Adele Ramsay | Principal

It has been another remarkable year at Tara. Throughout 2025, I have been inspired by the dedication, resilience, and joy of our students. Their willingness to embrace every opportunity, support one another, and strive for excellence continues to define the strength of our community and the distinctiveness of a Tara education.

Academic excellence remains a cornerstone of our School, yet it is the depth and diversity of Tara life that truly enables our students to flourish. Within our all-girls environment, they are encouraged to lead with confidence, think with curiosity, and act with compassion, developing the skills and character that will empower them to make a meaningful difference in the world.

Don’t forget to pre-order your BBQ food for Carols in the Colonnade! Bookings close on Monday, 17 November. Please note that all BBQ must be pre-ordered.

Please see the event details below and use the link provided to secure your BBQ meal. We look forward to celebrating this special evening with you and your family.

👉 Book your BBQ food here https://www.trybooking.com/DEMPG

This year’s Carols will feature a fantastic range of market stalls, including:

• CLK Creative Designs – Personalised Christmas apparel and gifts
• Karichet Boutique – Handmade crochet plushies, décor items, and fabric accessories
• Memoir Studio (Castle Hill) – Capturing life’s most beautiful moments through newborn, maternity, family, pet, and creative portraits
• Boarders Stall – Refreshments including water and soft drinks
• Coffee and Snow Cones Van – Coffee, popcorn, snow cones, fairy floss, and small toys
• Tornado Potato – Serving hot chips on a stick
• Mr Whippy – Delicious soft-serve ice creams
• Craft Area – Children can enjoy a free craft station where they can make Christmas decorations and write letters to Santa

Our Carols singing will begin at 6.45pm, featuring wonderful performances by our talented students.

You are warmly invited to attend the Tara Hub Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Tuesday, 11 November at 7:00pm in the Chapel.

All members of the community are welcome to attend.

All dads in our school community are warmly invited to attend the next Tara Dads Club meeting on Wednesday, 19 September at 6:00pm in the Glass Room (located next to the Uniform Shop).

If you are looking to connect with other dads, share experiences, and be part of a supportive community, we would love to see you there.

As we approach the end of Term, families are reminded to prepare for the 2026 school year by purchasing the required uniforms and equipment. 

Year 9 students will need to purchase their Senior uniform (Years 10–12) before the end of term to ensure everything is ready for the start of Year 10.

Year 6 students should also begin purchasing their Year 7 equipment in preparation for the transition to Senior School next year.

ELC students starting Kindergarten in 2026 are encouraged to visit the Uniform Shop to purchase their new school uniform. 

Thank you for ensuring your daughter is ready to begin the new school year with confidence and Tara spirit. 

For opening hours and appointment details, please visit the Uniform Shop page on the Tara website.

Over the weekend, the Class of 1995 returned to Tara to celebrate their 30-year reunion with a tour of the school, followed by drinks and canapés in the Bowern Room. There was plenty of reminiscing and laughter as classmates shared memories and reconnected over old times.

With summer just around the corner, now’s the time to dive in! From toddlers taking their first splash to refining your strokes—secure your spot in our swimming lessons before they’re gone!

Get Ready, we’re making a splash again — and you’re invited to cheer loud and proud!   

After the incredible success of our last Twilight Race Night, we’re thrilled to announce another evening of fast swims, big smiles, and great fun! 

When: Thursday 13th Nov Time: 6.30pm – 8.30pm 

Where: Tara Aquatic Centre 

Important: 

• Swimmers must be currently enrolled in the program to participate. 
• Dust off those race swimmers and get ready for another night of exciting competition! 
• Entries are closing! Submit your swimmer’s details before COB Monday 10th November: https://forms.office.com/r/r6E7iGE7ue 
• Secure your spot: Please see Reception to confirm your booking and payment. 

Come along and make it a night to remember — let's celebrate our swimmers' hard work with plenty of cheering, laughter, and some well-deserved fun!             

