Junior School Bulletin

Welcome to this week’s Junior School Bulletin, where we share a few key messages and highlight important upcoming events across the coming weeks. As always, thank you for your continued partnership and support as we work together to ensure a positive and well‑connected school experience for our students and families. 

Parent Teacher Conferences

Earlier this week, families received detailed information about our upcoming Prep to Year 6 Student/Parent/Teacher Conferences, which will be held from Tuesday 17 March to Thursday 19 March. I would like to strongly encourage all families to please ensure you book a time to meet with your child’s classroom teacher. 

These regular conversations between home and school are a crucial part of supporting student growth. They provide a valuable opportunity to reflect on your child’s progress, celebrate strengths, and set clear goals together for the year ahead. We strongly encourage students to attend alongside their parents or caregivers, as this shared reflection helps build ownership, confidence and clarity around learning. 

Bookings are made through Parent Lounge and are allocated on a first‑come, first‑served basis. If you have not yet done so, please take the time to sign up once bookings open, and do not hesitate to contact the Junior School email address (juniorschool@clayfield.qld.edu.au) if you require any assistance. We look forward to these important and meaningful conversations with you. 

Parking Around the College

A Thank You and Gentle Reminder 

I would like to begin by sincerely thanking the vast majority of our families who consistently park considerately and follow traffic guidelines during drop‑off and pick‑up times. Your care and cooperation play a significant role in keeping our community safe and positive. 

As a reminder, we do ask that everyone continues to be mindful of parking regulations in the streets surrounding the College, particularly during our busiest times. Adhering to these guidelines helps ensure the safety of our students and maintains respectful relationships with our neighbours, many of whom live and work near the school. 

Key reminders include: 

• Please avoid parking in restricted areas, including yellow lines or partially blocking driveways 

• Use designated drop‑off and pick‑up areas only 

• Observe all traffic signs and signals 

• If walking into campus, please avoid parking in or opposite Circular Drive 

   

By continuing to work together and modelling respectful behaviour, we help create a safe environment for our children and demonstrate our shared commitment to being good neighbours. Thank you again for your ongoing support. 

Gallery Walks

At the end of Semester 1 and Semester 2, parents are invited to attend Gallery Walks for their child’s/ren’s year level.  These gallery walks are scheduled to showcase the learning which has occurred over the Semester. We will include the dates for Semester 1 in upcoming newsletters and teachers will also provide further communication to parents. 

Acknowledgement

We acknowledge Kate Osborne, who will conclude her time at Clayfield College this week after three years of service as a Teacher Aide in the Junior School.

Kate has made a valued contribution to our community through the strong, supportive relationships she has built with students, staff, and families. Her calm organisation, initiative and caring approach have been greatly appreciated, and she has been a trusted presence across our learning spaces.

We thank Kate for her contribution to the Junior School and wish her every success in her next chapter. As an Old Collegian, Kate will always be part of our Clayfield family. 

Junior School Contact

A friendly reminder to all families that the Junior School can be contacted via email at juniorschool@clayfield.qld.edu.au. This is the best point of contact for general enquiries, attendance notifications, and any questions regarding your child’s learning or wellbeing. Please don’t hesitate to reach out, our team is always happy to assist.

'Excellent Start' Parent Workshop

Pre-Prep to Year 2 - Week 6, Tuesday 3 March 

In Week 6, on Tuesday 3 March at 8:45am in the Lower LRC, Pre-Prep to Year 2 parents are invited to come and learn about our Excellent Start in the early years at Clayfield College.  At this workshop you will learn how to support our programs in Reading, Writing, Spelling and Numeracy, by assisting in the classroom and at home.  You will find out how to ask comprehension questions following reading, what are reading strategies, ways to practise spelling words, developing ideas in writing, any why number sense is important.  

Please register your attendance via juniorschool@clayfield.qld.edu.au and include the event name in the subject line and please mention your child’s name and class in the email.  

NAPLAN Preparation and Testing

If your child is in Years 3 or 5, they should now have the NAP 2026 lockdown browser installed on their device. Please check that they also have a working set of wired headphones in their device case and that their device is coming to school fully charged each day. We held a 'readiness’ test for Year 5 on Wednesday 25 February, and have one scheduled for Year 3 on Friday 27 February, during which students will be taken to their testing room and walked through sample questions from each test on their device. Not having the correct equipment for this may result in the practice being stressful and much less beneficial for them.  

NAPLAN testing itself commences on Wednesday 11 March. We recommend that on testing days, students eat a good breakfast and avoid listening to the radio, as coverage of NAPLAN is often alarmist and increases the worry our students feel. If your child is naturally anxious about the testing, please remind them that it is just a snapshot of what they know today, so that the government can track how well schools are teaching the children in Australia. 

Leadership Incursion with Character Builders

On Monday 23 February, our students took part in an inspiring leadership incursion with Character Builders. The day began with a lively Scissors Paper Rock Tournament, where a simple game became a meaningful lesson in encouragement, humility and valuing process over prize. 

Students then tackled the Domino Theory challenge, working in teams to create interconnected domino designs that required resilience, teamwork and calm communication. This continued into the energetic Amazing Race, where groups navigated cryptic and physical challenges while practising stepping up, stepping back and supporting one another. The bucket head challenge was a highlight for many. 

The day concluded with meaningful social and emotional learning through Conversation Circles and Big Ups. Students engaged in thoughtful peer conversations before offering sincere affirmations to classmates. Year 6 finished the day feeling more connected, more confident and equipped with practical leadership skills for the year ahead.