Christmas 

It was a joy to celebrate Christmas through the Junior School’s “Twinkly Nativity” play and Carol Services in both Junior and Senior School. We give thanks for the greatest gift of all: Jesus Christ, our Saviour. Luke 2:10-11 reminds us of the meaning of this gift: 

"But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.'".  

Learning and Growth 

We are thankful for the continued learning, growth and development of each girl throughout 2025. Along with our continued excellence in teaching, learning and care, there have been a number of developments to benefit the girls’s learning:

• Project Based Learning initiatives
• Gifted and High Potential Programs 
• Active Volunteering Microcredential 
• Learning curriculum roadmaps
• Embedding the Danebank Approach to Learning in reports, programs and assessments

We also enjoyed international trips to France, Cambodia and Borneo. 

Our co-curricular programs have continued to thrive this year. The Term 4 Celebration of Music and Dance highlighted the depth and vibrancy of our Performing Arts offerings. Our gymnastics program flourished, the Podium Ready Program provided strong support for elite athletes, and Danebank’s swimming program continued to go from strength to strength.

HSC 

We celebrated the achievements of our HSC students yesterday. Congratulations again to the girls for their effort, progress and accomplishments. We continue to pray for our Class of 2025 as they start the next adventure in their lives and look forward to hearing about the exciting times ahead.

Wellbeing and Care 

This year has been a season of growth in student wellbeing and care. Junior School students participated in bespoke programs facilitated by our dedicated counselling team, including Peaceful Kids, Friendship Groups, and Picnic Group, while Senior School students engaged in sessions on connection, mental health, stress management and healthy relationships. We also strengthened support through new wellbeing teams in both Junior and Senior Schools. We are thankful for Dr Judith Locke’s presentations and resources which enriched our partnership with families.

Building Works 

The next stages of our Master Plan are underway, with Development Applications (DAs) submitted for Stage 3A (Senior School Study Centre) and Stage 3B (Science Labs). We were also grateful for the opportunity to purchase 107 The Avenue.

Recognising our Outstanding Staff

We sincerely thank all our staff for their remarkable commitment to the girls’ education throughout the year. Our teachers and staff have worked tirelessly to deliver exceptional learning experiences, provide pastoral care, enhance our beautiful learning environment and ensure the smooth running of the school.

Staff continued to demonstrate their commitment to ongoing professional growth through a variety of offerings, including leadership training, collaborative professional learning groups, reflective lesson observations, and the P-6 Numeracy Project facilitated by the Association of Independent Schools NSW.

We farewelled a number of long service staff members at the end of this year, most of whom are retiring after decades of outstanding service. We sincerely thank Mr Michael Wotton, Mrs Jocelyn Hartley, Mrs Daniela Clark, Ms Karen Springstub and Mrs Margaret McLay for their dedication and commitment to our community.

Our Strategic Momentum

I am pleased to share the Strategic Momentum Booklet outlining our progress in enriching learning, enabling wellbeing and care, empowering our staff, enlightening hearts and engaging our community.  

Thank you to our  community for your support, collaboration and input as we work together towards our shared aspiration for our girls. We are so grateful for families, carers, alumnae, volunteers and all who have partnered with us this year.

Speech Night 2025

Our Annual Speech Night in the Sydney Town Hall was a highlight of the year. Congratulations to all the award recipients and each of our students for their growth in learning, character, faith and social development this year. Special thanks to the staff and teams who made this outstanding event such a special night. 

Click here to view our commemorative video of the evening, and here to visit the portal with pictures. This link takes you to the year-in-review video shown at Speech Night.

Looking to 2026

Community Cocktail Evening

Please register for our annual Cocktail Evening, Friday 6 February 2026 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. All current and new 2026 parents are invited to attend. Organised by parent volunteers, the event will be held in the Danebank Community Lounge, Level 2, Carole Tisdell Learning Centre Building (enter via the Colonnade Gates). Please note that the Cocktail Event is open to adults only.

