Junior School Report

The Junior School staff consistently provided exceptional teaching, identifying and advancing the knowledge and skills of each student, as well as developing each girl’s character. Across all facets of life in the Junior School, Mrs Melissa Voce, staff and students have appreciated the wonderful support of the Principal, Mrs Cheryl Penberthy, who was always encouraging and supportive of all endeavours. Mrs Penberthy attended many events throughout the year and is a strong advocate of the Junior School. The staff also acknowledge the support and cooperation of parents throughout the year, which contributed to the students’ success.

New students were warmly welcomed at the beginning of 2022. They settled quickly into life in the Junior School, readily adapting to new routines and expectations. The Year 6 students took their responsibilities as leaders of the Junior School seriously and have been excellent role models for the rest of the Junior School girls. The involvement in, and commitment to, the life of Junior School by the 2022 Junior School Captain was greatly valued.

In addition to staff continuing to work collaboratively to review and update curriculum and assessment, this year saw continued emphasis on the Junior School’s Learning and Wellbeing Framework. The framework centres around developing exceptional learners in the Junior School who are strong communicators, effective collaborators, engaged citizens, skilful thinkers and character builders. These five competencies are acknowledged by many researchers in the educational field as essential for students to develop in order to thrive in their future workplaces, and for life in general in the 21st century. We believe that if these competencies become embedded in our students’ behaviour and way of thinking from early in their education, they will lead to our PLC graduates becoming capable scholars, thinkers, citizens, advocates and leaders with a global perspective.

In 2022, the primary focus has been on collaboration. Explicit collaborative experiences implemented this year have enabled students to respect the opinions of others, listen to include, negotiate and compromise, identify and work with the strengths of others, cooperate, contribute ideas and share work equally. A scope and sequence for the teaching and development of collaboration has been developed, and resources created to ensure a common language is communicated across the Junior School.

Professional Learning

Professional reflection and growth and constant learning are some of the characteristics demonstrated by the Junior School staff. Professional Learning in the Junior School this year centred around elements of the Learning and Wellbeing Framework. Working in teams, staff worked on embedding the Framework into the curriculum documentation and worked on meaningfully creating collaborative experiences into teaching and learning programs. This involved engaging in pedagogical discussions, observing practice, implementing a variety of tools and strategies and then reflecting on how the implementation of different approaches to collaboration led to changes in pedagogical methodologies and deepened student learning.

As always, Music has played an integral role in the life of the Junior School. The Junior School Music program has continued to deliver rigour and stimulation for all students. The Prep-Year 2 Music curriculum, with its strong Kodaly focus, explored fundamental musical concepts such as pitch, rhythm and beat via the child’s ‘singing voice’. Year 3-6 students have maintained their multiple approach to learning via aural skill development, singing and playing, creating and composing, listening and appreciating, and Music Theory. The ever-popular recorder program has remained a fundamental component of the Year 3-6 Music program, having proven to be an effective means of reinforcing practical performance and musicianship skills. In conjunction with the classroom music program, the well-established Instrumental Music and Choral programs have also continued to flourish. In 2022, the Years 3-4 Choir had a membership of 135 girls and the Years 5-6 Choir was made up of 177 girls. Most assemblies and concerts were presented live this year but recordings were still made for parents to view at home.

The Drama and Dance program gave students the opportunity to express themselves creatively and imaginatively through exploration and performance in a safe and secure environment. Students experimented with language, body movements and expression while being open to new ideas when working on a group task. They continued to develop their confidence to perform rehearsed and impromptu pieces in front of their peers, teachers and to a formal audience. A highlight for 2022 was the Year 5 students’ Evening of Short Plays, which this year was presented in individual class groups. Each student had many lines to learn and performed on stage in a costume with several set changes and hand properties to suit the scenes.

Learning French through stories was an ongoing focus of 2022. Junior Primary students read popular stories together as a class including, Va-t’en Grand Monstre Vert (Go Away Big Green Monster) in Prep, Je veux pas aller à l’école (I don’t want to go to school) in Year 1 (of course the main message in the story is a positive one) and Où est le mouton vert? (Where is the Green Sheep?) in Year 2. Girls developed their vocabulary through repetition and picture and word associations, as well as the task of reading aloud. Year 10 and 11 French students, together with a past Year 12 student, also ran the French Reading Corner, Le Coin Lecture, for Prep-Year 2 girls on Friday lunchtimes in Term 2 in the Junior School Library. The girls loved this opportunity to spend time with each other and learn from the older girls through reading children’s books. Girls across the Junior School engaged in a number of exciting activities to advance their French conversational skills, as well as develop an appreciation of French culture. Year 3 students held a fashion parade, entirely in French. Complete with a red carpet, their performances and their encouragement of their peers as spectators, made it feel almost like the girls had travelled to Cannes. Year 6 students connected with students from Collège Sainte Ursule, Paris, through a pen pal project. The girls learnt how to write a detailed letter to describe themselves and were full of excitement when they received a colourful, handwritten letter in French in return, through which they were able to gather an insight into the lives and culture of their pen pal. French Day, held in Term 3, saw the girls dress up in traditional blue, white and red. The theme was Fairy Tales, Les Contes de Fées. The girls participated in cultural activities and were also introduced to French improvisation through a selection of creative games and language exercises created by the French drama company, The French Loop. Fostering a love of reading and books, as well as equipping the girls to gain knowledge of the world around them, are the foci of the Junior School Library.

