College News – 25 September 2026

As we come to the end of another busy and rewarding term, I extend my sincere thanks to the parents and caregivers in our community for the many ways you support your sons throughout the school year. Your partnership, encouragement and care play an important role in helping our boys make the most of the opportunities available to them at Rostrevor — in their learning, co-curricular involvement, service, friendships and personal growth. 

As we look ahead to Term 4, I hope every Rostrevor family is able to enjoy some time over the break to rest, reconnect and reset. For our Year 11 and 12 students in particular, I encourage you to take the opportunity to recharge before returning for the important final stretch of exams, assessments and end-of-year commitments. 

Wishing all Rostrevor families a safe, enjoyable and restful holiday break. We look forward to welcoming students back in summer uniform, including hats, on Monday 12 October. 

Shana Bennett 

Students in the Senior School who have displayed Rostrevor’s touchstone values of Liberating Education, Gospel Spirituality, Inclusive Community and Justice and Solidarity were formally recognised at our Touchstone Assembly today. These awards celebrate students who emanate the qualities of the Touchstones through actions for their House and wider community throughout the year. Students who have demonstrated an ongoing and exceptional commitment to serving others in our community were also recognised with Outstanding Service Awards, and those who played an active role in the Social Justice group were recognised with Social Justice awards. Rostrevor places great emphasis on the importance of serving others and living out the values of the Edmund Rice Education Touchstones, and we are proud of the way each and every student reflects this every day.

The Year 3 class embarked on their first ever overnight camp last week, staying the night at the Adelaide Zoo as part of the 'Zoo Snooze' experience. The boys had a fantastic time learning more about the animals, participating in exciting activities and spending time with their friends. Thank you to all those who made this incredible experience possible.

On Monday, Rostrevor's Year 12 First Nations students Lucas Johncock, Mitchell Pearce, Legion Clarke and Aden Knowles attended the Catholic Education SA’s Year 12 Graduation celebration to acknowledge the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students who have completed their schooling in Catholic Education. 

Held at the North Adelaide Football Club, the event saw students from schools across metropolitan Adelaide celebrate their achievements. Joined by guests Dr Neil McGoran and Father Tom Gleeson who delivered prayer, students were present with a piece of art co-designed with David Booth alongside their graduation certificate.

Throughout the term, Senior School students took part in the Rostrevor College Purton Oratory competition, showcasing their ability to inform, persuade and engage an audience through the art of public speaking. Selected students presented speeches on a diverse range of contemporary issues and personal interests, with adjudicators evaluating the strength of each presentation, the quality of argument and the effectiveness of delivery. 

The competition continues a proud Rostrevor tradition established by our first headmaster, Brother David Gabriel Purton, in 1923. A respected lecturer in Psychology and Logic, Br Purton was renowned for his expertise in public speaking and adjudication. Recognising the value of confident and articulate communication, he sought to foster these skills in Rostrevor students, a legacy that remains strong more than a century later. 

Beyond recognising excellence in public speaking, the Purton Oratory celebrates the importance of student voice. Through thoughtful research, persuasive argument and confident delivery, participants demonstrated the insight, passion and leadership that continue to enrich the Rostrevor community. All students who participated are to be commended for their preparation, courage and commitment to sharing their ideas with others. 

Congratulations to the 2026 winners: 

• Year 7 – Nathan Perera: The Power of Forgiveness 
• Year 8 – Sebastian Conhye: Do Grades Reflect our Intelligence or Ability to Retell Information? 
• Year 9 – David Tharakan: Social Media is Isolating Us 
• Year 10 – Onitha Wickramasinghe: The Alarming Advancements of AI and the Consequences of Our Over-reliance 
• Year 11 – Joseph Tirri: Fear is the Most Powerful Weapon 
• Year 12 – Reece Barrett: Is it Morally Acceptable to Break Certain Laws? 

Rostrevor once again participated in the Catholic Schools Music Festival this year, with our largest ever cohort of 15 students involved in the Festival Choir. In a historic first for the College, Samuel Bowman and Joel Desteno were selected as soloists, representing a significant milestone in Rostrevor's long-standing involvement in the Festival. 

Adding to this success, Sehaj Seroa played an integral role as a member of the Secondary Boys Combined Choir, contributing to the high standard of this prestigious group. The College's Senior Band conducted by Greg Osman, also achieved a remarkable accomplishment, successfully progressing through a rigorous audition process to be selected as a support act for the Festival. Further showcasing the breadth of musical talent at Rostrevor, The Small Jazz also directed by Greg Osman performed in the Festival Foyer pre-show, providing audiences with an engaging and entertaining musical experience. 

