Junior School Bulletin

As we approach the final week of Term 3, it is hard to believe how quickly the term has passed. It has been a busy, productive and positive term across the Junior School, with students embracing a wide range of learning, co-curricular and community opportunities. 

Last week, Clayfield College had the privilege of hosting almost 300 educators for a professional learning event. It was wonderful to welcome teachers from across the region to our campus and to see such meaningful professional dialogue taking place. Thank you to the many staff members who contributed to the success of the day and represented our College so professionally. I would also like to acknowledge and thank our Junior School homeroom teachers who participated in the professional learning. Their commitment to continual growth and professional learning directly benefits the students in our care and reflects the strong culture of learning that exists within our College. 

As the term draws to a close, our attention now turns to one of the highlights of the year for our Year 5 and 6 students, the Canberra Educational Tour. I am fortunate to be accompanying our students alongside a number of dedicated staff and leadership team members. The experience provides a rich extension of classroom learning and offers students valuable opportunities to grow in independence, confidence and resilience. I would like to thank the staff who have generously committed their time to making this experience possible and wish all our travellers an exciting and memorable week ahead. 

We are also looking forward to our Pre-Prep to Year 1 Games Day next Tuesday. This event is always a wonderful celebration of participation, teamwork and school spirit, and we hope many parents and family members can join us on The Green to support and encourage our youngest students. 

Please take note of the important reminders and dates below as we approach the conclusion of another rewarding term. 

Class Allocation Process

As we move towards the end of the term, I wanted to provide families with advance notice that our class allocation process for the 2027 school year will begin shortly after the school holidays. 

Class formation is one of the most important and complex pieces of planning we undertake each year. Significant time, care and professional judgement are invested in creating balanced classes across the Junior School. We carefully consider a wide range of factors including learning needs, friendships, social dynamics, student wellbeing, cohort composition and the needs of individual learners. 

We recognise that families have valuable insights into their children and will provide an opportunity for parents to share information they believe may be important for us to consider, if they wish. While family input forms one part of the process, final class placement decisions are made after carefully balancing the needs of all students across a year level. 

Further information regarding timelines, next steps and opportunities for input will be shared early in Term 4. 

Class Leader Badge Return

Thank you to the many students who have already returned their Class Leader badges. 

 This is a final reminder for any Years 1-5 students who still have their badge to please return it to Mrs Jenns in Junior Administration by Friday 11 September. 

As our Term 3 leadership roles conclude, I would also like to thank all of our Class Leaders for the enthusiasm, responsibility and care they have demonstrated throughout the term. Your contribution to our Junior School community has been greatly appreciated.

Lost Property

As we approach the end of Term 3, this is a final reminder for families to check the Lost Property collection located outside the Junior Administration Office. 

A number of unnamed or unidentifiable items remain unclaimed, including uniform items, hats, drink bottles and lunch containers. Families and students are encouraged to take a few moments to look through the collection if they are missing any belongings. 

Please note that any items remaining at the end of term will be redistributed during the school holidays. 

A reminder that clearly naming all belongings remains the simplest way to ensure items are returned to their owners promptly. 

End of Term 3 - Thursday 17 September

A reminder that the final day of Term 3 for students is Thursday 17 September. 

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: 2026 is the final year in which the previous Clayfield College uniform may be worn in official College photographs. 

Looking Ahead

Monday 14 September - Thursday 17 September 

• Years 5 and 6 Canberra Educational Tour 

Tuesday 15 September 

• Pre-Prep to Year 1 Games Day (8:50am to 10:20am, The Green) 

Thursday 17 September 

• Final Day of Term 3 for Students 

Wednesday 7 October – Thursday 8 October 

• Semester 2 Co-curricular and Group Photos 

Friday 9 October 

• Youngman House Crazy Hair and Sock Day Fundraiser in support of The Kids' Cancer Project and World's Greatest Shave 

Friday 16 October 

• Year 3 Twilight Experience 

Crazy Hair and Sock Day Youngman House Fundraiser

Friday 9 October 2026

Year 3 Twilight Experience Save the Date

Our Year 3 Twilight Experience will be held on Friday 16 October from 4:00pm to 8:00pm. 

