An inquiry learning framework such as the Primary Years Programme (PYP), values the process of learning as much as the content or product students are working towards. Inquiry teachers view learning as a process of active construction where learners build on prior knowledge and make sense of the world through investigation, analysis and reflection. Concepts and big ideas are at the heart of the inquiry journey (Murdoch, 2020). Teachers plan carefully in order to provoke dynamic thinking. Coupled with hands-on experiences in the classroom, excursions and incursions provide the perfect vehicle for students to see patterns and make connections. They awaken the girls to the world around them, keep them curious and enhance the all important process of learning.

All students from ELC to Year 6 experience a wide variety of valuable excursions and incursions each year during their time at Tara. Teachers carefully select experiences that will make inquiry richer and deeper. Students are encouraged to engage fully during the excursion or incursion by actively listening, closely observing and asking lots of questions. Facilitators and presenters often comment on the quality and depth of the comments and questions shared by our inquisitive Tara girls.

The table below details some of the wonderful opportunities offered at Tara:

Choose your own adventure

There are so many wonderful excursions and incursions available at Tara to enrich the inquiry process and foster a constructivist approach to learning. I encourage you to mindfully consider the places you will go with your daughter to open her eyes, heart and mind to the wonders of this world. How can you help her to be a more inquisitive, thoughtful, communicative, knowledgeable, courageous, caring, open-minded, principled, balanced and reflective human being?

Murdoch, K. (2021) Staying Awake to the World: Taking time to inquire into and build our own “background knowledge”. Retrieved from URL https://www.kathmurdoch.com.au/ 

My Fun, Adventurous Journey in Canberra    

By Zissie W

On Monday 22 March, I had to wake up at six fifteen in the morning as our bus was going to leave at seven thirty.  I think it was worth going such a long way to Canberra because we learnt lots of important, new things and we had such a great time. The activities I enjoyed most were visiting the Governor General’s House, going to Old and New Parliament House and visiting the National Gallery of Australian (Art Gallery).  

On the first day, we went to see Old Parliament House. A staff member taught us how they vote. I learnt that in Australia, voting is compulsory and only people aged eighteen or over can vote. The staff allowed us to try voting ourselves to see what it was like. We had apple, peach, banana, orange and we were supposed to vote for which of these were our favourites from one to four. When we were voting, we had to hide our votes from other people so they would not have to worry about who others choose. When we were done, we had to slide our papers into a ballot box where all the votes are collected. Finally, the staff member selected four volunteers to count the votes. The box was emptied, and they all grabbed a hand full and started sorting them out. There were people standing at the back to make sure they did the right thing. The results were that peach won by one point!

We went to New Parliament House on the second day, and it was nearly twice as large as the old one. It was such a huge improvement and everyone there was dressed very formally. And guess what? We saw Mr. Morrison in action in a debate. I did not really understand the topic or the debate because it was a bit confusing. Mr. Morrison did not see us but we were sitting right above him with soundproof glass walls so the politicians in the House of Representatives would not hear us.  

The next day, we went to an even more formal place- the Governor General’s House! People who worked for him called him “Your Excellency the Honorable…” and I forget the rest of his really long title. As soon as we drove into the garden, we were very shocked by how big it was. He had a giant golf course all to himself and a field of grass that was bigger than a national park! The people who worked for him were dressed very formally. Both men and women wore suits from the army or air force with gold chains and braid wrapped around them. The people there told us lots of information about the Governor General’s role- to represent the Queen in Australia. We also explored many of the rooms in his house and they were all very neat and luxurious. In the dining room, we found out that his Excellency always sits in the middle of the table with his wife directly in front of him. The plates and cutlery were set out very neatly and the sides of the plates were made of real gold! One of my friends even got to sit on his Excellency’s chair.  

Finally, on our last day we went to the Australian National Art Gallery. We saw artworks of all kinds. Each special artwork was introduced to us by our educators, and we learnt a lot about how art can tell us stories and make people feel different emotions. First, we saw paintings by the Aboriginal people. They used natural things to paint animals on a tree log and each and one of them told a story.  Lots of them had snakes on them, others had tigers and skeletons and penguins. We believed the paintings on them told a story. The tree logs used for putting people’s bones inside. When people pass away, they would paint the person’s bones based on what their personality was like when they were alive. They would paint each bone from their body and put it inside the tree logs. We saw lots of other artworks made by lots of different artists. I really loved the ones that confused my eyes with illusions. There was a wavy painting and if you stared at it hard, your eyes would think the waves were moving. All the artworks were very beautiful, and I think the artists told us great stories.  

