Tatachilla news

Selected students from Years 5 and 6 have demonstrated exceptional mathematical thinking through their participation in the Australasian Problem Solving Mathematical Olympiads (APSMO) 2025 program.

The challenging competition, involving more than 150,000 schools across the region, encouraged students to apply their mathematical knowledge in problem-solving situations and explore different strategies and solutions with their peers.

Congratulations to Jacob Wu (Year 6), who achieved the highest overall score for 'Team Tatachilla'. Jacob, along with Oscar Hayball-Diener (Year 6) and Hugh Chivers (Year 5),  placed within the top 10% of all participants, while Jayden Smith (Year 6) achieved a result in the top 25%.

These students should be proud of their impressive results, which reflect their persistence, creativity and teamwork.

Year 6 participants:

Rubie-Faith Blatchford, William Bowden, Jack Butler, Liam Flewellyn Odena, Bernie Forbes, Harper Greer, Oscar Hayball-Diener, Charles Jacob, April Jackson, Aliona Kenmuir, Gabriel Liu, Zara Lucas, Alistair McKenna, Niamh Moran, Hazel Rose, Zachary Rouvray, Sammy Santana, Jayden Smith, Izi Szollosi and Jacob Wu.

Year 5 participants:

Lachlan Adams, Charlie Aplin, Will Aschberger, Shanae Botha, Jacob Boyce, Fede Burley, Jacob Canala, Hugh Chivers, Nouveau Drew, Albrecht DuToit, Mitchell Dyson, Zane Eckert, Remy England, Zoey Holder, Sebastian James, Sarah Kwok, Isaac Locke, Zara Martinsen and Noah Wingrave.

We thank Mrs Mandy Southern for supporting these students through this competition in their extension maths lessons in terms 2 and 3.

Pictured above, L-R: Jacob Wu, Oscar Hayball-Diener, Hugh Chivers and Jayden Smith, who placed in the top percentage of the competition.

Three of Tatachilla’s talented young musicians recently shared their gifts beyond the college, performing at one of South Australia’s most prestigious venues.

Year 6 music students Ella Forte, Felicity Major and April Jackson (pictured) have represented Tatachilla with pride both within the college and in the wider community.

On Sunday 12 October, the three flautists performed with the Holdfast Bay Concert Band at Government House, providing entertainment during the open day of the Vice-Regal residence. A highlight of the occasion was meeting Her Excellency, the Honourable Frances Adamson AC, Governor of South Australia, who congratulated them on their debut performance with the ensemble.

The girls’ involvement in community music exemplifies the college’s values of service and commitment. Their enthusiasm for both Tatachilla’s Concert Band and the broader music community is inspiring, and we look forward to seeing them continue as future leaders of our ensembles in 2026.

Photo credit: Candice Bailey (Mother of Felicity Major).

On Tuesday 28 October, all Year 10 students took part in one of the most valuable experiences of the school year — the annual mock interviews. A much-anticipated highlight of the Year 10 calendar, the event gave students a chance to put their developing communication skills into practice in a realistic interview setting.

Dressed with professionalism and ready to impress, students met with interviewers from a wide range of industries who generously shared their time and expertise. The visiting professionals provided real-time feedback and were unanimous in their praise for the students’ preparation, maturity and confidence throughout the process.

Mock interviews play a vital role in helping Tatachilla students prepare for the future job market. They build confidence, reduce anxiety and improve communication skills in a low-stakes environment, giving students practical experience in answering interview questions, presenting themselves professionally and arriving punctually and prepared.

Congratulations to all our Year 10 students for their outstanding efforts and to our community partners for helping make this event such a success.
 

Our Year 10 Commerce students recently put their financial knowledge to the test through the ASX schools sharemarket game, a national competition that simulates real-world investing.

Congratulations to Hudson Boal, who achieved the top ranking among Tatachilla students in this semester’s competition.

All Year 10 Commerce students took part in the national challenge, each starting with a virtual $50,000 to invest in Australian shares over a ten-week period. The simulation encouraged students to apply their understanding of markets, risk and strategy—skills developed through their unit in Personal Finance and Investing, earlier in the semester.

Hudson’s outstanding result of a +9% return in just ten weeks reflects strong analytical thinking and an excellent grasp of financial markets.

