Congratulations to the following recipients of the Principal's Awards for Term 1.

Infants Orchy Award

Primary Monty Award

In the last instalment of “Chaplain’s Corner”, we had a rather general look at the key virtue of prudence in our life.

Holy Week, too, is upon us! And so, our not-too-hurried consideration of Our Lord Jesus Christ’s far-sighted, clear-headed and lovingly sacrificial actions, can help us to practise prudence, in a very holy way, day by day.

The saints, of course, managed to imitate Christ’s prudence, by their own small daily sacrifices, and they kept at it. For example, as “Google AI” points out, St Zelie Martin (the mother of St. Therese) was known for her "orderly" holiness. Indeed, every single day, she did not just wish for a holy home, she built routines that prioritized routines of prayer and mutual affection among the members of her family.

Mass is held at 12:15pm on school days and parents are welcome to attend.

When visiting Montgrove to attend Mass, please allow time to sign in via the PassTab tablet at reception. An instruction sheet has been placed next to the tablet to assist with the process.

To ensure an acurate record of people on site in the case of an emergencey, we kindly ask that each person sign in individually.

Kindergarten 2027

Applications for Kindergarten 2027 sibling enrolments has now closed. If you have not submitted an application for 2027 and have not been in contact with the enrolments team already please contact them URGENTLY on enrol@montgrove.nsw.edu.au or call (02) 4749 4714 .

Kindergarten 2028

Siblings of current students are given priority during the enrolment process.  Those who have already submitted Kindergarten 2028 applications previously, there is no action required from you at this stage. If you have not yet submitted an application for your son/daughter in Kindergarten 2028 please contact the enrolments team.  Students enrolling in Kindergarten must have turned 5 years by March 31 of the year that they are to start school.  This is just a reminder email for any current families who intend to but have not yet applied. Kindergarten 2028 applications will be reviewed one year prior to the commencment date.

If you have any questions please contact our Enrolments Team enrol@montgrove.nsw.edu.au or call (02) 4749 4714 . We look forward to assisting you in your enrolment journey.

A number of our students have life threatening allergies to nuts, peanuts, nuproducts and sesame seeds.  Please ensure that when packing your child’s lunch box that you do not pack nuts, peanut butter, Nutella, and products containing nuts or traces of nuts and sesame seed products.

A child does not necessarily need to eat the nut product, they sometimes only need to touch or be touched by someone who has eaten nuts or a nut related product to have a reaction. As anaphylaxis is life threatening, your co-operation is required and appreciated.

We need to do our best to ensure that Montgrove is a safe place for our students by trying to make our school NUT FREE !

Please also do not send glass drink bottles (eg Voss Brand) or ring pull tins of fruit/tuna.

You are warmly invited to our Term 2 KPF on Thursday 7th May 2026 (7:00pm Registration for a 7:30pm start) . We have an international keynote speaker and one of the world’s leading experts on cyber safety, Kirra Pendergast , coming to address all parents of Montgrove College (K-12) on the important topic of forming our children's character online.  Please see the flyer below for more details.

To RSVP, please use this link: https://forms.gle/EsjtMWiHbiUSdFLc7

Late Arrivals & Absences

If your child is absent from school please complete an Engage absence form as soon as possible in the morning.  Instructions on how to complete an absence form can be found further down in the newsletter.

If your child is absent or arrives late to school and no form is received you will receive a text message asking you to explain the absence or late arrival.  If your child is attending a morning appointment and you have already completed a late arrival form, you may still receive an absence text message. Please disregard this message as their presence at school will be amended once they arrive at school (and you have submitted the absence form).

Early Pickup for Appointments

If you need to pick up your child(ren) up for an appointment that can’t be arranged outside of school hours, we kindly request for that you do not come during recess (10:15-10:30 for Secondary & 10:55-11:25am for Primary) or lunch (12:45-1:30pm) as it is difficult to get messages to students on the playground.

An Engage Early Departure form must be completed beforehand. The parent or guardian is to come to the office and the student's teacher will be called and asked to come to the office. Due to limited space we can not have students sitting in the office waiting to be collected.

Afternoon Pickup for Kindergarten & Year 1

For families who ONLY have children in Kindergarten and Year 1 , to help ease traffic congestion in the afternoon, children in Kindergarten and Year 1 may be picked up at 2:45pm from their classrooms. Please enter and exit via the gate near Kindy Blue which will be opened by a staff member at 2:45pm and closed at 3:00pm.

