Celebrating our past, Investing in our future

Dear Annesley Community,

Annesley has always been shaped by the people who believe in our School and the education experiences it provides. Through the commitment of our families, staff, Old Scholars and wider community, we have continued to grow, creating a learning environment in which children can belong and grow.

In the coming months, we will mark two important milestones in Annesley’s story: the redevelopment of our Early Learning Centre and the centenary of Gillingham Hall. Each provides an opportunity to honour the generations who have shaped our School, enrich the experience of students today, and help secure Annesley’s future for those who will follow.

These milestones will also mark a new chapter for Annesley Junior School as we undertake fundraising activities as a School for the first time in Annesley Junior School’s 15 year history. Until now, we have funded our growth and development without seeking additional financial support from our community. As these projects demonstrate, there are opportunities to achieve even more through the collective support of those who share a connection to Annesley and a commitment to its ongoing success.

Play a Part in ELC Play

To mark this important milestone, we are launching our Play a Part in ELC Play campaign, inviting the Annesley community to help bring these new spaces to life. Community support will help fund new play equipment and enhance the outdoor environments that will shape the daily experiences of our youngest learners for years to come. Through this campaign, families, Old Scholars and supporters will have an opportunity to make a direct and lasting contribution to children’s play and the future of early learning at Annesley. More information is available about this campaign on Anney today, with an invite also to our ELC Redevelopment Celebration Morning on Tuesday 22 September where our fundraising campaign will be launched.

Celebrating 100 years of Gillingham Hall

In 2026, we also celebrate the centenary of Gillingham Hall. Since 1926, the Hall has been at the heart of school life, hosting generations of students for gatherings, performances, learning and shared experiences.

The School has developed a three-stage plan to repair and restore Gillingham Hall. With the first stage completed last year, further support will help progress the remaining restoration works and ensure this much-loved space can continue serving Annesley students and the wider community in the years ahead.

To mark the centenary, a special event is being held to celebrate Gillingham Hall in November where we hope to raise funds for its ongoing restoration. This initiative is being supported by our Old Scholars, the Annesley College Foundation and the Annesley Parents’ Association. Further information will be available soon alongside tickets to this exciting event. An invite to this event is included in this Newsletter and on Anney today.

An invitation to be part of Annesley’s future

We recognise that fundraising is new for our School and that every family and member of our community is in a different position.  Participation may take many forms, and every expression of support will be valued.

At its heart, this is about more than improving buildings and grounds. It is about honouring the places that have shaped generations of Annesley students, creating exceptional environments for those learning here today, and giving our community an opportunity to help build the School’s future.

Thank you for the many ways you continue to support our students, our staff and our School.

Yours sincerely,

Jo Rossiter
Principal

Kymberley Lawrence
School Council Chair

Today, while our students enjoyed a Student Free Day, our teaching team had the opportunity to connect and collaborate professionally. Our focus was on the current IB PYP Framework Self-Study as part of our IB Evaluation process, currently underway. During this time, teachers collated evidence of our practice, reviewed parent survey data and reflect upon key achievements and school improvement.

Thank you to our ELC and OSHC Educators who continued to care for children, and of course our Operations Team who keep our school running.

This year, Annesley entered five Year 5 and 6 debating teams in the Debating SA competition during Terms 2 and 3. Our Year 5 teams did exceptionally well, learning new skills in preparing and delivering their speeches, and stepping outside their comfort zone by mastering the practice of rebuttal!

Year 6 is the first year level that debating teams participate in finals. Our Year 6 team was undefeated during the season, and last night won their quarter final. They now will proceed to the semi-finals next week.

Congratulations to all our Year 5 and 6 debaters this year, and thank you to our Debating Coach Ann Langman who has supported these teams each week, alongside our teachers Kate Dunn and Christian O’Dwyer.

At Annesley, we value children’s voices and interests, even in our youngest learners. One of our newest experiences has come directly from a child’s idea. After sharing his excitement about visiting the primary library during the school holidays, Teddy asked, “Can we go to the library?” This sparked a meaningful discussion and led to our weekly visits to the primary school library every Monday.

The children have embraced this opportunity with enthusiasm and responsibility. During our walk to the library, they demonstrate sound listening skills by following instructions carefully, staying together as a group, and showing awareness of their surroundings. Once inside the library, we have been practicing being quiet and respectful so everyone can enjoy the space.

These visits support the development of early literacy skills in a variety of ways. Children enjoy independently exploring books that interest them, turning pages and studying illustrations to create their own imaginative stories. This process encourages creativity, language development, and confidence in storytelling. They also delight in gathering together to listen to educators read aloud, engaging with characters, predicting what might happen next, and sharing their ideas about the stories.We look forward to continuing our Monday library adventures and fostering a lifelong love of books, storytelling, and learning.

Last Friday morning, the Annesley Parents’ Association warmly welcomed dads, grandfathers, parent figures and special friends to our 2026 Annesley Father’s Day Morning.

Families enjoyed spending quality time together through a range of activities across the campus, including soccer, basketball, chess, table tennis, reading, kick-to-kick and classroom sharing.

The morning concluded at the Bouncing Bean Café, where guests enjoyed a complimentary hot drink, a bite to eat and a fantastic raffle while connecting with members of our Annesley community.

Thank you to everyone who joined us to celebrate the important people in our students’ lives. We appreciate all that you do and hope you enjoyed this special morning together.

