Secondary School News

Welcome to Term 4!

Dear Parents, Caregivers and Students

As we commence the final term of the academic year, we extend a warm welcome back to all families. Term 4 presents a valuable opportunity to consolidate learning and celebrate achievements. We look forward to students coming back on campus on Tuesday 7 October, and hope they return refreshed, recharged, and ready to embrace the academic and co-curricular opportunities this term will offer. 

We have some new students starting this term in the Secondary School in Years 8, 9 and 10. We welcome these students and their families to the Clayfield College community and wish them the very best for the journey ahead. 

In preparation for the term, we would like to highlight some key expectations, procedures, events and dates.

For families new to Clayfield, if there is anything that requires further explanation, you are encouraged to contact College Reception on 32620262 from where you will be redirected to the Head of Year. 

Staffing

We welcome to the Secondary School, Ms Melita Gratwick, who joins us as EALD Teacher Aide and Ms Rebecca Chae, who joins us as a Learning Support Teacher Aide.

Year 12 Arrangements for Weeks 1 to 6

In the lead up to the ATAR External Exams, our Year 12 students have been working hard, with many of them engaging in Trial ATAR Exams over the second week of the holidays. I applaud those students who availed themselves of this additional opportunity to practise their content knowledge and skills and receive valuable feedback. 

Lessons and Tutorials 

Students will have regular timetabled lessons from Tuesday 7 October to Tuesday 14 October. Following this, from Wednesday 15 October to Friday 24 October, they will have a Study Block during which they are be able to engage in scheduled tutorials as required. The Tutorial Schedule can be accessed using the link below. 

External Examination Protocols 

On Monday 13 October, Mrs Eagle and I will meet with the cohort to discuss External Examination protocols. This session will run from 12:00pm to 12:50pm in Room 17. All students must attend this session as important information regarding the External Exams will be disseminated. 

Speech Night Awards Assembly 

On Monday 20 October, Speech Night Prize Winners will be announced in a special Assembly. This Assembly will commence at 12:10pm and conclude at 12:50pm. All Year 12 students are expected to attend this Assembly. 

External Examinations 

The External Examinations commence on Monday 27 October and conclude on Friday 14 November (for the subjects offered at the College).  You can view the External Exam timetable using the link below. 

I wish our Year 12 students the very best with their study and preparations. As they navigate these final few weeks, our teachers, Heads of Department, Mrs Eagle and I are here for any academic support or assistance they may require.

Co-Curricular Photos

As previously communicated in The Collective and on the CC App, Clayfield College Co-Curricular and Group Photos will be held in Week 1, Wednesday 8 and Thursday 9 October.  

• Parents/students are requested to please check the schedule for photo time.
•  Students are to be dressed in their required uniform and move promptly to the Assembly Hall for arrival by the noted photo time.  
• Students appearing in photos which require a specific uniform (eg Sports) to be worn, must have the correct uniform to appear within their photo on the day. 

• Students appearing in photos wearing the Summer Formal Uniform or Sports Uniform, must have the correct uniform to appear within their photo on the day. 

   

Students who do not show for their photo and/or do not have the correct uniform will be marked as absent.

Communication

A reminder that the following forms of communication are used in the Secondary School: 

• The College App 
• The Collective 
• Parent Lounge Portal 
• Email/Phone 

The College App

We request every caregiver download the College App (free download). The App provides current information about events and activities, as well as important notices and alerts (for example, training cancellations or venue changes, wet weather plans and ETA of buses returning from co-curricular activities). It also includes a live school calendar, absentee line and key school contacts. You are able to manage your notifications and subscriptions to ensure you are only seeing what is relevant to your family. Please refer to the link below for the Resource page on the College website for further information.

The Collective  

The Collective is our whole school weekly newsletter, sent via email every Thursday. This communication includes information/articles from our Senior Leadership Team, Deans and Heads of Department. It is imperative that you read the Secondary Section to be kept up to date with all events and information. 

