Competition / Program

Description

Year Groups

Number of Students

da Vinci Decathlon

• Challenge and stimulate minds 
• Teams of eight 
• 10 disciplines

Years 7-11

5 teams of 8 students. One team per year group. 

The Quest 

• The challenges provide opportunity for creativity, problem solving and teamwork.
• Mathematics, Sciences and Humanities 

Years 7-8

Teams of 3

GATEway 8

• Inter-school academic challenge Macarthur hosts each year for a large number of Independent schools across Sydney. The competition is targeted at high potential learners in Years 5-10. 
• Tasks are designed to stimulate the eight multiple intelligences outlined by Howard Gardner (Linguistic intelligence, Logical-mathematical intelligence, Spatial intelligence, Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence, Musical intelligence, Interpersonal intelligence, Intrapersonal intelligence and Naturalist intelligence). 
• Each year a theme is chosen and Macarthur staff across faculties are tasked with writing innovative, engaging challenges that will stretch high potential learners and force their hand to take risks and think outside the box. 

Years 7-10

One team per year group

Tournament of Minds

• Open-ended challenges that foster creative, divergent thinking. 
• The Arts, Language Literature, Social Sciences and STEM.

Years 7-11

Teams of 7

Future Problem Solving 
Global Issues Problem Solving

• Research a series of global topics 
• Learn the creative problem solving process. 
• Critically analyse an imagined situation set in the future and solve a major issue 

Middle Years
7-9

Senior Years 10-12

Teams of 4 or Individual

Future Problem Solving 
Scenario Writing

• Develop short stories (1500 words or less) 
• Set at 20 – 30 years in the future 
• Provide an imagined but logical outcome 

Middle Years
7-9

Senior Years 10-12

Individual

Future Problem Solving 
Scenario Performance

• Tell creative and entertaining, short, futuristic stories.
• Submit short videos of themselves orating a story.

Middle Years
7-9

Senior Years 10-12

Individual

Future Problem Solving 
Community Problem Solving

• Select real world problem, identify a solution, and then actively implement their action plan
• Develops strategic thinking, leadership skills and encourages a wider contribution to community service. 

Middle Years
7-9

Senior Years 10-12

Individual or team

Ethics Olympiad

• Develop skills in critical thinking, collaboration and communication. 
• In teams of 5 you engage with each other and teams from other schools on interesting and relevant cases
• Respond to questions while building and critiquing their own and others’ arguments
• Opportunity to build arguments with each other in a framework that encourages careful considered responses to important ethical issues.

Senior Years 10-12

Middle Years
7-9

Teams of 5

Philosophy Club

• For curious students looking for solutions to the fundamental issues faced by humankind. 
• We will meet regularly to discuss a range of philosophical topics, using the New Philosopher magazine as a stimulus for discussion. 

Years 7-12

Unlimited

Free Thinkers Forum

• Student-centred whole day activity
• Opportunity for students from various schools to come together to listen and discuss topics of particular interest to them. 
• Schools are invited to send groups of students with a nominated speaker amongst them. 
• Speeches are prepared beforehand from a wide assortment of 30+ topics.
• Group discussions based on the speeches
• Certificates are awarded for Best Argument, Most Engaging Speech and Most Original Perspective as judged by their peers. 

Years 9-11

10-12 students

Ethics Exploration Day

• This is an opportunity for like-minded students from schools across Sydney to get together and discuss ethical issues relevant to their world. 

Years 9-10

10-12 students

Meeting of Minds

• Annual event, co-organised by the Centre for Critical Thinking and Ethics and the Association for Philosophy in Schools NSW, provides an exciting opportunity for Years 7-8 students statewide to engage in critical thinking, ethical discussions, and collaborative inquiry, focusing this year on the concept of character through various activities led by FAPSA-trained facilitators.

Years 7-8

10-12 students

UN Youth Evatt Competition

• Mock Security Council resolutions.
• Assigned a country, develop stance, then debate, amend and finally vote on two resolutions. 
• Develops public speaking and negotiation skills.
• Ideal for those interested in international relations, politics and world affairs.

Years 9-12

Teams of two

UN Youth Negotiations Competition 

• Take the role of state negotiators in finding practical and pragmatic solutions to disputes.

Years 10-12

Teams of two

UN Youth NSW Voice Competition

• Unique public speaking competition
• Invites you to solve real issues that affect our community, our country and our world.
• Encourages you to think outside the box
• Put your design thinking skills to the test in order to develop innovative and creative, yet feasible, solutions to real world problems.

Junior Division Years 7 – 8

Senior Division Years 9 -10

Individual 

Mock Trial

• Conducted by The Law Society of New South Wales
• Practical and helps increase understanding of the judicial system.
• Cases are criminal and civil matters 
• A team may act as either the defence or prosecution
• Each team member taking on the role of a barrister, solicitor, court officer or witness, pitting their skills against the opposing side 
• Each trial is presided over by a Magistrate 

Years 10-12

Teams of 6

Mock Mediation

• Another initiative of The Law Society of New South Wales.
• Identify the issue in dispute, consider options and work towards an agreement that will meet the needs of all parties.
• Develops active listening, self awareness, questioning, analysing, empathising, speaking clearly and logically and creative thinking.

Years 9-10

Teams of 6

Debating

• An independent inter-school debating competition 
• Improve ability to speak confidently and to debate in public 
• Practise in thinking rapidly and arranging arguments in a coherent fashion. 
• Helps develop critical thinking that is particularly helpful in essay writing.
• Useful for oral assessments in the HSC 

Years 7-12

Squads of 6

Rostrum Voice of Youth Public Speaking Competition

• National speaking competition 
• Provides an excellent opportunity to gain experience and confidence in expressing their views and communicating a message.