Squad:       

If you have a child or know someone who is at squad level, and are wanting to join Swimming@Tara squads, please email swimming@tara.nsw.edu.au so we can get them in for an assessment!                

Lost Property:   

We have a collection of lost property that has been left behind at the Aquatic Centre. If you or your child has misplaced any items, please come down and check out lost property area.   

Donation of swimming fins:  

If you have outgrown or no longer needing your fins, we are happy to take them in and they will be put to good use!  

Ms Anjulie Bec | Junior School Music Teacher 

On Wednesday 29 October, students in Years 3–6 gathered to enjoy an inspiring morning of music at the Junior School Performer of the Year 2025. The event celebrated the dedication and talent of students who had worked diligently to prepare their performances.

After reviewing more than 60 audition videos, Ms Anjulie Bec selected eleven outstanding finalists who impressed the audience with their skill, expression, and confidence across a range of instruments. The concert was adjudicated by Mrs Gloria Ahn, Head of Performing Arts, and Mr Wesley Stormer, Junior School Advanced Band Ensemble Coordinator.

Congratulations to Hannah (piano), who was awarded Performer of the Year 2025, and to Harper (drum kit), who received Highly Commended. Encouragement Awards were presented to Chloe (flute) and Priscilla (Chinese Dulcimer – Yangqin).   

A heartfelt thank you to our adjudicators, the talented finalists, and our wonderful audience for their enthusiastic applause and warm support throughout the event. It was a joyful celebration of musical growth, effort, and creativity within our Junior School community.

Ms Jessica Rainy - Junior School Teacher | Art

On Wednesday the 29 October, a cold and rainy afternoon, Tara Junior School was transformed into a vibrant celebration of creativity for the biennial Art Walk. Undeterred by the weather, families arrived ready to see, make, and experience art together.

Each classroom became a gallery space, telling a story of artistic process and product. Student art ambassadors welcomed visitors, sharing how their artworks were made and what inspired their ideas. Parents listened as young artists spoke with pride about their creative choices — describing how they experimented, reflected, and refined their work, embodying the very essence of the artist’s journey.

Across the Junior School, collaborative installations reflected a unique focus for each stage:

Early Stage 1 (ELC and Kindergarten): Wire and Glass Bead Hanging Sculptures shimmered with light and movement.

Stage 1 (Years 1 and 2): Patterned Papier-Mâché Roll Hanging Sculptures added playful bursts of pattern and colour.

Stage 2 (Years 3 and 4): Warm and Cool Colour Weavings on Wire Mesh explored balance and contrast through colour, texture and line.

Stage 3 (Years 5 and 6): Environmental Etchings captured delicate impressions of the natural world around Tara and represented the artists’ connections to place.

All stages were also invited to participate in two open stations: Beaded Garden Stakes, a project inspired by Year 2 student action, and Creativity Games and Activities, which sparked joy and imagination for artists of all ages.

The warmth and energy of the Art Walk reminded everyone of the power of art to bring people together. It was not just an exhibition, but a shared celebration — of creativity, community, and the expressive voices of Tara’s young artists.

Our heartfelt congratulations to the Class of 2025, who completed their HSC exams last week. We are so proud of the way they have approached their final year — with determination, kindness, and a strong sense of community.

As this group of young women prepare to take their next steps beyond Tara, we thank the teachers, mentors, and Year Coordinators who have guided and encouraged them along the way. Their care and commitment have made a lasting difference.

We wish our graduates every success as they begin the next part of their journey. Wherever life takes them, they will always be part of the Tara story.

The Tara English Team

Tara English Week was celebrated from October 27 – 31. The theme was Heroes and Villains. There was a Poetry Slam, Online Quiz, Create your Own Hero and a Flip the Scrip Villain Activity, where Year 9 and 10 students were given an extract from a hero in literature and had to write from the perspective of a hero. The week concluded with a display of student work in Claridge Library. Thank you to all the participants for sharing their creativity and literary talents.

