Junior School

Year 5 2021 Orientation

Many events have moved online in 2020, and unfortunately Year 5 Orientation Day is one of those things. Nevertheless, this is an exciting and important time for our incoming students and families, so I ask and encourage you to hold them in your prayers this week leading up to Saturday. Sadly, these folks won’t have the experience of being led around our beautiful campus by the always impressive student volunteers, or hearing the wonderful musical ensembles perform, but I am sure a virtual welcome will help them as they prepare to join our College.

Year 6 Camp

Year 6 Camp is now only days away! The Year 6 students have participated in a Camp briefing and Q&A session this afternoon but if any questions remain, parents can email me directly. I am conscious that for some families this is the first time their boy will have ‘flown the nest’ as it were, and there is a certain level of worry that comes with that. Be assured that there are many supports in place to help him through this first experience, and that it is okay if some parts of it are a bit uncomfortable. The same goes for you parents – feeling a bit uncomfortable is okay and quite normal. We won’t be sending regular updates during Camp, but rest assured we can contact you if we need to. Perhaps you can even enjoy a few slightly more quiet and peaceful days!

Selfless Silence Fundraising and Mission Mass 

Our second annual morning of Selfless Silence took place yesterday, and I must say I was struck again, as I was last year, by the power of this simple act of solidarity. The boys really entered into the spirit of the event. It is deceptively difficult to keep your lips zipped for two hours when you are in an environment that normally encourages a lot of purposeful interaction. I am filled with admiration for the boys and teachers who whole-heartedly stand with our partners at St Edmund’s, Catholic Mission and Chetanalaya. We will humbly offer up the proceeds of our fundraising efforts at our Mission Mass on Friday morning.

Book Week Character Parade

Last Thursday afternoon was such an enjoyable occasion! What a celebration of books and reading. I must say that having taught young children in their first years of primary school, one of my great joys in teaching is opening up the world of reading to them. It is quite an amazing thing to witness the squiggles on the page resolving themselves into words with meaning for a child. To me this is a crucial element of a liberating education – a whole world of possibilities open up for you when you can read. Reading really is worth celebrating!

Ben Munday

Director of Junior School