Week 3 Wednesday 22 October
Important Dates
| Monday 27 October | CMTO x 8CCC Podcasting Program |
| Thursday 30 October | CLONTARF Excursion Bandana Day |
| Tuesday 4 November | CLONTARF Presentation Night |
| Wednesday 5 November | STARS Awards Night - All Programs |
| Tuesday 18 November | Year 7 & 9 Step Up Day |
| Friday 21 November | Alice Can Dance 2 Performances |
Hello, Werte!
Werte! Hello CMS families
Welcome to Term 4 at Centralian Middle School! We’ve launched into the final term of the year with great enthusiasm, starting with our weekly G-Training sessions for our young men every Tuesday and Thursday. These sessions are designed to build physical fitness while fostering teamwork, self-discipline, and resilience, important qualities that support both personal and academic growth. We’re also proud to share that our weightlifting team brought home silver medals from the National Weightlifting Contest held at the end of Week 2. Congratulations to all involved!
Alice Can Dance is also underway, with a group of dedicated dancers rehearsing on Mondays and Thursdays. Their energy and commitment are inspiring, and we’re looking forward to their final performance on 21 November, which promises to be a highlight of the term.
We celebrated the start of summer with our annual Swimming Carnival at the public pool in Week 2. Students raced, splashed, and enjoyed water games with great enthusiasm. The Fire Team claimed victory, but all houses demonstrated fantastic team spirit through their chants and participation. It was a joyful and memorable day for everyone involved.
As we approach the end of the school year, Term 4 offers many opportunities for students to consolidate their learning and demonstrate their achievements. With seven weeks remaining, students will be working on assessments that reflect their progress across all subject areas. We’re proud of the effort and determination they continue to show and look forward to seeing their growth.
Last term concluded with a school-wide focus on using kind and respectful language. This term, we trust that the continued emphasis on treating everyone with kindness, empathy, and dignity will also have a positive impact on our school community.
This term is especially significant for our students as they prepare for transitions. Our Year 7s are completing their first year at CMS, Year 8s are stepping into new roles and responsibilities, and our Year 9s are beginning to look ahead to the next stage of their educational journey.
We continue to update students’ EAPs and conduct PAT testing to support their academic development. Key events this term include the Year 9 Formal on 25 November and our CMS Presentation Evening on 4 December. We look forward to celebrating our students’ achievements together.
Eunice De Kock
Assistant Principal
Year 8 Team Leader
Term 4 Assessment Schedules
Year 7 Assessment Schedule Term 4, 2025 | ||
Subject | Assessment Overview | Supporting Student Learning at Home |
English | Film Study: Mulan · Understand narrative, plot and character development. · Investigate how accurately it reflects Ancient Chinese History. · Analyse film techniques, such as music, lighting, camera angles. · Assessment: analyse a scene and write a paragraph using evidence from the film to support your opinions. | · Enjoy films and discuss plot, character and film techniques |
Maths | Probability · Calculate probabilities in fractions, decimals and percentages · Use probabilities to make choices · Run simulations and make predictions. · Assessment: Test Geometry · Classify angles and shapes · Determine missing angles · Explore angles made with parallel lines and determine missing angles · Assessment: Design a shape sorting algorithm Ratios · Exploring ratios in real world examples such as cordial and recipes. | · Play card games at home which involve probability. What do they think the outcome will be, why? · Find and measure angles around the house. Why do angles change around different points in the house? |
Science | Physics · Understand forces to familiar objects of same and different mass. · Investigate the impact of applying different forces in real life. · Analyse the effect of balanced and unbalanced forces. · Represent the direction and magnitude of force using arrow diagrams. · Investigate the impact of gravitational force on Earth. · Investigate how simple machines are used to increase the impact of small forces. · Analyse how the force acting on boomerangs. · Assessment: Test and Investigation | · Examine the tools in the shed and kitchen. How do they work, and how do they use forces to their advantage? · Identify examples of invasive species during a short walk around town. Buffel and Couch grasses are common and highly impactful. |
