This week our Year 5 girls had a wonderful opportunity to be ambassadors for St Catherine’s during our School’s Open Morning on Thursday.  

With the Year 6 girls on an excursion to watch the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, the Year 5 girls were asked to step up and become tour guides for our guests, welcoming prospective parents at the Heyington Gates and guiding them through Barbreck. They were so excited at the prospect of the roles and did an outstanding job on the day. Thank you to all the girls involved. 

The opportunities for leadership development, public speaking, lateral thinking, Barbreck history and basic navigation skills were all on show as the girls took responsibility for their tour groups. They fielded impromptu questions from prospective parents and provided insights into the daily programs of Barbreck, its history and grounds. 

As is always the case at St Catherine’s, every encounter is a learning opportunity. As well as the girls learning much about themselves, Barbreck and the logistics of Open Mornings, as teachers we also learnt from the girls. During preparations for their ambassador roles, the girls provided me with insightful reflections on why they attend Barbreck and their thoughts and perceptions on transitioning to St Catherine’s Senior School. 

Key to most of the girls’ responses was the belief that being at Barbreck provides the best foundation possible for Senior School. Specifically, the girls expressed being in Barbreck provides them with: 

• a good foundation of knowledge and skills to build upon for Senior School. 
• adjustment to School expectations around behaviour, homework and uniform standards.  
• friendship groups before an influx of students in Year 7.  
• involvement in sports and cultural activities early so the adjustments to training or routines will not impact the step up into the Senior School.  

These responses were thoughtful reflections from our girls and will assist both Barbreck teachers and parents to best support their girls as they make the transition into Senior School. 

Barbreck’s Transition Program ensures our girls are well equipped for their movement into St Catherine’s Senior School. Commencing in 2022, St Catherine’s further strengthened the Transition Program with all Year 6 students now involved in our Academic Transition Program.  

Focusing on the core subjects of English, Mathematics, Science and STEM, and Health the program supports students as they move from the upper primary years, through to the middle years of schooling in Years 7 and 8 in the Senior School. 

For STEM classes, Ms Tori Shaw, Barbreck STEM Specialist and Ms Vanessa Jackson-McRae, Head of Science in the Senior School, guide our Junior School students. It is quite unique to have a Senior School Head of Faculty conducting classes with Junior School students. Ms Jackson-McRae’s classes are held in the Senior School Science Laboratories for our Year 6 students, which also assists and readies them for their transition to Year 7.  

In addition to Science, our Year 6 teachers specialise in their passion teaching areas, with Ms Sandra Ching teaching Mathematics across both classes, along with Senior School teachers working with our Years 5 and 6 Extension Groups, providing specialist expertise. In English, Mrs Jodie Bacon teaches across the two classes and in Health, Senior School Health and Physical Education teacher, Ms Samantha Basford, teaches the Barbreck Health program to both classes.  

This Transition Program introduces the girls to Senior School facilities, engages them with expert staff in specialist fields of study and introduces Senior School practices prior to Year 7, ensuring they experience a smooth journey and strong academic bridge to Year 7 and beyond.  

Continual Reporting Supporting Transition  

During our Open Morning discussions, it was wonderful to hear our Year 5 girls express their desire to build strong foundations of knowledge for their future academic success. When girls are engaged and motivated, academic success occurs naturally.  

A major component of building these academic foundations is our transition to continual feedback reporting. As previously communicated, commencing this semester, our Years 4 to 6 girls, and their parents, will be receiving more frequent academic feedback as part of our new online continual feedback model. 

Through continuous reporting, at key times throughout the semester, such as prior to upcoming assessments, students will be better equipped to reach their learning goals and academic aspirations. The model will mirror the feedback processes well established in the Senior School and provide additional clarity to parents.  

Further details regarding our continuous feedback model will be provided in a parent seminar on Wednesday 10 August, 6.00pm in the Barbreck Library. To RSVP for this Seminar please email barbreck@stcatherines.net.au. 

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Out of School Hours Care – Term 3 Week 4 Activities

Upcoming activities for Term 3 Week 4 are detailed here.

St Catherine’s School offers an Out of School Hours Care program to all ELC and Junior School families. The program is implemented by our provider ‘After the Bell’ and operates within the ELC building. Parents are reminded that if you need to use the Before School Care or After School Care service, registrations need to be made in advance with ‘After the Bell’. Please allow up to five business days for your registration to be processed before your child can begin attending the program. Registration is free. All families are encouraged to register so that they can use this service in the event that you are unable to pick up your child.

Before School Care – 7.00am to 8.45am

After School Care – 3.00pm to 6.00pm

Registrations can be completed via the ‘After the Bell’ website.

Please phone 9758 6744 for all inquiries.