Activities
Band program
Neutral Bay Public School has an excellent three band program. We have a Junior and a Senior Band, as well as a Concert Band. Each band is conducted by a professional bandmaster at rehearsals twice a week. The Band Program is coordinated by parents whose children are involved in the band program.
The twice-weekly band practices, the excitement of competitions and the pleasure of performing as a team in front of peers and others all contribute to a rich learning experience. The annual Band Camp is often the highlight of the year for the children as well as an invaluable tutorial weekend. Neutral Bay Public School has a long tradition of excellence in band music.
If you would like to register your child’s interest in joining the NBPS Band Program, please complete the form at .https://form.jotform.co/93292478798883
band audition requirements
At the start of each school year, all Neutral Bay Public School children in the band program (as well as those who wish to join a band other than Junior Band), are required to audition. This ensures all children are placed in the band that best reflects their abilities.
Auditions for Senior Band and Concert Band take place in the first and second weeks of Term 1.
Mr Ray Hampton conducts all the auditions. He tests each student on a short prepared piece as well as their set scales. He also asks them to sight-read a piece of music that they are unfamiliar with.
Year 5 Great Aussie Bush Camp
The Year 5 overnight camp to Great Aussie Bush Camp at Tea Gardens will be held on Monday 13 - Friday 15 May 2024. This is a wonderful opportunity for students to develop new friendships, skills and interests. It also gives teachers an opportunity to get to know students in a different environment outside the classroom.
Students are encouraged to have a go at each activity to make the most of their camp experience, however, they’re never forced to participate if they don’t want to. The camp follows a ‘Challenge by Choice’ philosophy in all activities, which encourages students to set and achieve individual goals.
Some highlights last year were:
Archery—Students go back to medieval times and use a bow and arrow to aim at a target 15 metres away. See who can hit the bull’s eye.
Giant Swing: Students are harnessed and attached by one of the instructors and are pulled to the top of the swing or their preferred height. They then pull the rip cord to self-release and swing. This is a perfect example of the ‘Challenge by Choice’ philosophy.
High Ropes: Students are harnessed and make their way around a course that is suspended off the ground and made out of wood, cables, ropes, steel, natural trees and artificial poles. Students are then attached to a zipline and race on a flying fox to where one of the instructors helps them to disembark by ladder.
Lost Island: This is one of the most popular activities. This is a commando assault course made up of several individual elements. The course is wet and muddy, but the experience that students gain from such an activity is well worth the mess. And they love throwing mud at the teachers.
Commando. This is all about stealth, skill and strategy. The goal is to rescue the Captives. The challenge is not to be spotted by the teachers. Participants are split into smaller groups and head out into a designated commando area with a life token. Teachers and instructors patrol the area and captive base, trying to spot them. If spotted, they lose their token and head back to base for the chance to gain another token.