Studying Commerce at Year 10 equips students with valuable real-world knowledge in money management, investing and economic decision-making—skills that benefit them in everyday life and prepare them for future career pathways in business, finance and entrepreneurship.

This elective subject provides a practical foundation for further studies in Economics and Business Innovation in the senior years.

Read more about Year 10 Commerce in the Tatachilla Curriculum Handbook (Years 10-12).

Tatachilla once again proved its strength in distance running at the All-Schools Cross Country Ekiden Relay Championships in Adelaide.

On Wednesday 16 October, Tatachilla proudly competed in the Ekiden Relay Championships along the River Torrens. This unique team event brought together schools from across South Australia, with 60 teams entered across the junior and senior divisions.

Tatachilla entered two junior teams, with each runner covering part of the 21km total course. The junior boys ran strongly to finish 7th, while the junior girls achieved an outstanding 2nd place—marking the third consecutive year that our junior girls have earned a podium finish.

This consistent success in cross country running highlights the dedication, teamwork and endurance of our young athletes. Congratulations to all students who represented Tatachilla with great spirit and determination at this event.

With the 2025 cross country season now concluded, students interested in joining the 2026 teams are encouraged to contact James Grant for more information: james.grant@tatachilla.sa.edu.au

Junior girls’ team (Years 7–9):

Annabelle Hockey (5.4km), Amelia Perry (1.5km), Aylish Bradley (2.8km), Kiara Bowden (2.8km), Adi Anderson (1.5km), Katie Morris-Fenna (2.8km), Sophie Johnston (2.8km) and Emma Hees (1km).

Junior boys’ team (Years 7–9):

Thomas Hargreaves (5.4km), Nathan Marsland (1.5km), Xavier Lucas (2.8km), Tommy Aldridge (2.8km), Hayden Byrne (1.5km), Aldo Spaumer (2.8km), Declan Maasdorf (2.8km), Oscar Turtle (1km) and William Burgum (pacer).

Our boys and girls SAPSASA tennis teams showed great skill, sportsmanship and school spirit during their recent round at the Port Elliot Tennis Club.

The girls’ team had no official opposition and advanced directly to the state final round in Week 8. They made excellent use of the day by playing friendly matches against each other, the boys from McLaren Vale Primary School, and Year 8 girls from Encounter Lutheran College, displaying fantastic teamwork and enthusiasm.

The boys’ team competed strongly against Encounter Lutheran College and McLaren Vale Primary School, with two matches going to tie-breakers. Although they didn’t progress to the state finals, their effort and talent were outstanding — and with four players in Year 5, the future looks bright for 2026!

Students involved:

Year 6: Emma Painter, Ella Forte, Mila Mansell, Zara Lucas, William Bowden (Harper Simmons - absent)
Year 5: Fletcher Hunt, Albrecht Du Toit, Jacob Boyce, Lennard Wanganeen

As our soon-to-be graduates undertake their final exams, our Year 12 families now have a special opportunity to look back on how far their children have come since the first few days of school. One mum recently shared a beautiful tradition that captured this journey in the most meaningful way.

For 13 years, from the very first day of Reception to the final weeks of Year 12, she quietly gathered small keepsakes that told the story of her daughter’s schooling. In a simple folder, she collected daily reflections from preschool, pieces of creative writing from primary school, school reports, certificates, photos, artwork, and later, journal entries and essays from the senior years.

On the night of her daughter’s graduation, the family came together to open the folder and relive those memories. Her older sisters rearranged their social engagements in honour of this family tradition which they themselves had experienced when it was their turn to finish school. 

Early stories written in uneven handwriting, class photos filled with missing teeth and mismatched uniforms, and teenage reflections that showed growing independence and maturity were bundled together with love. 

There were moments of laughter, nostalgia and pride as they saw how much learning and life had taken place between those early pages and the final ones.
This thoughtful gesture turned graduation night into something much more personal — a celebration not just of an ending, but of the entire journey of growth, learning and change.

As your own children navigate their schooling lives, you might consider creating your own “memory folder.” Whether you start now or piece it together from what you already have, it can become a priceless keepsake — a tangible reminder of your child’s 13-year journey and the little moments and big memories that have contributed to who they’ve become.