Penrith Community Kitchen’s mission is to create a supportive service within our community, providing meals, resources, and compassion to those experiencing homelessness and financial hardship. We aim to foster a culture of generosity, where individuals come together to uplift and empower each other, building a more inclusive and caring society.

We help those people by donating non-perishable food. Each classroom has a Penrith Kitchen box or tub inside for the students to put donations in. Every so often Year 6 will come and collect your donations. We encourage all classes to participate in this project throughout this whole year. We are one of the most regular and biggest school donators to their charity.

Below are some of the foods and supplies that the kitchen needs regularly. For the safety of our students, we kindly ask that you don’t donate anything in a glass jar.

This year marked the 50th Anniversary of the Anzac School Service which is organised by the city of Penrith RSL Sub-Branch . There were almost 2000 attendees including local schools, Members of Parliament and Servicemen and women. Our School Captains Charlotte and Francesca MC'ed the event at the Penrith Paceway.

The House Captains and some Year 12 students also assisted with distributing programs and ushering the guests. We received many comments on how well the students performed their tasks. We are extremely proud of how well the students represented Montgrove.

On Thursday 26th and Friday 27th February 2026, our Year 6 classes travelled to Canberra for an educational tour of the national capital. Students were given the opportunity to participate in a variety of educational programs with a focus on Australia’s history, culture, heritage and democracy. During their time there, they visited Mt Ainslie, both Old and New Parliament Houses to explore the way our government is run, cast votes during their own preferential election at the Electoral Commission Office and went back in time to visit the ANZAC soldiers at the War Memorial. There was also a special night time outing that you can read about below in the students' reports.

The Australian Government recognises the importance of all young Australians being able to visit the national capital as part of their Civics and Citizenship education. To assist families in meeting the cost of the excursion the Australian Government contributes funding of $30 per student under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate program towards those costs. The rebate is paid directly to the school upon completion of the excursion.

Read on below to learn about what Year 6 thought of their excursion - it sounds like they had a fabulous time!

Our trip to Canberra was fun, very informative and interesting. We visited many important places. We started at the Australian War Memorial, where we learned about the soldiers who fought for Australia during war times and why we have to remember them. Next, we went to the Parliament House and learned how laws are made and where the country’s leaders work. We also visited Questacon, where we explored fun science exhibits and tried lots of hands-on activities.The highlight for Questacon was the Free Fall, an exciting drop that looked really cool, we even had to wear funny orange suits!

Another highlight was going to the Mount Ainslie Lookout, where we experienced  an amazing view of the whole city.  We visited the Australian Electoral Commission and learned about voting and how elections work in Australia.Then we went to St Christopher's Cathedral it was so pretty and the priests were really nice. Lastly, we went to the Senate Garden which was full of blooming roses. We had lunch in that beautiful garden and we had a very pleasant time. Overall, it was a great trip that helped us learn more about Australia’s history, government, and science in a fun and simple way.

Gabrielle C (6G)

Our Trip to Canberra

Year Six travelled to Canberra in Week Six, and it was so much more than just a trip.  It was an unforgettable experience and a highlight of our year.

We visited the Australian War Memorial, which was quiet, reverent, and even more beautiful than we could have imagined. It offered an abundance of information about Australia’s service in war, as well as insights into the lives of soldiers, nurses, and even animals who served on the battlefield. Beyond this, the memorial featured breathtaking stained glass and mosaics, each one remarkably intricate.

Later that day, we visited Parliament House, where we took part in a fun role-play activity, acting as members of the Senate. Of course, we also had the opportunity to see the House of Representatives and the Senate for ourselves.

And now for the most exciting part… Questacon! More specifically, the ginormous, towering slide that drops you straight down. It was exhilarating, a little scary, and definitely one of the highlights of our trip.

To finish our two-day journey on a calm and reflective note, we visited Mount Ainslie Lookout, where we took in the stunning view of the Parliamentary Triangle. A place where the air was fresh, the city was thriving, and we felt content. We visited several other places, each of which was educational, deepening our understanding of democracy and teaching us more about our beloved nation.

Sanushi and Grace (6B)

Primary girls proudly represented Montgrove College at the Interschool Chess Tournament. Each player competed across 7 rounds of Swiss chess, achieving a combined total of 23 wins.

Alankrita Rajagopalan was also awarded runner-up in her age group.

Well done to the chess team!

On Thursday 5th March, our Year 12 Geography class visited Barangaroo as part of our study of Rural and Urban Places. The excursion was facilitated by Observatory Hill Environmental Education Centre and we were accompanied by Year 12 Geography students from Redfield College, Tara Anglican School and Cranebrook High School.

