Abbotsleigh
What birthday did Abbotsleigh celebrate this year?
140 years
Who is Chisholm named after?
Caroline Chisholm
What did Year 11 do for Challenge Week this year?
Urban Challenge
English: What disposition did you study throughout the year?
Empathy
Which pop star headlined the Laneway Festival in Australia in 2025, bringing her “brat summer” to fans?
Charli XCX
This is the school's motto in Latin: "Tempus Celerius Radio Fugit". What does it mean in English?
"Time flies faster than a weaver’s shuttle"
What Australian currency can Caroline Chisholm be found on?
Australian $5 note
Who was elected as Vice Head Prefect Duties 2025/2026?
Anna Wallwork
Chapel: What has the theme in Chapel been this term?
Encounters with Jesus
What is the name of the Lego exhibit currently showing at the Australian Museum?
Relics
Which building on the Abbotsleigh campus is named after a famous Australian modernist artist?
The Grace Cossington Smith Gallery
In what year did Chisholm come 2nd in House Choir?
Last year, 2024
How many people in Chisholm have a prefect role, and what is their role?
Chisholm Captains: Maya Gradinscak and Amber Johnson
Junior School Prefect: Vanessa Ton
SRC Prefect: Alicia Ho
Vice Head Duties: Anna Walkwork
Christian Studies: What were the three themes studied in Term 1?
Meaning, Peace and Hope (you may also have done community)
Which actor reprised his role for the eighth time in 2025?
Tom Cruise: Mission Impossible - Final Reckoning
As the founder of the school, what was Marion Clarke's educational philosophy?
Marian Clarke believed in educating 'the whole girl', including academic subjects like Latin and geometry, and physical education like gymnastics .
Who was Caroline Chisholm known as and why?
Caroline Chisholm was known as “the emigrants’ friend” for her work helping immigrant women and families settle in Australia during the 1840s.
What date did we celebrate Abbotsleigh's 140th birthday at the Opera House?
20th May 2025
Biology: What is the term for a protein that acts as a biological catalyst to accelerate chemical reactions without being consumed?
Enzyme
Which country hosted the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest, won by Austria’s entry “JJ”?
Switzerland
What sorts of items would you find in the school's archives?
Rare books, school registers, magazines like The Weaver, and artefacts such as items of school uniform and personal items of boarders.
In what year did she establish the Female Immigrants’ Home in Sydney, which provided shelter and employment assistance to over 14,000 women.
In 1841
Name five examples of excursions that Year 11 have been on this year in Term 1 (excluding Urban Challenge)
Any boarder excursions
Year 11 Ancient History Museum in Term 1
Sisters in Sports Conference in Term 1
InterCRU in Term 1
Year 11 Ag Excursion in Term 1
Year 11 Young Curators Excursion in Term 1 x2
Year 11 and 12 EES Australian Museum Excursion in Term 1
Robotics Southern Cross Regional Competition in Term 1
Year 11 Geography Field Trip in Term 1
English: "Words are grown so false, I am loath to prove reason with them." Is a quote from what text?
Twelfth Night
What was the name of the powerful storm that hit the UK and Ireland in January 2025, leaving over a million people without power?
Storm Eowyn
How did Abbotsleigh’s facilities evolve under Judith Poole’s leadership, and what does this suggest about the school’s priorities?
Facilities like the Early Learning Centre, Environmental Education Centre, and Judith Poole Sports Hall were developed, showing a focus on early education, sustainability, and physical wellbeing
Caroline Chisholm developed a system of “sponsorship” for rural employment, creating a network of over how many rural depots across New South Wales to help match immigrants with jobs and housing—an early form of decentralised welfare and labour planning? Can you name some of them?
16 regional depots:
What week in Term 2 did a program start in the Junior School that Year 11 ran? What was it called and what did it involve?
In Week 5 the Bee Connected DEAR program commenced with Year 11 students reading to Kindergarten, Year 1 and 2 students in the Junior School.
Maths: A bag contains 5 red, 3 blue, and 2 green marbles. Two marbles are drawn at random without replacement.
What is the probability that both marbles are red?
Probability first marble is red: 1/2
Probability second marble is red (after one red is removed): 4/9
Combined probability: 2/9 (20/90)
Which rising pop artist performed at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney in 2025 as part of her “Secret of Us” tour, featuring songs like “Close to You” and a surprise track each night?
Gracie Abrams
What do the lion, fish and lilies represent in the Abbotsleigh crest?
Lion:
Represents strength in God. This is a traditional Christian symbol of courage and divine protection.
Fish:
A symbol of Christianity, referencing the early Christian ichthys symbol used by believers to identify themselves during times of persecution.
Lilies:
Symbolise purity, often associated with the Virgin Mary and used in Christian iconography to represent innocence and virtue.
