Exploring and Activiating Futures
Recently, our senior students have been sharing their learning journeys through the Exploring Identities and Futures (EIF) and Activating Identities and Futures (AIF) programs, creating valuable opportunities for collaboration, feedback, and inspiration across year levels.
Our Year 10 students proudly showcased their EIF projects to Year 9 students, presenting their ideas, reflections, and learning to a real audience. These presentations encouraged students to take pride in their work while receiving authentic feedback and inspiring younger students as they begin considering their own future pathways through EIF.
Similarly, our Year 11 students recently shared their AIF projects with Year 10 students through an interactive walk-through experience. AIF encourages students to take ownership of their learning by exploring areas of personal interest, developing independent thinking, and building skills for lifelong learning. The thoughtful engagement from Year 10 students provided fresh perspectives and valuable feedback for the presenters.
It was fantastic to see students across year levels so engaged — asking questions, sharing ideas, and learning from one another. From creative concepts to thoughtful reflections, these experiences highlighted the power of authentic learning, student voice, and collaboration in action.
Well done to all students involved for embracing feedback, supporting one another, and demonstrating what meaningful learning looks like at every stage of the journey.
Institute of Sport
In Week 4 a group of Year 9-11 HCS students attended the Sport Volunteer Expo at the South Australian Sports Institute (SASI).
Students had the opportunity to hear from a panel of current young volunteers, explore a range of sporting organisations and support groups and speak directly with industry professionals and athletes about careers and pathways in sports.
The day also included a tour of the Adelaide University Sports Science Hub and SASI’s world class training facilities, where students participated in hands-on sport science testing experiences
The Importance of Being Earnest
Leading up to their own performances, Drama students enjoyed a day out to see the State Theatre Company performance of ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ with a post show Q&A.
They found inspiration from the comedic physicality and clever costume designs and look forward to putting new acting tips into play with their own ‘Peter Pan’ R – 12 Arts Production.
Biggest Morning Tea
What an incredible effort from our Year 12 Health & Wellbeing class!
Our Year 12 students hosted a Biggest Morning Tea for staff, raising funds for the Cancer Council — and the response from our school community was nothing short of amazing.
The buzz in the staff room was incredible, with so many staff coming together to support a cause that impacts so many lives. Our students were thrilled to see such strong attendance and encouragement for an event they worked so hard to organise and run.
Thanks to the generosity of our staff, we are proud to share that $1,068 was raised for the Cancer Council — more than double our goal!
These funds will support the Cancer Council’s vital work with those affected by cancer, as well as ongoing education and awareness initiatives
A huge congratulations to our Year 12s for their hard work, teamwork and heart behind this event. If you see them around school, be sure to let them know what you enjoyed about the morning tea — they’ll love hearing your feedback!
Little Big Kids
A couple of weeks ago at our Little Big Kids playgroup the children got messy!
The children explored a variety of sensory experiences including shaving cream, jelly play, finger painting, water and ice play. There were plenty of smiles, laughter and opportunities for creativity and discovery as the children used their hands, feet and senses to explore different textures and materials!
Little Big Kids is held Tuesdays, 9-10am and Thursdays, 2-3pm. Everyone in the community is welcome from 1 day old to 5 years!
Year 11 Outdoor Ed Camp
While Adelaide was battening down the hatches in Week 6, our Year 11 Outdoor Ed class managed to escape the wind and rain and spend 3 days camping and kayaking on the River Murray.
With a few challenges to overcome and some chilly nights by the fire, students thrived in the great outdoors and even caught a fish or two!
Child Studies Fun
Last week, our Year 12 Child Studies class spent time with one of our Year 1 classes, leading a beautiful morning of Nature Play activities. The Year 12 students carefully planned a range of fun, hands-on outdoor experiences designed to spark curiosity, creativity, and connection with the natural world. Working in small groups, the younger students were encouraged to explore, imagine, and try new things in a safe and supportive environment.