Humanities | History: Ancient China · Examine social structures and significant historical figures and events. · Develop their skills in sources analysis · Create inquiry questions · Support their opinions with evidence · Assessment: Source analysis on the Terracotta Warriors. Geography: Water in the World · Investigate the many uses of water of water around the world · Investigate what water scarcity means for people · Investigate the effect of climate change on access to water · Analyse Traditional Owners challenging corporations for access to water · Assessment: Research project investigating water scarcity in a specific country. | · Watch documentaries and films about Ancient China. SBS On Demand and iView are free. · Visit the Alice Springs library to borrow books about these topics |
Health & PE | Health: Changes in Adolescence · Learn about personal health and physical, social and emotional changes in adolescence · Evaluate community health accessibility and develop support strategies for young people going through puberty · Assessment: Create a media resource. ‘Surviving Puberty’ PE: Striking Sports · Develop basic softball and cricket skills in throwing, catching, batting, and coordination. · Build teamwork and movement through fast-paced multisport activities that encourage high engagement. · Complete a brief swimming check to note ability levels prior to swimming sports. · Assessment: Ongoing demonstration of movement skills, strategy and teamwork | · Maintain exercise and sleep routines |
Design & Technology | Stop Motion Project · Create different concept drawings for characters and film set development. · Build character and mini film sets out of wood. · Use cameras and iMovie to create their stop motion film. · 3d design, tools safety (jig saw and belt sander) creating a mini character and film set from wood and wire. · Assessment: 3D computer design, power tool safety, construction of wooden character and filmset | · Watch stop motion videos on YouTube |
Music | Melody and Harmony Exploring and responding · Explore how musicians use melody and harmony to create songs · Vocabulary needed to discuss melody and harmony · Assessment: Listening journals and analysis of music Developing Practice and Skills · Learn the chord progression and melody to well-known popular songs · Assessment: Play a chord progression on their instrument Composing and presenting · On their own or in groups students create a short original piece that includes a chord progression and original melody · Assessment: Perform the composition in class | · Listen to music from different sources, local radio stations, going to events in town. · Talk about music you hear with your family or friends: what style is it? How was it made? When was it made? What makes it good or bad? · Make playlists of new music that you like. |
Year 8 Assessment Schedule Term 4, 2025 | ||
Subject | Assessment Overview | Supporting Student Learning at Home |
English | Unit 1: Appropriate Language (week 1) · Students will learn about the concepts of register and audience · Students think about why we might swear and the contexts in which it might be appropriate · Assessment: They will write a recount of a fictional scenario using language appropriate for different audiences Unit 2: Podcasting (weeks 2-6) · Students will learn about the typical features of podcasts · Students will learn to use audio recording software to make their own podcast · Assessment: Students will make their own podcast based on their personal interests, using appropriate language for their intended audience, and following the conventions of podcasts Unit 3: Advertising (weeks 7-10) · Students will learn about the language of advertising and how it is used to persuade and manipulate audiences | · Discuss what kind of language is appropriate in different situations, especially when swearing may or may not be appropriate · Discuss personal interests - what might their podcast topic be? · Listen to a podcast together, for example the ABC Expanse series · Talk about ads that you find interesting or engaging · Continue to encourage reading for pleasure |
Maths | Unit 1: Exponents and Triangles · Exponent laws including the multiplication law, the division law, and the zero law. · Use Pythagoras' theorem to solve problems with triangles. · Assessment: open-book quiz on exponents and triangles, work completed throughout the unit. Unit 2: Probability · Solve and present two-step probability problems · Conduct experiments to solve probability problems · Assessments: open-book quiz: probability. work completed throughout the unit. | · Ask your young person to explain what an exponent is. · Talk about when you've ever had to measure out a triangle · Talk about your experiences and beliefs around gambling and chance games |
Science | Physical Science and Energy · Physical science with a focus on energy · Classify different types of energy as kinetic or potential · Investigate energy transfer and transformations including heat energy · Assessment: quiz (multiple-choice and short answer questions), · individual task on energy types, energy transfer and transformation | · Talk about rollercoasters and when would be the most potential energy versus the most kinetic energy · Discuss energy use at home, how can we save energy and costs |
