On Wednesday in week 6, School Captains Teisha and Gideon attended a seminar at State Parliament House where they had the opportunity to develop their knowledge of our system of government, parliamentary proceedings, the role of members of parliament, and the role of the Governor of NSW.

Teisha and Gideon were given a personal tour of parliament by Michael Regan, Independent Member for Wakehurst. A special thanks to Michael for providing his time and giving ‘behind the scenes’ access to the students, providing an insightful and personalised experience.

Our School Captains were given leadership advice from current members of NSW parliament, viewed a sitting of parliament council chambers, were given a guided tour of Government House and met with Her Excellency, The Honourable Margaret Beazley, Governor of NSW.

We were thrilled to welcome Olympic Bronze Medallist Chris Morgan to speak with our HPGE Athletes.

Chris delivered an inspiring talk, sharing insights from his journey to the Olympic podium. He spoke passionately about the lifelong benefits of sport, the importance of stepping outside your comfort zone, and embracing challenges that build resilience and confidence. 

Our students walked away motivated and empowered — a reminder that with hard work and determination, anything is possible!

A huge thank you to Chris for taking the time to visit and inspire the next generation of athletes and leaders!

Year 9 Project Penguin students have been having a great time on excursions to Little Manly and local primary schools.

Despite a reduced number of secondary students from other schools, they adapted well and were exceptional mentors to three primary schools. 

They spent the day assisting Taronga Zoo staff and young students in cleaning up rubbish found throughout Collins Beach to ensure the local penguin colony would be safe. 

They have been doing an exceptional job at helping and supporting their primary school mentees from Brookvale Public School. Together they have guided them into making solutions for the endangered fairy penguin colonies in Sydney. 

The group is looking forward to their trip to the zoo expo next term!

20 Vietnamese students and 2 teachers from Palm River Academy visited Cromer Campus from 17th June - 3rd July. The students were of all ages between 12-19 years and were buddied up with one or two Cromer students.

During their time with us, the Vietnamese students attended all classes with their Cromer buddies and spent time with them during breaks. They took part in class activities as if they were regular students and learned a lot from each other. And great friendships too!

In week 9 our HPGE athletes had an exciting and action-packed day participating in an Amazing Race style excursion through two of Sydney’s most iconic sporting venues – Allianz Stadium and the SCG.

Students worked in teams to solve clues, complete challenges, showcasing not only their physical abilities but also their teamwork, problem-solving, and leadership skills.

It was a fantastic opportunity to step outside the classroom, be inspired by elite sporting environments, and develop key skills that extend beyond the field.

Cromer Campus has some amazing teachers, but our Head Teacher of Wellbeing, Ms Fiona Bird, takes the cake! 

This term she celebrated a phenomenal milestone.... 40 YEARS at Cromer Campus!

She is certainly an asset to our school and has helped countless students over the years.

THANK YOU MS BIRD!

Mini Major Works

This is year we introduced a new Year 8 elective course - Mini Major Works.

Year 8 Mini Major Works students have been working on creating a dessert using the skills they learnt in class. 

The students made a dessert that they designed including sponge cakes, muffins, lemon curd and chocolate mousse and garnished them using icing sugar, meringue, raspberry coulis and edible flowers we grew ourselves. 

Yr 11 Hospitality Masterchefs!

Year 12 Hospitality students completed a Service Period towards gaining their competency to go towards achieving their Certificate II in Hospitality. 

We have been fortunate to have Mr Robinson, pastry cook extraordinaire, complete his university practicum with us and share his knowledge and industry experience. 

The students made choux pastry to create profiteroles, custard tarts, roast pumpkin arancini, lamb, spinach & feta sausage rolls, beef meatballs, chicken wonton cups, bruschetta and rocky road. 

Lunch with the Director

Our Year 12 Hospitality students recently had the pleasure of welcoming our Director of Educational Leadership (DEL), Julie Kennedy, to our class. Julie, a former hospitality teacher herself, spent the afternoon connecting with students, learning about their reasons for choosing hospitality, and discussing the skills they've developed throughout the course.