Our Year 1 students had a wonderful time exploring the school grounds through scavenger hunts, searching for different colours, shapes, and textures in nature. They also got creative making nature bracelets, masks, magic wands, sand cupcakes, flower paintings, and artworks using natural materials found outdoors.
It was a joy to see the older and younger students learning alongside one another, with plenty of smiles, creativity, and muddy hands along the way!
Senior Photography
Behind every great sports photo is a photographer working hard to capture the moment!
Last week, our Year 10–12 Photography class completed part 1 of their “Sportraits” assessment task, stepping into the fast-paced world of sports photography to capture our Dance, Volleyball and Soccer programs in action.
With three students undertaking Photography for SACE, alongside a number of our international students, the class showed fantastic creativity, teamwork and adaptability while working under some pretty challenging and fast-moving conditions — no easy feat when trying to capture the perfect shot!
A huge shoutout to our Photography students for doing such a fantastic job. We can’t wait to see the final results of your hard work!
Peter Pan
Last week, more than 300 student performers took to the stage for our Peter Pan R–12 Arts Production at the Hopgood Theatre, bringing the magic of Neverland to life through drama, dance, song and music. From twinkling fireflies and playful mer people to adventurous Lost Children and mischievous pirates, audiences were swept away with the help of a little fairy dust.
From our youngest performers to our senior students, every single cast member should be incredibly proud of what they achieved. The confidence, talent, teamwork and joy on stage were truly something special.
Behind every magical performance were countless hours of rehearsals, learning lines, practising choreography, perfecting music, quick costume changes and supporting one another along the way. Across both incredible performance nights, our students gave it their all and did an absolutely amazing job — we could not be prouder!
A heartfelt thank you to our dedicated staff, directors, choreographers, musicians, backstage crew, costume and makeup teams, volunteers, families and supporters who gave their time, energy and encouragement to make this production possible. It truly takes a village to create something this special.
Congratulations to everyone involved for creating memories that will last a lifetime — second star to the right, and straight on till morning!
HCS Sport
Interschool Soccer Competition
We recently hosted our third annual Year 5/6 interschool soccer carnival, The Cove Cup – bringing together 180 students from Hallett Cove East Primary School, Hallett Cove South Primary School and Sheidow Park Primary School for a day of fun, teamwork and football!
Unlike many competitions, The Cove Cup is open to all students interested in playing, not just elite players. With support from our specialist soccer program, our high school students helped referee and run the round-robin carnival – a fantastic example of student leadership in action.
Despite the rain doing its best to dampen spirits, students showed incredible resilience, sportsmanship and community spirit all day long.
Congratulations to the Hallett Cove School “Pig the Pug Power” team for taking out the boys competition, and Hallett Cove East “Easties” for winning the girls competition!
A huge thank you to everyone who braved the weather and made the day such a success!
First Nations Jerseys
Recently, our Soccer and Volleyball Program teams were proudly presented with their new Indigenous jerseys – designs rich in meaning, created through student voice, local stories and a shared commitment to reconciliation.
In 2023, Marni Kanthi learners from Reception to Year 12 explored the meanings behind traditional Indigenous artwork and symbols. Using this knowledge, students collaborated to design jerseys for our specialist sports programs that symbolise the united path of Reconciliation at Hallett Cove School. Each design reflects understandings of Dreaming, the unique Hallett Cove environment, and students’ connection to school.
At the centre of the soccer design is a Kaurna shield, inspired by student Zepher’s idea that school is a safe place. The design also incorporates local animal track symbols and references the iconic ‘Sugarloaf’ sandhills on each sleeve — a unique geological feature of Hallett Cove.
The central symbol on the volleyball jersey represents a watering hole, inspired by the local Dreaming Story of Tjilbrike, whose tears of sorrow over the loss of his son created the springs along our southern coastline. Gathering around the watering hole are symbols representing the six players on a volleyball court during play — highlighting teamwork, connection and community.
We are incredibly proud to see our students wearing these meaningful designs as they represent our school with pride, respect and unity.
