Edition 6, Term 4

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

It has been a productive start to Term 4 as we began with the PAT Testing to measure the achievement and growth in our students Reading and Numeracy.

We achieved a great result in terms of participation well above our target with almost 80% of the school completing the required tests.

We eagerly await our results and will be sharing these with our students and wider community in due course.

Alongside of this we have been able to measure the Year 7 and 8 student Reading skill growth through our screening data. This data indicates that most of our students have made improvements with their oral reading fluency which is a fantastic achievement.

Our school measures of attendance and suspensions continue to show improvements as the year goes on. Our Term 4 suspensions have dropped by 50% compared to the same time last year and our attendance is above 70% which is 4% better than 2023. This is a result of many processes and procedures that we have put in place to ensure that students feel safe and are supported with their learning at school.

Our recent Student Wellbeing and Engagement Survey results were overwhelmingly positive with a high number of categories showing improvements over the last year or two years. Reflected through all of the data we have received this year is that students are feeling safe to be at school and have strong connections with teachers and adults at Cosgrove High School.

Many extra-curricular opportunities have been offered to students this term. We have had our chess team participate in the Tasmanian Interschool Chess Finals which was their culminating tournament for the year. It is fantastic to see the student engagement with the chess instructor each Monday as our team has continued to develop their understanding of the game and expertise.

Several students who demonstrated a keen interest in STEM education had the chance to engage in a workshop with BitLink in an Advanced Manufacturing Education Program in collaboration with TMEC (Tasmanian Minerals, Manufacturing and Energy Council). Cosgrove was one of 12 Tasmanian secondary schools who were selected to participate in a 3-hour workshop run by the Bitlink team. The workshop simultaneously engages students and staff in learning skills relating to the design and digital technologies curriculum areas and the advanced manufacturing sector. 

Our ten students participating in the Children’s University program participants attended their graduation ceremony at the University of Tasmania. This was a prestigious occasion where students wore academic gowns and mortarboard hats, our students participated in a formal occasion to recognise the extra-curricular activities that they have undertaken to contribute towards their graduation. It was a pleasure to see how proud our students were and the large number of our feeder primary school students in attendance.

Our annual Athletics Carnival has been held off site this year at Abbotsfield Oval due to our redevelopment. We are very proud of the level of participation our students showed and the engagement with the day. There were many highlights on the day with a large squad of 50 students being selected to participate in the Interhigh Athletics Carnival at the Domain on Friday 22nd November.

Our final Dojo shop for the year has been held with students having the opportunity to redeem their Dojo class points for experiences and gifts. This has been a great way for teachers to recognise positive behaviour aligned to our school values and for students to reflect on the growth and progress they have made this year.

With only four weeks remaining this year we have many events and activities planned for students. Each Year level will be participating in a Reward Day excursion. We have our future Year 7 students attending our school on Wednesday 27 November for their orientation day, and on Friday 29 November we have our Year 9 students at Claremont College for their Taster Day.

For our Year 10 students time is quickly coming to an end at Cosgrove. This presents as an exciting time with the transition to College life just around the corner and of course the Celebration Dinner, Prize Assembly and Year 10 final assembly in the last week of school. We wish all Year 10 students well in the next 4 weeks and we have all been impressed with the growing maturity and improved behaviour seen over the recent weeks.

Finally, I would like to thank all families who completed the Cosgrove Family Satisfaction Survey this year. Our results have been amazingly positive. Our overall family satisfaction in 2024 has risen by 0.6% this year to 6.5% compared to last year and is only 0.5% away from the state average of 7.0% in all schools for Family Satisfaction. This year we had the highest ever number of parents completing the survey with 67 families choosing to provide feedback to the school.

As identified in the survey results categories that have shown significant growth over the last two years are below (score out of 10)

6.0 - Student behaviour is well managed at the school - 1.9% improvement over 2 years

6.6 - There is effective school leadership in this school - 1.9% improvement over 2 years

6.1 - Family feedback is used to inform decision making about this school – 1.7% improvement over 2 years

The full data can be seen in the image below.

Anthony Coe
Principal

Year 7

Maths

We have been learning about data and statistics. We have learnt about dot plot, stem and leaf plot.  This shows data that we can figure out the mean, median, range and mode too.

English

We have been reviewing stories. We had three short stories read to us and we had to choose one we liked and review it. The three stories were all different, one being about murder, another one being about a boy starting seventh grade and another with a cursed monkey’s paw. When we chose our short story, we answered some questions and then wrote what we liked and disliked and then turned it into a review.

Geography

We learned about what makes a place liveable and unliveable.  Miss Dobson showed us certain places around the world that we had to figure out if it was liveable or not. We looked at air pollution, the cost of houses and access to healthcare, to figure out if it was liveable.

