Junior School News

From the Head of Junior School

Last weekend I had the opportunity to attend the Momentum Schools Conference hosted by La Trobe University in Melbourne. I share the information below as a way of providing to our school community an insight into our involvement in the La Trobe Momentum Schools Project and some of the changes to teaching and learning that our students have been experiencing over the past few years.

The Momentum Schools Project was launched in 2024 with the aim of assisting schools who wanted to improve their academic results. The design of the project involved pairing schools who were beginning the improvement journey with host schools. We were fortunate to be accepted into the project in November 2024. We were paired with Haileybury, a school of over 5000 students with 5 campuses, an online campus and a partner school in China. While they are a much larger school than us and have been embedding explicit teaching and the Science of Learning for many, many years, we still learned a great deal from our visit in 2025 about what can be achieved in the longer term. Listening to the presenters at the Momentum Conference was an affirmation that our journey of improvement is well-placed and we are on track compared to other schools who have gone through similar change processes.

Our drive for improvement did not come from poor results. Our results are often the best in our region, both in NAPLAN and VCE, and are above average when compared to all Australian schools. Our drive for improvement came from comparing our results to schools with similar demographics. Compared to like schools we were average. We were solid, consistent but average. We were not underperforming compared to like schools, we were not declining, but we were not maximising our potential. This was our impetus for investigating change through the Momentum Schools Project.

Since 2025 we have implemented the following changes in Junior School:

• Introduction of explicit instruction methods
• Launch of the Girton Grammar Teaching & Learning Framework
• Implementation of an instructional coaching professional development platform
• Entry routines
• Seating plans
• Classroom layouts adjusted to maximise learning
• Active listening routines trialled
• InitiaLit English explicit instruction implemented Prep-Year 2
• Text-based English explicit instruction implemented Years 3-6
• Spelling Mastery implemented Years 3-6
• Mathematics explicit instruction implemented Prep-Year 6
• The Writing Revolution Approach to structured writing implemented in Humanities and English Prep-Year 2

Each of these pedagogies draws from the Science of Learning and research proven instructional techniques. As you can see, our Junior School teachers have completed an incredible amount of work in the past 18 months and I am very thankful for their professional approach and commitment to improving the academic outcomes for our students. I am also pleased that we have been able to achieve these changes without impacting on the other wonderful aspects that make our school unique such as our Performing Arts program, RULER Social and Emotional Learning, Book Week, Junior School Production, Musical Ensembles and many more events that make our Junior School so vibrant.

Finally, I will be on Long Service Leave for Week 9 and 10. Any urgent matters should be referred to Mrs Viv Bath at vivbath@girton.vic.edu.au. I look forward to seeing everyone when I return in Term 4.

Mr Don Thompson

Head of Junior School

Year 5 students to give fishing a go

The Year 5 students were very lucky to receive a free Little Angler Kit as part of a Victorian Government initiative encouraging more children to give fishing a go. The aim of the program is to introduce students to fishing as a fun, active hobby that gets them outdoors and spending time in nature with family and friends. 

Each kit includes a fishing rod, reel with line, tackle box, hooks, lead-free sinkers, swivels, a lure and a Kids Guide to Fishing. The kits were handed out to the Year 5 students just in time for the September holidays. A great opportunity to try out a new hobby. We look forward to seeing some prize catches and hear about the “one that got away”!

Mrs Rachelle Fisher

Head of Community Service

Inspiring Young Minds: Aston Dynamics donates lab coats to Junior Science

At the beginning of 2026, the Girton Grammar Junior School proudly expanded its Junior Science Program to include Years 2 and 3, building on the success of the established curriculum for Years 4, 5, and 6. This exciting extension gives our younger students earlier hands-on exposure to the wonders of scientific inquiry, experiment design and discovery.

Expanding the program to our younger cohorts naturally created a need for additional specialised equipment. High on the priority list was dedicated lab coats. Beyond providing protection during hands-on experiments, wearing a proper coat instills a sense of pride and helps our youngest learners feel like real scientists stepping into a laboratory.

Seeing an opportunity to support this, Dr Dale Hynd, CEO of Aston Dynamics and father of Girton students Charlotte and Huxley Conway-Hynd, generously stepped forward. Wanting to invest directly in the future of junior science, Dr Hynd purchased and donated a complete class set of Junior Lab Coats for our smaller students.

Thanks to this generous contribution, our Year 2 and 3 students are now fully equipped to dive safely into their scientific investigations. Wearing their new lab coats has brought immense excitement to laboratory sessions, boosting engagement and enthusiasm for STEM learning.