Uniform Shop Reminders

Danebank’s uniform shop is now closed, with Monday 12 January as the first trading day for 2026. The shop will be closed on the public holiday (Monday 26 January). Opening hours, details and ordering information can be found here. 

Danebank 2026 Handbook

Please save this link to the electronic version of Danebank’s 2026 Handbook containing important information, such as:

• Attendance
• School policies, rules and expectations
• 2026 term dates
• Uniform information
• School counselling and wellbeing services
• Stationery requirements
• BYOD requirements (Senior School)
• Sport opportunities
• Extra and co-curricular activities

I warmly wish our Danebank families a safe, refreshing holiday season and a peaceful Christmas as we celebrate the birth of Jesus.

I look forward to welcoming you back in 2026. 

• Year 7 and new senior student orientation: Friday 23 January 2026
• All Students Commence Term 1: Tuesday 27 January 2026

Resources for Parents and Carers

Kids Helpline fact sheets:

• Supporting your child following tragic events
• When something tragic happens close to home

Beyond Blue:

• Making sense of trauma: what you might feel and when extra support can help

Lifeline:

• Bondi Beach Attack: Wellbeing support guide

ReachOut:

• Managing family distress after the Bondi terrorist attack

Support Services for Students

NSW Mental Health Line:

• Free, 24/7 state-wide service linking people of all ages with NSW Health mental health services
• Phone: 1800 011 511

Kids Helpline:

• For children and young people aged 5–25
• Phone: 1800 55 1800 or kidshelpline.com.au (webchat available)

We continue to pray for those who are grieving, injured or traumatised, and the emergency and medical teams responding.

Danebank School Carols

Our annual Carols Celebration Services are also fast approaching. Please mark these dates in your diary as we invite you to join with your daughters to celebrate and give thanks for the birth of our Saviour. Please note, this is a compulsory event for all students.  

• Junior School Carols: Tuesday 25 November, 6:30pm in the PAC

(Pre-K students are not required to attend, although they are very welcome)

• Senior School Carols: Thursday 27 November, 6:30pm in the PAC

We look forward to celebrating these wonderful occasions with you and your daughter.

The Edith Roseby Ball Award for Compassion: given annually to a current student or alumna who has acted on behalf of those less fortunate than themselves. The award is named in honour of the school's foundational teacher and first headmistress, Miss Edith Roseby Ball, who enrolled students with learning and other disabilities, a rare consideration in the 1930s. The award was first given on Founder's Day 2008 at the celebrations of the school's 75th Anniversary.

• Nominations should be submitted via this link

The Valerie Crakanthorp Award for Initiative and Philanthropy: given annually to a member of the Danebank Community who has endeavoured to assist others through significant initiatives and/or the raising of generous funds for worthwhile causes. The award is named in honour of Mrs Valerie Crakanthorp whose financial generosity and initiative were instrumental in funding and commencing education here at Danebank. The award was first given on Founder's Day 2008 at the celebration of the school's 75th anniversary.

• Nominations should be submitted via this link

The Old Girls Association Citizenship Award (only available to the daughter of a Danebank alumna) The Old Girls Association Citizenship Award is a generous 25% off student tuition fees for one year, and highlights the importance of good citizenship and involvement within the school and wider community.

Note: 

• This award is open to senior school students only. 
• Students on any Danebank Scholarships are not eligible for the award. 
• Students may only receive this award once during their time at Danebank. 
• Nominations should be submitted via this link

Nomination should be made via the relevant google form links as listed above, no later than 24 November 2025. 

HSC

Our Class of 2025, as well as a number of Year 11 accelerated students, begin their HSC exams this Thursday. The exam block ends on Friday 7 November. Please keep the girls in your prayers in the coming weeks. 

HSC prayer meeting

Every year we host a prayer meeting for parents to attend on the morning of the first HSC exam (Thursday 16 October). Starting at 10am, the meeting is held in the Conference Room on Level 2 of the Carole Tisdell Learning Centre. It will conclude at 10:45am. I encourage all Year 12 parents and carers to attend. There is no expectation that everyone will pray aloud, as some people may prefer to listen. 

