Primary Bulletin

Andrews Cup Swimming Competition

Following our boys' success in the Britton Shield Swimming, our girls from Years 2 to 6 delivered another outstanding performance in the pool. We are proud to announce that they won the Percentage Cup and placed 5th overall in the competition. A special mention goes to our 11 year old swimmers, who secured a 3rd place pennant.

Their dedication and commitment throughout training truly paid off, and their determination, effort, and exceptional performances on the day are to be commended. Congratulations to all the girls on this fantastic achievement, and to Amy Lewin for her wonderful preparation and organisation of this event.

Harmony Day Assembly

We look forward to parents/caregivers joining us for our Pre-Prep to Year 12 Harmony Day Assembly on Friday.

All students are asked to come to school in their school uniform and will have the opportunity to change into their National dress at Morning Tea.

If you are concerned that your child may find changing difficult, you are welcome to sign in at Reception from 10:10am, to collect them from their classroom and assist them in changing. After the procession, students will change back into their uniforms for afternoon lessons.

Life Education Years 3 to 6

Next week, classes in Years 4, 5, and 6 will take part in the Life Education ‘Talk about it’ program. Sessions will focus on ‘Body Safety, Body Changes’ (Year 4), ‘Evolving Friendships’ (Year 5), and ‘Navigating Relationships’ (Year 6). Further details will be emailed to parents of participating classes later this week.

Interschool Chess Tournament Years 1 to 12

Clayfield College will be hosting a Chess Tournament on Monday 31 March. Students from Years 1 to 12 are invited to sign up. Please let Mrs Bryan know if you are interested in participating. The tournament will run from 9:30am until 2:00pm. Students need to bring their usual morning tea, lunch, and water bottle, and will be supervised by Clayfield College staff.

Lost Property

On Monday 31 March and Tuesday 1 April, a table will be set up outside the Primary Admin Office from 8:00am to 8:30am and 2:30pm to 3:30pm for lost property items to be claimed. Unclaimed items will be redistributed at the end of Term 1.

Reminder: Please clearly name (full name or name and surname initial is helpful) all items, so that lost items can be returned to their owner promptly.

Last Day of Term 1

Please note that the last day of Term 1 for students is Thursday 3 April, finishing at 3:10pm.

Personal Safety

As the days start to get shorter and we head into the cooler months, it’s a great opportunity to take a moment and focus on something just as important as academics - students' safety and wellbeing. 

At Clayfield, we are committed to helping our children develop the skills they need to stay safe, both within the school environment and beyond. Our aim is for all students to feel confident in their ability to handle challenging situations, whether they are on the playground, waiting to be picked up in the afternoon, or interacting with others in their community.  With this in mind, I ask that you check in with your child to remind them of the following:

1. Encourage your child to trust their instincts. If something doesn’t feel right, it’s okay to remove themselves from the situation and seek a safe place.
2. Teach your child to politely but firmly say “no” if someone asks them to do something they’re uncomfortable with, and to walk away calmly and confidently.
3. Remind your child that if they ever feel uncertain, they should talk to a trusted adult - whether it’s a teacher, a family member, or a parent, there’s always someone they can turn to for support.
4. If your child has a phone or other device, encourage them to use it to contact you or another trusted person if they ever feel unsafe or need help.

By reinforcing the simple steps above, we can help our students feel more confident and prepared to make safe decisions, no matter where they are.

We understand that there has been a recent incident reported at a school in the surrounding suburbs of our College. While we should always remain vigilant, this incident serves as a timely reminder for us to have these important 'Stranger Danger' conversations with our young people. 

Pre-Prep to Year 1 Easter Bonnet Parade

In Week 10 on Thursday 3 April, Pre-Prep to Year 1 students will participate in their much-loved Easter Bonnet Parade. Bonnets will be prepared in class with no requirements from home. We welcome parents to join us for this event which will be held in the Amphitheatre commencing at 1:45pm. You are welcome to take your child home at the end of the parade.

New Date for Year 6 Camp

We are pleased to announce a new date for the postponed Year 6 Noosa Northshore Camp: Monday 2 June to Wednesday 4 June (Term 2, Week 7) has been secured. More information will come out closer to the time.

Primary Captains Leading by Example

The Primary Captains have been very busy over the last couple of weeks. They planned, interviewed, and filmed their first Gravity Grit Cam video which they presented at Assembly this week, showcasing the experiences of students throughout the recent cyclone. On it, Clayfield students shared their fears, preparations, coping strategies, and lessons learnt.

Over the course of Term 1, classes have been creating inviting door displays which highlight the identities within their room. The Primary Captains had the honour of judging a winning door, and after much deliberation, they chose 3O, who will enjoy their prize next week.

Study Buddy clubs open next Wednesday lunchtime for students who want some academic support in a particular subject area. Mrs Coote, along with some Year 6 Captains, will be ready and available to help. These will be offered each term.

The year has started off with great enthusiasm from the students who are part of the variety of Enrichment Programs we offer at Clayfield College. In the Primary School, we do a combination of in-class support and withdrawal support. It is wonderful to have our team grow this year. Joining myself, Mrs Selina Tayler and Mrs Susan Finney are Miss Rachael Fellowes and Mrs Kate Osborne. The staff also work closely with visiting specialists to ensure that students’ individualised needs identified in their Learning Adjustment Plans are being supported with relevant strategies.

Clayfield College offers the intervention programs MiniLit Sage and MacqLit. MiniLit Sage is the updated researched-based intervention program, especially designed for students in the early years of schooling. The program has been updated to include the latest in reading intervention strategies and practices. MacqLit is an explicit and systematic reading intervention program with a core focus on phonics, or word identification, supported by connected text reading to ensure skills are generalised to authentic reading experiences. Both these programs have been based on the research and development initiative of Macquarie University, NSW.

Two mornings a week, selected students participate in before school Literacy and Maths Clubs. These clubs are designed to revise and consolidate core literacy and maths skills in a fun way through educational games and activities. The students enjoy the variety of activities offered in these clubs.

Screens, Social Media and Our Kids

Date: Wednesday 26 March 2025

Time: 7:00pm to 8:30pm 

Venue: Online

Cost: Free

In this parent webinar, tween/teen champion Michelle Mitchell and Clinical and school psychologist Dr Matt O’Connor will discuss some practical strategies, tips and insights for helping your child foster a healthy relationship with technology and unpack some ways to

help your family prepare for the upcoming social media ban.

Learn more and register via the link below. 

Michelle Mitchell

Tween/teen expert and parenting educator 

Dr Matt O'Connor

Clinical and school psychologist

Code Camp