As part of a Round Square exchange, I spent two months at St Stithians College in Johannesburg. The experience gave me the rare opportunity to compare life in South Africa with my home in Tasmania, two places that are vastly different in geography, culture, and pace, yet both have shaped my perspective in meaningful ways.

Tasmania feels calm, grounded, and closely connected to nature. Life moves at a slower pace, with fresh air, open spaces, and the ocean never far away. There’s a strong sense of community and familiarity, and daily life feels […]

As our Year 12 students head towards the end of their TCE journey, the question of “what next?” can loom large for many.  Below is an extract and link to an article that mirrors many of the questions and conversations our Year 12s are having when they visit the Futures Centre, and is a useful guide for parents/carers having similar conversations at home.

It also serves as a timely reminder that students are able to visit us in the Futures Centre any time to ask questions and get help with planning

Teresa Darcy
Careers Advisor 

So your Year 12 student hasn’t decided what’s next. Here’s what to say – and what not to – about career planning

Authors: Brendon Hyndman, Associate Professor of Education, Charles Sturt University and Vaughan Cruickshank, Senior Lecturer in Health and Physical Education, University of Tasmania

For Year 12 students, final exams […]

What a team! Audience members were blown away by our confident and courageous public speaking students on Saturday 16 May at the Rostrum Voice of Youth competition.

With six students competing in the Senior Division and four in the Junior Division, we swept the pool with winners in each category:

Senior:
Shiv Kataria (Year 10) – joint winner (with Samantha Amos, Launceston College)
Delilah Barrett (Year 11) – Encouragement Award

Junior:
Max Wilson (Year 9) – Group 1 winner
Peggy Handbury (Year 9) – Group 2 winner

Enormous congratulations to our Captains of Public Speaking, Meg Kilby and Calan Young, […]

At Scotch Oakburn College, our values guide the way we learn, work and connect with one another every day. One of the most important of these is Respect – treating others as we would like to be treated and recognising the value in every person in our community.

A big part of bringing this value to life is how we communicate with each other. Whether it’s a quick conversation, an email, a meeting, or an online exchange, the way we communicate shapes the tone of our community.

It’s something we all share

Respectful communication isn’t […]

I have had the incredible opportunity to embark on a two-month exchange to Cape Town, South Africa. I cannot express how much this rare experience opened my eyes to the world while teaching me many crucial lifelong lessons along the way. At first, it was strange learning and living in a completely foreign country on the other side of the world, constantly being exposed to new people, foods, cultures, languages, and a completely different way of life with a new family. Now that I am home and back to my normal Australian […]

Guided by our Values of Compassion, Commitment, Responsibility, Respect and Courage, Scotch Oakburn College is taking a thoughtful approach to how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can enhance learning and the way we work. It offers significant opportunities to support students and staff across educational and business areas, while also requiring a clear understanding of its strengths and limitations.

Prior to the start of the Term 1, the College partnered with AI for Education to deliver professional learning for all staff. This provided a valuable opportunity to build a shared understanding of AI literacy and […]

Sebastian Leal Fierro has been visiting us on a Round Square exchange for the past two months from Colegio Anglo Colombiano in Bogota, Colombia. He has been hosted by Archie Stewart and his family. Sebastian finishes his time in Tasmania this week and we thank him for representing his school and his country with such distinction.

Reflecting on his time at Scotch Oakburn and in Tasmania, Sebastian shared:

“My exchange in Tasmania has been a unique chapter, an experience of growth and independence. Living in a completely different environment, surrounded by new people, cultures […]

The Scotch Oakburn College Senior debating squad has capped off an excellent season with first and second positions in the 2026 senior college roster.

On Friday 22 and Saturday 23 these teams also represented the College with distinction winning the prestigious Parliamentary Shield and Parliamentary Plate competitions.

After three very competitive preliminary rounds, the Parliamentary Shield final was held in the Robert Dean Senior Student Centre. It was between Saint Brendan’s Shaw College and the Scotch Oakburn College team of Year 12 students Makaela Fulton, Meg Kilby, Georgette Wilks and Calan Young. The topic was that: Social Cohesion is […]

Last week Year 1 students stepped back in time as they explored what life was like in the 1800s. Students explored how life has changed over time within the home and local community, with a particular focus on schooling. They compared life in the 1800s with their own experiences today, identifying similarities and differences.

All three Year 1 classes spent the day at Hagley Farm Old School and Museum.

The day included making butter in a 100-year-old butter churn, learning how to wash clothes in a copper with dolly sticks, scrub clothes on a wash […]

Rafe Addison Hall has arrived at Kansai International Academy in Kobe, Japan for a two month Round Square exchange. His arrival coincided with a visit to the school by our Principal, Mr Patterson, who reported that Rafe has settled quickly and is being supported by a very welcoming community. Rafe has indicated that Mr Patterson’s visit was a very welcome surprise. He has sent the following description of his first week:

“My time so far in Kobe has been wonderful, welcomed by everyone I have met. I now find that despite being deaf […]