It has long been held that teaching is both an art and a science. It has certain routines and structures that can be mastered. It draws on research from cognitive psychology, neuroscience, and pedagogy to inform practices. It involves understanding how students learn, using data to guide instruction, applying proven methods for assessment, and continuously refining techniques based on feedback and outcomes. But classrooms are full of diverse learners: sophisticated, spiritual, emotional, physical human beings, each with gifts, needs, distractions, and passions. For this reason, teaching is also an art - it requires empathy, imagination, and the ability to inspire. It’s about knowing when to pause, when to push, when to pray and how to adapt in the moment.

Professional Learning at Calderwood

Calderwood teachers are deeply convicted by their calling to Christian education and express this conviction through their aspirations to be the best teachers they can be. They understand that they will only reflect the creativity and wisdom of their God and Creator if they faithfully pursue continuous personal and professional learning. Trusting in God’s provision and resting in his sovereignty are central to the lives of every teacher, but so too is diligent, intentional learning so that they can be highly effective educators for your children. It is these deep convictions that motivate teachers to participate in a diversity of professional learning every year.

Professional Learning can take various forms. Four of the most effective forms are:

1. Professional learning communities
2. Ongoing job-embedded learning
3. Long-term inquiry-based action-research, and
4. Retreats or intensives.

In 2025, every Calderwood teacher has committed to professional learning in one or more of these formats, continuing to develop their curriculum and pedagogical expertise. Teachers are deepening their understanding of interpreting and translating the new NESA curriculum through a biblical lens, others are exploring "Cultures of Thinking" with internationally acclaimed education consultant Simon Brooks, and many are reflecting on the character of Christ as we read Dane Ortlund’s Gentle and Lowly together.

CEN Study Tour to New Zealand

In June this year, a small group of Christian school leaders were invited to attend the Christian Education National (CEN) Study Tour to New Zealand. Honoured to be invited and humbled by the wisdom, generosity and theological rigour of my tour colleagues and of those who hosted us, I could not have been more deeply impacted. Witnessing the genuine attempts of school leaders and organisations to align with the redeeming work of the gospel was inspiring. As we observed, questioned, listened, reflected, and debated, we wrestled with what it might mean to be a 'prophetic voice' in our school communities.

Walter Brueggemann, author and theologian, in his renowned book The Prophetic Imagination, discusses the important role of the prophets of the Bible and their responsibility to expose the errors of the dominant thinking of the time. We too are called by Christ to this same task, to undertake the honourable vocation of being faithfully present in our communities. Like the prophets of old, Brueggemann explains that 'prophetic communities, are not only to challenge the dominant way of thinking but also to offer a new vision that inspires people toward fresh and faithful ways of living…'

The CEN Study Tour stretched our thinking and inspired our imaginations to consider how we might shape our Christian school communities to be counter-cultural. When Moses led the Israelite people out of the physical land Egypt, he not only freed them from physical bondage, but invited them to re-imagine a national life aligned with God’s vision of flourishing for them. We are called to do the same. Not to simply criticise, but to critique the culture around us. And not to just imagine the personal benefits of freedom in Christ, but to reimagine cultural norms that bring freedom from what Brueggemann calls the 'royal consciousness'.

Our exploration of Christian education in New Zealand included three Christian schools, the New Zealand Association of Christian Schools National Conference, and a variety of Christian education organisations, including Laidlaw College, New Zealand’s largest Christian university.

Our whirlwind tour of New Zealand concluded with an afternoon and evening with Dr Lynne Swaner, renowned international speaker, researcher and author of Flourishing Schools. Dr Swaner’s research identified five domains of flourishing evident in flourishing schools, namely:

1. A clear, biblically grounded mission, or purpose, that shapes the school’s identity and direction.
2. Strong, Christ-centred relationships among staff, students, families, and the wider community.
3. Effective, engaging, and faith-integrated teaching and learning that supports student growth.
4. Competent leadership, professional development, and adequate resources to support excellence.
5. A culture that nurtures spiritual, emotional, and physical health for all members of the school community

My prayer is that as we seek to cultivate a school that flourishes, our lives and the lives of our students might bring glory to God, and that as a community we might be a prophetic voice to our region.

Mr Darren Hutton

Principal

In partnership with Take a Break Tuckshop, a trusted school canteen provider in the Illawarra region, our school community now enjoys convenient access to nutritious lunches delivered directly to school.

Starting next week (Week 5), the service will expand to operate three days per week:

📅 Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday

Ordering is easy via My School Connect, available both as a website and mobile app.