These achievements reflect the dedication, talent and commitment of our Music students and staff, and highlight the strength of music education and performance opportunities at Rostrevor College. 

Congratulations to the students who recently excelled in the 2026 Australian History and Geography Competitions, where students were asked to consider global events and issues and their impact on the community. People who are going to be tasked with making big decisions on these matters, either now or in the future, need knowledge and skills that are taught across History, Geography and Civics and Citizenship. This year, Rostrevor students were awarded Credits, Merits, Distinctions and High Distinctions in these nation-wide competitions.

As an extension of their recent Rite Journey camp, the Year 9 cohort participated in some challenging activities including team building activities and a High Ropes course this week.  

These activities were designed to test the boys' resilience as they faced their fears and and worked together to support their peers and solve challenges. Thank you to the Rite Journey staff for supporting and leading this exciting program, and to the Wilderness Escape staff who enable us to offer these experiences which all contribute to the formative Rite Journey program learning and development outcomes.  

As part of the 2026 St ALi Italian Film Festival, the Year 9, 10 and 11 Italian students had the opportunity to watch the heartwarming Italian comedy Un Bel Giorno (A Beautiful Day) with students from Mary MacKillop College. This provided a valuable opportunity to strengthen connections and foster a sense of community through a shared cultural experience. They enjoyed the immersive experience of engaging with the Italian language and culture.  

The film follows Tommaso, a widowed father who has devoted his life to his career and raising his four daughters. Encouraged by his daughters to open himself to new possibilities, Tommaso meets Lara, an intelligent and charismatic woman, and the two quickly form a connection. As their relationship develops, a series of humorous misunderstandings unfolds, creating plenty of laughter while exploring themes of love, honesty, acceptance and the challenges of blending families. 

The Year 5 cohort participated in a Goods and Services excursion yesterday as part of their learning in HASS. They enjoyed lunch at Capriccio Restaurant, explored a range of goods and services along Jetty Road, Glenelg, and had the opportunity to hear from two SA Police Officers who spoke about the important services they provide within the community. 

Rostrevor's Senior AFL teams celebrated their season at the Rostrevor Old Collegians Football Club with their end of season Presentation Dinner on Tuesday this week. The night was an opportunity to reflect on the season as a community, and for the First XVIII, Second XVIII, Third XVIII and Fourth XVIII coaches to present the Best & Fairest, Coaches and Red & Black awards. Additionally, the First XVIII team also recognised Best Team Man, Best First Year Player and the Runner Up Best & Fairest. Congratulations to all those players who were recognised on the night, and to all those who contributed to a successful season. Thank you to all players, parents and supporters for their commitment and participation, and to the coaches and staff for their hard work and contributions to the Rostrevor College Football program this year. 

Following strong victories over Henley High School and Cardijn College, Rostrevor's Year 7/8 AFL Knockout team progressed to the School Sport SA Grand Final against Sacred Heart College on Wednesday.  

The boys competed with great spirit and determination, but were ultimately unable to contain a strong Sacred Heart outfit, who proved too good on the day. Reaching the Grand Final is a terrific achievement and caps off an outstanding season for our Year 7 and Year 8 footballers, who have represented the College with great commitment and spirit throughout both the knockout and SAAS competitions. 

We congratulate the team on their efforts and look forward to watching these students continue to develop in coming years in the football program. Rostrevor College 13.4 (82) defeated by Sacred Heart College 17.11 (113). 

Yesterday, the College Athletics team travelled to the SA Athletics Stadium to compete in the Achilles Cup. Competing in A grade, the competition was fierce. The boys gave it their all and finished in a respectable seventh place, maintaining their place in A grade for the 2027 competition. Notable performances were achieved by Spencer De Lacy, who recorded exceptional results in each of his events including first place in Long Jump. A special mention must go to Alfie Gunning who filled in for a number of challenging middle distance events, achieving podium finishes in most of them! A big thank you to Spencer for his assistance in coaching the team this season. 

As part of our ongoing partnership with the Adelaide 36ers Basketball Club, two of our Middle Basketball teams had the opportunity to play in the Adelaide 36ers High-Performance Program tournament against the other partnership schools on Tuesday. The day saw some very competitive games against Sacred Heart, Woodville High and St Paul’s. A combined Middle A/B team and a Year 7 team were fielded into the tournament with both teams playing some great team basketball! Unfortunately, both teams lost in the Semi Finals of their respective divisions, but had fun gaining experience in a competitive environment.