Junior School

Play First, Eat Second

A New Approach to Break Times  

Next term, we will be trialling a new recess and lunch model: Play First, Eat Second. Through research and conversations with other schools, we believe this approach will further support boys’ wellbeing, behaviour, and learning. 

In simple terms, boys will head outside to play first before returning to sit and eat their recess or lunch. While this may seem like a small adjustment, both research and experience suggest it can have a meaningful impact on the school day. 

Many parents will be familiar with opening a lunchbox at the end of the day to find a perfectly intact sandwich, untouched snacks, and a well-travelled piece of fruit. Given the choice between eating and playing, many boys will choose to play every time and eat later (or sometimes not at all!). 

By allowing boys to expend their energy first, we are aligning the school routine with how they naturally operate best. 

What we are trying to achieve is to support our boys in returning to the classroom calm, settled, and ready to learn. By having a run before eating, the boys can enjoy their playtime without watching the clock or worrying about missing out. Once they have had the opportunity to be active, they sit down to eat, and the physical activity often helps increase their appetite, even for foods that may not have seemed appealing earlier. This approach helps them return to the learning environment calmer, better nourished, and ready to focus. We also hope it leads to fewer full lunchboxes returning home and fewer puzzled conversations beginning with, “But I packed your favourite…”.  

A more relaxed eating period provides boys with the opportunity to take responsibility for their eating spaces. Staff can support students to manage their rubbish thoughtfully, and without the rush back to play or class; some boys may even take the initiative to pick up stray rubbish. This will help our school environment to remain clean and litter free.  

Returning directly from the playground can leave students highly energised. A calm eating period after play allows boys to regulate before re-entering the classroom, supporting improved focus, smoother transitions, and greater readiness to learn. 

While we are confident this change will be beneficial, we also recognise that packing a lunch that actually gets eaten remains one of parenting’s great challenges. You are certainly not alone if your son declares something his absolute favourite… only for it to return home untouched for several days in a row. 

Our aim is to trial this structure to encourage increased physical activity, promote more settled behaviour after breaks, and provides staff with clearer opportunities to notice and support students who may not be eating well. 

We look forward to speaking with boys, staff, and parents to gain valuable feedback prior to Term 4. 

God Bless,

Mr James McPherson

Head of Junior School

TC Cafe Orders & Homework Club Afternoon Tea

A friendly reminder to families that if your child would like lunch from the café, a lunch should be placed via Flexischools. Ordering in advance helps ensure there is enough food available and allows the café to prepare orders efficiently. This becomes even more important as we switch to the Play First, Eat Second model. 

If your child is unable to place a lunch order, they can purchase food at the café using their SmartRider, which also serves as their student ID card. Students should bring their SmartRider to school every day. 

In exceptional circumstances, a lunch slip may be issued to allow a student to purchase lunch. However, this is intended for emergency situations only and should not become a regular occurrence. 

We are also excited to introduce an Afternoon Tea option on Flexischools for students attending Homework Club (4.00pm – 5.00pm). This will be available by pre-order only, so please keep an eye out for this new option on Flexischools if your child will be staying for Homework Club. 

Thank you for your support in helping us provide a smooth and efficient café service for all students.

JPSSA Cross Country Carnival  

Our Junior School represented the school with determination, resilience, and outstanding sportsmanship at this year's Cross Country Carnival. Every runner gave their best effort, demonstrating the commitment and perseverance they have shown throughout the season. 

A special thank you to Mr Thompson for his dedication in preparing the boys through the training sessions leading up to the event.  

We would also like to thank our parents and families for coming along to support the boys. Your encouragement from the sidelines was greatly appreciated and helped make the day such a positive experience. 

Congratulations to all schools on a fantastic competition. The final team placings were: 

• 1st – Scotch (355 points) 

• 2nd – Christ Church (506 points) 

• 3rd – Hale (542 points) 

• 4th – Wesley (876 points) 

• 5th – Aquinas (877 points) 

• 6th – Trinity (906 points) 

• 7th – Guildford (1009 points) 

   

Well done to all of our runners for their effort, determination and school spirit. We are incredibly proud of the way they represented our school both on and off the course. 

Year 5 Christian Service

Vinnies Winter Appeal 

A heartfelt thank you to all our Junior School families for your generous support of the Year 5 Christian Service Winter Appeal. Your donations of winter essentials will help bring warmth and comfort to those in need during the colder months. 

To celebrate the final day of term, students proudly wore their pyjamas and donated a gold coin, showing their enthusiasm and support for this wonderful cause. There were certainly many happy, warm and comfortable boys in class today! Thank you for helping make this fundraiser such a great success. 

Uniform Shop  

The Uniform Shop will be closed during the school holidays and will reopen on Tuesday, 21 July. 

Thank you for your support. 

STEM Achievement

3D Printing with Makers Empire  

Congratulations to Logan from Year 5, who has been awarded 3rd prize in the recent Makers Empire HP Otto Robot 3D Printing Design Competition. 

This was an Australia-wide competition, with more than 3,500 entries submitted by students across the country. The competition challenged students to design a 3D printable expansion or the Otto robot. 

Logan designed an awesome little fire-fighting robot on wheels. With its big googly eyes and bright red and yellow colours, his robot looks like a mini fire truck ready for action. Logan’s clever design imagined a robot that could be deployed into a fire to scan a room, look for survivors, and assist with rescue efforts, helping to reduce the risk to firefighters entering dangerous environments. 

This is a fantastic STEM achievement and a great example of how imagination, effort, and design thinking can come together. Logan’s design shows how 3D design can be used to bring imaginative and functional ideas to life. Congratulations, Logan. We are very proud of you. 

Parent- Teacher -Student Interviews

(Online) 

A reminder that on Monday 20 July, we will be holding online Parent-Teacher-Student Interviews. All interviews will take place online between 9.00am – 4.00pm. This will provide an opportunity to discuss your son’s progress throughout Semester One and set achievable goals for Semester Two. The sign-up link has been sent out. All boys Years 4 to 6 will return to school on Tuesday 21 July. 

Dates to Remember