Our Co-curricular program offers wonderful opportunities for girls to try out new activities and further develop current interests throughout their school life. From Chess to Debating, the School’s Co-curricular offering allows girls to make new friends, bond and further their range of interests.
Our range of Co-curricular activities on offer can change from year to year, depending on the girls’ interests. Some of the activities currently available include:
Houses form an important part of School life from Year 3. Fiona has three houses: There are three Junior School Houses: Coolac, Waree and Bunya. Bailey, Carter, Glenrock, Street, Wallis and Whitehead make up the Houses in Senior School.
Regular interhouse competitions and activities help promote School spirit, strong relationships and opportunities for leadership. Fiona girls compete for their House at the Swimming Carnival, in House Debating and Cross Country. Senior School girls compete at the school’s Swimming and Athletics Carnivals, as well as the annual House Festival and Interhouse Debating and Public Speaking Competitions.
It is honestly the case that at Ascham, there is Music for every girl.
Catherine Wilson, Head of Music at Ascham
instruments on offer to learn.
performance opportunities available across P-12.
We aim to contribute meaningfully to the musical, emotional and intellectual development of the girls, offering a program with musical integrity. The Kodaly methodology ensures girls receive stimulating and enjoyable music lessons while teaching them as a whole in a logical manner.
Scholarship information can be found here.
An annual residential Music Camp is held in both Fiona and Senior School and a Musical production alternates annually between the Junior and Senior Schools. Some are extravaganzas with a large cast; many senior productions are combined with neighbouring boys’ schools.
Ascham girls distinguish themselves in the Performing Arts in the wider community. Girls are often nominated for the HSC Encore concert and our vocal groups regularly win prizes in the Sydney Eisteddfod.
Our musicians often take part in many special functions and charity events such as Jambodia, a rock band fundraiser for our village schools in Cambodia. Our girls regularly attend concerts at the Opera House and have performed at the City Recital Hall, The State Theatre and Sydney Town Hall.
Participation in regular sport and or physical activity is scientifically proven to enhance physical, social and emotional well-being.
Stuart Hanrahan, Head of Sport at Ascham
We offer a range of competitive and non-competitive sporting opportunities, allowing girls to select sports based on their personal interests. Our whole-of-school sporting philosophy ensures continuity of skill development and game play across Year groups. Over 1,000 girls participate in structured sport and physical activity at Ascham every week.
Girls can study a wide range of areas including voice, drama, public speaking, social communication, storytelling, stage craft, text interpretation, mime and improvisation.
Throughout the year there are many opportunities for girls to showcase their talents. Girls can take part in eisteddfods, concerts, public speaking competitions and the AHIGS Festival of Speech. Girls may sit examinations with Trinity College London and in Years 11 and 12 they may present for a Performer’s Certificate or Associate Diploma. Of course, some girls prefer to study Speech and Drama simply for the fun of it, and to share in performance with their friends.
Lessons are individual or small group classes and an initial two-term (one semester) commitment is required.
Co-curricular Theatresports classes develop improvisation skills in a safe and fun environment. The girls learn to say yes to their own and other ideas to build trust and team work.
Competition teams represent Ascham at the Theatresports Schools Challenge, where teams challenge each other to a variety of scenes and games. Each game has a time limit and is judged on its narrative skill, entertainment value and improvisation technique.
Public speaking at Ascham gives our girls the opportunity to improve their verbal and non-verbal communication skills, speech writing ability, critical thinking and confidence.
Ascham girls have access to a range of interschool public speaking competitions, such as the prestigious Plain English Speaking competition, the Legacy Junior Public Speaking Award, the Rostrum Voice of Youth competition, the UN Youth Australia competition, Sydney Eisteddfod and the AHIGS Festival of Speech. Girls can also study Communication Skills, where they develop expertise in speech writing and delivery.
At School, there are Public Speaking Soirees where speakers can showcase their talents, as well as the highly anticipated inter-house public speaking competition.
Girls in Junior and Senior School are encouraged to develop their speaking and critical thinking skills, their ability to sustain an argument and their knowledge of current affairs and social issues so that they can present their ideas clearly and concisely to others.
Participation in the performing arts can illuminate our inner lives and enrich our emotional world. It’s a physical, mental and emotional journey about the strength of human connection. We treasure its impact on our health and wellbeing, on society, and in education. Besides the fact that its fun and challenging, the performing arts builds appreciation of ourselves and others, and ways to weather the joys and the misfortunes of life. It hones our creativity and intelligence, fosters compassion, and brings a higher understanding of humanity. We are performers, critical thinkers, problem solvers and good listeners!
Lynda O’Brien | Head of Drama
Students from Years 7 to 12 have many opportunities—through the curriculum and by audition—to participate in productions both onstage and backstage of the 700 seat Packer Theatre that features a revolving stage. Professional directors and designers contribute to the creative team and are ably supported by our teaching staff.
Senior Musical, Junior and Senior productions are performed every two years. Lunchtime and after-school clubs are offered for improvisation and film making.
Smaller performances, such as the annual Year 11 student production, provide a wonderful opportunity for girls to produce one-act plays under the guidance of their Drama teachers and technical staff.
The Years 8–10 Drama Showcase is an opportunity to showcase the best works from each Year group, while girls in Year 11 are also able to be part of the annual Year 11 play. Year 10 students devise and perform a cabaret show as part of their studies of Weimar cabaret.
Ascham students deepen their understanding of the Vietnamese culture and participate in a humanitarian project, exemplifying all our school values.
We run Language study tours to China and France, a World Challenge Tour to China, a ski trip to Whistler and our annual Cambodia community service tour.
A number of our elective Chinese Language students have toured China, while Art students have toured the many museums and galleries of London and Paris.
Girls have also experienced a Social Science study tour to Nepal, the Cambridge University Summer School, a Cultural Study tour to Italy, an Art Tour to New York both organised by the Art and History departments, and our first ever Choral Tour to Finland.
Ascham’s International Student Exchange program has been running successfully for many years and allows girls to experience a different culture and education system, and to form relationships with students and families from other countries. This experience allows participating girls to gain a wider perspective on education, different communities and international issues.
Currently nine schools from France, Germany, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Canada, USA and Argentina participate in the exchange. The program caters for a broad range of girls’ passions, interests and abilities. In general, two to four girls go on exchange with students from each destination school and their equivalent number spends time at Ascham. These exchanges happen throughout the year and range from four to eight week stays.
If timing allows, students may have the opportunity to participate in a brief cultural tour prior to the summer school. Not only do students expand their understanding of cultural elements of the United Kingdom and Europe, but they also experience an university style education complete with lectures, tutorials, seminars and activities.
Girls are accommodated in College accommodation and participate in a full and rewarding program that runs from 8am to 11pm each day. As part of the broader cultural experience girls also visit local sites such as Blenheim Palace and Hampton Court.