Reflecting on Knox at ‘Back to the Prep’

“Today is a celebration of the journey that you’ve had here at the Prep school,” said Headmaster Scott James during the assembly in the Prep Inquiry Hub. “And then on Monday the Valedictory Ceremony will be another milestone moment and celebration. You’ll receive your Old Boy’s tie, and you shift from being a student to an Old Boy. That tie symbolises your connection to the School.”

During this assembly, each Year 12 student read a personalised letter from a Year 6 student, and heard from Andrew (Year 6), a Prep Captain of 2026, and Harry (Year 12), Prefect Executive Secretary, who addressed his peers with a heartfelt speech.

“I must have taken two weeks to write the speech,” said Harry. “Not because I didn't know what to say. Not because I have some profound piece of wisdom, and that will finally make sense of the last 13 years we spend here at Knox.

“But because how can you say goodbye to a place that has a single-handedly, become the setting for almost every single version of yourself that you can remember? And somewhere in those 13 years, Knox stopped being somewhere where we just went, and started becoming somewhere we loved. When their first became our first. When their high school became our high school. And when their Back to the Prep became our Back to the Prep.

“And I'm so proud to no longer be alongside fellow boys, but fellow men. Men who care for more than just themselves.”

The Kindergarten students gave the Class of 2026 a farewell musical performance. Afterwards, the Class of 2026 embraced each other for the School Song.

On this day, William (Year 12) said, “All the memories are flooding back now. Reflecting on my time here at Knox Prep, since Kindergarten, every year we see these older boys come through and all the kids wonder, ‘When will our time be when we come back as Year 12 students?’. And it's here. It just makes us realise time flies by so quickly. We really learnt to try to appreciate the moment as much as possible.

“It's a very bittersweet moment right now, getting to talk with the younger boys, having these great conversations. This is the future! It’s great seeing all the new facilities that we didn't have back in our day, like the Innovation Hub. Being able to see what this new environment these kids are surrounding themselves with is just like such an inspiration.

“Knox is such an amazing school and has provided me so many opportunities. I’m glad to have experienced it from the beginning. Looking forward, I’m returning as a coach maybe in the Volleyball program, and being involved in the School, outside of being a student. I want to give back, as it’s provided me so many things, I want to reciprocate that kind of care. So, in the future, I’ll be part of the OKGA program as well.”

To the Class of 2026, we know you’ll give your best in the HSC examinations, and in your next adventures. We look forward to seeing the positive difference you’ll make in the world.