During Week 7, students from Pre-K to Year 6 proudly celebrated National Literacy and Numeracy Week. The week provided an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the progress our students had made in developing the essential literacy and numeracy skills that support learning across all areas of the curriculum. Throughout the week, students participated in a variety of engaging activities, including daily mathematical investigations and challenges, problem-solving opportunities, creative literacy experiences, and activities at lunch and recess designed to strengthen mathematical thinking while having fun.

The inaugural Great Book Swap for students in Kindergarten to Year 6 was a huge success. Students brought in pre-loved books to exchange with their peers and completed ‘Book Recommendation tags’ to share why they enjoyed their chosen books. This was a wonderful way to encourage a love of reading, promote sustainability, and help students discover new books recommended by their classmates. It was fantastic to see students sharing favourite stories, discussing books, and celebrating the joy of reading together. Another highlight was the Spelling Bee competition. Congratulations to all those students who courageously competed and especially the winners in each stage: Kindergarten to Year 2-Ansh P, Years 3 and 4-Sariah S, and Years 5 and 6-Ishaan V.

Writing was a focus of the week: Here is an extract from Lucy’s imaginative writing in Year 6:The Cloud Factory 

Hard, rocky terrain rubs against my feet as I walk, crumbling after every step. Everything is dry. We've used all the water and the Earth is dying. And I am an inventor. I plan on saving the world with my inventions.  

Broken branches poke at my bare feet, adding more cuts to my growing collection. Home is up ahead, my pack feels heavy, as it is full of leftover metal and anything I could find that could be useful. Ouch. 

Water is supposedly 'gone' from the earth, but some of us possess enough to not be worried. I experiment with my water, I'm very careful. But many people say I'm stupid to ‘waste’ the valuable resource that hosts life to us on earth, others hope I'll succeed and that I might, just maybe, save us.

The familiar whirs, pops and gurgles coming from my inventions flood my ears. They are all priceless to me. My life's work sits on the high marble table that was once my kitchen bench, and it may be just the thing that I need to save the world. It takes water and makes a puffy form of object that can't be held, I have yet to decide the name of this Invention. I have many other inventions that are yet to work completely, but I try to not give up on my inventions.  

I can feel cold water licking at my bare heels. Why? Oh no, is there a leak?! I can't see anything, no leak, the water is coming from my life's work! Dust tickles my nose after I ripped the cover from my invention. The puffy form is dripping water from itself as it becomes smaller in size. That's the object that I can't hold. It's dripping water! This can save the world! The water rippling from within it is graceful, beautiful. The water that the world needs... WATER!

Thank you to our students, staff and families for supporting National Literacy and Numeracy Week and helping make the celebrations such a success.

Year 5 Camp was a lot of fun. As soon as I got off the bus, I was already very excited. The camp instructors told us what we would do and what we would see. The first activity my group did was Orienteering. We had to walk around in vests and look for clues (It was like a treasure hunt). 
The second activity we had was billy carts. The hill looked scary when we first looked down it, but when we were riding down, it was so much fun. Carrying the billy cart back up the hill was not so much fun!
After billy carts, we had lunch. The night activities were one of my favourites. For the first night activity, we played some games and for the second night activity, we did a Talent Quest, and a Teddy Bear Competition. On the last day, we took a picture and said goodbye to our instructors and left.
Other activities we did were Archery, Canoeing, Adventure Walk, the Waterslide and Christian Discovery.
Camp and all the activities there were so much fun.

- Sophia W 5W

Year 5 Camp was one of the most fun things I have ever experienced. Everything was fun, the activities, the night games, the Talent Quest, the Teddy Bear Competition and even the food was surprisingly good. The Talent Quest was extremely funny with all the jokes and dances, and the best thing was the performance I did with my friends. We had a mix of singing, dancing and gymnastics. The Teddy Bear Competition was also fun because there were so many categories such as the best dressed boy and girl bears, the most serious and the best category the one that looks the most like Mr Bell.
In the groups we did some of the best activities such as Canoeing, Hiking, Orienteering, Archery, Billy Carts and my favourite, the Waterslide. The Waterslide was my favourite because I went down with Enzo and he turned too much and hit the wall and did a flip. The most tiring was the billy carts because we had to carry a 20kg billy cart up a massive hill. My least favourite was Archery. It was not even that bad, it’s just that it wasn’t my favourite. We also had Christian Discovery which was interesting because it helped me learn more about God and bring me closer to God.

- Jacob K 5W

Camp was definitely the highlight of my year. My favourite part was the waterslide. At first, my heart was pounding so hard I thought it would fall out of my chest. Then it was my turn. I put my feet on the slide, my hands trembling. And - GO! We went right then left, then right again. I kept going for the entire hour. That was the best day of my life!

