Junior School News

Book Week

This week, Girton Grammar Junior School was buzzing with Book Week excitement!

Perform Education launched Book Week on Monday, with all students from Prep to Year 6 attending their MAYBE A MIRACLE! Show. This educational musical adventure, held in partnership with the Children’s Book Council of Australia, provided a magical start to our Book Week celebrations. The interactive musical explored the theme of making the most of even the most ordinary situations, promoting the power of positive thinking. 

Tuesday started with ‘Books and Bickies' in the Library. This has become a well-loved tradition, with families coming together in the library to read books while enjoying a Tiny Teddy or two.  

The gates practically burst open on Wednesday morning with students excitedly arriving in costume for the much-loved Book Week Parade Day. As the weather was not kind to us in the morning, an alternative parade route was organised. The students embraced this change like they always do, with great understanding and compassion. 

Students and staff paraded as their favourite book characters for each other and the gathered parents and carers. There were dinosaurs, magical unicorns and fairies all over the school. The parade promoted much chatter among students and staff about their favourite stories and why they chose a particular character to dress up as for the day.  

On Thursday lunchtime, with the support of the SRC students, the ‘Great Book Swap’ came to life. Students were invited to bring along a book to swap and join in the fun at the Junior School Library. Students were very excited to see what other children were reading and what titles were on offer to swap.

Overall, Book Week has been a great success, with many murmurs already beginning about costumes for 2025.

Bullying No Way Week 

Prep activities

During Anti-Bullying Week, the Preps engaged in meaningful activities to foster empathy and understanding. They listened to the story "Chrysanthemum" by Kevin Henkes, which tells the tale of a young girl who learns to embrace her unique name despite teasing from her peers. After reading, the students discussed the importance of using kind words and how our words can affect others. They also plotted the characters' feelings on a mood meter, helping them recognise and articulate emotions, an important step in developing empathy and preventing bullying. 

Year 1 activities

As part of Bullying No Way Week, students in Year One discussed the concept of belonging. This was reinforced by the idea that, like a school of fish, though they each have their differences, they all have a place at Girton Grammar School. Students used their crafting skills to colour images of different sea creatures, with the view of creating a window display that reads “In our school, we’re all different, but we all swim together.” 

It was an engaging and creative lesson, enjoyed by all.

Year 2 activities 

Year 2 students looked at respect and what it looks like in different contexts. We read a story called Somebody’s Land and discussed how we can show respect to others. 

Year 3 activities

During Bullying No Way Week, students in Year 3 learned about positive relationships and the importance of friendship. We discussed our relationship circle and the people in our lives who are close to us, such as family members and friends, and the roles of people such as teachers and health professionals. These people all work together to help us in different ways. We discussed the importance of our relationships with our friends and how we can be a good friend. 

Three ways to be to be a better friend: 

1. Show kindness to others.

2. Be a good listener and communicator – be honest, respectful and encouraging. 

3. Be a supportive friend – be there when your friends need you. A good friend makes our life brighter and better; they make us feel accepted for who we are.

Year 4 activities

During Bullying No Way Week, Year 4 focused on diversity and culture, looking at how we show respect to the many differing cultures in our school. We discussed different ways we can show respect, such as acknowledging people by name, showing good body language when peers are talking, and listening to understand. We also discussed respecting diversity by reading the story Two Good Mates. 

Year 5 activities

During Bullying No Way Week, the Year 5 students worked in several groups to create plays about bullying. We performed these for the Year 5 cohort and teachers. We learnt about each others’ plays and the different ways we can stand up to bullying. – Ryan Guo

Year 6 activities

Year 6 has been talking about inclusion, the effects of bullying and how we all play an important part in calling it out and stopping it. Our students wrote poems and short stories around the topic of bullying and inclusion in class.

The shoes you need to fill (Rowena Lawson, 6M)

The shoes you need to fill

To feel the pang of guilt

That floods your heart

And breaks it so

Because of what you did

To that poor unfortunate soul

Accidentally once is rude

Deliberately once mean

Cruelness is what you did

Cruelness is what you chose

Chose to torture

Chose to make them cry

Chose to make them wonder why

Why you did that

Why you made them cry

Why you’re the bully

Why, why, why

You are going through something

Something you wish not to hold

Handing it down seems like the answer you need

That answer might make not yours but their heart bleed

Blood watering insecurities

Making them bloom

Creating a forest

Making them not believe soon

If the forest thrives 

What have they got

Bullying just needs to stop

Sunlight seeps through a thick array of trees

Then disappearing as quick as a smile

Being nice is worthwhile

Pain (Jemima Morley, 6M) 

Each word is like a blade, piercing your heart with the cold, 

as you search for the strength you so badly wish to hold. 