Drawing on her own experience in the industry and classroom, Julie shared insightful stories and advice, sparking thoughtful conversations among the group. She also joined in our cherished "Family Dinner" tradition, where the class comes together to enjoy the meals they’ve prepared.

Yr 11 Hospitality Baristas

Our Year 11 Hospitality students recently headed into the CBD to take part in a barista training course, where they honed their coffee-making skills and even learned the art of coffee design! 

Looking sharp in their hospitality uniforms, the students proudly achieved competency in SITHFAB005 Prepare and serve espresso coffee and SITXFSA005 Use hygienic practices for food safety. 

It was a fantastic day of learning, skill-building, and plenty of delicious coffee! 

Yr 9 TAS

Our Year 9 TAS elective students have been super busy getting straight into their first of the year.

• Textiles have been tie-dyeing and testing out the amazing new sewing machines to make tote bags.

• Timber have been using hand tools, sanders and lathes to make serving trays and paper towel holders.

• Food technology have been perfecting different methods of cookery and making some delicious food as they go.

• Design and Technology have been developing their skills in manipulating mixed materials, such as fabrics, metals, timber and clay to make accessories.

Yr 7 make Chinese Dumplings!

In week 9, Year 7 LOTE students had a wonderful experience in their Chinese dumpling making excursion at a local Chinese restaurant. 

They not only learned how to make pork chives dumpling fillings, but also tried for the very first time to wrap up their own dumplings. 

They all had so much fun and learnt so much about Chinese food culture; and of course enjoyed so much of the yummy dumplings made by themselves.   

Weekly Work Experience

Senior students in Integrated Studies participate in weekly work experience every Friday during the school term. 

They attend a range of workplaces, including cafes, childcare centres, retail stores, warehouses, and landscaping services. 

This regular experience helps students explore different industries they may be interested in, while also building valuable professional skills. 

Composting

Integrated Studies students have been busy taking part in a new composting program, developed with support from Kimbriki and One Meal. 

Thanks to Kimbriki’s donation of 25 compost bins, and food scraps provided by One Meal, students are learning how to manage compost by adding oxygen, lime, Forest Fines, and water.

The program teaches teamwork and sustainability, and students will soon bag and sell the compost at local markets as part of their hands-on learning.

Archibald Prize excursion

Year 10 elective Visual Arts and Year 8 talented artists enjoyed a day at the Art Gallery of NSW viewing the Archibald Prize Portrait Exhibition. 

For many of our students, this was their first time visiting the Art Gallery and they were blown away by the range of artworks on display . 

We were really inspired and look forward to the coming months where Year 10 will produce their own “Cromer Archie” portrait. 

Elective Critical Thinking

During Week 10, both elective Years 9 & 10 Critical Thinking classes visited State Parliament house to comprehend how government works. 

Students learnt how bills become laws as they move from the lower to the upper house through a role play activity. During their visits, students met and discussed local matters with our local Independent member Michael Regan. 

Students had the chance to ask questions pertinent to their political lives such as E-Bike regulation and Cromer's upcoming school hall upgrades. 

A massive thanks to both Ishbell Cullen and Michael Regan for taking the time to both talk to and inspire our students. 

Yr 9 'Egg Babies'

As part of their recent assessment task, Year 9 Child Studies students were challenged to design their own nurseries and care for a ‘baby’ – in this case, a fragile egg they decorated, named, and nurtured for a week. This engaging simulation allowed students to experience the responsibilities of parenting first-hand, from ensuring their egg baby’s safety to managing daily routines.

Students put incredible effort into crafting thoughtful and imaginative nurseries using various materials, reflecting an understanding of the importance of safe, nurturing environments for a child’s development. Through this task, they explored different parenting practices, the impact of positive relationships on a child’s wellbeing, and reflected on how different forms of support can ease the challenges of parenting.

The experience encouraged empathy, responsibility, and creativity, while allowing students to demonstrate their ability to care for a child in different settings. Feedback from the cohort was overwhelmingly positive, with many students expressing how much they enjoyed the task and how it gave them new insight into the demands of caring for a young child.

