This month, the excitement at the Bakhita School of Excellence has been impossible to miss. As we opened new student enrolments, families began arriving at the campus with bright faces, hopeful energy, and children bursting with personality. Over several days, we welcomed each child, guided them through registration, and conducted simple placement tests to help determine the level that would best support their learning.
What stood out most wasn’t the scores — it was the spark each child brought with them. Some shy, some bold, some giggling through their tests, others concentrating with total seriousness — all of them eager for the chance to join Bakhita’s learning community.
Among the many children who came through our doors, a few stories touched our hearts in special ways.
One little girl arrived with quiet confidence, moving through her basic literacy and numeracy checks with ease. When we asked where she had learned so much, she proudly told us her neighbour — one of our current Year 1 students — had been teaching her after school. Every afternoon, they sat together, shared schoolwork, and practised letters and numbers. It was a reminder that education spreads beyond the classroom — our students truly are lifting each other up.
Another child’s story showed just how deeply families value education. One girl was so determined not to miss registration week that she became physically anxious when her parents couldn’t complete her identity documents in time. She worked herself up so much with worry that she ended up feeling unwell and needed to visit the hospital. When she finally arrived the following week — documents in hand — she was smiling from ear to ear. Her relief, excitement, and determination to enrol said everything about how badly she wanted to be here.
These are the moments that remind us why we do this work. Behind every application is a family believing in a better future, a child imagining themselves in a classroom, and a community that recognises the life-changing power of learning.
As we prepare for the year ahead, our hearts are full. These new students come to us with curiosity, dreams, courage, and incredible potential. And at Bakhita, we cannot wait to give them a place where they can learn, thrive, and shine.
Here’s to welcoming our newest little learners — and to the bright futures ahead.