This, together with the College App, is the main form of College communication for our families, with staff assuming that what is published in The Collective has been read by parents. 

Parent Lounge

Parent Lounge provides up-to-date information on College life. Such information includes your child’s timetable and teachers, policy documents, excursion details, school calendar and parent directory. Parents are also able to update their contact details and child’s medical details and view Report Cards. 

Please refer to the following link for information on and access to Parent Lounge:

Also provided is a Guide for parents on navigating key features of Parent Lounge:

Email/Phone

Staff can be contacted via email during the school week. Email addresses are the first initial of the teacher’s name and their surname with @clayfield.qld.edu.au. If you are contacting the teachers via email, please be aware they will only be checking emails throughout the day as their teaching schedule permits and therefore will not be able to reply immediately. 

Whilst staff are more than happy to communicate with you through email, there is a 48-hour response time. If the matter is urgent, please call College Reception on 3262 0262, where a message will be passed on and the teacher will contact you when they are available. Further, the Parent Code of Conduct outlines appropriate communication guidelines between parents and staff members, and we encourage you to review this document.

Behavioural Expectations and Policy Documents

Every student has the right to a safe, supportive, and nurturing environment. Clayfield College is committed to a culture of connection and care. Such a culture is the result of clearly articulated expectations combined with high levels of accountability. 

It is expected that students will behave in accordance with the PMSA’s commitment to achieving fair, collaborative, inclusive and respectful working and learning environments, and with the College values of Care, Integrity, Resilience and Respect. 

Behaviour of a high standard requires self-discipline, self-respect and respect for the rights and property of others. It is expected that all members of the community strive for excellence in actions, speech and appearance. Ultimately, the promotion of positive behaviours is a shared responsibility, with all stakeholders having a role to play.

Uniform Requirements 

Clayfield College expects students to take pride in their presentation each day and meet the requirements of the Uniform Policy. Please read over the expectations below and ensure your child is prepared for the first day back at school. 

• Students will return in Summer Uniform
• Shoes should be polished with laces tied
• Hair is to be kept tidy and tied up when touching the collar
• No jewellery is to be worn at school, except for 1 ear piercing in the lower lobe – small silver or gold sleepers, studs or pearls. 

Please refer to the Uniform Policy for further information.

Infringements and detentions will be applied if students do not meet these expectations.

Mobile Phones 

Students in Years 7 to 9 need to hand in their phones at College Reception when they arrive at school and can collect them after school. The College has installed phone pouches for every student in Years 7 to 9 at Reception. Upon arrival at school, Years 7 to 9 students walk through Reception to place their phone in their pouch.  Phones must be turned off. Years 7 to 9 boarding students will leave their phones in the Boarding House during the school day. Students in Years 10 to 12 are required to have their phones turned off, in their lockers and they are not to be used throughout the school day. 

The exception to this is students in Years 10 to 12 who require their phone for HPE lessons. It is then their responsibility to collect their phone from their locker before the lesson and return it back to the locker after the HPE lesson. If students are found with their phone, they will be confiscated and can be collected from the Dean of Wellbeing and Safeguarding in Room 20 at the end of the day. 

They will also receive an infringement. If they are found to have them for a second time, students will not be permitted to bring their phone onto campus until further notice. Smart watches are allowed but are not to be used for messaging during the school day. If students are found to be misusing their smart watch, it will be confiscated, and the student may not be allowed to bring it on campus. 

Pastoral Care Class 

Pastoral Care (PC) time begins promptly at 8:30am every morning. This is an important time of the day when PC teachers mark the roll, provide ongoing support through group and individual conversations, promote connections through group activities, encourage organisation by reading the Daily Notices, help students with their daily routines and hold students accountable for the correct wearing of the College uniform. 

Thank you for making sure your child arrives at school on time. If students need to leave school throughout the day or will be late to school, please notify the College by using the College App.

Who Should I Ask?

Pastoral Matters

Your child’s Head of Year should be the first point of contact for any general questions of a pastoral nature. 

