We have passed the halfway mark of the term. Our Year 6 students have returned from Canberra, the weather is cooling down, and athletics carnivals are upon us. It is going to be an exciting week of competition.

Board AGM, Strategic Plan and Audited Financials

Last Wednesday our Board held its Annual General Meeting for 2024. Dr Grant Watson was elected Chairman again and we look forward to continuing to work with his wise leadership of our highly professional and well qualified Board of Directors.

The Board is the architect of the future of the College and in 2024 the Board and College Executive worked to develop the College’s strategic plan for 2025-2029. I thank the Board and the College Executive for what they achieved and shortly parents will be able to view a short video where I launch/present an overview of our strategic plan for the next five years. This plan provides a high-level overview of the strategic intent of the College. Linking this together is the overarching theme of ‘Building Futures Together’. This sets the focus for the next five years of strategic development of the College. It is an exciting time to be at Hills and we have an enormous amount to look forward to as we set forth on our journey together.

The Audited Financials were received by the Board at the AGM and the College is in a very sound financial position at the end of the 2024 trading year. The audited financials are carried out by an independent auditor and the Board welcomed their professional feedback and analysis.

Year 6 Canberra Excursion

The Year 6 students were superb ambassadors for our school and must be congratulated on their behaviour throughout the four days of their excursion to Canberra. Thank you to all staff who attended the Canberra Excursion; Mr Noel, Mr Ablitt, Mrs Gilliam, Ms Henry and Ms Waud. I am sure the students appreciated their commitment and support. It was a very successful trip and one where our students proved to be amazing ambassadors for the College.

Athletics Carnivals

This week saw our three very successful athletics carnivals held in beautiful weather. We were treated to some brilliant individual performances across the school with wonderful house spirit on display. It was fantastic to see so much parental support for the carnivals. There was truly something for everyone from the joy of participation of the younger students to the pitched competition of the Secondary School.

Thanks to Mr Robinson and his team for the excellent organisation of the three carnivals. We were blessed with great weather and some really pleasing levels of student participation.

Year 10 SET Planning

Year 10 students, in consultation with the school and their parents/carers, are required to develop a Senior Education and Training (SET) Plan that maps out their plan of action for their education and training through the Senior Phase of Learning (Year 11 and 12).

The SET Plan is designed to help young people choose individual senior learning pathways that involve career options, subject selections, and training qualifications through the Senior Phase of Learning (generally Year 11 and 12). Our Year 10 students will be participating in the new Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) system which was introduced in 2019 which brings new subject syllabuses and assessment processes, a new process for how students gain credit for their QCE, and new eligibility requirements to gain an ATAR for direct entry into university.

Young people can use their SET Plan to build on their strengths and to work towards the Queensland Certificate of Education (or in some cases the Queensland Certificate of Individual Achievement), a Certificate III level of Vocational Education, School-based Traineeships/Apprenticeships (SATs), and/or a viable work option. These plans are documented and ready for implementation by the end of Year 10.

Spelling Bee

The Spelling Bee continues in earnest with the quest to be Hills’ champion speller well underway. This is a great initiative from the English Ambassadors.

Life Education

Life Education Queensland offers 23 individual modules tailored to early education and primary school students.

All modules are aligned with the Australian curriculum for health and physical activity and are developed to support teachers reach these specific learning outcomes. Their modules empower children with the skills they need to make healthier lifestyle choices.

The program provides students with age appropriate health and safety knowledge, skills and strategies to counter peer and social pressures, an understanding of how values and attitudes can influence lifestyle choices and behaviour, interactive print and online teacher and student resources with lesson plans and activities, and animated videos with relevant themes.

Within each module, teachers are able to identify the key learning outcomes they would like the Life Ed Queensland educator to focus on during their session.

Life Ed's health and physical education programs focus on:

• Nutrition, healthy eating and the importance of physical activity
• Personal safety
• Respectful relationships and emotional wellbeing
• Cybersafety and strategies to combat cyber-bullying
• Legal and illegal drugs including alcohol and tobacco.

