Junior School, South Plympton

On this page: Upcoming events | Building strong friendship foundations in Year 1/2 | Year 3-6 Sports Day

Upcoming Events

Building strong friendship foundations in Year 1/2

It has been a fantastic start to the year for our Year 1 and Year 2 classes. The beginning of the school year is an important time for building strong foundations, and we have intentionally focused on getting to know one another, learning about kindness and respect, and supporting students to develop positive friendship skills. It has been a joy to see new connections forming and students growing in confidence as they interact with their peers.

We have been using the Friendology program, which is a wonderful resource that equips children with the skills to make new friends and strengthen their relationships. Through the engaging analogy of growing a garden, students learn that friendships need care, effort, and kindness in order to flourish. They are encouraged to “grow their friendship garden” by including others and building their friendship circle.

Each week, students bring a soft toy to class to help them role-play and practise their new friendship skills. Using their furry friends in these scenarios has proven highly effective and enjoyable. This approach allows students to rehearse positive communication in a safe and supportive way, and it is wonderful to see them embracing the concepts while having fun. We have already observed significant growth in their confidence and ability to communicate with others.

Later in the term, students will learn that friendship challenges can sometimes occur due to miscommunication. In Friendology, these are called “Friendship Fires.” Students are taught practical strategies to resolve these situations respectfully by talking through the problem and listening to one another. It has been amazing to see the school-wide benefits of implementing Friendology over the past four years, with students in the playground increasingly able to express their feelings and resolve issues in healthy and respectful ways.

While our Year 1 and Year 2 students are still early in their Friendology journey, they are embracing the program with great energy and enthusiasm. In Term 2, we are looking forward to celebrating all things Friendology with a special Friendship Day. Watch this space for more details.

We are proud of the positive start our students have made and look forward to continuing to nurture their friendships throughout the year.

Corrinna Smith

Year 1/2 Teacher

Junior School Pastoral Coordinator

Year 3-6 Sports Day

Friday 20 March (Week 8, Term 1)

Bowker Oval, 61 Bowker Street, North Brighton

9:00am - 2:30pm

Come and support your child at Sports Day on Friday 20 March. We'll have a sausage sizzle and coffee available for purchase on the day. More details coming soon!

Save the date in your calendar, we can't wait to see you there!