Junior School Bulletin

As we enter the final weeks of Term 3, there continues to be a great deal happening across the Junior School. Alongside our everyday learning, students have enjoyed a range of special events, performances and community celebrations that enrich school life and create lasting memories. 

There is still much to look forward to before the term concludes, including this evening's final Opus Concert and, in the final week of term, the much-anticipated Canberra Tour for our Year 5 and 6 students. These experiences provide valuable opportunities for students to grow in confidence, strengthen relationships and engage in learning beyond the classroom. 

As always, I have been impressed by the enthusiasm, resilience and spirit shown by our students throughout what has been a busy and rewarding term, and I look forward to celebrating many more achievements over the coming weeks. 

Father's Day Breakfast and Father's Day Stall

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us for our Father's Day celebrations this morning, including the P&F Father's Day Stall and the Father's Day Breakfast. 

These events are always a wonderful opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the important role that parents, carers and significant adults play in the lives of our students. We know that families come in many forms, and we were delighted to see so many fathers, carers, family members and special friends sharing in the morning with our students. 

Research consistently highlights the positive impact that engaged and supportive adults have on a child's wellbeing, confidence and learning. Whether through attending school events, reading together, encouraging perseverance or simply being present in a child's life, these relationships play an important role in helping young people thrive. 

A special thank you to Owen Barbeler, whose leadership, planning and countless hours of preparation were instrumental in the success of this year's Father's Day Stall. While events such as these are always a team effort, Owen's dedication behind the scenes ensured the stall ran smoothly and provided a wonderful experience for our students. We are also incredibly grateful to the many volunteers as part of the P&F Friends of Junior Group who assisted students with their shopping and helped make the event such a success. 

I would also like to acknowledge the outstanding work of our Advancement and Facilities Teams in planning and delivering another exceptional Father's Day Breakfast. Events of this quality do not happen by chance. Behind every successful community event is an enormous amount of planning, coordination, attention to detail and commitment, often long before families arrive on the day. From logistics and set up to guest experience and presentation, countless hours go into creating an event that feels welcoming, professional and memorable. 

Time and again, these teams deliver experiences that bring our community together in meaningful ways. Their passion, professionalism and dedication to excellence are evident in every detail, and we are incredibly fortunate to have such talented staff supporting the life of the College and helping create the strong sense of community for which Clayfield is known. 

Book Week and a Love of Reading

A sincere thank you to our students, staff and families for another wonderful Book Week celebration. From the creativity and enthusiasm on display at the Book Week Parade to the many classroom activities and conversations inspired by books throughout the week, it was a joy to see our community come together to celebrate stories and reading. 

Book Week provides a valuable opportunity to shine a spotlight on literacy, imagination and the power of books. However, while parades, costumes and special activities create wonderful memories, our collective goal must extend far beyond a single week in the school calendar. 

As educators and parents, one of the greatest gifts we can give our children is a genuine love of reading. Research consistently highlights the important role reading plays in academic success, language development, creativity, empathy and overall wellbeing. More importantly, reading can become a source of lifelong enjoyment, curiosity and connection. 

One area where families can have a significant impact is through the development of healthy reading habits at home. Setting aside time to read together, discussing books, visiting libraries, sharing stories and modelling reading ourselves all send a powerful message about the value we place on literacy. Reading should not feel like a school task alone; it should be woven into family life as a way of learning, relaxing, connecting and spending time together. 

So while we celebrate a successful Book Week, our aspiration remains much bigger than a week long event. Together, let us continue fostering a culture where reading is valued every day and where a love of books becomes a lasting part of who we are as learners, families and community members. 

Opus 4 Concert

Tonight we look forward to the final Opus Concert of the year. Opus provides a wonderful platform for students to develop confidence, showcase their talents and share their learning with the wider community through performance. One of the great strengths of the Opus series is the opportunity it provides for students at all stages of their musical journey to perform in a supportive and encouraging environment. 

We wish all participating students the very best for tonight's performance and extend our thanks to our Music staff for the time, expertise and encouragement they provide to our young musicians throughout the year. We look forward to what promises to be another outstanding evening of music. 

Student Free Day

Week 8, Friday 4 September 

The College will be closed on Friday 4 September, for a Student Free Day. Please ensure other arrangements have been made for your daughter/son on this day.