STEAM Building Stage 1 Update

The STEAM building project has made up some ground with an improvement in the weather. We are still a short period away from seeing evidence that we are out of the ground and well on our way, but it is heartening to see the siteworks make some strong progress.

Footings are going in this week so we should be able to see some concrete arising out of the ground very soon.

National Reconciliation Week 2025

With the theme ‘Bridging Now to Next’ for National Reconciliation Week 2025, it is a time to reflect and continue building momentum towards reconciliation in our schools and early learning services, workplaces, and broader communities. This theme invites all Australians to learn more about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and explore how everyone can contribute to promoting reconciliation in our everyday lives - in our homes, workplaces, and social circles.

Australian Government Anti Bullying Rapid Review

The Australian Government recently announced an Anti-Bullying Rapid Review. The Review will look at current approaches to addressing bullying in schools, what is working and what needs strengthening, with the aim of providing options for the development of a consistent national standard for responding to bullying and its underlying causes in schools. The Review is now accepting submissions. The Review co-chairs, Dr Charlotte Keating and Dr Jo Robinson AM, are seeking views from students, parents, teachers, and those involved in school education across the country. Submissions can be made anonymously if preferred. To provide feedback through the submission process, please visit www.education.gov.au/antibullying-rapid-review. This page contains instructions on how to participate, along with the Review’s Terms of Reference.

Upcoming Calendar Events

Term 2 Week 7

Life Education-2 June-6 June

National Reconciliation Week finishes on 3 June

P and F General Meeting-Tuesday 3 June-6.00pm

Primary Assembly-Friday 6 June

Term 2 Week 8

Year 10 Into Year 11 SET Planning Meetings-Tuesday 10 June-Thursday 12 June

Welcome to the latest edition of The Hills Times – Primary Edition.

I recently had the absolute joy of spending time with four other dedicated staff members and 55 remarkable students, our biggest cohort yet, on the 2025 Canberra excursion. These experiences are so much more than just a change of scenery; they are powerful learning journeys that support students to grow in confidence, independence, and their social capacity.

Throughout the week, we witnessed compassion in action, peer encouragement, and incredible teamwork. Our students shone brightly, immersing themselves in new environments, grappling with new ideas, and stepping well outside their comfort zones. The way they set personal goals, engaged deeply with each part of the itinerary, and supported one another was truly inspiring.

It was heartening to receive numerous positive comments from venue operators, tour guides, event coordinators, and even members of the Virgin Australia team, all praising the conduct, manners, and character of our students. These affirmations from the wider community reflect the values we nurture here at Hills and the real-world impact of experiential learning like this. The many families who beamed with pride at their child’s accomplishments on Friday evening and personally thanked the supporting staff reflected the true spirit of community.

Of course, none of this would have been possible without the exceptional support team alongside me. Our Year 6 teachers, the Deputy Head of Primary, and our Head of Administration, who gave their all to ensure this experience was not only safe but deeply enriching and memorable.

A huge congratulations to our Year 6 students and sincere thanks to our dedicated staff: Angie Henry, Juliet Waud, Jodie Gilliam, and Stuart Ablitt.


Matthew Noel
Head of Primary

matt.noel@hills.qld.edu.au

Life Education 2025

It was a pleasure to welcome Life Education to the College on Thursday. All of our Primary classes will be involved in these sessions over the next week, and they are a valuable part of our Primary students' Health and Personal Development. We thank facilitator Sara and, of course, Healthy Harold for providing our students with invaluable learning.

Year 6 Canberra Tour 2025

Our Year 6 students recently embarked on an unforgettable learning adventure to Canberra as part of their inquiry into How We Organise Ourselves, with a particular focus on Civics and Citizenship. Framed through the lens of the IB PYP learner profiles, this experience was a powerful opportunity for students to connect classroom theory with real-world contexts, while also growing personally and socially.

The tour began with great excitement as students flew with Virgin Airlines to Sydney before making their way to Canberra. Based at Ibis Styles Eaglehawk, the group was perfectly positioned to explore many of Australia’s most significant national institutions and landmarks.

