A bridge of learning: Guangzhou Foreign Language School completes successful Study Tour
Haileybury Rendall School was delighted to recently host a group of 43 students from our sister school, Guangzhou Foreign Language School, for a vibrant and immersive two-week study tour. It was a fantastic celebration of cross-cultural exchange and friendship.
The visitors were fully integrated into our school life, each paired with a buddy from their year level. They participated actively in core classes like English, Science, and Mathematics, and experienced unique Australian subjects for the first time, such as Food Technology and Wood Work. A highlight was our NAIDOC Week activities, where our Indigenous students proudly shared their culture, teaching our guests how to make traditional Damper. In a beautiful exchange, the GZFLS students then demonstrated the art of making Chinese dumplings.
Beyond the classroom, the tour showcased the best of the Top End. Students explored the stunning waterfalls of Litchfield National Park, cooled off at Leanyer Water Park, and experienced the vibrant Sunset at Mindil Beach Sunset Markets.
We are incredibly proud of the connections made and look forward to continuing this meaningful partnership. A huge thank you to everyone involved for making our international friends feel so welcome.
Lei Shangguan
Head of International Relations
Debbie Unwin
International Students Coordinator
Student Success
Balancing schoolwork with the pursuit of personal passions takes excellent organisation and a hard-working support network; the results can pay off in a variety of different and wonderful ways as we have discovered recently.
Congratulations to Transition student, Logan, who won a silver medal at the Australian Jiu-Jitsu Championship in August!
Year 10 student, Macey, had the privilege of being invited by Chief Minister, The Hon. Lia Finocchiaro MLA, to her private balcony at Parliament House to network with Territory Women who have made their mark on the NT in all facets of business, community, sport and the like. Macey and Lia had a great chat about swimming, training and the commitment needed to go all the way.
Music under the stars
Approximately 200 students took to the stage on Thursday, 7 August for the Music Department's annual Twilight Concert. There were seven ensembles in total, each performing two pieces to entertain a very enthusiastic audience.
The Electric Telephones performed first up with Australian classics "Dumb Things" by Paul Kelly and "In The Summertime" by Thirsty Merc, setting the tone for the evening. The Fireflies Choir followed with a retro song, "Where You Lead" by Carol King. They followed this with "Lanterns" by Birds of Tokyo. The Animato Strings entertained the audience with Tiptoe Boo and Ghost Train by Kathy & David Blackwell, both playful, yet spooky pieces.
The String Quartet performed "Palladio" followed by the Chamber Strings with "Mama Paquita".
The Contento Choir sang a beautiful hymn called Pie Jesu to set the tone for twilight and Defying Gravity from Wicked. We finished the concert as the sun set with the Symphony Orchestra performing Beethoven's classic "Ode to Joy" and a combined orchestra/choir number "Somewhere Only We Know" with soloists Jax Myall and John Bush.
A special thank you to all the students involved in this concert for your dedication to practice and attendance at rehearsals each week, and for being a supportive and focused audience throughout the concert.
Ilona Martin
Head of Music
HRS soccer team
This term, students from Year 3-6 formed a HRS girls’ and boys’ soccer team, with the intention of playing games against Essington. Students played their first match on Thursday after a few weeks of after-school training. Our teams demonstrated excellent sportsmanship and determination, wearing the purple HRS shirt with immense pride. We concluded with some pizza and snacks, giving students from both schools the opportunity to build new social networks.
We look forward to playing our second match next week!
Tom Heggan
Physical Education Teacher - Junior School
Get to the chopper!
This year’s National Science Week was unforgettable at our school, with events that brought science and innovation to life for students across all year levels.
The highlight of the week was the spectacular arrival of the Australian Army’s 1st Aviation Regiment, who landed both an army helicopter and a search and rescue helicopter on our school oval. Students and staff gathered to watch the impressive display, before Year 8 students took part in a special presentation on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) in Defence. The visiting aviation specialists spoke about the importance of science in their work and encouraged students to see how their own learning could one day take them into exciting fields such as engineering, aviation, medicine, and technology.
The celebrations didn’t stop there. Throughout the week, students witnessed thrilling live science demonstrations on the quad, including colourful bubble chains floating through the air and the dramatic foamy explosion of elephant’s toothpaste. Special thanks to our laboratory technicians, Xoanon Lambert and Angie Packwood, for these demonstrations. These hands-on experiences reminded everyone that science is not only important—it’s fun, surprising, and inspiring.
Science Week 2025 has certainly sparked curiosity, excitement, and imagination in our students, and showed them just how far an interest in science can take them—even into the skies!
Louise Staggs
Head of Science