A special thank you to the Annesley Parents’ Association and our staff for organising such a wonderful morning of connection, community and shared memories.

We hope all our dads, grandfathers, parent figures and special friends had a very Happy Father’s Day weekend.

Linguini and Remy from Ratatouille made a special appearance at Chapel last week, sharing an inspiring message about bravery. They reminded us that courage is not just about trying new recipes, but about approaching all kinds of learning with imagination, determination and an open heart.

To quote the movie:

“You must be imaginative. Strong hearted. You must try things that may not work. And you must not let anyone define your limits because of where you come from. Your only limit is your soul.”

Students also enjoyed a fun challenge when a couple of teachers demonstrated their own bravery in a blind condiment taste test. Unable to see what they were tasting, they stepped up and gave it a go! Their courage was not measured by whether they guessed correctly, but by their willingness to try something new.

A special thank you to Pastor Pete, who helped reinforce this important message: bravery is not about getting everything right. It is about having the courage to take the first step.

We are pleased to be able to provide new Annesley sports Umbrellas. Keep dry or stay in the shade in style with this top-quality umbrella perfect for school drop-offs, weekend sport and everything in between.

Limited stock available, order yours through the online uniform form on School Stream, or visit the Front Office next time you are at school!

There’s something special about seeing what we can achieve when our community comes together.

The Annesley Parents Association is excited to share that we’ve already raised over $30 through the Drakes Community Dollars Program—and we’re only just getting started!

Here’s how you can help: 

1. Download the myDrakes app.
2. Select Annesley Parents Association as your Community Dollars partner.
3. 
Scan the app every time you shop at Drakes.

That’s it! A small contribution from every shop is donated to the APA at no extra cost to you, helping fund initiatives that directly benefit our school community.

If every Annesley family selected the APA, the impact would be significant.

It’s one of the easiest ways to support our school—simply by doing your regular grocery shopping.

Thank you for helping us build an even stronger Annesley community. Every shop makes a difference!

Annesley Parents Association 

At Annesley, there are designated toilets for student use and other toilets available for adults to use while onsite.

The designated and clearly labelled adult toilet facilities are located:

• In the Gym
• Courtyard
• Opposite the Front Office.

Annesley staff are always happy to assist if you need directions.

This expectation supports our commitment to maintaining a safe, child‑focused environment for all students and visitors.

A reminder to families

If you have younger children for whom you have not yet submitted an application form, applications can be submitted via the following link: Enrolment

An application must be submitted for a child to be considered for a place. Places are subject to availability and are not automatically guaranteed for siblings, so early application is strongly recommended.

If you are unsure whether you have already submitted an application and would like to check, or if you have any other questions, please contact Laura in the Student Enrolments Office on 8422 2211 or email enrolments@annesley.sa.edu.au.

Through recent engagement with the Unley Council, they have confirmed guidelines for our community to follow when using the Kiss & Drop zone. Drivers must remain within 3 metres of their car in this zone and can only remain stopped for 2 minutes. If a driver moves further than 3 metres away, the 2-minute period no longer applies. We have had regular inspections from Unley Council of this zone recently. We ask our community members to adhere to these guidelines to avoid getting fined, and to keep our Kiss & Drop zone functioning effectively.

A reminder to Primary families that supervision for our students is provided from 8.30am on school grounds. Prior to this time, students are not to be left onsite without an adult family member. Our Before School OSHC Service is available to families requiring early supervision from 7.30am to 8.30am. Similarly, staff supervision is provided after school until 3.45pm. OSHC is available to families needing care after school until 6pm.

From 4.30pm each day, OSHC requires exclusive access to the eastern playspace (including the soccer field and Adventure playground). After this time, families are asked to move to the western end, utilising the Court and Daphne Gum playground.

Calling all families to donate gently used Annesley uniforms to Unify, our student-led pop-up shop for second-hand uniforms. Your contribution not only promotes sustainability but also helps support many of the school’s initiatives. Your ongoing participation is greatly appreciated and contributes to the continued success of our school community. Donations can be left in the Unify tub located in the Front Office.

Our Bouncing Bean Café and Unify Second-Hand store are open at the following times each week:

Before School: 8.15am – 9am, Everyday
Morning Break: 11.05am – 11.45am, Everyday
Tuesday & Wednesday Afternoons: 3pm – 4pm

We have a busy and exciting Term ahead at Annesley, with a range of learning experiences, excursions, and community celebrations planned for our students. Please see the key dates below and add them to your calendar.

September

• Tuesday 15th – Friday 18th – Year 5 Camp
• Monday 21st – Tuesday 22nd – Year 6 PYP Exhibition
• Monday 21st – ELC Celebration of Learning
• Tuesday 22nd – ELC Celebration of Learning
• Tuesday 22nd – PYP Exhibition and Road Trip Discussion
• Wednesday 23rd – Hot Shots Tennis Carnival Year 3/4s
• Thursday 24th – ELC Celebration of Learning
• Thursday 24th – Year 4 Celebration of Learning – Wax Museums
• Friday 25th – End of Term

If you require further information about upcoming events at Annesley, please contact enquiries@annesley.sa.edu.au

Our website now has a volunteering page under the Community Tab that outlines clearly the process we require our family members to follow to volunteer at Annesley. This process meets legislative requirements in order to keep our children and volunteers safe at Annesley. See more here.