At Holy Family, our students are able to participate in a range of activities. This helps them discover and explore their interests and builds important skills such as teamwork, leadership, and discipline. We encourage our children to shine, helping to promote a positive and inclusive school environment.
School Band and String Ensemble
Holy Family has a Senior Band and a Junior Band. Membership in the bands is open to all children from Years 3 – 6.
In partnership with Teaching Services Australia, students from grades 3 – 6 can participate in the School Band.
Band Program Structure Rehearsal (all students work together in a full band setting)
- Students attend band after school one afternoon per week from approximately 3pm-5pm. This 2-hour session takes place at school and typically includes a variety of activities including:
Small group tuition – students work in small groups to learn to play their instruments
Full band rehearsal – students combine to rehearse in a large ensemble
Afternoon tea break – students will get a short break for afternoon tea (BYO) - Regular practise at home (3-4 times a week) is essential.
Band Program Costs
Tuition Fees: small group tuition and band rehearsal costs $250 (plus $10 resource levy) per term. Individual tuition costs extra and is not available at all schools.
Instrument: students require their own instrument. TSA sells quality new instruments, offers ‘rent-to-buy’ (starting at $43 per month) and has an excellent selection of second hand instruments in near-new condition.
Accessories: students are provided with a workbook upon enrolment but may require other accessories, generally less than $50 per year.
Enrolments are now open to students who wish to join the school band in 2024. Register your interest here.
String Ensemble
The Holy Family School String Ensemble is open to all students in Year 1 – 6.
Choir
The Holy Family School Choir is open to all students in Years 3 – 6 and meets weekly at lunchtime. The Choir has opportunities to perform publicly throughout the year at whole school events, Masses and Liturgies, Lourdes Nursing Home visits, etc.
Debating
Year 6 participate in a Debating circle during Term 2, competing against other nearby schools. This opportunity enables the students to learn teamwork, articulation, knowledge and quick thinking skills.
Maths Olympiad
Years 5 and 6 have the opportunity to participate in this program held during Terms 2 and 3. The aim of this challenge program is to introduce students to important mathematical concepts, to develop problem solving skills.
Tournament of Minds
Tournament of Minds (TOM) is a problem solving programme for teams of students from Years 5 and 6.
Teams solve challenges from a choice of disciplines: Applied Technology, Language Literature, Maths Engineering and Social Sciences.
There are also a number of external opportunities for Holy Family students:
- Dance classes – held in the School hall Monday – Thursday.
- Chess – takes place during Terms 2 & 3 at lunchtime.
- Keyboard lessons – held in the Music room before school.
DaVinci Decathlon
The da Vinci Decathlon is an opportunity to test your mental and creative skills in a state-wide challenge of excellence. The da Vinci Decathlon is an academic competition designed to challenge and stimulate the minds of students, who compete in teams of eight across 10 disciplines.
Each team of eight students competes in the following disciplines:
- Mathematics – problem solving, number patterns and logic puzzles
- English – spelling, word origins, definitions, textual analysis and writing tasks
- Science – engage with higher level scientific concepts and test your ability to apply them
- Code Breaking – decipher complex, mysterious codes
- Engineering Challenge – a design task that tests problem solving skills, creativity and ingenuity
- Ideation – The process of creating NEW ideas
- Creative Producers – create and perform a 60sec drama or 30sec commercial to promote a product
- Art and Poetry – develop an original poem and a connected art work on a given theme
- Cartography – interpret spatial information, decipher and create imaginative maps
- Legacy – with a focus on honouring significant people, inventions and events from the past and the present.
All tasks in the da Vinci Decathlon emphasise higher order thinking skills – assisting students to develop their abilities in analysis, synthesis and creativity.