Junior School Bulletin

As we move through a busy and exciting period of the term, there are a number of important events and opportunities for families to engage with school life in the weeks ahead. From Parent-Teacher Conferences and Grandparents' Day through to Book Week and Father's Day celebrations, we look forward to welcoming many members of our community onto campus and continuing to strengthen the partnership between home and school. 

Semester 2 Co-curricular Photos 

Term 4, Week 1 - Wednesday 7 October 

Further information and the photography schedule will be provided to families shortly. 

Our next Co-curricular Photo Day will be held on Wednesday 7 October 2026.

Photography sessions will take place concurrently across the College, with: 

• Junior School co-curricular groups photographed in the Assembly Hall 

• Senior School co-curricular groups photographed in the PE Centre 

   

To help ensure all students are photographed with their groups, families are asked to note the date in their calendars now. Further details regarding timings, uniform requirements and participating groups will be communicated closer to the event.  

International Short Stay Program 

As our International Short Stay Program concludes this week, I would like to sincerely thank our visiting students and their families for joining us over the past month. 

The program has been a wonderful opportunity for cultural exchange, new friendships and shared learning experiences. I have been incredibly proud of the way our Junior School students have welcomed their international peers with kindness, inclusivity and genuine curiosity. 

Thank you also to our staff, students and families across the Clayfield College community who have so warmly embraced our visitors and helped them feel part of College life. The friendships and memories created throughout the program will be long lasting and we wish our visiting students every success as they return home. 

Parent-Teacher Conferences - Next Week

Thank you to the many families who have registered for next week's Parent-Teacher Conferences. Bookings have now closed, and we look forward to these valuable conversations between families, students and teachers. 

These meetings provide an important opportunity to celebrate student growth, discuss progress and identify goals for the remainder of the semester. We appreciate the strong partnership that exists between home and school and look forward to meeting with families throughout the week. 

Bullying No Way! Week

Next week, Junior School students are participating in activities as part of the National Week of Action Against Bullying. 

Led by our student leaders, a range of classroom and lunchtime activities will encourage students to explore themes of kindness, inclusion, gratitude and respectful relationships. Through these experiences, students will continue to develop an understanding of how they can be positive "upstanders" and contribute to a safe and supportive community for everyone.  

MMG Education Survey - Have your say!

Thank you to all Junior School families who have already completed the MMG Education Survey. 

If you have not yet participated, this survey has been extended until Sunday 16 August and I encourage you to take a few minutes to share your feedback. Your insights are invaluable in helping us understand what we do well and where we can continue to improve as a College community. 

We greatly appreciate your time and support. 

Care@Clayfield Parent Event - Tonight!

Tonight we look forward to welcoming renowned psychologist and wellbeing expert Dr Michael Carr-Gregg to Clayfield College as part of our Care@Clayfield parent series. 

Dr Carr-Gregg is one of Australia's leading voices on parenting, wellbeing and the impact of technology on young people. This important session will explore the social, emotional and digital pressures facing children and adolescents, while providing practical strategies to support their wellbeing. 

I hope to see many of our Junior School parents there for what promises to be an engaging and highly valuable evening. 

Grandparents’ Day

We are looking forward to welcoming grandparents and special friends to Clayfield College for one of the Junior School's most treasured annual events. 

Grandparents' Day provides a wonderful opportunity for students to share their learning, showcase their classrooms and spend time with some very important people in their lives. We are excited to celebrate together and create lasting memories across the morning. 

Please ensure your guests are registered by Friday 14 August to assist with planning. 

Junior Book Week Character Parade 

Event Details:

• Date: Friday 28 August
• Time: 9:00am

• Location: PE Centre 

   

Students from Pre-Prep to Year 6 are invited to dress as their favourite book character. Closed-in footwear suitable for playground activities must be worn. Students who have HPE on the day should also bring appropriate clothing to change into if their costume is not practical for physical activity. 

The 2026 Children's Book Week theme is "Symphony of Stories", celebrating the power of books to inspire imagination, creativity and wonder. We look forward to seeing the creativity and enthusiasm of our students on display as we celebrate reading together. 

Families can learn more about this year's theme by viewing the illustrator's presentation via the video below.

We look forward to sharing these special events with our Junior School community over the coming weeks.

Father's Day Breakfast 

Thursday 3 September

Our annual Father's Day Breakfast is a wonderful opportunity for students and the special father figures in their lives to spend time together before the school day begins. 

This year's Superhero Social Father's Day Breakfast promises to be a fun and memorable morning as we celebrate the important role fathers, grandfathers and carers play within our community. 

