Every hand in this vibrant display was created by our students to mark National Sorry Day and Reconciliation Week. After learning about First Nations history and our shared past, each student decorated a hand as a symbol of saying ‘sorry’ and walking forward together. Together, they form our "Sea of Hands". We proudly acknowledge the Dharug people, the Traditional Custodians of the land on which our school learns and plays. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present, and emerging.

BIG is a Primary lunchtime group for students in K–6, where they explore the Bible while growing in their relationships with peers and with God. BIG runs on Wednesday lunchtimes, with K–2 meeting on The Turf/The Recital Room, and Years 3–6 gathering in Upper D Centre.

In Week 2, students learned about the story of Jericho (Joshua 1–7), discovering that God is faithful to His promises and that His people are called to trust and obey Him. K–2 students made paper trumpets and acted out the story with Year 5–6 helpers, while Years 3–6 played a game to help reinforce the key ideas.

In Week 3, we had BIG combined with K-6 combined. Tom from CRU visited BIG, and students took part in a treasure hunt while learning about Solomon and how wisdom from God is a great treasure.

We encourage families to ask their children what they’ve been learning at BIG and consider joining in the weeks ahead.

Tom from CRU visited the Pre‑K classes to spend time with students through music, games, and storytelling. CRU is a Christian organisation that runs holiday camps for Kindergarten to Year 12 students and partners with schools in ministry, supporting children and young people to learn about Jesus in engaging, age‑appropriate ways. CRU has an ongoing connection with the College.

During the visit, Tom played Christian songs on the guitar, and the Pre‑K students enthusiastically joined in with the actions and games, singing songs such as “My God Is So Big” and “10, 9, 8, God Is Great.” He also read the Bible story of Jesus calming the storm, helping students learn about Jesus as they sang, acted out the story, and talked together about how Jesus cares for and protects us.

The Year 11–12 Engineering Studies students recently visited the School of Materials Science and Engineering at UNSW, taking part in a series of hands‑on laboratory sessions. Students conducted tensile testing on metal samples to investigate strength and elasticity, and used optical microscopes to examine microstructures and understand how internal material features influence performance.

They also attended an engaging seminar highlighting the vital role of materials engineering in industries such as aviation, automotive, mining and biomedical design. In addition to the academic sessions, students had the opportunity to explore the UNSW campus facilities, gaining a sense of university life and the learning environments available to future engineering students.

This excursion provided valuable insight into real‑world engineering applications and offered an inspiring look at potential pathways in tertiary study.

On Saturday May 23, some students from the History Extension and English Extension 2 classes headed into Carriageworks in Eveleigh to view a session of the Sydney Writers’ Festival. Possibly the youngest audience members by over a decade, they were engaged by an interview with Amitav Ghosh, who has written over 20 books, ranging from novels to essays, non-fiction history to poetry. Ghosh outlined how his writing was shaped by many things, from his early career in journalism and keen interest in the politics of India under Indira Gandhi’s dictatorship, to his study of anthropology and travel to many different societies, his interest in western Science’s relationship with other ways of knowing, current issues around climate change and its ability to be represented in literature, his keen interest in different registers of languages, and unexplained phenomena such as past lives. History Extension students were particularly interested in his representation of the impact of the nineteenth century Opium Wars on peoples from many different places and stations as represented in postcolonial historical fiction in the Ibis Trilogy and non-fiction history in Smoke and Ashes . Rephrasing Auden’s statement on the importance of writing for developing understanding, Ghosh assented to the interviewer’s truism: “How can I know what I think ‘til I see what I write?”

On Friday 22 May, our Year 9 Elective Music students headed off to the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. This vibrant excursion was a highlight of their Term 1 topic, Soundtracks of the Soul, a study of music influenced by belief and purpose.

The interactive workshop offered a hands-on experience of traditional Balinese Gamelan, an Indonesian term that refers to an ensemble of gongs, metallophones, xylophones, and other percussion. During the session, our students playing on the Conservatorium’s beautiful, traditional Gamelan set and learnt to play intricate rhythms, complex melodies and instrumental techniques. The workshop explored the vital role Gamelan music plays in the daily life and celebrations of Balinese society. Students also participated in a tour of the Conservatorium, exploring the history of the building and many resources available to its students.

In addition to a fun ride into town with ‘Bus Karaoke’, morning tea and a photoshoot in the Royal Botanical Gardens, and a ‘rhythmic’ stopover at McDonalds for lunch, our students were able to develop an appreciation for the beautiful diversity of music from other cultures around the world. We are incredibly proud of how thoughtfully they engaged with this rich cultural tradition.

A sincere thanks to Mr Joseph Lisk who came along to accompany, sing and jam with our students. We were blessed to have our Sydney Conservatorium alumni share his experience and time with us!

I learnt how to play different Balinese instruments and different styles of playing them, such as damping notes, playing interlocking melodies, and using pentatonic scales to create music. I recommend doing Music as an elective because you get to discover your passions! – Olivia

The music excursion impacted me by giving a visual representation of how musicians study and play after high school. I really enjoyed playing together and making music as a class…The day was a great way to experience and learn new musical skills and to see how much music can impact people's lives. Would definitely do it again! – Jack

Mrs Irene Samuels – Music Teacher

National Simultaneous Storytime

On Wednesday 27 May 2026 at 12.00 pm AEST, PAC Students in Years Pre K to Year 2 joined millions of children, parents, teachers, and library lovers across Australia and beyond who came together to read Luna Roo at the same time — celebrating the joy of reading, storytelling and connection.

Annual Book Parade

Both PAC Primary students and teachers dazzled in their 2026 Book Parade costumes. With parents and family members cheering enthusiastically, students proudly paraded around the Primary Assembly Area as the rain held off and the sun emerged.

Congratulations to Grace N (Year 9), who travelled to Wagga Wagga in Week 5, as a member of the CIS Bowls team – PAC’s first-ever Bowls representative!

The CIS team was competitive throughout the week, defeating teams from across all school sectors, and causing some upsets. The final day saw the CIS team down a bowler due to illness, and Grace and the CIS lead bowler stepped up to bowl an additional end each. CIS played the undefeated CCC in their final, and, in the upset of the week, CIS won the match!

As a Year 9 student, Grace has a bright future with CIS Bowls – congratulations on being a trailblazer for this growing sport!