National Reconciliation Week and Culture of Learning
National Reconciliation Week National Reconciliation Week (NRW) is one of the biggest weeks on the Haileybury Rendall School calendar. A week full of truth-telling, reflection, and connection, NRW is organised and run by our Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group and student leaders. Middle School students were actively involved in the organisation of and participation in traditional games as part of NRW. Edor was the game of choice for this year, with games held during lunchtimes in the quad, run by our Middle School student leaders. Edor is an energetic, fast-paced traditional Indigenous Australian game where an attacking player (known as the ‘edor’) works to evade their opponents to reach the end of the playing area. Defenders must quickly remove the ‘edor’s’ tag before scoring a point; if successful, they become the new ‘edor’. Students engaged in the activity with great enthusiasm and interest, with participation from a wide range of students. These games demonstrated the increased connections built during this important week and the bridging of gaps between cultures.
Culture of Learning
The start of a new semester brings opportunities to reset and realign. This week, students transitioned into their new electives and started new units of work in each subject. Reminders around our Culture of Learning are also a focus. The Culture of Learning Framework launched at the start of 2025, with a strong focus on building and practising the routines we know are important for Middle School students to be successful at school. As we begin Semester 2, students are strongly encouraged to know and practise the routines to ‘Prepare’, ‘Be ready’, ‘Engage’, and ‘Complete’ lessons with success each and every day. Families are encouraged to use these routines around the dinner table as a base for discussing how their child is doing at school.
Brendan Evans
Head of Middle School
CDU Brings Real-World Coding Experience to Haileybury Rendall School's Digital Tech Students
Year 9 Digital Technology students recently participated in a game development workshop facilitated by Charles Darwin University. This session provided an extension to their current learning in programming fundamentals. The workshop offered students a practical opportunity to apply their skills in a creative context, deepening their understanding of real-world programming applications and inspiring future pathways in digital technologies.
In addition to this, students had the opportunity to hear from CDU professors about potential study and career pathways in digital technology. These discussions helped students better understand the diverse opportunities available in this broad and continually evolving field.
Jack Galbraith
Head of Computer Science
Student recollection of Ochre Excursion to Parliament House
On Friday the 16th of May, the whole of Ochre travelled to Parliament House, Darwin NT, to learn about state-level Government and the responsibilities of our Parliament members. This excursion covered content for both the Integrated Studies and English units in weeks 1-5. The experience allowed for many students to have their first window into politics in the NT and even provided a discussion about government with members Manuel Brown and Tanzil Rahman. Here are a few recounts from students who attended.
On Friday, 16 May, we visited Parliament House in Darwin to learn about the responsibilities of the members of Parliament and to explore the history of the building.
When we arrived, we first saw the desert rose design on the floor at the entrance. We learned about the different rocks the desert rose represents, which symbolises every state in Australia. We also discussed the old Northern Territory flag and its designs; for instance, the stars represent the states, while the desert rose represents Australia as a whole.
Next, we looked at the wall showcasing the members of Parliament from the Darwin and desert regions. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. After a short break outside, we returned inside, having recess and fun.
We then entered a room where we participated in voting activities. Each student voted for a person to be chosen as Prime Minister, focusing on important issues like housing, a clean environment, and building schools. Later, we went outside for lunch, where the boys chatted peacefully. During lunch, we met Tanzil Rahman, who shared information about Haileybury Rendall School and mentioned that his old friend was the principal.
Finally, we left Parliament House, boarded the bus, and returned to school. After school, we returned to our boarding house.
I felt excited about the excursion because I wanted to learn new things at Parliament House. I discovered the chamber has books that record the discussions word for word, with many more stored behind a wall. My favourite part was the voting activity in the room because we participated in several engaging activities there. I would love to do this again, as it was much more enjoyable than staying in class!
Tyrique
Ochre student
