Jottings

A visit from Associate Professor Krishna Kathir

In June the School welcomed Old Sydneian Associate Professor Krishna Kathir (OS 1989) for a visit. Accompanied by his family, he toured the School with Ms Rita Fin and Mr Johnathan Redenbach. Of particular interest were the honour boards in Big School, as Associate Professor Kathir has the rare accomplishment of featuring on four of them, an achievement shared with only twenty-three other pupils throughout the School’s history. The School warmly welcomes Old Sydneians back for tours, reunions, and School events.

Pictured: Ms Rita Fin with Associate Professor Krishna Kathir and his family

Two Cities, Two Tales

Earlier this year, twenty-six boys in cast and crew took to the stage for St Ives Preparatory School’s 2025 drama production: Two Cities, Two Tales. The first tale explored the story of a map-obsessed emperor in feudal Japan, while the second re-imagined Nurseryland in a noir investigation into the great fall of Humpty Dumpty. Clever, creative, and full of character, both performances showcased the boys’ talent, teamwork, and flair for storytelling. Congratulations to the cast and crew for their outstanding efforts, and sincere thanks to Ms Grelis, Ms Wheatley, and all staff and parents who helped bring the production to life.

Decoding the Universe at Edgecliff

This year’s Science Week theme, “Decoding the Universe”, invited us to look for the hidden patterns and almost secret language of nature. At Edgecliff, we expanded this theme to embrace not only the mysteries of the cosmos but also the frontiers of artificial intelligence, technology, and our solar system.

For the younger boys, this exploration began with imagination and paintbrushes. Infants created their own ‘newly discovered planets’, transforming styrofoam spheres into alien worlds. Some planets boasted unusual gravity or extreme weather; others were less conventional. Planets made entirely of fruit, worlds ruled by cats, or fiery volcanic exoplanets. Each creation was accompanied by a short imaginative narrative and over 133 votes were cast at lunchtime to decide the most popular discoveries. (Rumour has it the fruit planet was quite a-peeling!)

Primary pupils focused on scientific communication, producing information posters that revealed impressive growth in their writing and research skills. Many delved into black holes, stars, and planetary science, while others turned their attention to computing and coding. Their presentations demonstrated not only knowledge but also a genuine curiosity.

The highlight of the week was undoubtedly the Year 5 and 6 Science Fair. The School Hall was transformed into an alien landscape, with boys proudly presenting experiments, models, and intricate design blueprints. Their ability to speak confidently with judges, explain methodologies, and campaign for the People’s Choice Award reflected a maturity beyond the classroom.

Watching the boys step into independently driven projects, pursuing questions that fascinated them and working quietly in their own time, was profoundly rewarding. In their creativity, persistence, and willingness to explore beyond the curriculum, they captured the true spirit of Science Week: ‘curiosity and innovation’, boldly decoding the universe one idea at a time.

Budding economists

A team of Form VI Economics pupils represented the School in the finals of the inaugural NSW Monetary Policy Challenge. The competition was the brain child of Gabriel Song (V), who went to market, landing Citi as a sponsor and host for the final. The Grammar team presented a well-researched recommendation advocating for a 0.25 basis point decrease to the Reserve Bank of Australia’s Cash Rate at the May board meeting. The boys received high praise but ultimately missed out on first place in a closely contested competition.

Pictured: L-R: Sammy Nolan, Lachlan Lai, Gabriel Song, Jacob Callaway, Kyan Conners and Rhys Evans

History scholarship

Congratulations to Benji Loh (V) on receiving the prestigious Premier’s Anzac Memorial Scholarship for 2025. This distinguished Australian history scholarship recognises pupils who have demonstrated a strong interest in Australia’s military history as well as contributing to both their school and the broader community. As part of the scholarship programme, Benji will participate in an educational tour of the Republic of Korea and Singapore, with a focus on Australia’s involvement in the Korean War and the Second World War.

Pictured: Scholarship winners with Benji Loh (V) middle row, second from right

A taste of Chinese culture

During Term III, Form II and III boys embarked on a culinary adventure in Sydney’s Chinatown. Yum Cha, which means “drink tea” in Cantonese, is rooted in southern Chinese culture and centres around sharing dim sum dishes while enjoying Chinese tea. The boys sampled a variety of dishes including har gau (shrimp dumplings), siu mai (pork and shrimp dumplings), BBQ pork buns, and traditional desserts like egg tarts and melaleuca cake.

Future Leaders of Gender Equality

Sydney Grammar School’s Future Leaders of Gender Equality (FLGE) kicked off their interschool calendar with two dynamic and thought-provoking events, welcoming pupils from over ten schools across the Sydney metropolitan area.