Throughout the week, students immersed themselves in a variety of engaging, thought-provoking, and inspiring experiences. Highlights included an energetic scavenger hunt at the National Arboretum, playtime at the unique POD playground, and solemn reflection at the Australian War Memorial and along Anzac Parade. We enjoyed sharing the experiences of past Hills student and School Captain, Bailey Vickery, who now lives in Canberra and is part of the Australian Defence Force.

At each stop, students displayed reverence and maturity, embodying the principled and caring attributes of the learner profile.

From exploring Earth’s dynamic systems at Geoscience Australia to enjoying sweeping views of Canberra from the top of Mt Ainslie, students embraced every moment with curiosity and enthusiasm. Visits to Parliament House, the Museum of Australian Democracy (MOAD), the National Electoral Education Centre (NCE), and the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) allowed students to deepen their understanding of democratic processes, rights, and responsibilities. They asked thoughtful questions, reflected on what it means to be an informed and active citizen, and proudly represented our school with impeccable behaviour. The excursion also included time for wonder and creativity at Questacon, the Australian Mint, the National Library, and the National Zoo and Aquarium. These visits provided hands-on learning opportunities and reinforced the knowledgeable and open-minded nature of our students as they connected with science, history, economics, and the natural world.

Beyond academic learning, this tour was a journey of personal growth. Students developed independence, resilience, and confidence as they navigated life away from home. They demonstrated a balanced approach to the demands of a busy itinerary, made stronger connections with staff and peers, and supported one another through challenges big and small.

This was truly a remarkable experience, and one that will leave lasting memories. Many thanks to Mr Noel, Mr Ablitt and Ms Gilliam for their support and belief in this sensational tour. We are incredibly proud of the way our Year 6 students conducted themselves. As reflective, caring, and principled young people, we look forward to seeing them continue to grow as active, thoughtful members of our community.

The Australian Government recognises the importance of all young Australians being able to visit the national capital as part of their Civics and Citizenship education. To assist families in meeting the cost of the excursion, the Australian Government is contributing funding to our school in the amount of $90.00 per student under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate program towards those costs. The rebate is paid directly to the school upon completion of the excursion.

Angie Henry and Juliet Waud
Year 6 Teachers

Premiers Reading Challenge Update

The Premier’s Reading Challenge is in full swing, and our students are rising to the challenge with enthusiasm and pride! From classroom reading to library visits, it’s wonderful to see students growing their reading skills and confidence.

Weekly Winners:
- Week One – 1C and Prep B tied with an amazing 19 books!
- Week Two – Prep A took the lead with a record-breaking 27 books!

Well done to these classes for their teamwork and love of reading!

Skye’s Book Club continues to be a hit at morning tea, and students are proudly visiting Mrs Hansell in the library to check in with their reading records and earn prizes from her incredible reward stash. These check-ins are a motivating highlight for many students as they track their progress and celebrate their achievements.

Last week, Mrs Rosevear and Skye visited the Prep classrooms for special reading check-ins and celebrations. The excitement was contagious, with our youngest readers proudly sharing their books and receiving well-earned stamp from their favourite Therapy pup!

On Tuesday 21 May, Primary joined in National Simultaneous Storytime, reading The Truck Cat by Deborah Frenkel. This heartwarming story of a stray cat who finds friendship and belonging aboard a red truck reminded us all of the power of kindness—and helped us feel part of the wider national reading community. Each class had its own copy of the book to send home with one lucky student!

The challenge is motivating readers across all year levels to explore new stories and stretch their skills. Keep it up, readers!

Important Dates to Remember:

Tues and Thurs – Skye’s Book Club (Years 1–3, Morning Tea in the Resource Centre)

Sun 19 May – Reading Checkpoint with Mrs Hansell in the Resource Centre

Wed 4 June (Date Change) – Alternate Book Covers Due (criteria have been sent to classroom teachers to share with students)

Let’s keep the pages turning!