In summary, we did many fun things in Canberra and learnt lots. We were so close to meeting our Prime Minister properly and I really wanted the chance to shake hands with him and tell him how much I appreciate his hard work to make Australia the best country in the world. To me, this government, Governor General and democracy stuff is still a bit complicated, but I guess as I keep learning I might figure it out. These three activities were not only the ones I enjoyed, there were still lots more that I also loved like rock climbing, visiting the war memorial, going to the rose gardens and more. If you have not been to Canberra, it is a place that everyone should visit and appreciate. Every part of Australia is a wonderful place to learn and a perfect opportunity to collect memories. This trip was excellent, and I wish to come here again with my family for a lot longer. 

We have now come to the end of our cross country season with the IPSHA Carnival and ELC to Year 2 Carnival taking place in week 2 of this term. 

Following their strong performances at the School carnival, 19 girls were selected in the Tara team to compete at the IPSHA carnival. Originally postponed at the end of Term 1 due to the significant rainfall we experienced, conditions were near perfect this time around and allowed for our girls to achieve some great times across the 2km and 3km courses at The King's School. The sportsmanship, support and encouragement of one another on display was equally impressive to watch. Congratulations to the Tara Cross Country Team: Eloise R, Olive M, Olivia W, Diya A, Aaren S, Cleo F, Chelsea H, Scarlett H, Chloe W, Tiasha J, Ruby O, Reeta L, Abbey B, Charlotte M, Eden W, Claire M, Alisha S, Isabella S and Sophie B.

Similar to the Year 3 to 6 Cross Country Carnival, it was wonderful to have parents, grandparents and friends back on site to cheer on our littlest runners in ELC, Kindergarten, Year 1 and 2 as they ran in their Cross Country Carnival. The field was beaming with energy throughout the afternoon and runners showed great commitment to finish their races. We were wonderfully supported by our Year 6 House Captains who helped set the course, warm us up and who ran alongside us when we needed that little extra encouragement. 

In this Tara News we are featuring some of the French activities our students have been involved in. Please stay tuned for a Japanese update!

French

Year 7, having just begun their study of the French language, reflected on how cultural context may impact how status and relationships are expressed. They have been engaged in a range of activities, including acting out role plays, singing and using technology tools such as Quizlet, Kahoot and Education Perfect to help learn greetings and numbers. 

Year 8 looked at how celebrations demonstrate diverse cultural contexts, particularly in regard to the role of food. The focus of their ATL (Approach to Learning) has been reflection skills, including such aspects as how they can share their skills to help peers who need more practice and also how to become more flexible in their choice of learning strategies. When presented with the challenge of creating a fun and engaging way to remember the conjugations of French regular “er” verbs, Amelia J took on the challenge and wrote her own song and dance. She then led the whole class – using a range of strategies to ensure that all students were following as directed! I’m sure Amelia and the other students will remember their endings in the future! 

Year 9 considered how the clear communication of messages enhances successful linguistic interactions and exchanges, particularly in relation to asking for directions to various places around a town. They were introduced to regular “ir” verb conjugations and had lots of fun singing and dancing along to a French remix version of the Mexican hat dance! 

This term they will be considering how conventions used in virtual environments can hinder or facilitate the communication of a message. For their assessment task they will create a virtual escape room in French to show people what there is to do in Montauban, France. They will also teach people learning French some important grammatical points and vocabulary which will help them to navigate their way around the town and the game. We are excited about this new approach and hope Year 9 will be just as excited!

Year 10 looked at the creative use of language and how careful word choice can improve audience engagement when expressing ideas and feelings. After analysing some French children’s books, they put their new skills and knowledge to use to create their own French children’s books. There were some amazing creations and students shared these with each other. We will also send some of these electronically to Ronald McDonald House at Westmead for them to use with visiting French speaking families. One of the classes decided to also act out some of the books as the author was reading the story! They quickly decided on different roles for themselves, including being talking rabbits, cows and even “professional page turners” to use their own words! Students had a lot of fun writing and sharing their stories. 