Humanities | History: Spanish Colonisation of the Americas · Students will learn about the Indigenous Central- and South-American civilisations, including the Maya, Aztec and Inca peoples. · Students will investigate the effects of Spanish colonisation and the clash between the Indigenous and European cultures. · Assessment: Students will research one of the major personalities of the period. They will be assessed on their research and historical investigation skills. | · Discuss the impacts of European colonisation of Australia; ask your child how it might be similar or different to Spanish colonisation of the Americas |
Health & PE | Health: Sexual Health · Explain key social, physical and emotional changes in puberty · Raise awareness of sexual health and wellbeing · Discuss the impact of sexual health and relationships · Assessment: Workbooks, Health Report, Group Work PE: Striking Sports · Baseball, Softball & T-Ball · Volleyball · Assessment: Collaborative Yirara & CMS T-Ball & Volleyball Tournament | · Develop wholesome friendships · Maintain healthy sleep, nutrition and exercise |
Food Technology | Food Staples and Food for Sport · Learn about food groups and fuel in nutritious meals and snacks · Practical skills preparing food in the kitchen · Assessment: Plan and create a breakfast of champions and sports snacks, ongoing skills assessment | |
Visual Art | Cardboard Relief and Screen Printing · Cardboard relief artwork demonstrating sill sin shape, form, texture, space and colour scheme · Screen printing using paper stencil, cutting skills and printing process · Assessment: demonstration of practical skills, one cardboard relief artwork and one scree printed t-shirt |
Year 9 Assessment Schedule Term 3, 2025 | ||
Subject | Assessment Overview | Supporting Student Learning at Home |
English | Analysing Technology · Students are analysing the positives and negatives of technology and how technology is used and discussed in stories and articles. · Students read and analyse the Roald Dahl short story The Great Automatic Grammatizor (1954), a story about a man who invents a machine that can write stories for him. · Students complete classroom activities focused on reading comprehension and literacy. · Assessment: creative narrative related to technology, class discussion on the future of AI | · Encourage independent reading for interest. · Discuss how AI might impact our lives in the future and what other technologies might change in the future. |
Maths | Financial Mathematics · Calculate percentage increases and decreases in real-world contexts. · Calculate simple interest and use the simple interest formula to find the total cost of loans for real-life purchases (e.g., phones, cars, or houses). · Calculate profit, loss, and percentage profit or loss in everyday situations. · Evaluate financial factors that influence property investment decisions. · Solve equations involving financial contexts. · Assessment: workbooks, assessment task applying payslips, tax deductions, budgeting and other real-world financial situations. | · Encourage regular work on Maths Pathways · Discuss payslips, shopping and household budgets |
Science | Biology - Reproduction · Students will learn about reproduction of living things · Assessment: in class learning activities, completion of bookwork, test | · Talk to family member or friend of the family who is pregnant or has pets that are having puppies/kittens etc. · Grow some plants |
Humanities | History: The Industrial Revolution and Making of the Modern World · Overview of the Industrial Revolution in Britain and consequences: urbanisation, colonisation and expansion of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. · Focus on analysing sources for content, context and purpose. · Assessment: source analysis tests on child labour and the trans-Atlantic slave trade. History: Frontier Conflicts · Colonisation of the Australian continent by Britain, including the concept of "terra nullius" and how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples were treated by colonisers. · Use primary and secondary sources to examine the Frontier Conflicts and the impact on Aboriginal people in different parts of Australia. · Focus on resistance by First Nations peoples, including ongoing resistance to the impacts of colonisation. · Assessment: source analysis on the Coniston Massacre, and a mini-museum exhibit on an element of contemporary resistance to colonisation. | · Talk about which places their families are connected with in Australia or overseas. · Investigate which part of the world their clothing is made (school uniform, t-shirts, shoes etc). · Investigate where favourite games, movies and music artists are from. |
