Newsletter
Term 4, Issue 2
Principal's Message
Greetings parents and caregivers,
Although we are nearing the end of the school year, classes for juniors continue and it has been wonderful to see our students engaging fully in their learning and co-curricular opportunities. Our junior examinations ran smoothly, and we congratulate students on their focus and effort during this important assessment period. Summer sports are now underway, and it is exciting to see so many of our students representing the School with enthusiasm, teamwork, and school spirit.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete the recent survey from the School Board on the strategic direction of the School — your feedback is invaluable as we continue to refine our programmes to support our students.
Looking ahead, we have been encouraged by the Year 8 enrolment process for 2026 and are looking forward to warmly welcoming new families to our School community.
Sincerely,
Brenda McNaughton
Principal
Upcoming Events:
2 December — Year 13 Sign Out day (11.15am – 1.00pm)
2 December — Graduation Dinner, Ellerslie Convention Centre (Doors open at 5.30pm)
8 December — School closes at lunchtime (12.25pm)
9 December — Junior Prizegiving(10.00am - 12.00pm), Term 4 ends (school finishes at 12.00pm)
21 January 2026 — Year 11, 12, and 13 course confirmation (for students without full timetables)
22 January 2026 — Year 11, 12, and 13 course confirmation (for students without full timetables)
29 January 2026 — Pōwhiri for Year 9 and new students (9.00am)
29 January 2026 — Year 10-13 student assemblies (10.30am)
30 January 2026 — Normal school day with timetabled classes
Head Prefects 2026
We are delighted to introduce our Head Prefect Team for 2026. Our whole Prefect Team for 2026 will be announced to our community in the new year and they will be ably led by our Head Prefect Team. We look forward to seeing their contributions to leadership in our School community.
Head Prefect: Telisa Ongoloka
Deputy Head Prefects: Matafua Daniel, Shriya Ganti, Emily Hammond, and Honey Schaumkel.
Sports Success
College Sport Young Sportsperson of the Year Awards
We are pleased to announce that Epsom Girls Grammar School has nine finalists competing at the prestigious Young Sportsperson of the Year Awards on Thursday, 27 November. This event recognises top athletes and volunteers in school sport across Auckland, and we couldn't be more proud of our talented students who have earned their place among the region's best.
Congratulations to all our finalists – we wish you the very best on the night.
Water Polo
We warmly congratulate our 2025 Sports Prefect, Ella O’Brien, on her selection for the U18 Women’s National Water Polo Team. This is an outstanding achievement.
Ultimate Frisbee Junior Championships
Two EGGS teams competed at the Ultimate Junior Outdoor Championships, with strong emerging talent. Our Premier Team delivered an impressive final against Baradene College, narrowly missing out on a win in extra time. Thank you to our Head Coach, Priscilla Yiu, student coaches Lilah Cooke and Bella Innes, and TiC Mrs Vince for their support throughout the day.
As we farewell Bella, we acknowledge her outstanding contribution to Ultimate Frisbee at EGGS. Her leadership, enthusiasm, and commitment have been central to the sport’s success, and she will be greatly missed.
For a full roundup of all the sporting success at EGGS, click here.
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2026 EGGS / AGS Musical - Les Miserables
We are delighted to announce the cast and orchestra for this popular musical to be performed at the Raye Freedman Arts Centre in May 2026. The musical will be performed across seven shows from 9–16 May 2026. See the full cast list here. See the orchestra list here.
That's a wrap! 2025 Junior Book Club
This year, the Junior Book Club has been a fun and welcoming space for younger students who enjoy reading. Our book discussions were always very diverse, often turning into debates about whether members liked the book and which characters were their favourites. We also had so much fun playing book-themed games, such as Pictionary and Charades. It has been wonderful to see everyone get excited about books they would not normally pick up, sharing recommendations, and enjoying time together. The Junior Book Club has been a friendly place for everyone to share their thoughts, and we look forward to reading more books, playing games, and welcoming new members next year.