Netball Carnival
In Week 5, we sent three teams to participate in the School Sports Year 7–12 Netball Carnival at SUNA. This event provided a great opportunity for our students to learn, grow, and demonstrate sportsmanship and teamwork from the first whistle to the final game.
The Year 7/8 team competed strongly within a talented division. Their excellent teamwork and high work rate were clear throughout the day, both on and off the court, as they supported our other teams whenever possible. They achieved two convincing wins, securing an impressive 3rd place overall in their age group.
The Year 9 team, playing in the Year 9/10 division, faced skilled and experienced opponents. While some players were new to netball, every member contributed positively. Their outstanding display of teamwork and resilience culminated in a well-earned win for their final match.
Our Year 11/12 team also demonstrated competitiveness and determination, despite only having six age-eligible players. With assistance from a few enthusiastic Year 9 students, the team secured two wins and showcased adaptability and teamwork throughout the day.
Congratulations to all our students for their efforts, commitment, and sporting spirit. We are extremely proud of how they represented Hallett Cove School.
Girls Knockout Soccer
A few weeks ago, Hallett Cove School sent an excited but nervous squad to participate in the first round of the Year 7/8 Statewide Knock Out Football (Soccer) Competition held at Aldinga Payinthi College.
While still a competitive match, the girls lost to a more experienced Willunga Waldorf team: 4-1.
Goal scorer:
Mia H – 1 goal
After the admirable performance in their first game, the girls grew even more in confidence and ability dominating Aldinga: 7-0
Goal scorers:
Ava Z – 3 goals
Hannah M – 2 goals
Layla C – 1 goal
Holly G – 1 goal
The third and final match saw us competing against Brighton Secondary who fielded an all Year 8 team. Despite the challenge of coming up against an older and more experienced opposition, the girls put in a fantastic performance showing true grit and determination to do well. Brighton were too strong in the end beating us 5-2 and were eventual winners of the day.
Goal scorers:
Airly C – 1 goal
Violet C – 1 goal
As expected, the squad represented Hallett Cove School and the Soccer Program in the best possible fashion with excellent sportsmanship, behaviour and displayed a good brand of football despite a high volume of new/inexperienced players.
A special thank you must go to Alfie, who again, did a fantastic job on the day in his role of ‘assistant’ to the coach/linesperson – your recent service to the Soccer Program and the school is greatly appreciated!
All players must be congratulated on their performance and enthusiasm – you should be incredibly proud of yourselves!
Boys Knockout Soccer
A few weeks ago, Hallett Cove School sent a highly motivated squad to participate in the first round of the Open Boys Statewide Knock Out Futsal (Soccer) Competition held at the ARC.
The boys were a little slow to start unfortunately but reacted positively when conceding goals and managed to salvage a 5:5 draw against Mark Oliphant College.
Goal scorers:
Jake B – 3 goals
Gethin E – 2 goals
After a game break, they had a chance to reset and regain focus on what they were there to do, in a fantastic, attacking game against Salisbury. The boys were able to show their true quality beating a competitive Salisbury team 4:1.
Goal scorers:
Jake B – 2 goals
Gethin E – 1 goal
Jamie B – 1 goal
The third round of pool games saw us take on the top team, Woodville. The quality of the match was incredibly high and quite entertaining to watch as a coach/spectator but an unfortunate lapse in concentration caused us to concede a late goal and loss 3:2.
Goal scorers:
Jake B – 1 goal
Jamie B- 1 goal
Fortunately, we finished second in our pool and advanced to a cross-over final against the top team in Pool A, which turned out to be ASMS. The boys dominated the game and showed a strong desire to win which was pleasing to witness, leading the game 4:1 towards the closing minutes of the game.
ASMS did however fight back to make the final minutes exciting/nerve wracking scoring two late goals – thankfully, the full-time whistle closed the match with HCS winning 4:3. The win meant that we earnt our place in the finals competition later in the term.
As expected, the squad represented Hallett Cove School and the Soccer Program in a positive fashion with excellent sportsmanship, behaviour and displayed a high-quality brand of football throughout most matches.
