t I see God? It’s a question children ask. This Friday in Junior School Chapel, we’ll explore it through I Can’t Believe My Eyes! by Josh Cooley. In the story, a boy wonders whether God can be real if we cannot see him. His dad takes him kite flying and points to the wind. We can’t see the wind itself, but we can see what it does: leaves move, branches sway, and a kite lifts into the sky. In a similar way, the Bible says that although God is invisible, his fingerprints are all around us; in the world he has made, in his Word, and most clearly in Jesus. Sometimes seeing begins by learning what to look for.
Rev Dave Binggeli
Chaplain
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