— Book Club leader - Shaivi Kulkarni (Year 11)
Repas Gastronomique
To finish off the year, Year 11 French students ran their own French Repas Gastronomique (Gastronomic Meal) comprised of seven different courses. In France, this meal lasts over three hours, and the main priority is to spend unrushed quality time with family and friends. Our French students set the tables, brought a dish and/or drink, served each other, and cleaned up at the end. Some highlight dishes were the soups, the hachis parmentier, the cassoulet, the croquembouche, and the mousse au chocolat. Students also partook in discussions in French and were encouraged to have some philosophical conversations as would happen at a dinner table in France.
Epsom Girls Grammar School Hydroponics Project
This year, EGGS launched its Hydroponics Project, a true community initiative designed to help students explore sustainable, climate-resilient ways of growing food. The project will raise awareness of alternative growing methods that protect crops from flooding and extreme weather, while also operating as a self-funding young enterprise open to students at all year levels.
The transformation of the old horticulture shed was made possible through $10,000 of funding from Sustainable Schools at Auckland Council and support from Bunnings Mt Roskill. New clear side panels and roofing now provide the controlled light needed for successful growth. The system was established with guidance from Chive Farm Ltd, with hydroponics expert Dražen designing and installing five custom tables. As he shared, “If it sparks joy and interest in one student, then all of this hard work is worth it.”
Rotary Newmarket completed the structural cladding, while Science, Technology, and members of the wider EGGS community contributed to restoration and signage. The space now supports the Garden Group, science fair projects, and a growing programme of student-led horticulture. Sustainable Schools has also provided hungry bins, maintained by the hostel and Food Technology, creating a model circular system through worm tea and castings.
Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this remarkable project—in particular teachers Mrs Ghanim and Mrs Mijatov—and we look forward to seeing our students continue to learn, innovate, and grow through the Hydroponics Project in the years ahead.
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Programming Competition for Girls
Epsom Girls Grammar School achieved outstanding results at the nationwide PC4G (Programming Competition for Girls), held on 18 November at the University of Auckland. Mayoori Krishna (Year 10) and Olivia Li (Year 9) placed second, while Yujeong Lee (Year 9) and Joy Zhai (Year 9) placed eighth out of nearly 100 teams from schools across New Zealand. Our second-placed team has earned entry to the Informatics Coding Camp over the Christmas Holidays. Eighteen EGGS students took part overall, tackling Python-based algorithmic challenges designed to build confidence, showcase talent, and promote gender equity in computer science.
Year 13 End of Year Events
Year 13 students’ final day of the school year is Tuesday 2 December when they come in for Sign Out Day. This is important for all students to return resources (textbooks or borrowed equipment), collect their Year 9 time capsule, a copy of Te Kōrero, and say a final farewell to their Tutor Group. Times and specific details of this have been emailed.
That evening we have our Graduation Dinner at Ellerslie Convention Centre. This is hosted by the EGGS Old Girls Association and is a special event for the class of 2025. Tickets, for those who have purchased them, will be given out at Sign Out Day.
One of the final events which celebrated Year 13 coming together – and needed a decent amount of teamwork – was creating a class of 2025 photo. This is a fun Epsom Girls Grammar School tradition that captures the spirit of the graduating class and gives them something special to look back on.
NCEA Exams, Results and Reconsiderations
Well done to all our students currently undertaking their NCEA exams. Results for the external exams will be released in late January and are accessible on the MyNZQA Learners Portal. Scholarship results are available from February. Once NCEA grades have been released you can request a review or reconsideration if you believe your result is incorrect. Please visit the NZQA website for a detailed explanation of reviews and reconsiderations and the process to apply for one. The deadline to request a review or reconsideration is February 18, 2026 for external exams. The Scholarship deadline is subsequent to this.
Reminder: Feedback on Draft School Documents
As we look ahead to 2026, the Senior Leadership Team and School Board are reviewing several key areas to provide greater clarity and consistency for students, staff, and families. We are now seeking community feedback on three draft documents:
The Code of Conduct outlines the shared values of our community, while the Student Rules provide clear, practical guidance to support those expectations. The Draft Uniform Expectations clarify the current uniform requirements. We encourage you to read the drafts, discuss them as a family, and share your thoughts through the feedback survey.
The survey closes at 5.30pm on Friday 21 November.
Te Kura Summer School
There are opportunities offered by Te Kura for students who need to gain more NZQA credits to meet their academic goals. Applications open 24 November and close 24 January. Please follow the link for further information or discuss with the Careers Department if you would like some support.
