Week 6, Term 4 | 21 November 2025

“Mosman Prep is continually striving for excellence in all aspects of school life, based on a foundation of strong Christian values. The teachers and staff are truly outstanding, and the boys are well supported in their learning journeys and provided with incredible opportunities to grow.” (Parent Survey feedback 2025)

Our Strategic Direction: Towards 2028 continues to inform Mosman Prep’s priorities, as we strive towards being a consistently exceptional primary school for boys. However, we do not want to leave being consistently exceptional to chance.

A key initiative of our strategy is to ‘Measure and assess the effectiveness of our community engagement and the levels of satisfaction with all our strategic initiatives’.

“Teachers go above and beyond to teach and support and guide my child. I know they actually love teaching. It shows. I also appreciate the other things such as Terrey Hills, After School Care, Canteen, Language, and Enrichment opportunities. I feel the school often looks and reviews what they currently offer and what they can improve upon. Always evolving.” (Parent Survey feedback 2025)

To assess our success and identify potential growth areas, each year we undertake rigorous surveys within the School.

These surveys include:

• Independent and confidential MMG Education Surveys for Parents, Year 5 and 6 students, and Staff on alternate years.
• In 2025, we introduced an ‘in-house’ briefer survey (using some of the MMG questions allowing a pulse check between biennial MMG Surveys).
• In-house Student Wellbeing surveys are implemented each semester of each year.
• In 2025, we introduced the Macquarie University (NSW Government supported), ‘My Mind Check’ to Years 3 and 4 (as a pilot program).

Data from all our surveys is analysed and used to inform our goals and practice.

In-house Parent Survey 2025

Once again, our parent 2025 survey data was overwhelmingly positive.
Key findings and some comments can be seen below (further parent comments are attached):

Overall satisfaction with your son's time at Mosman Prep Score:
97% Very Satisfied or Satisfied

How satisfied have you been that the academic program has met your son’s needs?
91% Very satisfied or Satisfied

How satisfied have you been, overall, with the way Mosman Prep has met your son’s wellbeing needs?
96% Very Satisfied or Satisfied

Student Wellbeing Survey - My Mind Check

My Mind Check is a free, evidence-based digital tool (developed by a research team at Macquarie University and funded by the Australian Government) to help schools monitor and support children and adolescents’ social, psychological, and physical wellbeing.

Parents should be reassured of the following regarding our 2025 in-house student wellbeing survey and My Mind Check data:

• Students have indicated a strong sense of belonging within the School community, strong teacher-student relationships, and a high percentage of positive responses related to feeling safe and happy at school.
• An equally strong indication of social connectedness was found in the data, with most students reporting that they feel they have at least one friend to play with.
• For any response indicating a student may be struggling in a particular area, the pastoral care team asks the teacher of that year group to check in with the student.
• If a student shows multiple areas of concern, our School counsellors will follow up directly to provide support.

Our staff feel so privileged to be supporting your boys' academic learning and wellbeing, and to be working closely in partnership with you. We are dedicated to providing exceptional boys’ education during the critical foundational years.

I'm grateful for the good work done by the staff. My son's skills have improved not only in academics but in life itself. The intentions are not only to educate children but to prepare and nurture them into responsible members of the community. (Parent Survey feedback 2025)

We simply love it and can't believe we have been lucky enough to be a part of this beautiful school. (Parent Survey feedback 2025)

Peter Grimes | Headmaster

As previously communicated, we are excited to announce the date for the Prep biennial fundraising event - the Autumn Ball!

Please mark the date in your diaries, and watch out for more information in early 2026.

We can't wait to see you all there!

Prep Ball Committee

Were you ever involved in a Christmas nativity play or production? Maybe at school? Maybe at a local church? I remember playing the part of Joseph on stage next to the girl (playing Mary) who would go on to become my wife in real life... not that we would have had any clue at the time!

Christmas plays and nativity productions are so much FUN and for me were a real core memory of Christmas growing up.

For the past few years, Mosman Village Church has been running what we call our Kids Nativity & Carols Service, inviting kids from local schools to dress up and participate, performing a few (easy) song and dance items and enjoying the original Christmas story retold in a fun and exciting way.

As your friends just next door, I would like to invite your son to participate and join in the fun. There's no cost and the performance morning makes for a FUN Sunday this Christmas season. Simply learn the songs at home, join us for 1 rehearsal and then perform on the day for a special Christmas celebration!