Years 11 and 12 Continuers and Extension immersed themselves in greater depth in the study of French, while still enjoying the chance to play occasional Kahoots and Quizlets. In the words of one of the Year 12's, they are enjoying being able to flex their French knowledge across a range of themes! Year 11 looked at the theme of family relationships, while Year 12 honed their skills in the themes of art, entertainment and culture as well as current issues around technology and media. In French Extension they continued their study of the film Les Intouchables as well as continuing to engage with themes such as acceptance and resilience. While the Extension course is certainly challenging, students are displaying their own resilience in speaking and writing about such in depth themes!

The final round consisted of Year 10 and Year 12, with the Year 12 team of Sophie B, Mackenzie C, Sarah F, Macayla H and Chyna T, taking out the win for the whole competition. Well done to all involved! 

To finish off the competition, there was a special Year 12 vs Staff round where the winning Year 12 team was able to go head to head against the staff of Tara. In the first round, the Year 12 girls proved their strength to the whole school by beating the staff! However, in the following two rounds, the staff adjusted their team strategy and managed to come away with the overall win. Congratulations to the staff who were involved and showed the girls what it takes! Keep the training up because the Year 12 team will come back stronger than ever! 

Overall the event was very successful and will be something that we look forward to running again in the near future.

Established in 1990 the award operates globally and supplies funding and other awards for women actively showing leadership and public service commitment in daily life. I attended the awards ceremony at Rydges Hotel in Norwest together the other highly commended participants and the overall winner for district 24. Congratulations to these girls who both attend International Academy Australia.

I am honoured to receive such a prestigious award and am very thankful to the ZONTA team for acknowledging my achievements. I would like to extend my thanks to my parents for allowing me to take up the opportunities and leadership activities I used to complete this award. I would also like to thank Mrs Losco (Student Leadership Coordinator) and Mrs Mann (Student Performance Coordinator) for encouraging me to take up this opportunity and supporting me in all actions around the School. 

Football

Round 1

S03  Tara 1 vs Ravenswood 1, Loss, 0-6
S10  Tara 2 vs Frensham 6, Win, 12-1
J08  Tara 3 vs Frensham 10, Draw. 3-3

Overall, our Junior soccer team played very successfully on the weekend with a tie breaker 3-3 against Frensham. Isabella I who scored all our goals, was an amazing stand out player with her incredible kicks and passes! Congratulations to all those who went out of their comfort zone and those who made great effort!

On the weekend Tara02 also played their first game at Frensham. During the game the whole team played together exceptionally and came back with a win. They won by an landslide of 12-1, and it was an amazing start to the season!

The Senior Firsts, despite their loss, got a feel for working as a team together, and had a skillful goal by Bianca M and an exceptional penalty save by Siena L. 

Siena E - Football Captain

Softball Finals and Playoffs

A tough last round for all Tara teams, however no matter the results all girls put in a fantastic effort. It was such a big achievement for our two Tara teams to play in the finals! The Senior firsts finished with a very close and competitive game against Frensham. Outstanding improvements in skills and technique throughout a season of dedication was showcased during the Grand Final! Clean fielding and tactical thinking from Shara P in shortstop kept everyone on their toes throughout the game and we saw many great hits from all girls including Lara E. The Senior Firsts finished with runners up of Division 2, what a great achievement! TAR04 also came away with their heads held high despite their loss. The final score of 6-10 shows the fantastic fight held by Tara throughout all innings played. Our Year 7 team played their last game on Saturday to finish with a bang! Despite the score, our girls displayed what it’s like to be a Tara girl, with integrity and determination the girls finished their season by showcasing many new skills they had learnt since starting softball. Congratulations to both Tara teams that made the grand finals! Every Tara girl should be proud of their softball achievements in Term 1, and hopefully all girls are eager and excited to play again next year!

Jaz H - Softball Captain

Tennis Finals and Playoffs

Tara girls played excellently in their 2021 season. We had tremendous success with our 1st in Division 3 for the first time. Tara 2nd's  were outstanding throughout their whole season and won overall in their finals. Our Year 7 teams also performed outstandingly with Team 11 playing off against Meridian. Tara 3 and 4 with our Year 12’s played well during their final season with both teams reaching the final of their matches. Tara 10 also reached the finals of their division and played exceptionally well against Danebank. Well done to all the Tara girls that competed during the 2021 Tara Season. We also wish all Year 12 players the best in their future endeavours. 

