A TERM FULL OF PURPOSE

Round Square in Action

From Junior School delegates to Senior conference participants, Term 1 has been a busy and rewarding season for Round Square at Scotch Oakburn, with students across campuses and year levels stepping up, travelling beyond their comfort zones, and returning with something more than memories.

Round Square is a living commitment to developing young people of character, curiosity, and courage, connected to a global network of over 280 schools across 70 countries.

Woodleigh Mini Cluster Conference

Earlier this Term, a group of our Years 5 and 6 students represented Scotch Oakburn at the Woodleigh School Round Square Mini Cluster Conference. For many of these students, it was their first taste of a Round Square gathering, and by all accounts, it left a strong impression.

Cluster conferences are designed to bring together younger students from nearby Round Square member schools to connect, collaborate, and begin exploring the six IDEALS of Internationalism, Democracy, Environmentalism, Adventure, Leadership, and Service that sit at the heart of the Round Square philosophy. Our delegates engaged with peers from other schools, participated in discussion and activities, and returned to campus with a broader sense of what it means to belong to a global community of learners.

Ballarat Grammar Regional Conference

Also this Term, nine of our Years 8 and 9 students travelled to Ballarat Grammar to take part in the Round Square Regional Conference, a gathering of delegates from member schools across the region, united by a shared focus on deepening their understanding of Australian democracy.

The IDEAL of Democracy was brought it to life in a meaningful and practical way. Through forums, discussions, and collaborative activities, our student delegates explored what democracy means not just as a system of government, but as a set of values – civic participation, respectful debate, accountability, and voice – that each participant can embody right now, in their own school and community. Our delegates came home with a richer appreciation not only of how Australian democracy works, but of their own roles within it.

Connection, Character, and a Global Mindset

Beyond the conferences, Term 1 has seen ongoing participation in Round Square’s broader global programs, including Year 10 international exchanges. Additionally, through the Postcards program, Language Labs (particpants pictured above) and global Baraza discussions, students have had the chance to engage with peers from around the world on the issues that matter, in real conversations, with real people.

These experiences fantastic opportunities to practise what Scotch Oakburn’s Learner Attributes describe: being collaborative, courageous, curious, and ethical.

As the Term ends, we are looking forward to the 2026 Round Square International Conference hosted by Barker College in Sydney, facilitating even more Year 10 exchanges, and supporting 17 Middle School students on their first exchange adventure. The Round Square Year 8 Exchange Program remains one of the most transformative opportunities on offer at Scotch Oakburn. Students who have taken part consistently describe coming back changed, not just more worldly, but more themselves.

Round Square is an integral part of Scotch Oakburn. In a world that is fast-moving, interconnected, and full of problems without easy answers, the students who will truly thrive won’t simply be the best-informed, they will be the ones who are brave enough to take on hard things, humble enough to learn from people very different from themselves, and grounded enough to know what they actually stand for. Whether it’s a Year 5 student finding their voice at a cluster conference, or a Year 9 delegate wrestling with what democracy really demands of a citizen, Round Square provides moments of genuine formation.

Helen Dosser
Acting Director of Round Square