Yr 9 Outdoor Ed Bush Survival

The year 9 Outdoor Education incursion was a fun and skillful day ran by Bushcraft Survival Australia! During this day we learned valuable survival skills that we can utilise in real life. The mentors guided us through multiple sessions of different survival components. 

We learnt different ways to light a fire, both with natural and man-made materials. We learnt the importance of using the land and returning the land to its original state once we are done. Such as when we made a big fire in a small pit. We watered down the coals to dispose of in the bush, then proceeded to gather dirt, leaves, leaves, sticks and grass - which were placed on the floor in the pit- to return the land to its almost natural state. The mentors also taught us specific knots that could be utilised to create a sloping survival shelter with a tarp. 

For a reward at the end, the representatives from Bushcraft Survival Australia made milo in a billy can over the fire that they made. It was delicious!!! We also got marshmallows after. 

Overall in incursion was a great experience, filled with both knowledge and fun!

Ruby R and Leila W.

Yr 8 Science

In Year 8, students have had their knowledge of chemistry extended where they have learnt about atoms, elements, and compounds – where they have completed an independent research project into a metal of their choosing. Students were required to research the chemical and physical properties of a particular metal and explore the impacts of mining said metal. 

The performed an experiment to explore the electrical conductivity of various metals, whilst also demonstrating that electrical energy can be generated from the chemical reaction that occurs from the citric acid found in lemons, and metal samples.

Additionally, students have been how to read and interpret The Periodic Table of Elements, which will stand them in good stead for further studies in Chemistry.

Yr 9 Science

Year 9 students have been learning about Earth and Environmental Science, much to the delight of Ms. Regan who is a notorious rock-aficionado. 

Students have learnt about the Theory of Plate Tectonics, which explains how some of the most incredible features of the natural world form, namely, earthquakes, volcanoes, mountain ranges, and tsunamis. The secret behind these phenomena is convection currents, which students have observed in their practical classes.

They made a seismometer, to measure the vibrations produced by a simulated earthquakes. Part of their unit learning about the movement of tectonic plates.

They were treated to a demonstration of the chemical reaction between calcium and water, which produced hydrogen gas, which when ignited with oxygen produces an explosion.

Yr 11 Science

Year 11 Earth and Environmental Science students simulated how unpredictable volcanic eruptions can be. Using the card activity ‘Volcano Pop’ students followed the directions about tectonic activity and warning signs to add weights to a hanging party popper (pressure build up inside an active volcano) till it pops (erupts). The results were varied and students were also amazed how much pressure they needed to use to pop a party popper.

Year 11 have been busily completing their depth studies in Biology, Chemistry, and Earth and Environmental Science – where students engage in an independent research project, guided by their teachers. We have all been thoroughly impressed with the calibre of their work thus far.

Year 11 Biology students have enjoyed examining plant cells under microscopes and making models of the human digestive system created by students as part of their studies into how cells are organised in living things.

10ENGV Reading Challenge

This year, 10ENGV have taken on the challenge of reading sophisticated and critically acclaimed books as part of a class-wide initiative to engage with high-quality literature. 

After finishing each book, students write a short review which is proudly displayed in their classroom, creating a visual book club. 

This display has sparked meaningful conversations, encouraged peers to read books they might not have considered, and set a positive example for younger students. 

Since the beginning of Term 1, the class has collectively read 28 new books - a fantastic achievement that reflects their growing confidence and enthusiasm as readers! 

Yr 12 History

Earlier this term, a group of Year 12 History students attend the annual History Teachers Association Study Day at the University of Sydney. 

This event brought together students from across NSW to explore the core content of the Ancient, Modern, and History Extension courses, as well as hearing from specialists in Egyptian and Russian history. 

Our students had the opportunity to learn and get advice from leading historians and educators, many of whom are the authors of the very textbooks they use in class. 

The sessions provided fresh insights, clarified complex concepts, and offered valuable revision strategies for tackling the HSC exams. It was a rewarding experience that showed real commitment to their studies and a genuine enthusiasm for history.