The first event featured a keynote address by Ms Lucinda Barlow, global marketing leader at Uber, who spoke insightfully on the theme of leadership. Her address sparked engaging breakout sessions where pupils explored leadership, diversity, and gender equality through personal reflection and group discussion. The afternoon fostered meaningful dialogue and connection, leaving attendees inspired and empowered.

Building on this momentum, FLGE hosted their second interschool event on Monday 15 September, welcoming Ms Sandra Hu, Program Director of STEM-Health at the Champions of Change Coalition. Ms Hu led a compelling discussion on gender equality in STEM, highlighting the systemic pipeline of inequality – from high school subject selection to workplace culture. Pupils examined how these barriers can be dismantled and what role they can play in shaping a more inclusive future.

FLGE extends its sincere thanks to Ms Barlow and Ms Hu, as well as the participating pupils, teachers and school staff, for contributing to two afternoons of rich learning and collaboration. These events exemplify FLGE’s commitment to embedding gender equality into leadership and education.

Pictured: Future leaders with Ms Lucinda Barlow, and inset Ms Sandra Hu

St Vincent’s Clinical School visit

On Thursday 28 August, fourteen Form VI boys had the privilege of visiting the University of New South Wales St Vincent’s Clinical School. The boys were there for a hands-on experience of what it is like to be a medical doctor. The visit began with a Q and A with medical students and a senior doctor: initially daunting, but the boys soon warmed up. After this introduction, everyone got involved in roleplay scenarios, doctorly classics such as taking blood pressure and checking reflexes. This was also a great forum for informal chats with their young instructors who generously shared their journeys. The real highlight, however, was the final collective activity, where pairs of boys took turns plastering a ‘broken’ arm and being a hapless patient.

All in all, our boys had a marvellous time, while gaining meaningful insights into the medical profession. Many thanks go to the Clinical School’s students and facilitators for providing such a rewarding experience.

International Linguistics Olympiad

Four boys in Form VI were selected to represent Australia in the International Linguistics Olympiad, held at the Taipei National University from 20 – 26 July. Forty-six countries were involved, and it was an intense competition with individual papers of six hours duration and team competitions going for four hours – both without any breaks. The boys were accompanied by Ms Rita Fin who reports that for their first international competition they did well to keep pace with the incredibly high standards. The boys were quite adventurous, tasting everything on show in each banquet and on one occasion, being brave enough to try “Stinky tofu” – an acquired taste we all agreed!

Theatresports House Cup 2025

The final Monday of Term II was bursting with energy and creativity as pupils gathered for the third annual Theatresports House Cup. The evening was a celebration of quick wit and improvisational brilliance, hosted with flair by Billy Sammut (VI) and Asher Binetter (VI), and elevated by the musical talents of Harry Awad (VI).

In a fierce and funny showdown, KAS House dazzled the audience and claimed victory, snatching the cup from last year’s champions, DBD House. A standout performance by Rohan Murphy (IV) earned him the coveted MVP title for the night.

We also bid a fond farewell to our Senior Theatresports team – Theo Walsh, Lachlan Busic, James Young, Billy Sammut and Asher Binetter (all VI) – whose leadership and maturity have inspired a new generation of performers.

Beyond Grammar Speaker Series

St Ives Grammar Life is an extracurricular programme launched at the start of this year, which is focused on offering boys opportunities to explore their interests, develop new skills and engage with expert-led experiences across sport, arts and STEM subjects.

As part of this programme, the inaugural Beyond Grammar Speaker Series event was held at the School. This event brought the School community together for an inspiring evening of conversation and reflection.

Jesper Olsen, former Manchester United and Danish international footballer, joined Nathan Barrie, an Old Sydneian, now playing for Western Sydney Wanderers, to share their journeys and insights.

Hosted by Mr Alasdair Gyngell, the event featured live audience polls, a Q and A, and discussions on values that extend beyond the sporting arena. The evening concluded with photos, autographs, and a give away for a signed Lionel Messi jersey, won by a very lucky Xavier Wei (Year 3).

Pictured: Mr Alasdair Gyngell interviewing Jesper Olsen and Nathan Barrie, and inset: Nathan Barrie, Xavier Wei (Year 3) and Jesper Olsen

Pictured left: Jaden Gargya, Kevin Chen, Maxie Yan and Jackson Chan

Pictured right: William Chung, Felix Eibl, Luke Kelman and David Lu

Preschool Vivid

Each year, Preschool is transformed into a magical space during Vivid Sydney. The boys entered a darkened classroom filled with glowing installations, sparking joyful exploration and wonder. Wind-up torches, shadow play, dress-ups in the photo booth, and the static plasma ball all added to the excitement.

Over two days, the boys experimented with colour, pattern, and design, sharing their delight with teachers and families. This much-loved tradition continues to be a highlight of the year, celebrating creativity and curiosity as our youngest learners discover new ways to bring their bright ideas to life.

Mrs Higgins (St Ives Preschool Form Master)