⏰ Order cut-off time: 8:45am on the day the lunch is required.

We hope this service continues to bring convenience and enjoyment to your school days.

Thank you for your ongoing support!

In keeping with tradition, students arrived at school in their best 100-year-old costumes, as they participated in a variety of exciting 100 and 100-year-old-themed activities and games!

Students have taken turns feeding and looking after the calves as they learn about the dairy industry during their class time, all while being able to experience the industry firsthand!

Take a look at some of the excitement below:

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During their two-night stay, they treated us to a wonderfully interactive performance that had students from Kindergarten to Year 11 singing, clapping, and smiling from start to finish.

We’re truly grateful for their visit and the joy they shared with us.

Author Visit: Sami Bayly

During Week 3, Junior School students participated in an exciting workshop with Sami Bayly, an author/illustrator who specialises in weird, wacky and wonderful animals. Students learned about a variety of interesting creatures, and even had the opportunity to draw their own prickly football fish!

Book Week Dress Up Day

On Wednesday of Week 4, students from Prep through to Year 12 dressed up in their best costumes, with a Book Week Parade on show for our Prep and Junior School students!

Click here for a look at some of the day's best costumes!

The Great Book Swap

In the near future, Junior School students will have the chance to participate in the Indigenous Literacy Foundation's Great Book Swap! We look forward to sharing more about that event in due course.

The celebration was a vibrant showcase of ideas and transformation. Staff viewed posters created by team members, engaged in reflective routines, and shared stories of classroom impact. Simon Brooks guided the group through ten practical strategies to foster thinking in the classroom and reminded us that developing a Culture of Thinking for students occurs when teachers also intentionally and regularly learning too.

Staff who attended the celebration of the Cultures of Thinking team have offered some reflections:

“It was a wonderful display of our colleagues’ insightful work. The posters captured the depth of thinking happening in classrooms and sparked meaningful reflection and questions.
Through this celebration I was able to see the breadth of impact this professional learning has had on both my peers and the whole school. I saw the care my colleagues have for quality education and the desire to be involved in students’ actively thinking and learning.
I’ve started using some routines already. I’ve seen the excitement and buzz from those involved and feel like I’ve missed out on something great.
I would love to be a part of a Cultures of Thinking team in the future.”

– Mr Hamish McKendrick

“The afternoon was a creative showcase of my colleagues’ learning across the semester. The real feast was the ‘delicious’ spread of ideas about student engagement. I saw strategies that help students think critically, challenge assumptions, and deepen understanding.
I especially valued the biblical perspectives woven into many of the strategies. Ultimately, our goal is to shape learners who can think critically about the Bible and reflect on its application in their lives. Some of the posters challenged me to reflect on how I am equipping my students to do this in my own teaching.
I’ve noticed encouraging results—greater student engagement leading to deeper understanding. I look forward to being part of these workshops in the future.”

— Mrs Sarah Border

For those who participated in the project, the experience was both professionally enriching and personally rewarding.

“Seeing the lightbulbs when students started to think deeper was the most enjoyable part. I didn’t feel alone in this journey—workshopping ideas with others kept me going.
The poster creation and presenting my thinking was probably the thing that I was most nervous about when starting this project. When it came around though, I was actually quite excited to share what I had learnt. It was easy to make my poster, because I was sharing what I had been doing.
As teachers, we are busy people, we don't want to add more to our load. Cultures of Thinking isn't adding more to the load. It has been a way for me to try new things in my classroom and see results in my students.
For anyone thinking of being a part of the project next year – do it. There is so much to gain, and honestly, nothing to lose.”

— Miss Hannah Mannisto

“The most enjoyable thing was being part of the change in classroom culture—towards critical and curious thinking and discussions.
It was also enjoyable to try out and explore a range of critical thinking activities as I think this added depth and richness to our learning tasks.
I think sometimes as teachers we can be very (rightly) focussed on getting through the curriculum. I found this process helpful to not be so overwhelmed by the content we have to get through and instead focus on core thinking skills which the students can use for life.
It really focuses you as a practitioner on what’s important.”

— Mrs Lyndal Cook

Looking ahead to 2026, our partnership with Simon Brooks will continue, expanding the reach of this initiative across learning areas.

The Cultures of Thinking project isn’t about adding more to teachers’ plates—it’s about enriching practice, empowering learners, and shaping a school culture where thinking is at the heart of learning.

Mr Ross Graham

Leader of Teacher Innovation and Learning