College News

A few weeks ago, an email arrived from a mother with no connection to St Augustine's College. Her daughter had been struggling with her bike on a Saturday afternoon when a group of our boys noticed and came over without being asked. They sorted the bike, offered some encouragement, and quietly moved on. There was no audience. No reward. No expectation of recognition. She felt compelled to write anyway. Part of her email read: "In an era where 'toxic masculinity' is everywhere, it was so…

Oscar Donnan didn't know most of the people in the canoe with him. That's part of how it works. The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Gold level expedition puts you on the water with people you've barely spent time with, for five days, with no particular option but to figure it out together. Day one, you're polite strangers navigating the logistics of where to camp and who does what. By day five, something has quietly shifted. Oscar's description of how it ended is understated in a way…

At St Augustine's College, the message from Mr Jonathan Harvey, Assistant Principal - Sport and Co-Curricular, starts in an unlikely place. Pick up the rubbish. Not as a chore. Not as a punishment. As a philosophy. It sounds like a small thing. A quick bend, a second's inconvenience, something easily left for someone else. But Mr Harvey argues that it reveals something important about a young person's character long before they ever compete. The idea draws on a well-known principle from New…

The world tends to judge by what's visible: results, rankings, reputation. So it's natural to assume character is formed the same way. But it isn't. It begins somewhere less comfortable: within. At St Augustine's College, education has always been about more than what students achieve. It's about who they're becoming. That formation starts in the inner life, the thoughts, motivations, tensions and quiet wrestlings that shape a person long before they act. The inner battleground Saint Augustine…

Term 1 is done. Before the pace of Term 2 picks up, it's worth noting what actually happened across it. Wellbeing in a school doesn't usually show up in a single moment. It builds through routines, conversations and the slow accumulation of habits that help boys understand themselves and each other a bit better. That's what Term 1 was mostly about. Starting with Belonging The first weeks of the year are about helping students find their footing. Tutor groups worked on settling into new routines…

The recent Chinese New Year celebration at St Augustine’s College brought together international students, families and staff for an evening that reflected the strong sense of community at the heart of the College. As we welcomed the Year of the Horse in the Chinese zodiac, the gathering provided an opportunity to share traditions, celebrate culture and strengthen the connections that make our community so special. In Chinese tradition, the Horse symbolises energy, resilience and determination…

When Ethan Hilton stepped up to address the St Augustine's College community at the 2025 Laureate Assembly, he didn't begin with statistics or accolades. Instead, the Class of 2025 Dux offered something more personal: a reflection grounded in gratitude, growth and the shared journey of the College community. Recognising the Cohort "Sitting amongst us today at Saints, we have talented academics, musicians, actors, athletes, artists and many more," Ethan began, acknowledging the diverse strengths…

Over the last few months, the national conversation around social media and young people has grown louder and more urgent. Families, schools, researchers and policymakers all seem to be asking the same question: How do we protect our children in an online world that’s evolving faster than any of us can keep up with? With the new regulations that came into effect on 10 December, under-16s now face tighter restrictions on platforms like Instagram and Snapchat. For many families, this shift will…

At St Augustine’s College, we believe that the ability to write thoughtfully and purposefully is one of the greatest gifts we can give our students. Writing allows boys to express ideas clearly, think critically, and connect deeply with the world around them - both now and in the future. Building Strong Foundations in Writing In the Primary School, we’ve adopted a structured and evidence-based approach to writing known as the Writing Rope (Sedita, 2019). This model breaks down the writing…