- Verena A 5R

Waterslea Camp had a lot of great memories, a few not so good and certainly a lot of funny ones. There was a billy cart building activity, archery, canoeing, orienteering and a lot more. The waterslide was my favourite because of how fast and cold it was. I definitely grew and learned a lot at camp and now have many memories. 

- Zayn H 5R

I loved the Year 5 Waterslea Camp for so many reasons. The view and the whole site were incredible, and we even saw wombats, kangaroos, and a beautiful sunrise. The Youthworks staff were so kind and fun, which made the camp even better. All the activities were some of the best I've ever experienced at a camp. There was archery, canoeing, hiking, orienteering, billy carts and a giant waterslide. Mealtimes were a super fun way to chat with friends while enjoying delicious food. We also had super funny and enjoyable Christian Discovery lessons where we learnt all about how Jesus wants to be our friend.

- Ruby L 5B

I really enjoyed the Year 5 Camp because everything was so thoughtfully planned, especially the Christian Discovery talks. Both times, the skits were interactive and made it easy for us to join in and learn. I loved spending time with my friends, building new relationships, and trying new activities. Archery taught me that it’s okay to lose and still keep a positive attitude. Most of all, camp reminded me that God loves us and wants to be our friend, even when we make mistakes or break our promises.

- Darryl M 5B

Year 11 and 12 Engineering Studies students, along with a number of STEM students from other year groups, had the opportunity to attend an engaging and highly informative session with guest speaker Jeanette Williams from CommScope, a global leader in in-building connectivity whose infrastructure supports some of the world's largest stadiums, most sustainable arenas, busiest airports, and most connected travel hubs. Drawing on her extensive industry experience across national and international telecommunications projects, Mrs. Williams connected the theory students engage with in the Telecommunications Engineering focus module to real-world practice, exploring how networks are designed, sold, and deployed to meet rigorous technical and commercial requirements. Her presentation examined the key trends reshaping smart building environments today, including IP convergence, workplace mobility, and Power over Ethernet (PoE), before moving into a detailed exploration of fiber optics covering its underlying physics, structural composition, cost considerations, and performance benefits over traditional copper cabling. Students also learned about the engineering materials that make modern networks possible, from protective polymer coatings and alloy compositions to the lightweight aluminium alloys used in long-span aerial cabling, alongside a broader discussion of current data transmission technologies.

What set this session apart was its hands-on dimension: students had the opportunity to examine actual structured cabling components, including terminated Category cable, twisted-pair conductors, and SYSTIMAX GigaSPEED XL and GigaREACH XL connectivity hardware, giving them a tangible sense of the materials and craftsmanship behind the diagrams and specifications discussed in class. Mrs. Williams concluded the talk with an overview of career pathways within the telecommunications industry, highlighting opportunities in fields such as network testing and design engineering, before opening the floor to a lively question-and-answer session that allowed students to probe further into the concepts covered.

On Sunday 3 teams of seven students represented PAC at Western Sydney University in the Tournament of the Minds regional competition. They had to prepare a 10 minute presentation for a challenge they received six weeks ago, all within a 3x3m square.  We had a Language Literature team presenting a 1920’s radio play, an Arts team solving the problem of a jazz musician trapped in an artwork, and a Stem team creating a Sci-Fi movie plot with robots. It was wonderful to see such professional presentations.

On Wednesday 27 August, Year 7 visited Sydney Zoo as part of their studies on the classification of living things. During the excursion, students took part in a workshop and guided tour led by a zoo education expert. They had the opportunity to observe a variety of animals up close while learning about their adaptations, habitats and classification. It was an enjoyable and enriching experience that brought many of the concepts studied in Science to life.

Recently, some of our students had the incredible opportunity to attend the Wingara Student Leadership Event, a transformative experience designed to inspire, connect, and empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth.

Year 10 student Michaela shares her experience:

“Attending the Wingara Student Leadership Event was a great experience that gave me the opportunity to meet new people, connect with my Aboriginal roots, and explore my career options. Throughout the event, I participated in different activities and discussions that encouraged me to step outside my comfort zone and connect with other students. I enjoyed hearing about their lives and getting to know them, as well as playing mini-games and exploring the campus together.

This event also helped me figure out what I want to do when I leave school. We were provided with a mini career expo, which allowed us to explore a range of different career fields, and we also received information about scholarships. We heard from some very knowledgeable Aboriginal Aunties who taught us dances, shared stories, and provided information about different plants.