Events in Term 4 

There is much to look forward to this term, including:

• Celebration of Music and Dance: Wednesday 15 October
• The 5-year reunion for the Class of 2020
• Year 12 (2026) Afternoon Tea with Parents: Tuesday 21 October
• Welcoming Year 6 students to our Year 7 Taster Day and Grading Assessment: Monday 27 October
• Junior School Father-Daughter Camp: Friday 31 October to Sunday 2 November
• Parents and Friends Association AGM: Monday 10 November
• Year 10 Leadership Camp: Monday 17 to Thursday 20 November
• Roseby Dance: Tuesday 11 November
• Year 8 Camp: Monday 17 to Wednesday 19 November
• Infants Nativity Play: Thursday 13 November
• Year 9 Nursing Home Concert: Wednesday 19 November
• Junior School Transition Day: Friday 21 November
• Year 10 Formal: Friday 21 November

Speech Night: Wednesday 3 December

Our 92nd Annual Speech Night on Wednesday 3 December at Sydney Town Hall marks the final day of school for the year. Students will be dismissed from learning at Danebank at 12:30pm to allow time for the girls and staff to travel into the city to set up and conduct final rehearsals. Please be reminded that transport to and from the venue is the responsibility of families. 

Doors open at 6:30pm and the evening’s events start at 7pm sharp. We will send more details shortly, but in the meantime, please save the date.

Please note that attendance is compulsory for:

• All students in Years 3 to 12
• All award recipients in Kindergarten to Year 2
• Year 2 students who are performing in The Melodies Choir

Carols

We are excited to invite you to celebrate and give thanks for the birth of our Saviour at our annual Carols services. This is a compulsory event for all students.

• Junior School Carols: Tuesday 25 November, 6pm in the PAC. Pre-K students are not required to attend, although they are very welcome.
• Senior School Carols: Thursday 27 November, 6pm in the PAC

Scholarship applications 

Danebank has a suite of full and half scholarships for students entering Year 7 for which we invite current Year 5 students to apply. Scholarship applications for 2027 open on Monday 10 November. For more information, including scholarship expectations and application closing dates, please refer to our scholarship portal. 

Uniform 

All students should return to school wearing the summer uniform. We expect the girls to take responsibility for wearing their uniforms correctly. 

I look forward to seeing the girls tomorrow, and to joining with our community at this term’s special events.

The Showcase will entail exhibitions, performances and refreshments:

• Exhibition spaces will open at 6pm in PAC1, PAC2 and the upper PAC Foyer
• Light refreshments will be provided by the Year 11 Hospitality students
• Drama performances will commence at 7pm in the PAC Auditorium

We look forward to seeing you on the night. 
Warm regards

At the centre of Danebank’s identity is the strong Christian foundation of the gospel of Jesus that deeply resonates with me. This foundation will continue to shape the way we relate to one another, the way we lead and our approach to learning. 

I am impressed with Danebank’s commitment to an engaging learning environment for every student, the focus on faith and character, and the strong relationships. It is clear that these priorities work together to grow our girls to become what they are purposed to be. Students thrive when they are both stretched and supported, and when they are taught by staff who know them well and care about their learning and wellbeing.

As we begin the new term, I want to acknowledge the excellent work already underway. The staff team at Danebank is focused, experienced and dedicated. Their energy for the term ahead is clear, and they remain committed to delivering purposeful learning experiences and ongoing support for every student. 

As I am keen to connect with our parents and carers, I have arranged for a series of Coffee and Chat events in the Community Lounge in the Carole Tisdell Learning Centre. Please register by clicking on the event you are interested in attending:

• Friday 15 August: 8:30am to 9:30am
• Tuesday 26 August: 6:30pm to 7:30pm
• Wednesday 10 September: 3.30pm to 4:30pm

I look forward to meeting you in the coming weeks and thank you again for your warm welcome.  

With kind regards