Academic Matters 

For general academic questions, contacting your child’s subject teacher is always the most effective first course of action. Please be aware, Heads of Department are available to discuss any academic matters; however, in most cases, they would obtain information pertaining to your child directly from the class teacher in the first instance. 

General Matters 

General information should be directed to College Reception, which can be found at the entrance of the College or contacted on 3262 0262. 

Charging of Student Devices

It is the students’ responsibility to arrive each day with a fully charged device. This is crucial to ensure that they can engage in the learning activities that occur in their lessons. Students will not be provided with chargers or replacement devices in the eventuality that they do not have a charged device. 

It will also be their responsibility to catch up on any work they miss because of their device being uncharged. Students can charge their device in the Upper LRC during Morning and Tea and Lunch if required. 

Years 7 to 12 Academic Policy and Procedures Document 

The Years 7 to 12 Academic Procedures and Policies Document gives an overview of all procedures and protocols that need to be adhered to by staff, students and parents with regards to:

• Academic integrity
• Assessment
• Drafting, scaffolding, conferencing and feedback
• Subject changes, and
• AARA 

You can access the document through this link. 

It is also available in Parent Lounge and Student Café under Links: Assessment and Reporting. 

Please be reminded that all students are required to adhere to the procedures and protocols outlined in this document with regards to submission of assignments and completion of exams.

Progressive Reports 

On completion of summative assessment across all subject areas, students receive a progressive report which provides valuable information on their learning. The Progressive Report is personalised for each student and provides student-specific and genre-specific feedback including:

• Student learning behaviours in the lead up to the assessment
• Feedback (strengths) 
• Feedforward (future focus goals)

We urge you to view the progressive reports with your child, celebrate their strengths and achievements and discuss feedforward strategies/suggestions. 

Years 7 to 11 Progressive Reports for Term 3 will be available on Student Café and Parent Lounge at 3:00pm on Friday 25 October. Use this link for directions on how to access the Progressive Reports on Parent Lounge.

Clayfield College Home Learning Policy

At Clayfield College we believe that home learning plays an important role in consolidating concepts and skills taught in the classroom. We also acknowledge that the expectations around home learning and the time associated with the same, are unique to different year levels, and as such will vary as students’ progress from Years 7 to Year 12. Please find here the Clayfield College Home Learning Policy.

Application for Leave Form 

As a College, we endeavour to support our students to achieve to their maximum potential in all aspects of College life. We believe that attendance is a key contributor to achieving this, and we urge parents to avoid taking children out of school during term time to minimise the disruption to students’ learning. 

While we acknowledge that the final decision to take leave during term time rests with parents and caregivers, the College strongly advises against absences outside of the designated school holiday periods. As per our College policy, extended leave during term time may affect a child’s academic progress, assessment and leadership opportunities, co-curricular involvement, and where applicable, student visa conditions.

Parents are reminded that if taking leave for three or more days during term time, it is a requirement to submit a request for leave to the Deputy Principal- Academic/Head of Secondary. Please use this form to apply for leave. 

You can also find this form on Parent Lounge. Thank you for your assistance in this matter. 

Criteria to Qualify for Academic Awards 

Please find here the criteria to qualify for an Academic Award in Years 7 to 12. We draw your attention to the last paragraph which specifies the attendance requirements around qualifying for an award. 

Illuminate Showcase

To celebrate the culmination of the 2025 Illuminate Program, we warmly invite parents and carers of students in Years 4 to 9 who participate in the Illuminate Program to a breakfast showcase event. 

This event will be held on Friday 24 October and will provide an opportunity for students to share highlights from their 2025 Illuminate journey. The event will begin with a light breakfast, followed by a formal presentation and will conclude with a tour of student work.

Please RSVP by Monday 20 October using the link below:

LUX 25

We look forward to a term filled with purpose, progress, and partnership as we work together to ensure a successful and fulfilling conclusion to the year.

Yours sincerely

Mrs Lakshmi Mohan

Deputy Principal - Academic/Head of Secondary