Health & PE | Health: Fitness and Health · Explain elements of fitness; social, emotional and physical · Record personal bests and abilities across fitness and skills testing · Discuss the impact of fitness across school and lifestyle · Assessment: Workbooks, Fitness testing PE: Striking Sports · Baseball, Softball & T-Ball · Volleyball · Assessment: Collaborative Yirara & CMS T-Ball & Volleyball Tournament | |
Food Technology | Food Trucks · Research, generate ideas and choose the best proposal for a food truck · Create a trendy new food truck menu · Choose one main meal ideas to cook · Assessment: ongoing participation and skills, cook off challenge in Week 8 | |
Visual Art | Grid Portraits and Carboard Sculpture · One sculpture with cardboard demonstrating shape, form, space sense, and cardboard construction skill (with hot glue gun) · One sculpture with cardboard demonstrating shape, form, space sense, and cardboard construction skill (with hot glue gun) · Assessment: booklet demonstrating understanding of Chuck Close and photorealism, practical skills and completed artworks | |
Music | Exploring and Responding to Music · Students create a podcast analysing the way the elements of music are used by artists to create their music · Assessment: Create a 30 minute music podcast and record it using digital technologies Developing Practices and Skills · Students continue to practice their chosen instrument |
2025 NAPLAN Results
In Term 3 all parents should have received their child’s 2025 NAPLAN results, based on the tests completed in Term 1. For parents and carers, these results are helpful in showing how your child compares to students across Australia in the five skills of:
- Reading
- Writing
- Spelling
- Grammar and Punctuation
- Numeracy (Maths)
When looking at your child’s results, parents and carers should remember that NAPLAN scores reflect your child’s performance in a single test on a particular day. The school reports that parents and carers will receive at the end of Term 4 are based on your child’s effort and performance in a variety of tests, assignments and classwork across the last six months, and are written by teachers who know your child well. Often your child’s school report will contain more detailed and meaningful results than their NAPLAN scores.
As a school we have been looking closely at our NAPLAN results recently. Rather than look at individual students, it is most helpful for the school to look at the performance of groups of students to identify where the school is currently doing well and where we can improve. Based on our analysis of the 2025 NAPLAN data, three major positives have emerged.
- Our school’s results are below the national average in all skills, but our Year 9 results are closer to the average than our Year 7 results. If this gap were getting bigger we would be concerned. It is a good sign that it is getting smaller and suggests that our teaching and wellbeing programs are helping students to improve.
- When we look at the growth of our students from Year 7 2023 to Year 9 2025, several groups of students are showing growth above the national average. Indigenous students’ growth in Reading is significantly above average, as is the growth of female students in Writing skills.
- In Writing, our students’ strongest skills are their ideas, their ability to address an audience and their creation of character and setting. This shows their imagination, creativity and communication
Two areas for continued improvement include:
- Growth in Numeracy. Some individual students who have been engaging in the school’s Maths support programs have seen significant growth in their Numeracy results. But across the school as a whole, our students’ Numeracy results and their growth from Year 7 to Year 9 are not strong.
- Improvement in Writing. Our students’ ideas and creativity in their writing is strong, but their ability to express themselves using accurate punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing and vocabulary is not as strong.
When NAPLAN results were released in July, news headlines said things like “NT produces worst NAPLAN results in the country”. While this may be true, at CMS we have seen some genuine positives in our NAPLAN results this year and are continuing to use NAPLAN data to help us identify and address areas for continued improvement.
G-Training Mental Resiliency Program
A hardworking group of Year 7 and 8 fellas are attending G Training on Tuesday and Thursday mornings with Matt
Skoss and Gordon. It’s all about mental resilience, discipline and respect through physical training and mentoring chats.
HPE Update
This term so far has been actioned packed with students involved with the CMS Swimming Carnival, Interschool Basketball and even a select group of CMS students qualifying to attend the National U15 & Youth weightlifting championship.
