Learning Across the
Junior School
Junior School Leadership Opportunities
On Monday 3 August, our Year 6 House and Sports Captains together with Ms Edwards and Ms Smith, attended the RUOK? Student Summit at Prince Alfred College, joining students from other schools for a day focused on health and wellbeing. They heard from guest speakers about the importance of leading by example and learned practical strategies for supporting their own wellbeing and the wellbeing of others. The day concluded with a planning session, where students worked together to brainstorm ideas for running their own RUOK? activity day back at school.
Our Social Justice Captains recently attended the Primary School Leadership Day, hosted by Catholic Education South Australia (CESA) at The Pavilion, Prospect. Joining student leaders from Catholic primary schools across South Australia, the girls participated in a day of learning and collaboration as they explored their unique gifts and talents as leaders, with a particular focus on the meaning of charism. The day provided a wonderful opportunity for our students to connect with other young leaders, share ideas and gain inspiration for making a positive difference within their school communities.
All the girls represented Loreto with pride, and we congratulate our Year 6 Captains on their outstanding participation and leadership.
Setting Students Up for Success
Our staff continue to engage in professional development to ensure we are providing the best possible learning experiences for our students. One of our key areas of focus this term has been on Cognitive Load Theory, drawing on research from the Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO).
A key principle of Cognitive Load Theory is that students have a limited working memory, meaning learning is most effective when unnecessary information and distractions are reduced. This research reinforces the importance of creating calm, focused learning environments and carefully considering how we structure the school day to maximise learning opportunities.
Across the Junior School, classes begin the day with explicit literacy instruction. Research indicates that students are highly focused and ready to learn at the beginning of the school day, making this a particularly valuable time for explicit teaching and learning. We greatly appreciate the support of families in ensuring students arrive on time each morning, so they are ready to learn, engage and thrive.
Save the date
Preschool–Year 6 Book Week Parade: Friday 28 August 2026
Theme: Symphony of Stories
Time: 8:50am to 9:30am
Location: Brigid Jones Gymnasium, Loreto College
All families are welcome to attend.
Lisa Sexton
Assistant Principal: Head of Junior School
Year 1 Stepping Back in Time
This term, our Year 1 students have been busy stepping back in time as part of our Inquiry learning! We have been exploring how life in the past was different from life today, with a special focus on what school was like for children many years ago.
To bring our learning to life, last week we were very lucky to welcome Loreto Old Scholar, Helen Barnett, who visited the Year 1 classrooms to share stories and memories from her time as a student at Loreto. The girls loved hearing about what school looked like in the past, including the uniforms, classrooms, routines, learning experiences and traditions that Helen remembered from her school days.
Our curious Year 1 students had the opportunity to ask Helen questions, compare her experiences with their own lives at school today and discover some of the ways Loreto has changed over time. They were also excited to notice the special traditions and values that have continued across generations.
A very special thank you to Helen for generously sharing her memories with us and helping our girls make such a meaningful connection between the past and present!
Isabelle Zappia and Emma Sippe
Year 1 Teachers
