From the Deputy Headmaster/Head of Junior School

During the past fortnight, and in particular National Reconciliation Week, I have been reflecting on this year’s theme, Bridging Now to Next. It is a theme that invites us to reflect on the enduring connection between past, present and future. When I think about the past, I reflect on what I understood to be Australian history when I was at school.

Looking back now, I realise something significant was missing. There was no mention of what came before 1788. The curriculum at the time painted a picture of Australia as Terra nullius—a land belonging to no one. The “truth” I grew up with was that Australia was a blank slate, a place waiting to be discovered prior to the First Fleet anchoring in what is now called Sydney Cove. Part of me feels embarrassed for not knowing the truth. And another part of me feels upset and disappointed that my education was censored to an extent.

Thankfully, that is no longer the case. Today, the truth taught in schools recognises that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have called the continent we live on home for tens of thousands of years, making them custodians of the world’s oldest living cultures.

I grew up on Kaurna land, yet I never acknowledged the deep and ongoing connection the Kaurna people have with Country. I never learned about their stories, language or law. When we speak of Country in this context, we’re not referring to Australia as a nation. We’re referring to specific lands – like the Kaurna plains we stand on today – that hold deep cultural, spiritual and historical significance. Now, it would feel obvious – and disrespectful – to me if an Acknowledgement of Country was forgotten at the beginning of a muster.

Looking to the future, and continuing to embrace this year’s Reconciliation Week theme, Bridging Now to Next, calls on us to step forward together. It calls on us to look ahead and continue to seek truth, understanding and respect.

I wonder, knowing how much progress Australians have made towards reconciliation, what could our future look like if we continue to develop our understanding of First Nations peoples?
Beyond Reconciliation Week, I encourage our students to consider: what might their own bridge from now to next look like? What steps – big or small – can we take to promote understanding and respect between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians?

Car Park Safety – Student Drop Off 

Please ensure that students only disembark cars in the drop off zones or if you have parked your car in a designated car park. Students dropped off on the ramp or drive ways are at risk.

Jasmine Taylor 
Deputy Headmaster – Head of Junior School

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