Our annual CMS swimming carnival went off with a bang with all hands on deck and many novelty games for all students. From boat paddling, water volleyball and competitive breaststroke, freestyle and backstroke our students shone in their positive spirits, encouraging their peers and having a go!
This term students have had the opportunity to attend the Interschool Basketball Tournament. Stay tuned for the exciting developments and podium updates as students battle it out against other middle schools in the community on Friday 24th of October.
A select squad of CMS weightlifters from the Alice Springs Bar Bell Club qualified to attend the National Youth and U15 Weightlifting championships held in Bribie Island. Phoenix Bens, Liam Parkinson, Lianna Li and BJ Davidson were among elite level national competitors as they took centre stage to represent the Northern Territory. As much of a privilege attending such a competition was for our young athletes Phoenix and Liam achieved a milestone by securing the Northern Territory 2nd place in both their weightlifting categories, bringing home 2 silver medals of achievement. However, medals were not the only thing achieved. Both Lianna and BJ were able to beat their own personal best lifts across both Snatch and Cling and Jerk.
A massive thank you goes out to all the Alice Springs sponsors who supported and fundraised allowing our young people the opportunity to attend, and CMS who provided a safe place for their very own athletes to train. A special thank you goes to Callum Downie the coach alongside Sarah Colomb, Matthew Stephens and the HPE team as they worked hard to support these young athletes often in their own personal time.
Looking forward to returning to Nationals next year with even more athletes.
Rebecca Stephens
8.5 8.6 9.5 9.6 HPE Teacher
CLONTARF
🏀 Clontarf at CMS Kicks Off Term 4 in Style! 🌮🎮
Term 4 has started with a bang at Clontarf Academy – CMS, as students and staff hit the ground running with a jam-packed calendar of fun, fitness, and connection.
Each Wednesday lunchtime, the legendary Staff vs Students basketball games have made their long-awaited return. The competition has been fierce, with plenty of laughs, teamwork, and highlight-reel plays keeping the crowd entertained.
Mornings are back in full swing too, with Clontarf training sessions helping students start the day strong. After school, the fun continues with a great mix of activities – from bowling and PS5 competitions, to the always-popular slip and slide afternoons that have been perfect for the warmer weather.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a Clontarf week without Taco Tuesday and the Good Bunch Lunch, rewarding students who show great attitude, effort, and attendance.
Last week, the fellas wrapped up their Week 2 Camp, and it was well worth the wait! Highlights included a visit to the Desert Park bird show, a trip to the cinema to see Bad Guys 2, and some friendly competition at bowling. For dinner, everyone enjoyed delicious pizza on Todd Mall, followed by a stroll through the Alice Springs Night Markets.
The excitement doesn’t stop there — we’re already looking forward to our next camp in Week 4, when the crew will be heading off to Uluru for three unforgettable days of adventure, culture, and connection.
It’s shaping up to be another awesome term at Clontarf CMS — full of mateship, fun, and opportunity!
Kind regards,
Daniel
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Daniel McLaughlin | Operations Officer
CENTRALIAN Middle ACADEMY
General Information 2025
Uniform Shop
Student Access (opposite the CMS Front Office) will be open for purchasing uniforms and stationery packs.
Opening hours are:
Monday - Friday 8:30-4pm
The new CMS royal blue hoodie and CMS black trackpants are available for students to wear.
It's great to see our students embracing the CMS Uniform and wearing with pride and respect.
Students are reminded to wear FULLY enclosed shoes to school. Crocs, thongs or slides are not acceptable and are a safety and WHS concern. Parents/Carers are asked to remind their young person(s) to wear correct footwear.
NT Music School
Please see the attached article announcing that enrolments are now open for NT Music School in 2026. Please note the closing date for enrolments is 7th November. Enrolments received after this date are not guaranteed placement. Also, we will only keep places for continuing guitar students if they re-enrol before this date, so please encourage your young person wishing to continue learning guitar to re-enrol ASAP.
Matthew Owen (he/him)
Senior Teacher 1
Northern Territory Music School
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