Mrs Judy Cropper | Head of Hospitality and Food Technology

At lunchtime on 30 October, the Upcycling Club ran a jewellery stall featuring items made from recycled materials. All proceeds — an amazing $200 — were generously donated by Ms Lachet and her team to our Dignity Dishes service program here at Tara.

This service activity, held fortnightly after school, has produced almost 1,300 meals for those in need within our community by the end of this year — an incredible effort for 2025!

We continue to be encouraged by the ongoing support and participation from the girls, as well as from Mrs Napier and Ms Lachet, who help make this initiative possible.

Looking ahead, we’ll be selling homemade jams at Carols in the Colonnade on 22 November to raise further funds for Dignity. Any purchases or additional donations will be greatly appreciated in helping us keep this meaningful program running into 2026.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported Dignity Dishes this year — your generosity is making a real difference.

Tara students recently participated in the annual Festival of Speech at Kincoppal–Rose Bay, showcasing their talents in poetry, readings, discussions, soapbox rants, and public speaking presentations.

The event brought together students from schools across Sydney, creating a wonderful atmosphere of collaboration, creativity, and confidence. It was a fantastic opportunity for our girls to connect with others, share their voices, and celebrate the power of expression.

We are so proud of all who represented Tara with such enthusiasm, poise, and passion for public speaking.

Four of our Year 10 students proudly represented Tara at the Walk the Talk ceremony in the NSW Parliament, where they shared the impact of Tara’s service initiatives, such as the Easter Drive, Winter Drive, and Pizza with Purpose.

Through these programs, our community has provided vital support to 11 families, offering not only safety and comfort but also the reassurance that they are surrounded by care and compassion. 

This meaningful recognition highlights the strength of Tara’s commitment to service and the difference our girls can make when they lead with empathy. A heartfelt thank you to Women’s Community Shelters for their partnership and continued support.

Our 2026 HSC Drama students recently participated in a dynamic workshop unpacking their set text, Neighbourhood Watch, with Anne Wilson from Illuminate Educate.

The session invited students to delve into the play through discussion, improvisation, and scene work, allowing them to explore its ideas in a hands-on, creative way. Students reflected on directorial choices, experimented with performance styles and structure, and examined how the play’s conventions connect to the theoretical framework of the HSC essay.

This experience not only deepened their understanding of Neighbourhood Watch but also strengthened their skills as performers, directors, and critical thinkers — preparing them for success in their HSC and beyond.

We are so proud of the girls who represented Tara at the annual IGSA and IPSHA Gymnastics Carnivals held at Sydney Gymnastics and Aquatic Centre on Thursday 24 and Friday 25 October. We had over 50 girls compete in the IPSHA Carnival and over 20 girls compete at the IGSA Carnival. The gymnasts have been training hard for this competition all year and it certainly showed with their amazing performances and results. The girls were all so supportive of each other and showed great teamwork on the day. We received our best results in over 20 years this year with many girls placing on several apparatus and with our IPSHA Teams taking out places across all levels.

Read more about our results by clicking the link below:
2025 IGSA and IPSHA Gymnastics Results

Congratulations to Victoria on her incredible results in both the South Australian Youth Sail Competition and the NSW Youth Sail Competition — her first regattas in the Double-Handed Dinghy, the 420.

At the 2025 Zhik Youth Sail SA, Victoria competed among 420 sailors from across the country, showcasing strong teamwork and communication with her sailing partner to finish as the 3rd placed female team and 7th overall.

Her momentum continued at the 2025 Zhik Youth Sail NSW, where she and her partner faced challenging conditions with skill and strategy to take out 1st place overall and 1st placed female team.

These outstanding results mark an exciting start to Victoria’s new 420 campaign and highlight her dedication, focus, and passion for sailing. Congratulations on a fantastic achievement, Victoria!