The Kids Nativity & Carols performance will be held: 

Date: Sunday 7 December
Time: 10:00am
Venue: Mosman Village Church (144 Raglan Street)
Register: Your child to join in via the Link

If you have any questions, please send an email to max@mosmanvillage.church, and I would love to speak with you.

Blessings,

Rev Max Brewer | Mosman Village Church

Congratulations to the boys of Year 6 on the way they have embraced all the action and challenges presented to them recently. Last week seemed busy with assessments, house sport and Surf Education, but the action just continued into this week.

On Monday they had the opportunity to learn what is on offer to them through the local council. They visited the local art gallery, had a quick tour of the library and the study areas that will be available to them as they enter high school and then had a great time enjoying games and activities at the Youth Center. All of these are free to visit and provide the boys with great spaces to visit, catch up with friends, study and research, and even use 3D printers, or quality sound recording equipment.

Following this tour the boys reconnected with their friends at Queenwood in an afternoon of sports and games. There were great skills and sportspersonship shown as they mixed into teams for Rounders, European Handball, Footsal and then a big game of dodgeball to finish.

Wednesday found them testing out all the riding skills they had been honing at Terrey Hills as they hit the local BMX and Pump Track. Boys from beginner bikers through to some truly skilled daredevils took on the challenge with courage and enthusiasm. Some boys left with a band aid or two, but all had smiles and a real sense of achievement.

We then headed from the track up to our Terrey Hills Campus for a chance to have lunch and then enjoy activities with their Kindergarten Buddies. The boys were great role models as they played games of cricket or basketball or showed their prowess on the climbing and low ropes equipment.

And let’s not forget that the boys have continued with their sailing program down at Balmoral as well. All these truly are opportunities for the boys to expand their skills and experiences, whilst cementing their friendships and building lifelong memories.

Tim Hudson and Brendan Frost | Year 6 Teachers

This term, Year 5 visited Balmoral Sailing Club and have been practising how to sail on Optis. The instructors taught us how to steer the Optis first. By utilising this skill throughout the sailing lessons, we can add the mast and centre board to the Optis. We learned how to use the mast and sail to catch the wind in order to propel us forward. We also learned how to use the rudder to steer the vessel, which was confusing at first because to go left you must turn the rudder right and vice versa.

The whole experience has been very memorable as we get to experience sailing with our friends and build trust and bonds with each other. The person that is steering holds the life of those in the boat in their hands. Literally!

Next week, we get to go out further into the water on bigger boats which will be very exciting. Fortunately, the weather has treated us well. The wind has remained calm creating a tranquil atmosphere as we sail.

I am looking forward to learning even more about sailing next year in Year 6.

By Lucas Li - 5B

We are reaching out to our School community regarding the return of library books. Currently, we have close to 90 items overdue, and we would love to see that number drop significantly over the next few weeks.

To help facilitate the return process, the library staff will be speaking directly to the boys who have outstanding books during their regular library lessons. In addition, emails will be sent to parents and carers detailing any books that are currently overdue.

Key Reminder for End of Term:

Please note the importance of returning all items promptly. The replacement cost for any books not returned by the end of term may be charged to your school account.

We appreciate your support in ensuring our library remains well-resourced and accessible to all staff and students. Your timely help allows everyone to enjoy the fantastic collection we have!

Lisa Maiden - Teacher Librarian

Get ready for a fun-filled school holidays! We've been busy planning an exciting array of experiences for our December 2025 and January 2026 Vacation Care program, and we can't wait to share them with you.

This year's program has something for everyone, with a variety of fun activities planned. We'll be heading out for a day of fun at the Terrey Hills outdoor campus, to the always popular Luna Park, a trip to the movies together and to arcade games at Archie Bros! For those who love to get creative, we have bubble science and craft workshops and water adventures at Centennial Park. For the thrill-seekers, there will be adventure sports days and games at Clifton Gardens and Memory Park.

Bookings open this week! As spots are limited for all activities, we encourage you to book as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

You'll find all the details you need below and in the program attached.

We look forward to having fun with your children in Vacation Care!

Program Details:

Dates:

• 8-12 December 2025
• 15-17 December 2025
• 19-23 January 2026

Time: 8:00am-4:00pm

Age: 4-12 years old

Who can attend: Current Mosman Prep students (Early Entry & Primary) and children from other schools (boys & girls) within the age range.

Booking & Enrolment:

Limited spots available, so book early!