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. 

Thank you

Thank you for your continued support of the Junior School. We look forward to a wonderful final week of term, with our Pre-Prep to Year 1 Games Day and the Year 5 and 6 Canberra Educational Tour providing fitting highlights to what has already been a busy, positive and productive term. 

Science Week

During buddy class time, our Year 2 and Year 4 students worked together to investigate which objects would float or sink in water. Before testing each item, students made predictions and shared their reasoning. There were plenty of surprised faces and excited reactions as some results were very different from what they expected! It was a wonderful opportunity for students to work alongside their buddies, build new friendships and enjoy hands-on learning together. Everyone had a fantastic time exploring, predicting and discovering through science. 

Staff Professional Development

On our student-free day last Friday, Junior School staff participated in the Independent Schools Queensland's professional learning day, What Good Maths Teaching Looks Like, hosted at Clayfield College. The event brought together 260 Mathematics educators from across Queensland to explore current research and effective classroom practices.

Keynote speakers Dr Siobhan Merlo and Brad Nguyen addressed Australia's numeracy challenges and shared strategies to enhance student engagement and achievement in Mathematics. Staff also attended a range of breakout sessions covering topics such as early numeracy assessment, effective practice structures, common misconceptions in mathematics education and practical approaches to developing students' conceptual understanding. 

Overall, it was an engaging and valuable day that provided staff with evidence-based strategies and insights to further strengthen Mathematics teaching and learning across our Junior School. 

Pre-Prep Drumming Incursion

Father’s Day came early to Pre-Prep last week as fathers, grandfathers and special friends spent a creative morning singing, dancing, drumming and sharing with their children in a “Hello Africa” experience workshop. The range of African drums and musical instruments brought in had everyone captivated as they carefully watched and listened to mimic what they were shown. Experiences like this help children make connections with different cultures through music, movement and shared participation. Students from surrounding classrooms couldn’t resist taking a peek and wishing they were in Pre-Prep! 

‘Hello You’ Book Launch

Queensland Child Protection Week 

This week is Queensland Child Protection Week. In preparation, Mrs Madders and Ms Coombes visited author Dannika Patterson, who was at the State Library for the launch of her children’s book, Hello YOU!. Developed through a collaboration between Children’s Rights Queensland and the Queensland Child Protection Week Committee, Dannika Patterson and illustrator Amanda Letcher, wrote Hello YOU!  to highlight an important message about everyone’s shared responsibility to keep children safe.  

The book challenges families to reflect with their children on who their five trusted adults are. These are the people a child can go to if something doesn't feel right. We encourage families to discuss and complete this activity together.  

Save the Date

Prep and Year 1 Swimming Exhibitions 

Parents and carers of Prep and Year 1 students will be invited to attend their Swimming Exhibitions on Tuesday 10 November. The times for each class event will be communicated in the Collective closer to the time. 

‘Many Voices Better Choices’

Student Representative Council 

Over the past few weeks, our Student Representative Council (SRC) meetings have been filled with vibrant discussion and purposeful ideas. Our SRC representatives have done an outstanding job communicating with their classes and bringing forward thoughtful suggestions to further enhance life in the Junior School. 

Ideas raised have included classroom communication books, a lunchtime whiteboard for students to share playtime ideas, SRC-led lunchtime challenges, improved bin placement, greater access to the oval at morning tea, termly awards for House Point winners, a relaunch and increased promotion of the House Point system, solutions for safe hat storage and opportunities for PE centre play during the hotter months. 

Many of these suggestions have already been shared with the Junior Leadership Team, with several initiatives set to be introduced early next term. Most importantly, these discussions demonstrate how passionate our students are about their school community and how committed they are to making it even better for everyone. 

The SRC continues to provide a valuable platform for student voice, and it is inspiring to see our students taking such pride in their school. Their enthusiasm, initiative and leadership remind us of the incredible impact that can be achieved when students are empowered to share their ideas and work together for the good of the community. 

As our 2026 Junior School Leaders so thoughtfully remind us, "Many voices, better choices." Our SRC meetings are a wonderful example of this motto in action, with students collaborating, problem-solving and helping to shape a Junior School where every voice can make a difference.