Mrs Rosevear

In the spotlight with 3C

As we reach the halfway point of Term 2, the students of 3C have truly promoted a warm, welcoming, and caring classroom environment. It’s a space where everyone feels safe, supported, and ready to learn. If you were to visit our classroom, you’d see a group of enthusiastic learners eager to take on any challenge. They are risk-takers who strive for success and are always willing to 'have a go'. While they may be a chatty bunch, their conversations are rich with ideas, knowledge, and thoughtful opinions. Much of our learning is brought to life through meaningful discussions, often connecting classroom concepts to real-world experiences.

This term, we’ve been diving into our new Unit of Inquiry, 'Where We Are in Place and Time'. We began by exploring the characteristics of places, identifying Australian states and their capital cities, and learning about our neighbouring countries and what we share in common with them. We also explored the Yugambeh language map and discovered that Mununjali means Black Earth People, a name inspired by the rich black soil of the region. Currently, we’re investigating our new line of inquiry, 'Changes to Our Local Community'. And what better place to explore than our very own Hills International College! We’ve gathered aerial photographs of the school from different points in time and are excited to uncover how our school has evolved over the years.

In Literacy, we’ve returned to narrative writing, focusing on ways to make our stories more engaging and entertaining. One of the literary devices we’ve loved exploring is the use of onomatopoeia. No library session goes by without someone excitedly pointing out an example!

Maths has been equally hands-on and exciting. We began the term by revisiting 2D and 3D shapes, exploring the nets of 3D shapes, and identifying the 2D shapes within them. Constructing some of these shapes—especially cylinders—proved to be a fun challenge! We then moved on to angles, learning to identify right, obtuse (say it in a deep voice!), and acute (tiny and cute!) angles. Using our right-angle checkers, we found examples all around us—in the playground, the classroom, and even in the letters of our names!

On a final note, 3C thoroughly enjoyed this year’s National Simultaneous Storytime. You could hear a pin drop as the students listened intently to Truck Cat, being read by author Deborah Frenkel, joining millions of students across Australia. After the story, illustrator Danny Snell demonstrated how he created the character Tinka, and we followed along to design our own unique cat characters.

It’s been a vibrant and productive term so far in 3C. The students continue to impress with their curiosity, creativity, and collaborative spirit. As we look ahead to the rest of the term, we’re excited to keep learning, growing, and discovering together. Thank you for being part of our journey!

Mrs Roberts

3C Teacher

Secondary Insights

As we approach the midpoint of Term 2, our focus sharpens on the future—with purposeful conversations taking place across the College to support each student in forging their individual learning journey. One of the most significant ways we’re doing this is through our upcoming SET Planning Meetings.

These meetings are a valuable opportunity for students, parents and staff to sit down together and discuss subject selections, future career aspirations and academic goals. Whether students are in Year 10 mapping out their senior pathway or in earlier years exploring their interests, these conversations are central to our belief that every student deserves a personalised and purposeful education.

In support of this, we recently surveyed our parent community to gain insight into subject offerings the College should consider in the future. The feedback was thoughtful and forward-looking, with strong interest in areas such the ‘hands on’ QCAA Applied Subjects. This survey will continue to be available in week 7 before we discuss the options favoured most. These suggestions will then help us to inform our subject planning as we look ahead to 2027 and beyond and we are grateful to parents for their engagement and vision.

This month also featured an interview with our Principal, at our recent Secondary Assembly where he shared insights into his own educational journey and his aspirations for the College.  We enjoyed the opportunity of 'getting to know' Mr Parks as little more. Also his love for various sports, his interest in biographies and obvious enjoyment with his new tenure at Hills College in the capacity as Principal was evident.

Finally, our teachers are in the process of undertaking the cycle of teaching, learning, and assessment planning, aligning deeply with the Australian Curriculum Version 9.0 and our College’s strategic priorities. This ensures that students experience learning that is relevant, rigorous and responsive as well as preparing them not just for the assessment types but for life beyond the learning environment.

As always, thank you for your partnership in your child’s learning. If you have any questions about matters relating to Secondary, please do not hesitate to contact me at the College or book an appointment for a meeting together.

Year 10 Parents, I look forward to seeing many of you at the SET Planning Meetings in the weeks ahead.