Staff Professional Development Day

A reminder that Friday 4 September is a student-free day, with all Junior homeroom teachers participating in a full day of professional learning focused on enhancing the teaching of Mathematics. 

Mathematics continues to be a significant priority for us as a Junior School, and this dedicated day of learning will provide our teachers with the opportunity to deepen their knowledge, explore evidence-based practices and further strengthen the teaching and learning experiences we provide for our students. 

We are also privileged to be hosting the "What Good Maths Teaching Looks Like" Independent Schools Queensland (ISQ) professional learning event, with more than 300 teachers expected to attend Clayfield College on Friday. This is a wonderful opportunity for our staff to engage with leading educators, to share ideas, expand their professional knowledge and strengthen networks across the independent school sector. 

While students will not be attending school on this day, the professional learning undertaken by our staff is an important investment in continually improving student outcomes and ensuring we provide the highest quality learning experiences for every child. We look forward to what promises to be an inspiring and valuable day of learning and collaboration. 

Summer Uniform Reminder

A reminder that all Junior School students will transition to the Summer Uniform from Monday 7 September (Week 9). 

As students return to school next week, please ensure they are wearing the correct Summer Uniform and that all uniform items are clearly named. We appreciate the support of families in ensuring students continue to wear their uniform with pride and represent Clayfield College positively. 

Junior School Assembly Week 9

Our next Junior School Assembly will be held on Tuesday 8 September in the College Chapel. 

This assembly is for Prep to Year 3 students and will run from 2:20pm to 3:10pm. Families of students receiving awards or participating in the assembly will be contacted directly. We look forward to celebrating student achievement and contribution within our Junior School community. 

Class Leader Badge Return

As our Term 3 Class Leader roles draw to a close, we ask students in Years 1-5 to return their Class Leader badges to Mrs Jenns in Junior Administration by Friday 11 September. 

Thank you to all of our student leaders for the enthusiasm, responsibility and care they have shown throughout the term. 

Lost Property

From Monday 7 September to Friday 11 September, a Lost Property table will be set up outside the Junior Administration Office to provide students and families with an opportunity to reclaim any unnamed or unidentifiable items. 

We encourage students to take a few moments to check the collection if they are missing any belongings. Unclaimed items will be redistributed at the end of Term 3. 

As always, one of the simplest ways to help lost items find their way home is to ensure that all uniform items, hats, lunch containers and drink bottles are clearly named. A full name, or first name and surname initial, is particularly helpful and greatly assists our staff in returning items to their owners promptly.  

End of Term 3

A reminder that the final day of Term 3 for students is Thursday 17 September. This will be a normal school day, with classes concluding at the usual time of 3:10pm.

Semester 2 Co-curricular/Group Photos

Term 4, Week 1 - Wednesday 7 October and Thursday 8 October 

Please see below for the Semester 2 Co-Curricular/Group Photo schedule.

• Parents/Students please check the schedule for photo time and uniform requirements. 
• Students must arrive promptly for the time noted in the schedule. 
• Students appearing in photos which requires the Summer Formal Uniform, Sports or a specific uniform (i.e. QGSSSA) to be worn, must have the correct uniform, including correct jewellery, no make-up, neat hair and green ribbons, to appear within their photo on the day.  
• Students not in correct uniform will be unable to be in their photo. 

Note: This is the final year, in which the old uniform is to be worn and permitted for photos. 

Crazy Hair and Sock Day Youngman House Fundraiser

Friday 9 October 2026

Year 3 Twilight Experience Save the Date

We are excited to announce our Year 3 Twilight Experience, which will be held on Friday 16 October from 4:00pm to 8:00pm. 

Further information will be shared with Year 3 students and families shortly; however, we wanted to provide an early opportunity for families to save the date. 

This experience forms an important part of our students' preparation for the transition to an overnight camp experience next year. Through opportunities such as these, students develop confidence, independence, resilience and stronger friendships, while enjoying a fun and memorable evening with their peers. 

We are very excited about this event and look forward to sharing further details soon. 

As always, thank you for your ongoing support of the Junior School. Whether through reading with your child, attending school events or encouraging them to embrace new opportunities, the partnership between home and school plays a vital role in helping our students flourish.   

