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MEDIA OPPORTUNITY - 3,500 students to unite today for first Schools Spectacular 'Original' rehearsal

NSW Department of Education

3,500 NSW public school students will take over Sydney Olympic Park’s Afterpay Arena on Tuesday, 3 November as Schools Spectacular’s first combined rehearsal brings together returning stars, first-time performers and extraordinary young talent from across the state.

The rehearsal offers a behind-the-scenes preview of ‘Original’, the 43rd Schools Spectacular, which will feature more than 5,500 NSW public school students across four performances on 27 and 28 November.

With less than four weeks until opening night, singers and dancers will put months of preparation into practice on the arena floor, rehearsing mass dance routines and bringing the show’s finale to life.

Students will travel from across NSW, including Armidale, Maclean, Albury, Wagga Wagga and the Northern Rivers to rehearse alongside their metropolitan peers.

The day’s centrepiece will be the finale rehearsal from 12:10 pm to 1:05 pm, bringing the arena performers together to learn their entrances, find their places and rehearse the choreography for ‘Originality’, an original song composed by four Schools Spectacular students.

Among them is Toormina High School’s Zahra Cawley, whose dance journey began in outback NSW, where she trained through live Zoom classes without a local dance school. She made her Schools Spectacular debut in 2023 and is returning this year as a featured dancer to once again bring her talents to the arena floor.

 

Returning featured vocalists Isabella Laga’aia, from Newtown High School of the Performing Arts, and Jazmin Castle, from Wagga Wagga High School, will both celebrate their seventh year on the Schools Spectacular live arena stage. For Jazmin, the connection spans nine consecutive years since she joined in 2018, including the broadcast and digital productions during the pandemic.

Also from Newtown High School of the Performing Arts is featured dancer Eliza Naftzger who underwent major knee surgery and was told she could not dance for six months. She continued attending rehearsals to watch and learn, and is now returning to dance in a featured role.

 

Vocational Education and Training (VET) Entertainment students will put their technical skills into practice throughout the day, working behind the scenes on lighting, audio and stage operations.

 

Schools Spectacular Creative Director Sonja Sjolander said ‘Original’ would celebrate the individuality and creative voices of NSW public school students.

 

“We searched for truly original talent; not just the usual song-and-dance routine, but extraordinary students with a distinct spark, capable of electrifying both the audience and the 5,500 performers they’ll inspire and lead,” Ms Sjolander said.

 

“Every performer brings something of themselves to the show, and that is what keeps Schools Spectacular fresh, relevant and unlike anything else.”

 

This year’s soundtrack includes Joker and the Thief, Dance Monkey, Great Southern Land and the KPop Demon Hunters hit Golden, performed by a cast encompassing a massed choir, dancers, actors, orchestra, stage band and solo performers.

 

Schools Spectacular is the NSW public education system’s premier celebration of artistic excellence, forward-thinking creativity and collaboration.

 

Schools Spectacular 2026 ‘Original’ will be held at Afterpay Arena, formerly Qudos Bank Arena, on Friday, 27 and Saturday, 28 November. Tickets are on sale through Ticketek.

 

The 2026 Schools Spectacular is proudly supported by Sponsors: Telstra, NSW Teachers Federation, School Bytes, Smart, Teachers Health, The University of Sydney, Supporters: Woolworths, Foundation Theatres, Hertz and Billy Hyde Music and Event Partners: Afterpay Arena, Seven Network, Gravity Media, Ticketek and LA Services.

MEDIA OPPORTUNITY

Media are invited to attend the first combined rehearsal for footage, photographs and interviews with students and the creative team.

 

Date: Tuesday, 3 November 2026
Location: Afterpay Arena, Edwin Flack Avenue, Sydney Olympic Park

Best media windows:

12:10–1:05 pm: Finale rehearsal — all segments and schools participating in the arena finale.

9:15 to 12pm: Across the day, school groups will rehearse everything from the KPop Demon Hunters hit ‘Golden’ to ‘Back in Black’, ‘Freestyler’ and ‘Talking to the Moon’.
More than 700 secondary choir students will also rehearse in the venue’s Olympia Room.

 

Vision opportunities: Mass dance rehearsals, finale choreography, featured performers rehearsing on the arena floor and students preparing behind the scenes.

 

Please contact Alyssa to arrange access, confirm rehearsal timings and book student interviews.