Julie-Anne Skelton
Head of Secondary

LAWS Awardees

The following students were presented with their LAWS Awardees Certificate in this weeks Secondary Assembly;

Year 12 Literature: Connor Kirmond – Striving for success; his IA2 multimodal which he’s just submitted showed a phenomenal amount of dedication to applying feedback. Honestly, my entire Year 12 Literature class deserves that award for their collective efforts in the IA2 task, but Connor stands out.

Year 11 Literature: Savannah Swarmi – Striving for success; similar to the Year 12s her multimodal showed clear application of feedback, and a thoughtful approach to the task. She also misses a double Literature lesson every Tuesday due to her Tafe Design Technologies course, and although she’s an incredibly diligent student who catches up via OneNote – it’s not always the same as in-class support…So she’s doing very, very well to achieve as she does.

Year 8: Shanaya Mishra, Jacob E Parkinson, Hailee Thomas, Riley Brown – Striving for Success in their Spanish Conquest of the Americas Research task.

Year 11 Psychology: Billy Bruce and Prabhjot Singh – Striving for Success in their Term 2, Unit 1 revision.

Grace Dwyer
Humanities Teacher

Teaching and Learning- Visual Art

As we reach the second half of Term 2, the Art room continues to be a hive of activity - getting busier during lunchtime with students working towards their deadlines.

The Year 7 students are creating their own imaginary creatures by exploring the work of the artist Vorja Sanchez and using graphite pencil and watercolour paint in their artworks. 

Year 8 students have been inspired by the theme of insects and are making some successful lino prints with watercolour paint. 

Year 9 continue with their semester long unit exploring the Art of the Hermannsburg (Northern Territory) by creating glazed clay pots and landscape watercolour paintings. 

Year 10 students produced acrylic paintings based on the Hills College environment in Term 1 and are now making three-colour reduction lino prints of abstract designs inspired by structures around the school. 

Year 11 students gained knowledge of the etching process and the chine-collé technique amongst other materials, by exploring their chosen object for ‘Art as Lens’. 

Year 12 students have worked on their individual inquiry questions to develop a body of work for their IA2, Art as Knowledge.


Caroline Barnard
Visual Art teacher

Julia Pope
Head of Faculty- The Arts

Parent Response- Secondary Student Support

Good Morning Mr Parks and Mrs Skelton,

I wanted to write to you both and share how heartwarming it was to see the Year 12 student interactions at the Mother's Day event on Friday. Not only was it incredibly thoughtful to have the students there for the children whose loved one’s could not attend, but the kindness and care these students showed towards their preppy was absolutely beautiful. My son and I were sitting next to a group of 4 boys at the nail painting station, and the attention and care they gave the little girl they were paired with was so special. They were encouraging, patient, and made sure she was having fun. I even overheard someone laughing about how she was keeping them in line - bringing them back to touch up their nails when some polish chipped off. The boys were all smiles, they were polite, and completely focused on their preppy. When they could have been joking around with each other, they instead gave their full attention to her. It was such a credit to them and to the school.  This was something I noticed across the board - the Year 12s were all making a genuine and proactive effort amongst themselves to help out and make the day memorable.  I mentioned this to a friend as we were leaving, and we fell into a discussion about how consistently polite and respectful Hills students are. I am regularly impressed by the schools initiatives that encourage older students to support the younger ones, whether in the classroom or at sports events. It has created such a culture of community and empathy that is something my family values, and validates our decision to have our children in such a beautiful school. I apologise for my long email - I just wanted to share how lovely it was to witness such positive behaviour. Friday was a perfect example of what makes Hills such a special place.

Kind Regards,

Ashlea Ladd - Primary Parent

Teaching and Learning- Media Arts and Film and Television

Students have been immersed in the world of film-making in some of the recent learning experiences in Media.

Our Year 10 Media Arts students are working collaboratively to plan and produce a short film reflecting s genre of their own choice. This has required students to learn about historical film genres and styles and to apply this learning in their own films. Students have learned the importance of teamwork, as they have shared the roles of writer, cinematographer, actor and editor. In addition, the students have had the opportunity to work with the College’s latest cameras and cinema lenses.