Science

Our focus has been forces and motion. We have been exploring simple machines, creating paper ball runs and exploring the forces involved in paper airplanes. Everyone in our class made a paper airplane, most planes were different. We threw them down the hallway and timed them. The different airplane widths, lengths and sizes made each airplane have a different outcome. Most airplanes didn’t make it to 3 seconds, but some made it over. Our paper ball runs were also timed. We tried to make them as slow as possible with only three pieces of paper and some tape.

Tilarni and Charlie

Children's University

On Tuesday the 12^th November we had our Children’s University Graduation at the University of Tasmania.  We got to dress up in an academic gown and parade through the Stanley Burbury Theatre.  We had 10 students from Years 7 and 8 graduate at the ceremony.  We concluded the ceremony with a lovely afternoon tea of cakes and drinks shared with family and friends.

Children’s University has been a great experience for me.  I have been involved with the program since primary school.  I have learnt many new things while on my Children’s University journey. 

Montanna.

Year 8

Raise Mentoring Graduation

In Year 8 this term, we saw the completion of the Raise Mentoring Program. This program has seen mentors from the community coming to the school over 20 weeks to work with students who they have been buddied with. The mentors and mentees (students) worked through various skills to help the students with their school, home and work lives. Some mentees even received help with writing their resumes.

On the last day of the program the mentors and mentees celebrated with a graduation ceremony from the program. Both participants received a certificate, and cards were exchanged with thanks given from both sides. There was a party alongside the graduation ceremony with food, cake and decorations.

Some of the benefits of the program that the students talked about included: being able to talk to someone, they have increased confidence, they enjoyed meeting new people, feeling good about themselves, and they learningnew skills.

We look forward to continuing the program with our 2025 Year 8’s and seeing their success as well as the continued success of the 2024 participants.

Wellness Wednesday

Every Wednesday during Wellbeing classes the Year 8’s have been participating in what we call Wellness Wednesday. Teachers have been working hard to create lessons where the students have been able to move their bodies, relax or do some creative things. They have participated in Just Dance with enthusiasm from most of the students and even some teachers joining in! They have mandalas and made participated in colour walks around the school grounds when the weather has been nice.

Year 9

The final term of the year is off to an exciting and productive start for our Year 9 students, with plenty of achievements and activities already underway.

We saw a wave of school spirit at the Athletics Carnival, where 13 of our year 9 students went on to represent Cosgrove High with pride at the Interschool Athletics Carnival. Their dedication and effort are a true testament to our school's values, and we congratulate them all on their fantastic performances.

A highlight for some students was the recent visit to ABC Studios. This group had the unique opportunity to tour the facilities, learn about the inner workings of radio production, and even meet some of the presenters. It was an inspiring experience, offering valuable insights into the world of media and journalism.

Another exciting experience was our visit to Angelsea Barracks in Davey Street. A group of students took part in a tour and a career session, where they learned about the diverse roles available in the Australian Defence Force. It was a fantastic opportunity to gain insights into this career pathway and explore what it takes to be part of the ADF.

Meanwhile, some of our students have been participating in work experience placements, gaining hands-on insight into various industries. This is an excellent achievement, as it helps them explore future career paths and build essential workplace skills.

Excitement is also building around the 2025 Prefect Application Process. Students are stepping forward to demonstrate their leadership potential, and we are eager to see who will be selected to represent the school next year. Additionally, preparations for our Leavers Jumpers and Polo Tops are well underway, ensuring they will be ready for the start of the next school year.

Looking ahead, the rest of Term four promises to be action-packed. Highlights include the Taster Day at Claremont College, where students can explore senior secondary options and get a feel for college life. Also, the Putters Adventure Golf Rewards Excursion which will be a well-deserved celebration for hard work throughout the year.

It is shaping up to be a busy but rewarding end to the year, and we look forward to celebrating all the achievements of our Year 9 students as they prepare for the transition into their final year of high school.

Year 10

Term Four has been an opportunity for Year Ten students to consolidate the skills that they have been learning throughout the year and in previous years. As we come to the end of the term, students have been finishing assessments in their lessons ready for their end of year reports. Within English, we have been reading the novel The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton and are using our knowledge and skills to write different types of sentences and how to vary sentences for effect, to write from a character’s point of view. We are hoping to visit Rewind cinema in New Town to be able to watch the movie version of the novel, which was released in 1983.

In Mathematics, students have been using skills and knowledge to plot data on different graphs, understanding what gradient means, and how algebra is a skill that can be used in many areas of life in the future. Students have been assessed by putting data in a graph, working out the unknown quantities.

In Wellbeing lessons, our focus has been on responsibility; looking at how we can be responsible members of society. This has been a great topic for students to explore by looking at different ways in which they can contribute to society, examples of people who have made an impact on the local and national scale, and also planning how to be responsible citizens of the wider community and the world.

We are heading out to our college taster days within week eight, where students will get to experience their courses and meet staff and peers. It is an exciting opportunity and we hope students make the most of these days.

As we approach the end of the year, we look forward to the exciting events happening, including: a Year Ten excursion day to Clarence Pool (Wed 11 December) and also the Graduation Assembly and Celebration dinner (Tuesday 17 December). Our prize assembly is being held on Monday 18 December where many Year Ten students will be recognised for their commitment to learning and engagement within their school life.

