From the Director of Junior School
Mrs Melissa Thirgood
Dear Families,
As we come to the close of the year, I would like to take a moment to reflect on the warmth, kindness and support I have felt from the St Mary’s community as I complete my first year as Director of the Junior School. It has been a privilege to bear witness to the growth of our students across all facets of school life and to get to know them as individuals – their strengths, their challenges and the joy they bring to each day.
I am deeply grateful for the warm welcome I have received from our dedicated staff and supportive families. Your generosity of spirit and shared commitment to our children’s learning and wellbeing have made this year both rewarding and affirming.
I wish all our Junior School families a restful, joyful and prosperous Christmas and New Year. I look forward to seeing everyone refreshed and ready to embark on another year of learning, growth and possibility in 2026.
Warmest regards,
Melissa Thirgood
Junior School Awards
Congratulations to the students who received Junior School Awards at our Year 6 Awards ceremony on Thursday 11 December.
Year 6 Excellence Awards
The Year 6 Excellence Awards are awarded to a student from each class who has showed Academic Excellence in Learning throughout the year.
| 6 Banksia | 6 Huon Pine | 6 Wattle | |
| English | Emily Yan | Lottie Zabel | Amelia Everard |
| Science | Harper Bowerman | Mia Wanandy | Faith Innes-Brown |
| Mathematics | Sophie Johns | Isla Brown | Yenuli Ethige |
| HASS | Emily Yan | Lottie Zabel | Yenuli Ethige |
| Physical Education | Charlotte Cranage | Madeline Palermo | Zoey Brown |
| Daily Physical Education | Maya El-Khoury | Quinn McKenzie | Billie Richmond |
| Chinese | Emily Yan | Mia Wanandy | Yenuli Ethige |
| Music | Harper Bowerman | Ava Di Santo | Lili Hall |
| Technology | Harper Bowerman, Emily Yan | Isla Brown, Mia Wanandy
| Yenuli Ethige Elani Stone |
Year 6 Book Prizes
The Year 6 Awards for Excellence are for those students who excel in all facets of College life.
Sport and Physical Education – Sophie Veitch
The Arts – Ariana Robinson
One Pace Beyond – Emily Yan
Margaret Rootes Award for Religious Education – Charlotte Cranage
Cecily MacFarlane Award for Citizenship – Lottie Stride
The Musician of the Year – Junior School –Henrietta Butterworth-Barry
Presentation Values Award – Zoe Locke
Lantern Award – Lani Kean
Academic Excellence – Emily Yan
Ann Stanfield Leadership Award – Lyla Fairfield, Lottie Zabel, Mia Wanandy
Nano Nagle Award –Asma Barbari
Year 6 Leaders for 2026
Please join us in congratulating our newly elected Year 6 Leaders for 2026:
| Head Junior School Prefect | Rita van Loon |
| Deputy Junior School Prefect | Daisy Holborow |
| Deputy Junior School Prefect | Aila Bennet |
| College House Captain | Tatum Smith |
| Presentation House Captain | Suvaani Rajbhandari |
| Nagle House Captain | Lexie Champion |
| Manresa House Captain | Sophie Oakes |
| Junior Prefect for Environment and Sustainability | Maddie McCormack |
| Junior Prefect for Wellbeing and Peer Support | Sophie Cubit |
| Junior Prefect for Identity, Mission and Social Justice | Isabel Nichols |
| Junior Prefect for Arts and Culture | Alice Fox |
Presentation Values Certificates
Please see our worthy recipients from last Monday's final line-up of the year:
| Responsibility | Respect | Relationships | Resilience |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mia Wanandy | Frankie Whelan | Lizzy Frawley | Piper Netherton |
| Molly Gowans | Dinithi Wimalarathna | Alina Brello | |
| Rennie Woolnough | Evie Mihal | Eleanor Broadhead | |
| Zahra Metwari | Summer Browning | Gwen Szczerba | |
| Evelyn Croall | Grace Veitch | Charlotte Owen | |
| Temperance Svamvur | |||
| Gabriella Di Martino |
We congratulate the following students for receiving Presentation Values pins:
| Responsibility | Respect | Relationships |
|---|---|---|
| Zara Hill | Frankie Whelan | Madison Sinclair |
| Beatrice Shea |
We congratulate the following Early Years students who received certificates in our final Early Years Assembly:
| Responsibility | Respect | Relationships | Resilience |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bessie Wojcik | Zoe Anderson | Willow Urban | Isabelle Wagstaff |
| Harriet Hirst | Maddison Cooper | Charlotte Tatnell | Isla Szczerba |
| Anneke Westerdiep | Isabelle Tamlyn | Amelia Whittaker | Olivia Kertesz |
| Joanna Olinga | Charlotte Coppleman | Charlotte Purtell | Dolly Kirk |
| Georgie Dix | Ruby Marshall | Florence James | Lucy van Beest |
| Hazel Shaw | Evangelistra Karagiannis | Nina Di Palma | Freyja Dixon |
| Theresa French | Olivia Tatnell | Layla Eyles | |
| Mia Johnstone | Akby Gebremichael | ||
| Marya Getu Worku | |||
| Daisy Thomason | |||
| Grace Alloca |
Farewell, 2025 – what an unforgettable year it's been in the Junior School!