The Year 11 Film, TV and New Media students have been tasked with producing a short documentary film exploring a story relating to the Hills College community. The students have learned skills in setting up cameras, sound and lighting for interviews, as well as capturing relevant b-roll footage. Some of the topics selected by the students include the evolution of the College’s Gamelan Orchestra, the development of the Hills Volleyball Academy, and the training, dreams and aspirations of students in the Golf Academy. Students are currently in the post-production phase of their projects and we look forward to viewing their final films soon!

Christopher Borg
Head of Faculty - Technologies (Digital and Design)

Teaching and Learning- Arts Ambassador

Our lovely Arts Ambassador Abby Rose Cox was in her element supporting the learning outcomes of our Prep Students. Ms Caroline Barnard informed Abby that some final touches needed to happen to complete the Stained Glass Windows Project the Prep Learners were involved with.

Thank you Abby for your support as an Arts Ambassador at Hills College 2025.

Horsemanship and Performance on Display for the Musgraves and Neals

In the past month Boston Musgrave (Year 12) has competed at two national shows. Boston has achieved placings at both the Australian Quarter Horse National Show in Tamworth and the National Pleasure Horse Association National Show in Sydney.  On Friday and Saturday May 17 and 18 he competed at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre, and was awarded two national titles at this event: one for Senior Youth Western Pleasure and the other for Senior Youth Horsemanship.

Piper Musgrave (Year 7) showed at the same show in Showmanship.  She received a 3rd under one judge and 4th under the other. The judges for this show were both from the states so these results are very positive as the children work towards representing Australia in the future. 

Coming up, both Piper and Boston have QLD state show and Tropicanana coming up which are their last two big shows for this season.  

Piper also showed in April, again in Tamworth for the Australian Independent Miniature Association National Show. Piper's results for this show were truly outstanding: she was undefeated in each of her eight events. She was awarded overall High Point Youth Handler for Australia under this association - an accomplishment well deserved and humbly received by her.

Not to be outdone by her siblings, Roni Musgrave (Year 5) competed at the Wipeout line dancing competition on the Gold Coast, May long weekend. Roni achieved 2nd place out of 13 young dancers in her Solo category. Piper Musgrave, and Addison (Year 7), Oliver (Year 4), and Elliott (Year 2) Neal all competed with various placings across the weekend also. They are all training hard for their next comp in the June school Holidays.

District Cross Country Success!

Last week, 40 students competed in the Pacific District Cross Country. The following students placed in the top 14 and secured a trial at next week's South Coast trial:

Cohen Hall
Charlotte Boyle
Maurice O'Connell
Eloise Yeomans
Brock Gill
Jessie McMillan

Congratulations to all of our competitors, and especially to those who made it through to the next level!

Formal Uniform Jacket - Now available for senior secondary!

The initial roll-out of our new formal jacket has met with great approval from our Year 7-9 students.  We are now pleased to announce that from Monday June 2 Year 10-12 students will be able to purchase the remaining formal jacket stock.  Sizing and quantities are limited, so we cannot reserve stock.

Please contact the uniform shop for an appointment if you would like to purchase the new formal jacket.

Vaccinations:  Years 7 and 10

The Queensland School Immunisation Program is coming up soon, offering free vaccines to Year 7 and Year 10 students. 

Year 7 students will receive the HPV vaccine and a combined diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough vaccine. 

Year 10 students will receive vaccines against meningococcal disease.

Both of these vaccines are extremely effective, and very safe.

Make sure your consent form is completed so you can participate in this important health initiative.

If you’ve lost your paper consent form, you can reprint it here:

Vaccination Consent Form

IEU-QNT Art Competition

We invite Hills College staff and students from Prep to Year 12 to participate in this year’s Independent Education Union, Queensland and Northern Territory (IEU-QNT) Awards for Excellence in Art Design.

The theme this year is ‘Friends’.

