Junior School News

From the Acting Head of Junior School

Welcome to Term Four. I trust everyone has had a restful and well-deserved break. Term Four is not only a term when there are ceremonies to mark the transitions to the next phase of learning, but also a term when we plan for the following year. 

We welcome six new students to the Junior School.  Two in Prep, one in Year Two and Year Three, and two in Year Five. I hope their Girton journey is a long and memorable one.

This week we had our Year Seven Transition Day in which all students who will be in Year Seven in 2023 were invited in for the day.  The students completed some assessments that will help us cater for them when they begin next year.  They also had the opportunity to meet other students in their year group, as well as the Heads of House and Year Seven House Tutors.  I thank Mrs Kymberley Hogan for her work in orchestrating this day.

On Tuesday we had a Prep Information Night for 2023 Prep students. This evening was run by the Prep teachers and provided important information to the parents of our youngest students.

This term we complete the repertoire of Junior School camps for the year. Last Thursday I had the pleasure of visiting the Year Five camp to Narmbool and let’s just say it was a little wet! But this didn’t stop our intrepid travellers from making the most of each day.  Despite the rain, mud and cold, the students had a wonderful time and approached all activities enthusiastically.   I don’t envy the people responsible for the washing that weekend!

The Preps will have an extended stay at school the day before the Bendigo Cup holiday and we will finish with the two-night Year Three camp to Bacchus Marsh.  We appreciate the work involved by parents and staff in preparing for these experiences. 

We should never underestimate the value of these camps.  Not only does it help develop independent skills in our students, but it allows us to put classroom knowledge into action and for students to learn outside the classroom.  Students get the opportunity to broaden their range of experiences, make new friends, challenge themselves, connect with teachers and have fun.

Our Drama staff are busily preparing the Years Two, Four and Six children for the production of Moana Jr. at the Capital.  The hall is a hive of activity, and the students are very much looking forward to Opening night.  I encourage you to purchase your tickets early to avoid disappointment. 

We are extremely proud to have two Junior School teams competing in the International Final of Tournament of Minds in Canberra this weekend.  We wish our Tournament of Minds teams the very best of luck in the competition. 

Junior School staff had the opportunity to farewell our Year Twelves this week.  There are eighteen lifers (students who have been at Girton since Prep) amongst the cohort, as well as a much higher proportion who joined the school since Prep.

When the students were in Year Six they wrote themselves letters and included photos and wrote about their hopes and dreams for the future.  It was a lovely way for the Junior School staff to farewell the students. We wish them all the very best in their future endeavours. It was a day to catch up and remember some special years.  It also gave the Junior School staff the opportunity to wish the Year Twelve students the very best of luck in their future endeavours.

Mrs Viv Bath

Acting Head of Junior School

School Value Badge Mini Lessons

Year Five students have taught the School Values to the Year Two students as mini lessons this year. Year Five classes rotate, and two Values are covered per term. Year Five students co-create a fifteen-minute lesson to present to a group of Year Two students and incorporate a follow-up activity they can do in class or take home to encourage discussion. This has been an invaluable opportunity to develop Year Five students' leadership and agency. The younger students have had excellent role models teach them about the Girton Values, and we hope they have a greater understanding now. The aim is for our students to live and breathe these values, and this exercise is one step closer to achieving this. Here is a video showcasing a reflection of the Badge Value lessons this year.

Junior School Emotional Intelligence Team

Poetry Competition

Last term, the students of 5M took part in a statewide poetry competition run by Independent Schools Victoria. The purpose of the competition was to inspire creative thinking, to show how art crosses barriers, as well as how it connects us to each other.   The theme of this year’s competition was ‘Belonging’.

We were fortunate to have three students who each received an honorable mention in their age category. These students were Chloe Carter, Flynn Radford and Norah Rao. 

Chloe and Flynn both wrote poems about Friendship and Chloe composed a poem entitled ‘My Team’. These students are commended for their careful word choices and use of imagery and mood.