The Girton community extends its sincere gratitude to Dr Dale Hynd and Aston Dynamics for their wonderful support in inspiring the next generation of scientists.

Mr Justin Leske

Junior School Teacher of Science

Teacher of Yera 2M

Girton students attend Japanese JLTAV Junior School competition at Arts Centre Hawthorn

Billie McManus (5 Jenkin) and Hettie Churches (5 Frew) were the inaugural Junior School students to represent Girton Grammar at the Japanese Language Teachers Association of Victoria (JLTAV) Speaking Competition last Sunday. 

They are both in Year 5 Extension Japanese class and are very passionate about language learning and improving their speaking skills. They were very keen to participate and spent a lot of time at home perfecting their pronunciation and memorising their speeches. Each student created their own speech, talking about themselves, and then also memorised a speech that was provided by JLTAV.

We congratulate Billie and Hettie for their diligence, passion for learning and bravery displayed when representing Girton Grammar in front of an unknown audience at the Hawthorn Arts Centre, Melbourne.

 Mrs Maria Krelle

Junior School Teacher of Japanese

Prep Billabong Ranch Excursion

On Friday the 4th of September, the Prep students enjoyed a wonderful day of adventure and discovery at Billabong Ranch in Echuca. Excitement was high as the children arrived bright and early at school, ready to board the bus and set off on their special excursion.

Throughout the day, students had the opportunity to participate in a range of engaging, hands on activities. They enjoyed experiencing life on the farm, meeting animals and exploring the ranch environment with their classmates and teachers. For many children, the excursion provided opportunities to try something new, build confidence and learn beyond the classroom.

The day also supported many of the skills the Prep students have been developing throughout the year. They practised listening carefully to instructions, working cooperatively with others, showing independence and taking responsibility for their belongings. It was wonderful to see the children encouraging their friends, demonstrating kindness and approaching each new experience with enthusiasm.

One of the highlights of the excursion was seeing the excitement on the children’s faces as they interacted with the animals and participated in the different activities. There were plenty of smiles, conversations and memorable moments to share on the bus trip home!

Our Prep students represented Girton beautifully throughout the day. Their enthusiasm, excellent manners and positive behaviour made us very proud.

A big thank you to the staff at Billabong Ranch for providing such an enjoyable experience for our students and to all of the staff and helpers who supported the excursion. It was a very special day for our Prep students and one we are sure they will remember for a long time.

Mrs Catherine Stagg

Teacher of Prep V

First boys' footy team to make state titles in 13 years!

On Wednesday 2nd of September, 14 boys represented Girton at the School Sports Victoria Primary Football State Finals in Melbourne. We played a total of three games.

• Our first match was against Emmaus, we lost 4-1.
• Our second match was against Hampton PS, we lost 2-0.

• Our last game was against Emmaus, who we played earlier in the day. In the sixth versus seventh consolation final, we won 3-1. 

   

The victory resulted in Girton finishing in sixth position in the state.

Edward Esposito scored three brilliant goals for the tournament and Nicky Donaldson scored with a great halfway run with a finish on the left foot in our final game. This was the first time a boys team has made it to the state titles in over 13 years. The boys ran their lungs out, with the defence playing great, getting the ball up the field, the midfielders being everywhere and helping everyone, the strikers making a huge difference to the score, and our amazing goalkeepers making brilliant saves. 

A shout out to our coach Mr Turner, who helped us through the whole day and keeping our heads up for us, and the teachers and parents who cheered us on throughout the whole day.

Players included Reigán Ryan, Edward Esposito, William Jackson- Sloane, Harry McIntyre, Sulaymaan Altaf,Remi Faganal, Archer Manderson, Rafael Massaki, Nicky Donaldson, Saatchi Wiegard, Lucasz Bankowski, Keir Edwards, Zach Argall, and Fred Cantwell.  

Zach Argall (6 Millward)

Girton celebrates Support Staff Appreciation Week

This week, we celebrated Support Staff Appreciation Week. 

Girton is fortunate to have an outstanding team of Student Support Officers (SSOs) working across both the Junior and Senior School. These dedicated staff members demonstrate patience, respect and a genuine ability to build trusting relationships with the students they support. 

Whether they are dressing up for Book Week, attending camps or standing outside on a cold day to ensure a student has their required break, our SSOs consistently go above and beyond. Their care, commitment and willingness to support students in every aspect of school life make a significant difference to our community each day. 

We sincerely appreciate all that our Support Staff bring to Girton and thank them for their hard work, dedication, and positive impact on the lives of our students. Thank you!

Mrs Belinda Vernon

Head of Junior School Inclusive Learning