Booking: https://www.trybooking.com/DHJGZ

Enrolment: If your child is not already enrolled in ASC through HubWorks, complete the form here: https://mosmanchurchprep.hubworks.com.au/

The ASC Team
Leonie Westenberg | Director ASC & Compliance Manager

Our Early Entry students have been dedicated to their Service Learning this year, working closely with The Link Community Pantry. They have consistently helped those less fortunate by collecting Easter Eggs, harvesting crops, and baking sweet treats.

Now, they are organising a final collection drive to create Christmas Hampers for the community!

We are asking all school families to contribute an item or two from the list below to help make a difference this holiday season.

Thank you for supporting our students and the wider community!

Jessica Elvey | Early Entry Teacher

Help us make a difference to our environment with Waste-Free Wednesdays! As of Term 4, Mosman Prep will encourage students to bring their recess and lunch to school in reusable containers with no wrappers. By doing this, we can reduce our School's waste and help keep our environment clean. Thank you for your cooperation and support.

Kath Gresson- Sustainability Coordinator

As part of our commitment to student safety and well-being, Mosman Prep adheres to the Child Safe Standards set by the Office of the Children's Guardian. To comply with these standards, all parent volunteers wishing to assist with the Canteen, Terrey Hills, or Excursions must complete the attached Volunteer Information Form.

The form requests the following details:

• Working With Children Check (WWC) number: For verification purposes only.
• Date of Birth (DOB): Required for WWC verification.

Please note:

The form includes references to relevant Mosman Prep policies, accessible on our website.

How to submit the form:

• Email address to send the completed form to volunteer@mosmanprep.nsw.edu.au

Thank you for your time and cooperation in ensuring a safe and supportive environment for all our students.

Julie Shortland | EA to the Headmaster

This Saturday 22 November, marks the conclusion of our 2025 IPSHA Summer Sport season.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all our Senior Primary boys for their incredible dedication and outstanding sportsmanship this year. The consistent positive feedback we receive about their conduct on the field is a true credit to their character and maturity.

A Big Thank You to Our Coaching Staff

We are immensely grateful to our dedicated coaching staff, both internal and external. Thank you for the invaluable time, expertise, and enthusiasm you shared, which significantly enriched the sporting experience for all our boys.

A Special Note to Our Community

Thank you to the entire Mosman Prep community—parents, family, and friends—for your unwavering support. Your presence at fixtures each week creates an inspiring and motivating atmosphere, and your support is deeply appreciated by the boys and the coaching staff alike.

Farewell Year 6

We know tomorrow morning will be an emotional one for our Year 6 parents as their sons represent Mosman Prep for the final time. We celebrate the significant contributions our Year 6 boys have made to sport at Mosman Prep over the years. We wish them all the very best as they move on to their secondary schools.

Thank you all for a truly fantastic year!

Steve Riddett | Director of Sport

A further reminder that our Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday after-school sports training has now concluded for all Senior Primary boys.

The IPSHA Saturday competition concludes with Round 12 this Saturday 22 November.

Steve Riddett | Director of Sport

A link to the following online entry form has been emailed to parents:

For current Year 2-5 parents: 2026 MCEPS Senior Primary Swimming Carnival & Winter Sport Entries

This link is also available on the ‘Sport/Sports Fixtures and Training’ page on the School website and needs to be submitted by parents by next Friday 28 November (Week 7).

Steve Riddett | Director of Sport

As part of the Physical Education program, Year 5 and 6 boys in Term 4 swapped the School hall for a sailing boat for a five week sailing course. This annual sailing program takes place at Balmoral Sailing Club with the boys having the opportunity to learn from experienced sailing instructors.

The Stage 3 boys take part in both land theory and water activities. Land theory activities include:

• Introduction to parts of the boats, rigging and de-rigging.
• Points of sail, no go zone and sail setting.
• How to visualize wind direction on land.
• Rules of the road: starboard V'S port, windward V'S leeward, power V'S sail and overtaking.
• Rope work and knots.
• Physics of how a sailboat works.

This knowledge is then progressively applied on the water in safe activities on craft that include ‘optimist’, laser ‘pico’ and hobie cat sailing boats with boys learning to steer, control speed, tacking, jibing and race.

Clothing

The boys will come to school in PE uniform and then change into their sailing clothes. Clothes for sailing will get wet and should be warm to avert wind chill. Wetsuits and rash shirts are ideal, but not compulsory.

Non-marking shoes must be worn at all times, both on the boats and on land.