I left the Wingara Student Leadership Event feeling more confident and motivated to take on more valuable opportunities that will help me with my career. Overall, it was a valuable experience that taught me important skills that I can use both at school and in the future.”

Year 10 student Caitlin B shares her experience of participating in the Air Force Familiarisation Work Experience Program and the valuable insights she gained into career opportunities within the Australian Defence Force.

Since Year 7, I have been exposed to careers within the Air Force through my involvement as an Air Force Cadet with 345 Squadron. This experience sparked my curiosity about the Australian Defence Force (ADF). While I knew I was interested in the Defence lifestyle, I was unsure which career might suit me or what pathway I could take to join.

I was fortunate enough to secure a place in an activity called Air Force Familiarisation. This involved spending three days at RAAF Base Richmond, where I visited a variety of units and explored the many different careers available within the Defence Force. One of the most exciting aspects was that I was able to learn about careers across the ADF, rather than being limited to the Air Force.

When I arrived, I discovered that only three of the 18 participants were current or former cadets. This gave me the opportunity to meet people with a range of different interests and experiences. Throughout the placement, I explored career options including piloting, engineering, technical roles, military policing, security, administration and logistics.

At each unit, we were warmly welcomed by Defence personnel who gave us an insight into their careers and experiences. We participated in a variety of stalls, activities and workshops, allowing us to gain first-hand information about the Defence lifestyle, career opportunities and the day-to-day responsibilities associated with different roles. On the final day, we also attended an information session with Defence recruiters, who helped us consider which pathways might best suit our individual interests, skills and goals.

The placement demonstrated just how broad the range of careers within Defence can be, and many of the skills and experiences discussed could also be valuable in civilian careers.

Overall, the work placement gave me a much better understanding of the opportunities available within Defence and allowed me to experience aspects of the Defence lifestyle first-hand. It helped me think more seriously about my future career options and showed me that there are many different pathways I could potentially take.

To celebrate National Science Week, students from Years 8 to 11 visited classes from Year 1 to Year 6 to give them a fun science experience. Each of the classes had a visit from two teams investigating “Hidden Secrets of Water” and “Colours and Plants”.

Some fun activities included, seeing purple cabbage juice change colour in different household liquids, separating coloured inks with chromatography, examining how detergent can change the properties of water, and how coloured water can travel up through a celery stem. They had fun seeing how Glo Germ powder could make their hands glow under an ultraviolet light, and then were able to use this to see how well soapy water could wash the powder off.

A special thanks to all our student volunteers who did a fantastic job of engaging the children, and to the primary teachers for allowing us into their classrooms.

I would personally like to thank our Science team; in particular Mrs Brotherton and our lab technician, Mrs Benita John Rose for their amazing organization and support.

Well done to all our athletes who attended the CIS Athletics Carnival on 4 September. The day turned out to be great conditions for running, jumping and throwing. Our students competed with great determination and grit and represented our College proudly.

Congratulations to Kohl B (Year 4) who was 3rd in the Junior Boys Discus and Jacob K (Year 5) who place 1st in the both the 11 Years Boys 1500m and 800m events. Jacob ran a new PB in the 1500m with a time of 4:38.47 breaking the CIS record by 4 seconds and his 800m time was 2 seconds off breaking the record.

Both students have qualified for the NSWPSSA Athletics Championships in Term 4. Well done on your achievements, we will be cheering for you!

Penrith Anglican College students that represented CASA: Bonnie A, Pippa A, Charlotte B, Laura B, Kohl B, Brandon C, Mia E, Jacob K, Audrey M, Edward M, Levi O, Hugo P, Brody R, Milly S and Caleb T

Congratulations to Mia E (Year 5) who recently competed at the NSWPSSA Touch Football Championships held at Coffs Harbour in August.

Facing tough competition throughout the tournament, Mia stood out with her quick agility and tireless effort on the field.

Well done Mia on this fantastic achievement and for representing the College with such skill and determination!

Congratulations to the Open Boys’ Basketball team who took out the CASA Gala Day on Monday August 31, defeating Macarthur Anglican School by 2 points in the Grand Final.

The boys were undefeated on the day, cruising past TIGS and Broughton, and beating Macarthur by 1 point in the pool games, then convincingly beating St Luke’s in the semi-final to set up the re-match with Macarthur.

It was great to see the boys’ regular training pay off on the day.

On Tuesday 8 September, 24 athletes represented the College at the AICES Athletics Carnival at SOPAC.

PAC achieved an impressive 22 individual podium finishes, including six first-place results. Congratulations to Timothy H (Year 10), who placed first in the 15 Years Boys Long Jump, Owen M (Year 9), who won both the 14 Years Boys 100m and 200m, Iremide O (Year 10), who placed first in the 15 Years Girls Shot Put, and Caleb R (Year 9), who claimed victory in both the 15 Years Boys Javelin and Shot Put.