Further information about the competition can be found on the Independent Union’s website: www.ieuqnt.org.au/competitions

There is now an updated registration process and format for entries. All student entries are to be submitted through the school. For the entries to be processed before the advertised deadline on the poster (18 July), we will need to receive artworks by the end of Term 2. This will allow time for Ms Barnard (Art teacher) to photograph the artworks and Dr Pope (Head of the Arts Faculty) to enter the registration details online.

All artworks will need to be delivered to the main Administration building by 3.45pm on Thursday 19th June. These should have a removable piece of identification attached to the back which includes the name and Year group of the student. This will then be replaced with a number that matches the online entry form. The entry limit has been increased this year to allow up to 20 artworks per year level per school.

The conditions of entry are outlined below.

• Each entry must be that of an individual (no joint work) and the original work of the entrant.
• Artwork must be in keeping with the theme.
• Artworks may be painted, drawn, collage work or photographic work and must be suitable for exhibition purposes. Sculptures are not permitted.
• Artwork should be NO LARGER than 100cm x 60cm. Artwork must be easily transportable, and if framed, please remove the glass.
• An online entry form MUST be completed before an entry is submitted for judging, as the registration information provided is to be attached to the artwork. Entries received without a registered number are unable to be judged.
• Open entrants (staff) must be a member of the IEU-QNT to be eligible for award consideration.

We look forward to receiving your entries.

Australian Anti-Bullying Review

About the Anti-Bullying Rapid Review

The Anti-Bullying Rapid Review was announced on 16 February 2025. Expert co-chairs, Dr Charlotte Keating and Dr Jo Robinson AM will lead the rapid review to look at what is working and what needs strengthening before reporting to Education Ministers with options for the development of a consistent national standard for responding to bullying and its underlying causes in schools.

A standard could inform policies across jurisdictions, in both the government and non-government school sectors, to provide children and parents confidence that no matter where a child goes to school, if they’re experiencing bullying, it will be managed in an appropriate way.

The Rapid Review will include in-person engagement, online engagement and a written feedback process. In person and online engagement will include engagement across parent groups, school peaks, unions, and government agencies, as well as directly with parents, teachers and young people.

How to contribute to the Anti-Bullying Rapid Review

The written feedback submission process is now live and will be open from Tuesday, 20 May to Friday, 20 June 2025.

To complement the written submission process, the review’s co-chairs will meet with stakeholders, including parents, teachers and young people across the country. These meetings are expected to take place between February 2025 and July 2025.

Why the Anti-Bullying Rapid Review is needed

Bullying and cyber bullying have significant detrimental impacts on student mental health and wellbeing. Bullying undermines student wellbeing, attendance, engagement and learning outcomes. It also contributes to lifelong impacts such as reduced community participation, poor social-economic outcomes, and increases in ill-mental and physical health.

Bullying is not something that happens just in schools, but schools are places where we can identify instances of bullying, intervene, and provide support to children and young people. Bullying is a complex social issue that requires action at multiple levels: within schools at the leader, educator and student levels; within families and communities; and across all levels of government and non-government school organisations.

Australian Children’s Online Privacy Code (consultation for children and parents)

The Privacy and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2024 (the Act) introduced a mandate for the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) to develop a Children’s Online Privacy Code (the Code).

As part of this process, the OAIC is inviting children, young people and parents to share their views on children’s online privacy to ensure the Code reflects their voices and experiences.

How to get involved

If you are a child or young person, we want to hear what you think! Share your ideas by filling out a worksheet.

There are two worksheets:

• One for children in Years 3-6 (ages 8-12) (PDF, 1791 KB)
• One for young people in Years 7-12 (ages 12-18) (PDF, 1903 KB)

You can ask a parent, carer, teacher or another grown-up to help you.

Choose how you want to share your ideas...

Use the online form to complete the worksheet

• Years 3 - 6, (children)- external site
• Years 7 - 12, (young people)- external site or
• Download a worksheet, write your answers, and email it to copc@oaic.gov.au.

If you’re unsure how to start, that’s okay, just ask a grown-up to help.

If you are a parent

We’d love to hear your views, and your support is important in helping your child or young person to take part too.