We have been learning about the character and identity of Barangaroo and its sustainability initiatives. Barangaroo has transformed into a commercial and economic hub, with a 6-star energy rating and carbon neutral status. Our students completed fieldwork to analyse the effectiveness of Barangaroo’s sustainability, focusing on the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Sustainable Sydney Plan.

Despite the heat and humidity, we had a wonderful day and our students gained valuable knowledge and skills in their study of Geography.

Rebecca Southern

Head of HSIE

In Week 5 a group of Japanese students from Oita Tomei High School visited Montgrove for a short 4 day stay. Throughout their stay students from Year 10 volunteered as buddies, sticking with them during recess and lunchtime. During this time, we learnt about Japanese culture and their school life. We also engaged in many different activities with them such as badminton, basketball and volleyball, through these activities we formed lasting friendships. On the last day of their stay, they presented a range of different aspects of Japanese culture through presentations and performances. We will dearly miss the Japanese students and we hope to someday meet them again.

Siona (Yr10)

We are delighted to announce that the volleyball season is officially underway! This year marks an exciting growth for our school sports as Montgrove College now has two teams competing at the Penrith Valley Regional Sports Centre (PVRSC), Cambridge Park.

A huge thank you to Coach Renae (Class of 2024) for continuing her hard work and dedication in getting the girls ready for competition.

We look forward to watching the teams grow, improve and continue to inspire others in the Montgrove community.

We are proud to congratulate Lucy Casserley on her selection in the Australian team for the Junior U23 Canoe Slalom World Championships.

Announced by Paddle Australia, Lucy has earned her place in the national team that will compete in Kraków, Poland in June, where the world’s best young paddlers come together to compete at the highest level.

This outstanding achievement reflects Lucy’s dedication, perseverance, and commitment to
excellence in her sport. We wish Lucy every success as she embraces this incredible opportunity on the international stage.

Well done, Lucy!

Earlier this term, several Montgrove students attended the HZSA basketball trials. Nicole M, (Yr 9), Elyssa V (Yr 9), Sophia J (Yr 10) and Annabella M (Yr 10) were all selected, though due to injury, Elyssa had to withdraw and Madeleine J (Yr 12) stepped in.

HZSA 16s Basketball – 9th March
Sophia and Annabella competed in a round-robin format against five other teams. They claimed wins over SASSA, WAS, and CDSSA, and narrowly missed out against CASA and HRIS, finishing a strong 3rd place.

HZSA Opens Basketball – 10th March
Nicole and Madeleine represented HZSA in the Opens team. The girls powered through the pool games with wins over SASSA and WAS, and a hard-fought draw against HRIS saw them finish 2nd in the pool. They faced a strong CASA team in the semi-final and, after a tough loss, played CDSSA in the 3rd/4th place game. Despite fatigue, they battled hard and HZSA finished 4th.

Well done to Annabella, Sophia, Nicole and Madeleine for representing Montgrove and HZSA with determination, skill, and great sportsmanship!

Congratulations to our Primary and Secondary Representative Swimming teams for their outstanding efforts at the Hills Zone Swimming Carnival on Monday, 2 March. We had 20 students competing throughout the day. The level of competition was incredibly high, but our swimmers delivered some exceptional performances.

A special congratulations to the following students for their achievements:

Primary Carnival

Annabelle and Gerielle will now progress to the CIS Championships to represent HZSA.

Secondary Carnival

Relay Results

Clara, Amelia, Chloe, Lauren and Ava have qualified to progress to the AICES Championships for their individual events. Our 15–16 Years and Senior Relay teams have also qualified to represent Montgrove and HZSA at AICES on 30 March.

Overall, all of our students performed exceptionally well, and for the second year in a row Montgrove was awarded Best Performed School at the Secondary Carnival.

A huge well done to all the girls who participated. It is fantastic to see our Montgrove swimmers representing the school with such dedication and excellence. Best of luck to our students competing at the CIS and AICES Championships later this month.

The Montgrove College Uniform Shop will close for the school holidays on Monday 30th March at 12:00pm and resume normal trading hours for Term 2 on Monday 20th April 2026.

However, to assist parents it will be open for 2 special trading days during the school holidays as follows:

Term 2 Holiday Trading Hours

Additionally, the uniform shop will be CLOSED on Monday 27th April 2026, due to the ANZAC Day public holiday

2. Paperless & secure:

3. Customer Service: