The Clontarf Foundation has kicked off the 2026 school year with all academies open and operating, and the energy across the network has been immediate. After a handful of early starts last week, this marked the first full week of activity nationwide, with academy rooms buzzing, strong attendance at morning trainings and young men quickly settling back into positive routines.
Across the country, the tone was set before the school bell even rang. At Kempsey Academy, more than 40 academy members turned up for morning training, filling the academy room with laughter and momentum for the year ahead, while in Inverell the ‘Warriors’ smashed their attendance target and earned a well-deserved pizza lunch after another big session. Along the coast at Shoalhaven, academy members took training to the beach and backed it up with fresh fruit and yoghurt bowls for breakfast, while Bairnsdale kicked off the week with early morning boxing sessions before hitting the basketball court mid-week.
Welcoming new academy members and setting standards for the year was a strong focus across many locations. At Oxley Academy, more than 30 new Year 7 boys were introduced to the academy room, meeting staff, learning what Clontarf is about and stepping up to the microphone to introduce themselves to the group. At Melville Academy in Kempsey, Year 7 boys took part in planning sessions while Year 8 academy members refreshed expectations and began leading the way, with a clear focus on building strong habits and already setting ambitious training attendance targets.
Tweed River Academy marked several firsts for the year, from the first registrations returned and the first welcome lunch for a large Year 7 intake, to the first morning training session followed by a hot breakfast before the school swimming carnival.
Queensland academies were equally busy, with Gordonvale Academy hosting welcome back lunches that brought returning academy members together while helping new Year 7s feel at home in the academy room and understand expectations for the year ahead. Seniors were already setting goals for their final year of schooling. In Townsville, the academy room was once again full of familiar faces, with a Good Bunch Lunch drawing 38 boys together over a shared meal and plenty of conversation.
In Esperance, academy members also had an early taste of employment learning, with a visit and hands-on session from Clontarf partner Freight Lines Group. Boys heard about real-world work experiences, the importance of school effort and saw equipment in action, bringing career pathways to life from the very first week.
From early morning workouts to shared meals, first introductions, leadership moments and employment sessions, the opening week captured strong engagement across academies and set a confident tone for the year ahead.
