Junior School

The start to Term 2 has been vibrant and positive.

Our students and staff should be recognised for their hard work and can do approach, always showing that Success Is Ours To Achieve.

The Junior School teachers (ELC-Year 5) work in collaboration, across phases and teams to assist all students in achieving academic growth. Alongside this, our students show great motivation as they are working towards their individual goals.

Sometimes we are working so hard to meet our goals, we forget to stop and celebrate when we do. It is important awe remind ourselves as parents and teachers to show the acknowledgment and celebrate the small wins – as a school we achieve  through our whole school and at times, our phase assemblies.

Congratulations to all students and staff for their demonstration of strong leadership and their willingness to look outward.

I am blessed to be a part of a mighty team of students, teachers, co-educators and learning assistants on a daily basis. Collective we all align, connect and engage to ensure Success Is Ours To Achieve – it doesn’t get any better than this.

Shelley Parkes

Head of Junior School

Inquiry Learning in Prep-Year 5

Term 2 Humanities and Social Sciences topics are well underway.

Beginning in our Engage Phase, Prep-Year 2, students are explicitly taught the language and steps within an inquiring learning cycle. 

In the Explain phase, Year 3, students are supported to work towards an independent demonstration of these skills and application of language. In the Elaborate phase, Years 4 and 5, students make deeper connections in a greater global context with a focus on ‘taking action’ as a result of their learning.

The first step in the inquiry process is to pose questions and wonderings. 

Reflecting on any prior knowledge students bring with them and their responses to new learning and information from the introduction of the topic. Students then move through further research, interpreting information and making connections, sharing this and measuring their learning growth. 

Students will then work towards taking action to have an impact.

Have a look at our Term2 Inquiry Learning Focuses.

Prep - Central Idea - Materials have different properties, and exist in different forms, which can be used and changed for a purpose.

Lines of Inquiry - An inquiry into:

1. Observable properties of everyday objects
2. How objects move
3. The effects changes to objects have on the way they are able to move

Year 1 – Central Idea - The decisions people make influence their relationships with each other.

Lines of Inquiry - An inquiry into:

1. Relationships and friendships come in various forms.
2. Our choices have consequences.
3. How our interactions contribute to a harmonious environment.

Year 2 - Central Idea - The importance of living a healthy and balanced lifestyle for overall well-being.

Lines of Inquiry - An inquiry into:

1. What does healthy mean?
2. What is a lifestyle?
3. Understanding our emotions 

Year 3 - Central Idea - Communities recognise important personal and cultural events through remembrance and celebration.

Lines of Inquiry - An inquiry into:

1. The importance of tradition and celebration in Indigenous cultures.
2. How different cultures celebrate.
3. Why we commemorate special or significant events from history.

Year 4 - Central Idea - We share the responsibility of caring for our world by taking action locally on global issues.

Lines of Inquiry - An inquiry into:

1. The characteristics of Africa and South America, the location of these major countries in relation to Australia.
2. How our connections with the environment can be aesthetic, emotional and/or spiritual.
3. The importance of environments including natural vegetation to animals and people.

The use and management of natural resources and waste; and how to do this sustainably.

Year 5 - Central Idea - Communities are affected by the economic activity of their consumers

Lines of Inquiry - An inquiry into:

1. Factors that affect economic activity (Connection)
2. The difference between needs and wants
3. Influences on consumer choices
4. Methods that can be used to help make informed personal consumer and financial choices

Sarah Caffrey

Head of Curriculum Junior School

Our Junior School is a thriving space.  

This year we will be intentionally highlighting The Quartet and its phases. 

We anticipate bringing back our Snap Chat sessions on some platform  -  be that in person or via TEAMs.  We know that as families you have missed out on hearing and seeing so much of your child’s learning over the past couple of years.

Success Is Ours To Achieve is our 2022 School Theme.  I encourage you to work with your homeroom and specialist teachers in assisting your child achieve their success over the year.