Many more PAC athletes recorded outstanding second and third place finishes across the track and field events. Special mention to Jenson P (Year 7) – illness saw one of the relay team members for the 12-14 years 4x 100m event withdraw. Jenson displayed courage and perseverance, taking the place of lead runner in this event, competing against students two years older than him, and giving his absolute best effort.

Congratulations to all students who competed with determination, sportsmanship, and represented the College with pride throughout the Carnival!

Congratulations to Montana (Class of 2025) on the inclusion of her Visual Arts Body of Work, The Watchful Keeper, in ARTEXPRESS at Hawkesbury Regional Gallery.

The Watchful Keeper is inspired by parental instinct – a deep-rooted urge to protect and shield the young. Magpies are often misunderstood as aggressive, yet they are highly intelligent social birds acting from a need to safeguard their offspring. This behaviour parallels the human impulse to nurture and provide. The nest in the centre of my body of work represents protection and the complex desire to defend. My intention in this work is to shift the audience’s perception by encouraging emotional connection, fostering empathy and respect rather than fear.

Susan Templeman was very complimentary of Montana’s work making special mention of it in her public address on Opening Night. Montana has also been invited to speak about her artmaking process and offer advice and insights into your work at a panel discussion event later this month.

ARTEXPRESS continues until Sunday, 18 October at Hawkesbury Regional Gallery. We encourage our community to visit and experience the work of talented young artists like Montana.

https://www.hawkesbury.nsw.gov.au/_resources/media-releases/2026/july/artexpress-comes-to-hawkesbury-regional-gallery

Shout out to all the brainiacs who attended our Trivia Night on Saturday 29 August! What a fabulous night! MC’d by our very own P&F Executive Committee Treasurer, Saro Alayan who did a stellar job! Seven teams faced off in the event. The gold medal winners were Team TD, closely followed by Girls Just Wanna Have Fun winning silver and Quiz Me Baby One More Time taking home the bronze. The wooden spoon went to the Golden Girls who clearly need to focus a little more on their homework! So great to see everyone embrace the Dress for the Decades theme, taking the challenge from table decorations to dressing up themselves too! Outstanding! Massive shout out to our incredible sponsors Nisha’s Cake Dreams, Allam Homes and The Diamond Building Group!  Be sure to check out our sponsors’ businesses :-

Thank you all so much for your generous sponsorship for our Trivia Night. Our thanks also to Motiv8Sports, Pavi’s Deli and Studio Pilates International for the donation of gift vouchers used as prizes on the night.  The Pizza Boys kept the freshly made pizzas coming all night and each table was treated to a delicious dessert box to share. Thank you to all the PAC Staff who secretly participated in our bonus round “Match the Toddler to the Teacher”, we stumped a few competitors on the night!  Our Trivia Night provided the perfect opportunity for families to share a laugh and have a ton of fun whilst meeting and making new friends. Thank you everyone for your support!

Our Parents & Friends Father’s Day Stall was almost a complete sell out this week!  Thank you to our entire College community for supporting the Father’s Day Stall. We loved watching our little shoppers choose the perfect gift for their special someone to celebrate.  Thank you to the incredible P&F Volunteer support crew who worked tirelessly to put together an amazing array of gifts for our students. We hope everyone enjoyed a special celebration with your loved ones on Father’s Day. Every family who supported this event was placed into a draw for a $50 gift card for Dad. Congratulations to Mr Smith (Dad to Zeke in Pre K) who was our lucky winner of the gift card!

The Parents & Friends will hold our Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Monday 21 September at 7:00pm in the College Staff Room. All positions are declared vacant on the night and open for nominations.  If you’ve been thinking about jumping on board our incredible team of committee representatives, this is the night for you! No need to be afraid, there’s no pressure to sign your life away. It really does take a village to bring our Parents & Friends Association together and we would love for you to consider joining us. Reach out to us via email at [email protected] if you would like to know more.

Our Pre K students are busy putting their fine motor skills to the test and working on creating their very own picture plate. A picture plate turns your child’s artwork into something your family will treasure forever. Communication and how to order information will be shared with our Pre K families this week. Watch this space!

Our Kindergarten students are also busy working on a Kindergarten Tote Bag project. Our limited-edition carry bag design will be made up of self-portraits drawn by all our children and staff. Just like a yearbook, but on a bag. As well as being great for groceries, library or the gym, they look fantastic and are a long-lasting memento of your children and their friends. The Parents & Friends will share more information with our Kindergarten families this week including a sample tote and how to order information.