All players must be congratulated on their achievement, and we look forward to the upcoming finals competition coming up in Week 8 at St. Clair.
Student Spotlight
Caleb
A huge congratulations to Year 3 student Caleb, on an outstanding year of BMX racing achievements!
In April, Caleb competed at the prestigious Australian National BMX Racing Championships in Shepparton, Victoria, against 78 riders from across Australia in the 9 Boys category. After an incredible performance, Caleb raced his way into the National Final – with only 8 riders qualifying – and finished an amazing 5th in Australia!
This remarkable result means Caleb has earned the honour of wearing the number plate 5A for the next year – a huge achievement in the BMX world – and has officially qualified to represent Australia at the World Championships in Brisbane this July! Caleb will proudly wear the green and gold as he competes against the world’s best on home soil for the first time since 2009.
Caleb also proudly rides for local club The Cove BMX Club and was invited earlier this year to join national BMX race team Envy Racing — an exciting recognition of his talent and dedication.
Adding to an already impressive year, Caleb:
- Placed 5th at the Oceania Continental Championships in Brisbane.
- Is the current South Australian State Champion.
- Currently ranks: #1 South Australia
#5 Oceania
#5 Australia
We are incredibly proud of Caleb’s hard work, determination and sportsmanship, and can’t wait to cheer him on as he represents Australia on the world stage. Good luck, Caleb – your school community is behind you all the way!
Toby
Year 12 Student Toby recently competed in the National Senior Lacrosse Tournament and hgelped lead the SA team to victory in the Grand Final against WA!
Phone Policy and Yondr Pouches
Thank you to all of our students and families for their support with implementing the South Australian Government ban on mobile phones in schools in 2023.
The use of Yondr pouches at Hallett Cove School made an immediate impact on phone use and students are happily engaging in learning, during class and at break times.
Your ongoing support with encouraging your child to follow our phone policy is appreciated.
Hallett Cove School aims to take advantage of the reach and instantaneous nature of social media to communicate with our families.
Social Media
We have long had a regularly updated Facebook page and last year we added Instagram to our media presence. Links to all our pages are included at the bottom of this page.
Along with our main page, we have also created two additional Facebook pages for particular audience members of our community:
- Hallett Cove Career Pathways: To keep parents and students informed of career information and opportunities through Hallett Cove School.
- Hallett Cove School Community Announcements: To keep parents, students and the wider community informed about education sessions and educational opportunities, to raise public awareness around the current trends in society and provide information about upcoming events and opportunities.
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Kiss and Drop Areas
When dropping off/picking up your child(ren), please remember that the middle lane (Gledsdale Road Kiss and Drop) and right lane (Sanderson Road Kiss and Drop) should not be used as a waiting/parking lane.
Local councils are often out and about at schools ensuring the community use these spaces safely.
Parents and Friends
Hallett Cove School values the contribution of our community and we encourage any of our parents and friend to consider joining the Parents and Friends Group (P&F) in 2024.
The P&F support key functions in the school. Recently, our P&F have held a Sports Day stall, Harmony Day stall, Fun Run and parents are assisting in managing our Street Libraries (outside the Vegetable Garden and Early Years Centre).
Please email info@hcs.sa.edu.au if you are interested in joining P&F and the school will put you in contact with our P&F representative and our Volunteer Coordinator.
SchoolTV
Hallett Cove School is pleased to provide SchoolTV to our community. SchoolTV is an all-in-one resource for the community aimed to offer parents a fresh approach to the concerns and pressures faced by Australian children.
SchoolTV is a unique online resource delivering powerful and credible information to empower parents with the skills to address these concerns and raise happy, well and resilient children.
You can access the bank of SchoolTV resources via our website
Feedback and Suggestions
As always, should you have any feedback or suggestions on how we can continue to further the quality of experience we offer our community, I welcome your contact via email, phone or in person.
Yours Sincerely,
Tony Hall
Principal