Junior Years
7-9

Senior Years 10-12

3 students in the Junior Divisions

3 students in the Senior Division

Mikolot Public Speaking

• Cultivates better public speaking skills 
• Fosters a more refined expression of Jewish voices in the modern world.
• Students are given a topic in Judaism to discuss and compete to make it through the national Grand Finals.

Years 7-12

Individual 

Chess

• Weekly coaching
• A number of chess competitions throughout the year 

Years 7-12

Teams of 4

National History Challenge

• Exciting contest that encourages students to use research and inquiry-based learning to discover more about the past.
• You can investigate your community, explore your own and your family’s past and consider ideas throughout history.
• Offers a variety of presentation styles.
• It rewards students with generous cash prizes and travel opportunities.

Years 7-12

Individual

What Matters?

• Writing competition responding to the simple question ‘What matters?’
• Encourages you to develop a perspective, a point of view, on where we’re heading as a society’.
• Free to express your views on any matter you care about.

Years 7-12

Individual

More Able & Ambitious Study Day

• For bright ambitious students who are interested in ideas.
• Designed to stretch clever youngsters by exploring key questions and big ideas.
• Spend the day with like-minded youngsters all keen to reach the ceiling of their ability and share ideas.
• Experienced gifted educator, Julie Arliss and lecturers from Oxford University, Aberdeen University and London University will stretch and challenge your students. 

Years 10-12

10 – 12 places

Stretch and Challenge Study Day 

• Improve thinking skills
• Become intellectually creative
• Think systematically and rigorously about relevant modern day issues

Years 7-9

10-12 places

Meet the Experts – Australian Museum

• Held once a term
• Opportunity for students to hear directly from experts in a range of fields

Years 7-12

Unlimited

THE YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS (TYE) PROGRAM

• Series of structured workshops for high school students where the students learn how to come up with a good business idea and build a plan around it.
• Participants are mentored in teams by Charter Members, culminating in a formal presentation of their idea and plan to a panel of experienced entrepreneurs. The winning team gets to pitch at the global TYE finale.

Years 9-12

Teams of 4/5

Max 6 teams

The Aurecon Bridge Building Competition

• The Aurecon Bridge Building Competition offers secondary school students ‘real-world’ experience of what they can look forward to as future engineering students and professionals.
• The Aurecon Bridge Building Competition encourages students to unlock their potential by engaging with STEM early.

Years 8-9

Teams of 3

Class Clowns

• Comprising a competition, workshop and mentoring program, Class Clowns plays a valuable role in supporting the confidence and creativity of young Australians – providing a channel for self-expression, a platform for amplifying the voices and perspectives of young people and a pathway for emerging Australian talent.

Years 7-12

Unlimited

Competition / Program

Description

Year Groups

Number of Students

da Vinci Decathlon

• Challenge and stimulate minds 
• Teams of eight 
• 10 disciplines

*da Vinci Decathlon Coaching Club will also be offered to support and prepare all interested students. 

Years 5-6

2 teams of 8 students. One team per year group

Maths Cup

• This competition is designed to encourage a greater student interest in mathematics, to put the fun back into functions, to create a desire to solve challenging puzzles, and to foster a burgeoning joy within students for problem solving and teamwork.

Year 6

3 Teams of 3

Future Problem Solvers

• Students select a real world problem, identify a solution, and then actively implement their action plan
• Develops strategic thinking, leadership skills and encourages a wider contribution to community service.

Years 5-6

Individual and Team 

Ethics Olympiad 

• Develop skills in critical thinking, collaboration and communication. 
• Respond to questions while building and critiquing their own and others’ arguments
• Opportunity to build arguments with each other in a framework that encourages careful considered responses to important ethical issues.

Years 5-6

Teams of 5 

Gateways 8 

• Inter-school academic challenge 
• Tasks are designed to stimulate the eight multiple intelligences outlined by Howard Gardner. 

Years 5-6

2 Teams, one per year level  

Chess

• K-2 Chess Club
• Social Chess Club
• Competitive Coaching – With International Chess Master
• NSW Junior Chess League Competition (Term 2)
• Chess competitions throughout the year. 

Years K-6

Maximum 15 students for Competitive Coaching 

Individual or teams of 5 for Competitions 

Australian Maths Trust Competitions

• Maths Explorer
• Maths Olympiad
• Maths Challenge
• Maths Enrichment Program

Years 3-6

Individual

Philosophy & Ethics Club

• For curious students looking for solutions to the fundamental issues faced by humankind. 

Years 3-6

Unlimited

National Schools Statistics Competition

• Project-based learning activity which encourages  students to develop, implement and creatively report upon an investigation on any topic of interest to them. 

Years 4-6

Individual 

What Matters?

• A writing competition responding to the simple question ‘What matters?’
• Encourages students to develop a perspective, a point of view, on where we’re heading as a society’

Years K-6

Individual

Australian National History Challenge

• Provides students an opportunity to be historians, researching world history, examining Australia’s past, investigating their community or exploring their own roots. 
• It emphasises and rewards quality research, the use of community resources and effective presentation skills. 

Year 5

Individual or Teams

Dorothea MacKellar Poetry Competition

• A poetry competition for students passionate about writing. 

Years K-6

Individual 

WriteOn 

• The annual WriteOn competition gives students the opportunity to become published authors and show their creativity.

Years 1-6

Individual