When you take off, your heart racing with fear,

the ground grips you without letting you go, it feels like the end is near. 

As you stand there pleading for an end to this cruel game,

as hope fades you wonder if other people feel the same?

We say it’s not right, that this path is wrong,

but still, bullies stand tall, pretending they're strong.

The hurt and the sorrow echo our pain, 

as we stand there trying to stay sane. 

Together we try to be brave,

in the face of this darkness, we rise and we save.

Words can cut, and actions sting,

but kindness is the strongest thing.

In the echo of laughter, words stand over us like shadows, 

sharp and jagged, they are cutting deep into the heart. 

A face hidden behind a mask of sadness but inside, 

a storm brews, filled with doubt and pain.

Change the World (Yuzi Li, 6M)

In a playground’s noisy crowd,

A lonely kid stands all alone,

The bullies’ voices harsh and loud,

Cut deeper than some sticks and stones.

Yet courage rises, small but bright,

A friend steps forward, brave and true,

“No more,” they say, “this isn’t right".

And stand with those who live in blue.

Inclusion wraps its gentle arms,

Around the ones who feel so small,

A welcoming world has its charms,

And lifts them up so they stand tall.

But inflictors too, they bear the cost,

A bird-like heart that's flown away,

For every line of love that’s lost,

Leaves no one there for them to stay.

So, what if we choose to stand as one?

To help each other when we’re down,

A nice world that can’t be undone,

Where kindness spreads and wears the crown.

Every day, kids take their lives,

So why not change that? Go say hi!

A simple wave, or a goodbye,

Could change the cause of why they cry.

Dear Diary (Alice McIntosh, 6M)

Dear Diary,

Today was one of those days that really sucked, one of those days that can't be fixed with a hot shower or a TV binge, today was the worst. It started off like any other normal day. I woke up, gave myself a pep-talk to try and get out of bed. I had brekky, and then school happened and with it came the relentless echo of mean jokes and cruel laughter.

Sometimes I feel like people just have a knack for making other people feel small, and today I was on the receiving end. It's nice to think that this is just a phase, that the bullies will grow out of it, or find something better to do with their time. But it's hard to think that it's not personal or that I'm just the exception to the saying “you're not alone”. It's not just the words that sting though, it’s the way they look at you like you are worthless or something less than human, and the way the laughter follows you down the hallway into class, and how it rings in your ears the rest of the day.

I try to stay strong. Just go with it, smile and keep on going like it's no big deal. But inside I felt like I was crumbling to pieces, like my stomach was being tossed around and twisted in knots. I nearly yelled at them and told them to stop but I knew that would only make it worse. It would only give them more reason to laugh and jeer.

Sometimes I wonder if anyone understands how this makes me feel. Do my friends see it? Do the teachers? Do any of them realise how each of these moments put weight on my heart? I don’t want to be weak, but sometimes I feel like I have the weight of the world on my shoulders and it’s exhausting.

I’m trying to remind myself that other people’s opinions don’t matter. That they don’t get to decide what I'm worth, but it’s hard to keep thinking that when it feels like everyone else is trying to tell me otherwise.

Anyway diary, thanks for listening. I feel like it is so easy to write everything down, it's like talking to someone but with a lot less judgement.

Next time, 

Anon.

Science Week 2024

As part of Science Week 2024 in the Junior School, we dedicated Monday 12 August to giving our younger students who aren't yet completing specialist science classes an opportunity to spend time in the Junior School Science Lab. In their class groups, students from Prep to Year 3 rotated through the Science Lab over the course of the day. Each of the groups arrived full of enthusiasm and excitement and they left extremely happy, with many things to talk about.

On arrival, students were treated to demonstrations of various chemistry experiments and were able to see the different chemical reactions firsthand. Much to their delight, the students then had the opportunity to dress in laboratory safety equipment (including lab coats and glasses) and conduct an experiment of their own.

Prep and Year 1 students used a bottle, vinegar and bicarb soda to expand a balloon, which produced many awestruck faces and squeals of delight. The Year 2 and 3 students were tasked with collecting and setting up their own equipment and materials. In pairs, they then created a freaky hand by attaching a glove to a jar and creating a chemical reaction with vinegar and bicarb soda. As the pressure in the glove increased, it popped off the jar and into the air, making many of the students (and one or two teachers) jump with shock and then joy. 

The day came to an end far too soon, but it can be summed up by the reactions of excitement from our students, with many exclaiming how much fun they had making things bubble, sizzle and explode – and the thing I liked to hear the most, "I wish we could have a science lesson in here every week". 

After School Care

Kelly Sports