Mrs Nicola Matthew

Year Two Camp

In Term Three we went to camp. It was at Camp Kookaburra. On Thursday morning we had a whole group photo before we got on the bus. We felt a bit nervous and excited. Some of us were worried about the bus breaking down and we didn’t know what camp would be like. 

When we got to camp, we unpacked the bus and had morning tea. We listened to Josh and Carlie tell us the camp rules and what to do when we heard the bell ring or a whistle. 

After that we found out our cabin groups. We were hoping we got some friends in our cabins and we did. We went for a walk to see what camp was like. 

On Thursday afternoon the activities were initiatives, low ropes and orienteering. The activities were fun. Low ropes was a bit muddy and slippery. The course was tricky.

For dinner we had spaghetti Bolognese and jelly with mousse for dessert. 

The next morning, we packed up our cabins and the activities on Friday were bush cooking, bouldering, and the games room. We played ga ga ball. It was very fun.

After lunch we got on the bus and came back to school. 

Camp was incredible.

Billy Knight (2 Aherne) and William Jackson-Sloan (2 Aherne)

Year Four Visit the Zoo

On the last day of Term Three Year Four went to the Werribee Zoo.

At the Werribee Zoo we got to go on a safari bus and we saw some Hippopotamus’s and Lions. 

We also saw a giraffe eating at a gate!

We went to Werribee as we are learning about Africa in Term Four.

We learnt about African geography and predators and prey.

Lilly Hetherington (4 Riley) and Caroline Batters (4 Millward)

Year Five Camp

My Day at Sovereign Hill

On camp, all Year Five students went on a delightful 20 minute bus drive to Sovereign Hill for a full day of fun, flavour and gold. 

Once we had first arrived, we all sat down on damp wood tables.  I had a scrumptious scone.  I smelt the dry dirt as it wondered into my eyes.

After eating, we were selected into groups A, B, C & D.  My group went to the lolly shops and I picked out two bags of lemony acid lollies and sweet sour grape.  Then we went and watched an ‘in character candy maker’ make the acid lollies. 

Next, we went underground to the wet mine. We had to listen to the recorded voice so we could escape out. This went on for 12 minutes. Following on, we went gold mining. My knees got exceptionally wet.  I was successful with finding 3 specks of gold!

Afterwards, we were meant to go candle dipping but did bowling first.  The line was long, but I had fun talking to my friends.  When it got to me, I didn’t hit any down. 

After a long wait, we finally got to candle dipping.  Mine definitely, was not the best but it was an amazing experience.  I smelt the waxy, soapy smells whilst dipping my rocky candle into the boiling wax. 

All the groups came together in the end to watch the fascinating real gold pouring.  The lady made 64kg gold bar and we learnt about the astonishing facts about gold.  Some were even lucky enough to hold it. 

In the end, we had a playful play on the slide and had a pretty nice dinner.  We all got to watch an extraordinary pantomime about ‘Black Beard’. They all were hilarious putting on their own modern spin. 

Finally, we hopped back on the bus and got back to Narmbool.  I smelt fresh air and felt the wind rushing on my face.  If I had to rate the experience, I would definitely give it 5 Stars.  I have never had an experience like this before. 

Chloe Carter (5 Millward)

2022 Penguin Project

Girton Grammar Junior School students participated in the 2022 Australian Antarctic Festival in Tasmania. The over 7,500 strong rookery has been displayed at Mawson’s Place. Students gave the penguins some colour and panache to participate in this fundraiser to help preserve a celebrated part of Australia’s Antarctic history. 

Mrs Nic James

Teacher of Art

Regional Athletics Carnival 

Congratulation to the seven students who represented Girton at the Regional Athletics Carnival on Monday. They were fortunate to have their event early in the week and not impacted by the weather.  All students competed well and should be proud of their efforts.

Good luck to Hugh, Lucy, Noah, Lauren and Owen who will now compete at the State Athletics in Melbourne on Wednesday 2nd November.