Bookings are essential and places are limited. 

Father's Day Stall 

Thursday 3 September 

The Clayfield College Parents and Friends Association will once again host the annual Father's Day Stall. 

Students will have the opportunity to purchase a small gift for the special father figures in their lives, including dads, granddads and other loved ones ahead of Father's Day. Further information regarding available gifts, pricing and purchasing arrangements will be communicated shortly. 

Thank you to our Parents and Friends Association volunteers for coordinating this much-loved tradition.

Crazy Hair and Sock Day Youngman House Fundraiser

Friday 9 October 2026

Thank you, as always, for your ongoing support of the Junior School and the many opportunities that enrich our students' learning and wellbeing. I look forward to seeing many of you at upcoming events over the coming weeks and wish all our families a wonderful remainder of the term. 

ICAS Testing

On Monday, students enrolled in ICAS testing completed the Digital Technologies assessment. The remaining ICAS tests will be conducted over the coming weeks on the following dates: 

Please make a note of the times and tests you have requested in your student diary.  Unfortunately, we will not be able to make up missed assessments.  

QDU Primary Debating

Round 1 of the QDU Primary debating competition is approaching fast on Thursday 20 August. Students involved are eagerly investigating their first topic. More information will be coming shortly to debating families.  

Family Support Initiatives 

The partnership between home and school is vital in helping children thrive and flourish throughout their educational journey. In the Lower Junior School, this collaborative relationship is especially important, as our staff are often among the first trusted adults children interact with beyond their immediate families. The Early Childhood National Quality Standards recognise this importance through Quality Area 6: Collaborative Partnerships with Families and Communities. This commitment underpins many of our initiatives, which seek to strengthen the connection between home and school while supporting families in their parenting journey. 

Pre-Prep and Prep Parent Information Support Session

Monday 7 September, 8:45am to 9:45am 

As part of our Kindy Uplift Initiative for 2026, we are pleased to invite current and new Pre-Prep and Prep families to a Speech and Language Information Session. 

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, communication strategies, oral motor skills, recognising when additional support may be beneficial and understanding the role of speech pathology in early intervention. 

Anne, will present a short session on supporting your child's language development and communication milestones, before opening the floor for questions.

This promises to be an informative and practical session for families seeking to support their child's communication development and readiness for learning. We look forward to providing practical strategies and insights that families can use at home to further support their child's growth and development. 

Lending Library

To support families in navigating important conversations around child safety, our Pre-Prep team recently established a Lending Library of carefully selected children's books. These stories provide gentle, age-appropriate opportunities for families to discuss sometimes challenging topics in a safe and supportive way. 

The collection includes titles such as:

• From my head to my toes, I say what goes by Jacqui Lee
• Eyes, knees, boundaries please by Krupa Bhojani Playforth
• Consent, by Jayneen Sanders
• Everyone’s got a bottom by Tess Rowley.

These resources have been warmly received by families and have helped foster meaningful conversations at home. 

Given the positive response, we are excited to expand the Lending Library to Prep next year and broaden the range of topics available to families of young children. If there are particular topics you would like to see included, we would love to hear your suggestions. Please contact Robynne Bailey at rbailey@clayfield.qld.edu.au to share your ideas. 

Together, we can continue to strengthen the partnership between home and school and support our children to flourish. 

Leadership in Junior School 

This week, our Year 6 students have been stepping up in a wonderful new way during playground times. With many more students, including our Prep students, enjoying Treetops, teachers have welcomed some extra support to help reinforce handball rules and promote safe play on the busy equipment. Our Year 6 students recognised that they do not need a leadership badge to demonstrate servant leadership. Wearing pink vests, these volunteers have been lending a supportive ear, helping younger students navigate playground expectations and contributing to a safe, inclusive and enjoyable environment for everyone. 

Good Sport Awards

On Tuesday, our Junior School Captains proudly presented the latest recipients of their ‘Good Sport Award’- a new initiative this year. This special award recognises students who consistently demonstrate outstanding sportsmanship through fair and honest play, following the rules, accepting decisions graciously, including others, showing respect and being positive role models for their peers. What makes this award especially meaningful is that it is voted on by students. We received many thoughtful nominations and after careful consideration, we are delighted to congratulate Ava Satchell (2B) and Raul Surace (3B) as this term's deserving recipients. Congratulations, Ava and Raul, on this fantastic achievement. We look forward to recognising more students who demonstrate outstanding sportsmanship next term. 

Please refer to the Photo Gallery for pictures from the Junior School Assembly.