What months of the year have the most Chisholm birthdays?
March (Amelia, Sophia, Ina, Phoebe) and May (Anna W, Millie, Leisel, Maya) both have four birthdays.
What was the theme of NAIDOC week this year?
The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy
Economics: In 2025, the Australian government increased funding for vocational education and training (VET) programs aimed at young people entering the workforce.
How this policy could affect the supply of labour in specific industries.
Increased funding for VET programs can improve skills and qualifications among young workers, increasing the supply of labour in industries such as aged care, construction, and hospitality where VET pathways are common. This makes it easier for employers to find qualified workers.
Who became the Prime Minister of Canada in 2025 following Justin Trudeau’s resignation?
Mark Carney
Who was Florence Mary Thurles Thomas, and what is her legacy at Abbotsleigh?
She was a student, teacher, librarian, and volunteer who founded the school’s archives, now named in her honour.
Which months of the year only have one birthday? (There are 5).
January (Reyna), February (Anna D), October (Alicia), November (Ms A), December (Olivia)
Name eight ways you have embraced the prefect theme of Bee Connected this year.
Attended the Bee Connected festival, the Autumn fair, smiled at someone in the corridor, got involved in a co-curricular, participated in sport, remembered to tell friends you are grateful for them, shown acts of kindness to all kinds of people, cheered and participated actively in house events.
Geography: Sydney’s urban footprint has expanded significantly over the past two decades, particularly in areas like the South West Growth Corridor. Has the human foot print decreased or increased and what might have impacted it?
The human foot print has increased through land clearing, habitat fragmentation, and higher carbon emissions from transport and infrastructure. The expansion has shifted spatial patterns from predominantly agricultural and bushland areas to high-density residential and commercial zones. The spatial concentration of development has also led to increased pressure on water resources and waste management systems.
Which author was commemorated on a new £2 coin in 2025, featuring a silver “Big Brother” eye?
George Orwell (Writer of Animal Farm & Nineteen Eighty-Four)
What was the first interschool sport Abbotsleigh participated in, and in what year?
Tennis against SCEGGS in 1913
What were the first names of the House Captains in 2021, when you were in Year 7?
Hannah, Kate and Bella (Annabella)
Choose someone two people to sing at least two lines from the Hallelujah Chorus that show the two parts of Chisholm Black and Gold.
Modern History: Identify two key events in 1917 that directly led to the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II, and briefly explain their significance.
1. February Revolution (March 1917) – Mass protests and strikes in Petrograd over food shortages and war fatigue led to the collapse of imperial authority and forced Nicholas II to abdicate.
2. Mutiny of the Petrograd Garrison – Soldiers refused to suppress the uprising and joined the protesters, signalling the loss of military support for the Tsar and accelerating the fall of the Romanov regime.
3. Strikes and Food Riots in Petrograd (early March 1917) - Widespread unrest due to food shortages and inflation led to mass protests, especially among women and industrial workers. These events escalated into the February Revolution.
4. Failure of the Duma to Support the Tsar - The Duma refused to dissolve when ordered by Nicholas II and instead formed the Provisional Committee, which later became the Provisional Government, undermining the Tsar’s authority.
5. Tsar’s Decision to Leave Petrograd for the Front - Nicholas II’s absence during critical unrest left the capital without leadership, allowing revolutionary momentum to build unchecked.
6. Loss of Support from the Army High Command - Senior military leaders advised Nicholas to abdicate, recognising that continued rule would destabilise Russia further and threaten military cohesion.
7. Railway Workers’ Strike Blocking the Tsar’s Return to Petrograd - When Nicholas attempted to return to the capital, railway workers blocked his train, symbolising the collapse of imperial control over infrastructure and communication.
Which American soul singer, known for “Killing Me Softly,” passed away in February 2025 at age 88?
Roberta Flack
What curriculum subjects did Marian Clarke introduce in the 1880s that were considered ‘masculine’ at the time? (There are four)
Geometry, Latin, woodwork, and gymnastics.
How many students and teachers make up Chisholm House (Year 7-12)?
Students = 138 students
Teachers = 13 teachers
Year 7 = 24
Year 8 = 22
Year 9 = 22
Year 10 = 24
Year 11 = 23
Year 12 = 23
How many prefects were elected for 2025/2026 and how many positions are there?
51 or 31 portfolios or positions
Chemistry: What principle states that electrons will singly occupy degenerate orbitals of a given subshell with parallel spins before pairing occurs, thereby minimising electron–electron repulsion and maximising total spin?
Hund's Rule
Who was elected Pope in May 2025, becoming the first North American to hold the position, and what name did he take?
Cardinal Robert Prevost, who became Pope Leo XIV