Step 1: choose how you want to share your views

You can either:

• Use the online form to complete the worksheet- external site and share your views directly, (parent/carer), or
• Download the worksheet for parents and carers (PDF, 1760 KB), fill it out and email it to copc@oaic.gov.au.

Step 2: support your child or young person

Help them take part by:

• Choosing the right worksheet for their age (Years 3-6 or Years 7-12)
• Selecting the method of participation (online form or interactive PDF)
• Talking through the questions with them and letting them fill in the answers with their independent ideas.
• Sending their completed worksheet by email to copc@oaic.gov.au or submitting the online form.

Vaping Research Survey

The University of Newcastle is now in the final stages of recruiting parents and their adolescent (aged 12-15 years) to participate in a study to prevent youth from vaping. 

About the study:

The study is testing whether text-messages, sent to adolescents and their parent, are effective in preventing youth vaping. Participating parents and adolescents will receive a series of text messages (one per week for 12 weeks) that have been specifically developed to educate parents and youth on the harms of vaping, empower youth to say no to vaping through social support and teaching refusal skills, and facilitate healthy conversation amongst families. The text messages have been developed in collaboration with parents, adolescents, researchers and parenting experts.

The study website containing more information about the study and a link to register can be found here: www.vapingpreventionstudy.com

Parents and adolescents will both receive a $20 e-gift card for completing the follow-up surveys.

Primary Parent Survey

Parents of primary school kids - We need you!

Give your child a head start with healthy brain habits 🧠

We invite you to participate in a 15-minute online anonymous survey for parents of children aged 6 to 11 years 👫

Help us better understand your preferences for educational programs promoting your children's brain health 🤳🏽

By participating, you can enter for a chance to win 1 of 2 $100 gift cards. All participants will also receive our exclusive parent information flyer, and our brain health education activity booklet for your children as a thank you! 🏆

Interested? Click the link below ⬇️

https://surveyswesternsydney.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0cTecYqPMI2sqAC

For more information, please contact Lily Montague, Provisionally Registered Psychologist at 20185190@student.westernsydney.edu.au

2025 NEAS Conference

Last week I had the privilege of representing Hills at the 2025 NEAS Conference in Sydney. NEAS is the National English (Language Teaching) Accreditation Scheme, and it provides certification and compliance guidelines for English language providers in Australia and Southeast Asia.

Hills College has been a member of NEAS for almost 30 years, and we are proud of our 'stamp of quality' from this organisation. Being a member of NEAS is a sign of quality and accreditation as a provider.

This year, the conference theme was 'Pathways to Belonging', which is apt for us, as a place to belong! I presented with colleagues from Ivanhoe Grammar (Vic) and John Paul International College (Qld), and together we ran a workshop on the subject of 'what happens when you don't belong?'. It was a lively and interactive session with a lot of input from not only other high school staff, but also the VET and higher education sectors.

Hills International College, despite our relatively small size, has an excellent reputation in international education, thanks to our wonderful teachers and community!

Year 11 International Students

There are four international students in Year 11 this year, all working towards not only their Queensland Certificate of Education, but also towards their own personal and educational goals.

Featured in the last newsletter for his prowess at table tennis was Pan Pan Cheung. Pan Pan came to Hills in 2023, and worked hard in the High School Preparation class before moving to Year 10 last year. He is a keen table tennis player, who will compete at the National tournament in July.

Dickie Yau started at Hills in 2024, and also joined the HSP class at first. Dickie hails from Hong Kong, but loves the peace and quiet of Hills! He participates in mixed martial arts in his free time, and trains most afternoons after school.

Hyunjong Lee is a Korean golf student, who also spent time in the English preparation class before moving to Year 11 in 2025. Hyunjong made fast friends with his polite and calm nature, and is currently helping to settle new Language College students into Hills.

Finally, Zac Li comes from Fiji and is also a golfer. Unlike the other boys, when Zac arrived in 2023, being a native speaker, his English was ready to enter mainstream directly. Zac's sense of style and his diligence are appreciated around the College, by his peers and staff alike.