• Water/sailing shoes (best option)
• Old sandshoes (next best option)
• Crocs (next best option)
• Thongs/flip flops (not an option) A broad brimmed hat and sunscreen are compulsory. Drink bottles should also be taken.

Steve Riddett | Director of Sport

We are excited to update you on the new sports uniform items we will be introducing for the 2026 school year.

These changes are designed to significantly improve functionality for our students and create a refreshed, consistent athletic identity for our School teams.

Key New Sports Uniform Items

Availability and Ordering

We understand that you are planning and budgeting for the next school year, including uniform purchases.

• Availability: Our supplier, Midford, has confirmed that the new items are tentatively scheduled to be available for purchase by the end of January 2026.
• Action Needed Now: Please do not order any of the current basketball singlets or cricket polo shirts, as they will be replaced.
  

Please note that the existing basketball shorts (also our athletics and football shorts), will remain unchanged.

A Note on Term 1 Fixtures

Given our first Saturday morning sports fixtures are scheduled for February, we recognise that the turnaround time for receiving new uniforms might be tight. If necessary, we will look into alternative uniform options for the first few rounds of competition to ensure all students are ready to play.

We will continue to provide timely updates as we receive confirmation on final availability and pricing. Thank you for your cooperation as we roll out these exciting improvements to our School Sports Program.

Steve Riddett | Director of Sport

Saturdays: On Saturdays the MCEPS Information Line will be updated between 6:30 and 7:00am. This number has the most up-to-date information the School can provide regarding matters of sport and excursions. Parents are to call this number and not the School Office. After heavy rain, Mosman Council often closes its grounds, so please check with this number for all school sport and excursion cancellations.

Weekdays: In case of inclement weather, please ring the Prep Information Line, which will be updated from 1:00pm. Ovals might be closed by Mosman Council on fine days, if the preceding days have been wet. It is therefore advised that parents should ring the School’s Information Line on training days if there has been recent rain. 

PLEASE NOTE:  if the message has not been updated, Sport is ON as scheduled.

Steve Riddett | Director of Sport

The P&F would like to invite you to a relaxed morning coffee to celebrate our incredible class parents and Prep volunteers. 

Whether you're a past, present, or future class parent, we’d love for you to join us.

It’s a great opportunity to connect with others in the Prep community in an informal and friendly setting, including meeting families across different year levels. 

Date: Friday 28 November at 8:45am (after drop off)
Location: Frenchy's Cafe, Mosman

P&F Committee

Canteen is proudly run by the P&F and depends on parent volunteers to support our dedicated paid staff in serving the boys. If you’ve volunteered before, you know firsthand how rewarding and appreciated your contribution is.

We warmly invite all parents who haven’t yet had a chance to help to sign up for a shift for this term. It’s a simple way to support the School community—and the boys love seeing familiar faces behind the counter!

As a parent volunteer, you'll work alongside canteen staff and serve the boys during busy recess periods, 10:20-11:20am. No kitchen or cooking experience required. Use this Link - Volunteer Sign Up Form to sign up for a 1-hour shift any day(s) during school term. Any questions about canteen volunteering, contact Jeff Brown @ 0400 410 737. 

As a matter of compliance, school volunteers must complete the Volunteer Form below, and have a current NSW Working with Children Check (WWCC). Send completed forms to volunteer@mosmanprep.nsw.edu.au

Jeff Brown | P&F Committee, Canteen

Mosman Prep prides itself on its service to community, guided by our motto, Non Nobis Solum – Not for Ourselves Alone. In this spirit, in 2024 in partnership with the P&F, a school community initiative called ‘Meals with Love’ was launched.

This service provides home cooked evening meals for Mosman Prep families in times of need. All meals are cooked by parent and teacher volunteers and are available for as many evenings as required. This service is anonymous, so meals cooked by volunteers will be delivered to the office for collection by the family as coordinated by the School. 

If your family has a need for this service, please contact Julie Shortland at the School Office at ea@mosmanprep.nsw.edu.au.

If you are also interested in being a volunteer and cooking the occasional meal for a family in need, please contact our new Meals with Love Coordinator, Georgina Ridhalgh at gridhalgh@hlbnsw.com.au. 

I'd like to thank Georgina for taking up the Coordinator role and also all the wonderful volunteers who have cooked meals this year. It has been a pleasure to create this service for the Mosman Prep community and have it continue.

Meals with Love Coordinator

For the schedule of school events, please refer to the online calendar, which can be found HERE.