Canberra Tour Reminders 

With our Canberra Tour quickly approaching, it is timely reminder to make sure students have named winter uniforms to wear on the trip. We will not be taking the formal hat; however, students will require a bucket hat, sports cap or dark coloured beanie.   

Packing lists, and other important information, especially around medication will be resent to families in the coming days and appear on the Class lighthouse pages which students can access. 

In the past couple of weeks, students have submitted surveys for food preferences and cabin groups and we held an information session during which some really thoughtful questions were raised. 

Please feel free to email me any additional questions raised at home about the trip. We are looking forward to a jam-packed and fun-filled itinerary in our nation’s capital! 

Health Reminder 

As hands-on, social learners who are continuing to build their immune systems while engaging with the wider community, our youngest students can often be generous in sharing common viruses and illnesses. It can sometimes be difficult for parents to decide whether a child is well enough to attend school or should remain at home to recover. 

To support families in making informed decisions, Queensland Health provides its Time Out poster, as seen below, which outlines best-practice recommendations and guidelines for managing common childhood illnesses and school attendance. 

Early Childhood Educators' Day 

Early Childhood Educators' Day is a national initiative that recognises and celebrates the invaluable work of educators in early learning settings, including our Pre-Prep Centre. It acknowledges their significant contribution to the healthy development, learning and wellbeing of young children. 

As we thank our Pre-Prep team, we would like to acknowledge their dedication to nurturing the whole child and bringing out the very best in every individual in their care. Their commitment to supporting social and emotional development, fostering self-regulation skills, and inspiring curiosity and a love of learning is evident in all that they do.

Their care, expertise and passion consistently go above and beyond, creating a welcoming, rich and supportive environment where children can thrive. 

We are incredibly fortunate to have such a dedicated, collaborative and caring team supporting our youngest learners. Thank you Ms Lord, Mrs Madders and Ms Coombes. 

Please refer to the Week 8 Photo Gallery for further highlights

Pre-Prep and Prep Parent Information Support Session

Monday 7 September, 8:45am to 9:45am 

We look forward to hosting our upcoming Parent Information Support Session for prospective and current Pre-Prep and Prep families. 

Presented by Speech Pathologist Anne Walker, the session will explore practical ways families can support speech, language and communication development during the early years. Topics will include speech sound development and communication strategies, recognising when additional support may be beneficial and highlighting the role of speech pathology in early intervention. 

This promises to be an informative and practical session for families seeking to support their child's communication development and readiness for learning. 

Sharing a Love of Science and Reading with Buddies 

Following the excitement of both Book Week and Science Week, our older and younger students have enthusiastically embraced these special focus weeks together. Buddy classes have made the most of their time by sharing their interests, skills and passions through a range of engaging learning experiences. 

Many year levels have enjoyed reading with their buddies, sharing favourite stories and supporting younger students as they develop their early reading and sounding-out skills. These opportunities not only strengthen literacy skills but also foster meaningful connections between students across the year levels. 

A particular highlight this week has been our Year 6 students who, in cross-class groupings, planned, designed and conducted their own science experiments for their Pre-Prep buddies. With a strong focus on communication and engagement, the Year 6 students guided their younger peers through each activity, creating an exciting and memorable learning experience for all involved. Explaining scientific concepts to a younger audience is a challenging task that requires both a deep conceptual understanding and excellent communication skills, and our Year 6 students rose to the challenge admirably. 

Many of our other buddy class pairings have already shared, or are planning to share, a variety of wonderful science activities and experiments. We look forward to seeing these special partnerships continue to inspire curiosity, collaboration and a love of learning. 

Holiday Clinics Now Open for Bookings

Lifetime Tennis

Lifetime Tennis will be running clinics at Clayfield College over the Spring school holiday break. All ages and abilities are welcome and private lessons are available by appointment. 

Clinic 1 Details:

• Dates: Wednesday 23 September, Thursday 24 September, Friday 25 September
• Times: 8:30 to 10:30am
• Cost: $60 per day or $160 for all 3 days. 

Clinic 2 Details:

• Dates: Wednesday 30 September, Thursday 1 September, Friday 2 October
• Times: 8:30 to 10:30am 
• Cost: $60 per day or $160 for all 3 days. 

If you'd like to enrol, please reach out to Matt Limpus, High Performance Coach via 

Ph: 0419 789 953

Email: matt@lifetimetennis.com.au