Albury High School
Albury Riverina Choir
Ambarvale High School
Anson Street School
Ardlethan Central School
Armidale Secondary College
Arthur Phillip High School
Ashfield Boys High School
Asquith High School
Bald Face Public School
Bathurst Public School
Bathurst South Public School
Bathurst West Public School
Baulkham Hills High School
Bellevue Hill Public School
Belmont High School
Beresford Road Public School
Berowra Public School
Blairmount Public School
Blaxland High School
Blayney High School
Bletchington Public School
Bogangar Public School
Boggabilla Central School
Bonnyrigg High School
Bossley Park High School
Bowen Public School
Buninyong Public School
Burraneer Bay Public School
Burwood Girls High School
Busby West Public School
Caddies Creek Public School
Calare Public School
Callaghan College Waratah Campus
Camden Haven High School
Campbelltown Performing Arts High School
Campsie Public School
Canley Vale High School
Canobolas High School
Canterbury Girls High School
Caringbah High School
Caringbah North Public School
Carlton South Public School
Casino High School
Castle Hill High School
Casula High School
Cecil Hills High School
Cheltenham Girls High School
Chifley College Dunheved Campus
Chipping Norton Public School
Coffs Harbour Senior College
Colo High School
Como West Public School
Connells Point Public School
Conservatorium High School
Coogee Public School
Cootamundra High School
Corrimal East Public School
Corrimal High School
Cowra High School
Cowra Public School
Cranebrook High School
Crestwood High School
Crestwood Public School
Cronulla High School
Cronulla Public School
Curl Curl North Public School
Davidson High School
Denison College of Secondary Education, Kelso High Campus
Dubbo College Senior Campus
Dulwich High School of Visual Arts and Design
East Hills Girls Technology High School
Eastwood Heights Public School
Eglinton Public School
Elderslie Public School
Eleebana Public School
Elizabeth Macarthur High School
Emu Heights Public School
Endeavour Sports High School
Engadine High School
Engadine West Public School
Fairfield High School
Faulconbridge Public School
Fernhill School
Finley High School
Forbes High School
Fort Street High School
George Bass School
Georges River College, Oatley Senior Campus
Georges River College, Peakhurst Campus
Gilgandra High School
Girraween High School
Glen Innes High School
Glenmore Park High School
Glenwood High School
Gloucester High School
Gordon West Public School
Gorokan Public School
Grafton High School
Grays Point Public School
Gulargambone Central School
Gunnedah High School
GWS Primary Dance Company
Gymea Bay Public School
Gymea Technology High School
Hammondville Public School
Harbord Public School
Hawkesbury High School
Heathcote High School
Heathcote Public School
Hobartville Public School
Holsworthy High School
Holsworthy Public School
Homebush West Public School
Hornsby Girls High School
Hornsby High School
Hoxton Park High School
Hoxton Park Public School
Hunter School of Performing Arts
Hunters Hill High School
Hurlstone Agricultural High School
Inner Sydney High School
Inverell High School
James Fallon High School
Jamison High School
Jannali East Public School
Jerrabomberra High School
Jindabyne High School
Jindabyne Public School
John Edmondson High School
John Palmer Public School
Karabar High School
Kellyville Public School
Kellyville Ridge Public School
Killara High School
Killarney Heights Public School
Kings Langley Public School
Kingscliff High School
Kingswood High School
Kingswood Public School
Kingswood South Public School
Kirrawee High School
Kooringal High School
Ku-ring-gai High School
Lake Albert Public School
Lane Cove Public School
Leeton High School
Leeton Public School
Leura Public School
Lidcombe Public School
Lightning Ridge Central School
Lilli Pilli Public School
Lindfield East Public School
Lithgow High School
Liverpool West Public School
Lucas Heights Community School
Lugarno Public School
Maclean High School
Macquarie Fields High School
Marsden Park Public School
Matthew Pearce Public School
Melonba Public School
Melville High School
Menai High School
Merewether High School
Miller High School
Milperra Public School
Mitchell High School
Mona Vale Public School
Mosman High School
Mosman Public School
Mount Brown Public School
Mount Druitt Public School
Mount Terry Public School
Mulwaree High School
Mulyan Public School
Murray High School
Nabiac Public School
Narrabeen North Public School
Narrabeen Sports High School
Nepean Creative and Performing Arts High School
Newbridge Heights Public School
Newport Public School
Newtown High School of the Performing Arts
Normanhurst Boys High School
North Wagga Public School
Northbridge Public School
Northern Beaches Secondary College Cromer Campus
Northern Beaches Secondary College Freshwater Senior Campus
Northern Beaches Secondary College Mackellar Girls Campus
Northern Beaches Secondary College Manly Campus
Northlakes High School
Northmead Creative and Performing Arts High School
Northmead Public School
NSW Public Schools Aboriginal Dance Company
NSW Public Schools Primary State Dance Company
NSW Public Schools Secondary State Dance Company
Nyngan High School
Oran Park Public School
Orange Grove Public School
Orange High School
Orange Public School
Oxley High School
Oxley Park Public School
Panania Public School
Parkview Public School
Pennant Hills High School
Penrith South Public School
Picnic Point High School
Picton High School
Pitt Town Public School
Plumpton High School
Port Hacking High School
Prairiewood High School
Quakers Hill East Public School
Quirindi High School
Randwick High School
Riverbank Public School
Riverina Albury Dance Ensemble
Riverina Public Schools Choir
Riverside Girls High School
Riverstone High School
Rose Bay Secondary College
Rouse Hill High School
Ruse Public School
Russell Lea Public School
Ryde Secondary College
Samuel Terry Public School
Sefton High School
Seven Hills High School
Smiths Hill High School
South Grafton High School
South Sydney High School
South Wagga Public School
Spring Terrace Public School
Springwood High School
St Andrews Public School
St George Girls High School
St Helens Park Public School
St Ives High School
Strathfield Girls High School
Strathfield North Public School
Sydney North Public Schools Dance Primary Ensemble
Sydney Secondary College Balmain Campus
Sylvania Heights Public School
Sylvania High School
Sylvania Public School
Tallowood School
Taree West Public School
Taren Point Public School
Tempe High School
The Arts Unit Senior Singers
The Hills Sports High School
The Jannali High School
The Meadows Public School
The Rivers Secondary College, Lismore High Campus
Toongabbie Public School
Toongabbie West Public School
Toormina High School
Trangie Central School
Turramurra High School
Tweed River High School
Unanderra Public School
Victoria Avenue Public School
Wagga Wagga High School
Wallerawang Public School
Wangee Park School
Wattle Grove Public School
Wentworth Point High School
West Wyalong High School
Western NSW Senior Ensemble
Westfields Sports High School
Westmead Public School
Willans Hill School
William Stimson Public School
Windsor High School
Winmalee High School
Winmalee Public School
Wollongong High School of the Performing Arts
Woolgoolga High School
Woollahra Public School
Woolooware High School
Woolooware Public School
Woonona High School
Woronora River Public School

 

Contact details:

Alyssa Terese – 0418 874 473
[email protected]