Competitions

Ferncourt Gala was a special occasion for all our starring students, involving lots of preparation before the exciting performance. We want a student-written news report to share the experience of this event. We will post this report online (website, facebook, newsletter). See some previous examples at https://www.ferncourt.asn.au/news

The judging criteria is-

Report length between a half page and 3 pages.
Writing, drawing, collage, photos, sculpture, short film, post-modern multimedia installation - we don't mind :)
No identifying of children. Use of first initial and year is allowed.
Preferably includes acknowledgement of volunteers.

There will be a prize of $5 for the best entry or entries. The best entry or entries may be used on the Ferncourth P&C website. Entrants will receive acknowledgement on the website for their contributions. No full names will be used, contributors will be acknowledged with their initials and year.

To enter - send the digital file to ferncourtpandc@gmail.com with subject "Gala!"

General News Reports

Entries are ongoing. Open to all Ferncourt students.

Our P&C website at https://www.ferncourt.asn.au/ is always on the lookout for interesting articles on Ferncourt life. See some examples at https://www.ferncourt.asn.au/news

The judging criteria is-

News reports which show aspects of Ferncourt life
Report length between a half page and 3 pages.
Photos and/or drawings are optional
No identifying of children. Use of first initial and year is allowed.

There will be a prize of $5 for the best entry or entries. The best entry or entries may be used on the Ferncourth P&C website. Entrants will receive acknowledgement on the website for their contributions. No full names will be used, contributors will be acknowledged with their initials and year.

To enter - email the digital file to ferncourtpandc@gmail.com with subject "Website News Report!"

Website Photos!

Entries are ongoing. Open to all Ferncourt students.

Our P&C website at https://www.ferncourt.asn.au/ is always on the lookout for vibrant new images.

The judging criteria is-

photos which show aspects of Ferncourt life
no identifiable people are to be included in the photos.
applicability to various website categories - like gardening, music, uniforms, events, extra ciruricular activities, meetings, history, etc.

There will be a prize of $5 for the best entry or entries. The best entry or entries may be used on the Ferncourth P&C website. Entrants will receive acknowledgement on the website for their contributions. No full names will be used, contributors will be acknowledged with their initials and year.

To enter - email the digital file to ferncourtpandc@gmail.com with subject "Website Photos!"

Other competitions for school kids

With limited time and energy, the school can only directly support a subset of all available opportunities. However, families can usually apply directly.

The Arts Unit - Various programs

Run by the Department of Education, The Arts Unit operates out of Petersham and runs many programs for creative arts, music, drama, dance and literatiture.

Applications for upcoming programs are listed at https://artsunit.nsw.edu.au/upcoming-applications

NSW Premier's Spelling Bee

Open to Years 2 to 6. The Premier's Spelling Bee is an engaging way for NSW public primary school students to expand their vocabularies and improve their spelling. Designed for Stage 2 and 3, Stage 1 students are welcome to participate.
There are no entry fees for the bee.
Enrolment closed for 2025. Check the website regularly for next year's competition.
More info https://artsunit.nsw.edu.au/program/nsw-premiers-spelling-bee

WriteOn competition

WriteOn is an annual writing competition for all NSW primary students in Years 1 to 6. Students create an imaginative text of up to 500 words, using a provided stimulus.
Enrolment closed for 2025. Check the website regularly for next year's competition.
More info https://www.nsw.gov.au/education-and-training/nesa/awards-and-events/writeon-competition

Public Speaking Competitions via The Arts Unit

The Arts Unit co-ordinates several competitions for speaking and debating.
Enrolment closed for 2025. Check the website regularly for next year's competition.
More info https://artsunit.nsw.edu.au/speaking-competitions-hub