This year in the basketball competition, the win went to Crawford, second to Hake, third to Waugh and fourth to Walker. Well done to the girls who took the extra effort and walked over to The King's Junior School courts in order to participate in this event. The touch football event was held on the small area of the oval that was available due to constructions happening around the school. The winner of Touch football was Walker, second was Crawford, third was Waugh and fourth was Hake. Table tennis was held outside of student reception in the colonnade with quick rotations of the girls in each of the teams. First place was Waugh, second place was Hake, third place was Crawford and fourth place was Walker. Cheerleading was held in the theatre, with girls making a routine up in limited time, only hearing the music for the first time that day. The win went to Crawford, second place to Walker, third place to Waugh and fourth place to Hake. The football was a bit different this year, being up on Mouleric Oval. This meant that girls who were running cross country, had to run around the outside of the soccer field. Although the change, the girls managed to keep the soccer ball in the field, without creating an extra challenge for the girls on the course. The win for football this year went to Hake, second to Waugh, third to Walker, and fourth to Crawford. Newcombe ball is always a great game to watch and this year it was up in the middle of the colonnade. Where girls who had finished cross country, could watch and support their house, they saw first go to Crawford, second to Walker, third to Hake and fourth to Waugh. The last game was netball, which was played in the gym. The winning house was Waugh, second was Crawford, third was Walker, and fourth was Hake. 

Overall, the day ran really smoothly and it was great to see all the girls getting involved and having fun with their friends. This can be attributed to all the sporting staff who helped in organising and running the event on the day. A massive thank you to all the staff involved and to the house captains for motivating your houses to get involved. The Interhouse sports afternoon trophy was awarded to Crawford who managed to compile a huge 207 points. Second place, on 188 points was Waugh. Third place on 165 points was Walker, and fourth place on 156 points was Hake. Congratulations to everyone who got involved in their nominated sport. The Interhouse Sports Afternoon was a successful event that all the girls enjoyed. 

Macayla H - Sport Prefect

Congratulations to all the girls who participated in the carnival and a special congratulations to our finalists:

Relay teams:

6th place in the 6x50m Freestyle relay 

(Belita K, Olivia A, An An F, Skye A, Suzie K and Sarah K) 

Individual finalists:

Belita K:

8th place in the 12&U 50m Freestyle

Sarah S:

8th place in the 12&U 50m Backstroke

6th place in the 12&U 50m Butterfly

3rd place in the 12&U 50m Breaststroke 

Skye A:

8th place in the 15 years 50m Freestyle 

Tatum G:

8th place in the 15 years 50m Butterfly 

Sarah K:

10th place in the 17 years 50m Freestyle 

6th place in the 17 years 50m Breaststroke

Sarah K - Swimming Captain

Day 2 saw our doubles girls commence play, consisting of Alisha G, Lucia Z, Georgia M, Jessica S, Zoe G and Caroline H. Alisha and Lucia performed well in their tight first round match before just losing in a tie breaker to Queenwood. Georgia and Jessica and Zoe and Caroline headed on for their round 1 and 2 matches before play was stopped due to wet weather. Both teams were up and Bharvya made her way to Meriden to continue her match in their indoor courts. After a tough battle Bharvya lost to a highly ranked Year 12 student from Meriden. We are exceptionally proud of Bharvya and the progress she made in this competition facing off girls years older than her. We look forward to watching Bharvya’s progression in future years. 

On March 31 our remaining doubles teamed returned to Pennant Hills Park to finish their matches. Georgia M and Jessica S received a bye and progressed straight to round 2 before a tight loss. Zoe G and Caroline H faced a tight second round match going to a tie breaker against Pymble before an outstanding 7-3 win in the tie breaker. The team proceeded strongly into the third round to win 8-2 over PLC Sydney. After progression into the fifth round the team faced Meriden seeded players. After a high performance match the run was over for the team. After an outstanding season and Tildesley competition collectively Tara was named the Most Improved School and is ranked as one of the top 10 tennis schools within Sydney. Congratulations to all the Tara girls involved in this day on your amazing performance and exceptional outcome.

Caroline H - Tennis Captain