We would like to take this opportunity to celebrate one of the Year Ten students, Eden, for being awarded the Gilligan Scholarship from Rotary Tasmania. This scholarship is a biannual award which will assist the recipients in their journey to higher education. Eden completed the written application and interview process and will be awarded the scholarship at an upcoming presentation dinner. We would like to congratulate Eden on winning this scholarship, and thank Rotary for their continued support of our students.

Respect, Responsibility and Resilience

I would like to congratulate all award recipients on your wonderful achievement. It is tremendous that we have been able to acknowledge those students who have upheld our values of respect, responsibility and resilience.

Please see below the list of certificate winners.

Athletics Carnival

This year we held our Athletics Carnival at a new venue, due to the redevelopment works taking place at school. On the morning of the 12^th November, we boarded the buses to head to Abbottsfield Park, home of the Claremont Little Athletics Club.

Our new venue offered us the perfect layout to host our carnival, and with the weather on our side it provided the setting for a wonderful carnival.

Students arrived eager to get the day started. After a quick briefing from Mr Glancy, students moved in their grade groups to the first events. Year 7/8 were the first to hit the track with their 100m races. The track races featured a new format this year. The first two heats were ran as competitive races, for those students wishing to place and be considered for the Interhigh team. Following this, the remaining students ran for participation points in a ‘Race with mates’ format which featured a less competitive set-up. This new format proved popular with students and saw high levels of participation throughout the grades.

Whilst the track events were being ran, other grade groups rotated through their field events, including shotput, discus (years 7/8), javelin (years 9/0) and long/triple jump.

The Cosgrove school spirit was well on display, with many students dressing up in house colours to celebrate the day. Tutus, headbands, glitter hats and bow ties, face paint and even a couple of blow-up dinosaurs added an element of fun and team spirit to the day. Well done to our students for their effort in making the day a memorable one!

As always, our House Championship was a tight race, with participation points proving to be valuable in helping the Championship House over the line. This year’s Athletics House Championship stands as follows:

• 1^st Place                    Barton                
• 2^nd Place                   Parkes
• 3^rd Place                    Hughes

Congratulations to all students in Barton Bulls for continuing your domination of the Interhouse carnival events!

As well as having a load of fun representing our Houses, we had some outstanding individual athletic performances. Congratulations to the following Grade Track and Field Champions!

Prev

Showing images 1 - 8 of 17

Next

Interhigh Athletics

On 22^nd of November we had some of our students attend the Interhigh Athletics Carnival at the Domain Athletics Centre.  We sent a team of over 50 students to compete in their strongest events.

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9

Year 10

Careers Fair

On Thursday last week, students in Years Nine and Ten were able to participate in a careers fair.

We had visitors from a range of different industries come in and chat to students about their career path, their roles and responsibilities whilst also answering student questions.

We would like to thank all of those who attended and to The Smith Family for organising this informative session!

Bodysafe Education

Year Nine students listened to Richard from Paraquad Tasmania. Richard presented Bodysafe Education which touched on a range of topics including Richard's life experience both before and after his accident, road safety, party safety, making good decisions and peer pressure.

A massive thank you to Mr Arnold for organising Richard to speak to our students. They all thoroughly enjoyed listening to Richard and learnt a lot.

Golf

A beautiful morning for developing our golfing skills whilst building connections and resilience as part of the First Tee program.

Every Monday Ben (Youth Engagement Officer from Glenorchy City Council) and professional golfer Adam, visit for the day and run workshops with students from each year group.

This is a great opportunity that will run throughout term four!

School Association

Harlen’s Windeward Bound Adventure

We are thrilled to announce that Harlen has earned a coveted spot on the Windeward Bound Youth Leadership Challenge! This unique 10-day journey will see Harlen sailing along Tasmania's beautiful coastline aboard a tall ship, engaging in an immersive adventure that builds leadership, teamwork, and resilience.

The Windeward Bound Youth Leadership Challenge is a transformative experience designed to help young people grow through hands-on maritime activities. Harlen, alongside a diverse crew of peers, will participate in every aspect of ship life, from navigating and hoisting sails to learning key problem-solving and communication skills. The program encourages personal growth, pushing participants out of their comfort zones and fostering leadership skills in real-world scenarios.

What makes Harlen's experience even more exciting is that he will be journaling and documenting his entire journey. This will give us all a unique window into the daily challenges and triumphs he encounters at sea. Harlen’s journal will not only capture his personal reflections but also offer insight into the development of his leadership skills, teamwork efforts, and the valuable life lessons he’s gaining.

To participate in this program, Harlen is required to fundraise $2,500. The School Association has generously contributed $500.00 towards his fundraising efforts.

We look forward to reading Harlen’s accounts of this extraordinary experience and celebrating the growth he will undoubtedly bring back to our community. We are so proud of Harlen and can not wait to share in the adventure!