Reading for pleasure has many benefits for children, including enhancing emotional intelligence, social interaction and sense of connectedness to the wider community. This year a new graphic novel section was unveiled in the Junior School library. This collection was intentionally curated to appeal to students of all interests but also EAL students who find that the format greatly assists their comprehension of English. To accommodate the new section, the library was physically reorganised to create visual appeal and flow. We were delighted to welcome Australian author, Louise Park, and author/illustrator, Serena Geddes, to PLC this year. These visits culminated in a visit to the LRC in the Senior School where students were able to view Serena’s rough drawings, story board and original artwork. Well known authors Jacqueline Harvey (author of the popular Alice-Miranda, Clementine Rose, and Kensy and Max series) and R. A. Spratt (author of the Nanny Piggins books) visited PLC during Book Week celebrations. It was a great opportunity to have authors of such high calibre visiting the school. The Year 6 early morning book club, Reading Rap, continued this year. This club offered girls the opportunity to read and discuss a variety of books with their friends. The sessions were run by the Junior School library staff, past Senior School library captains and Duke of Edinburgh candidates.

A wide range of activities and opportunities were provided for students to showcase their skills and outstanding sporting achievements across all areas of the PE Program. Prep to Year 2 delved into a variety of sport units exploring isolated skill development and minor games, doing so with great enthusiasm and enjoyment. Years 3 and 4 undertook more complex skills and modified major sport units and Years 5 and 6 continued to focus on consolidating their match play and learning the importance of tactics and teamwork. Select students from Years 3 to 6 represented PLC in the School Sport Victoria (SSV) Swimming Competitions, with PLC progressing through the district, division and regional levels. This was a great reward for these students who worked extremely hard during training sessions. Years 5 and 6 students were also selected for the SSV Tennis, Soccer, Netball and Basketball teams where they trained each week and displayed excellent teamwork skills. Our Years 5 and 6 Soccer teams performed exceptionally with the Year 6 team finishing third in the district after playing some very exciting soccer matches throughout the competition. Exceptional runners trained hard and battled cold and wet conditions as they competed in SSV Cross Country Competitions held at Jells Park; this then led into the Athletics season where we had a team of over 50 students training hard in both track and field events in the lead-up to the competition. House competitions gave all girls from Years 3 to 6 the opportunity to participate in a variety of sports and compete for the House Sport Cup. The Years 4 to 6 students competed in the inaugural House Sport Day, where they all had the chance to play basketball, netball and soccer throughout the day. Years 5 and 6 students participated in the Inter-School Sport Competition, which allowed the girls to experience competitive match play and develop their skills in game situations. The Netball Club continued to have a high level of participation with over 100 girls forming 12 separate teams as well as another 50 students getting involved in the Junior Netters program for Years 1 and 2 students. The Prep to Year 2 Junior Joggers program gave all girls a chance to improve their cardiovascular fitness and provided a stepping-stone to the Years 3 to 6 Huff ’n’ Puff running program, which continued to be very popular again this year. Girls Sport Victoria (GSV) introduced their pilot program targeting Years 5 and 6 students and providing them with extra sporting opportunities to help provide a great pathway to Senior School sport. This successful program increased participation and provided an opportunity for students to be exposed to a variety of sports that they may wish to be take up in Senior School. Once again it was a great year in sport in the Junior School and we thank the entire PLC community for their participation and support. We look forward to what 2023 will bring in the world of sport.

With the last few years of honing our skills in the use of ICT, both staff and students approached this year with greater skills, and a new understanding of what can be achieved with technology. The return to face-to-face learning has enabled ICT sessions to explore concepts in a deeper way to achieve some outstanding results for our students. Throughout the school, students have had access to state-ofthe-art digital technology including iPads, MacBooks and iMac computers. Online resources were made available through Wyse and Google Classroom, enabling students to communicate and submit work in a streamlined and simple way. As always, cyber safety is an integral part of what we teach at PLC. This year we have benefited from being a part of the excellent ‘Inform and Empower’ sessions run by Martin McGauran, a cyber safety expert and guide to both parents and teachers. Years 3-6 students were engaged with live, online sessions tackling all the major cyber issues such as cyber bullying, inappropriate content, screen time balance and much more. It was wonderful to see parents attending the very informative session which was run by both Marty and psychologist, Carley McGauran. Parents who attended agreed it was essential information for raising children in our world today. Some of the highlights of the ICT program included students in Prep to Year 2 using their iPads to enhance digital learning in the classroom, and virtual excursions via video conference to take our Year 4 students to the Great Barrier Reef. Our Year 6 students explored video creation using green screen effects and the use of the online creative tool, Canva, to enhance their work. Year 3 students expanded their understanding of robotics by coding a robot to take a visitor on a tour of the school. Year 1 students created their own iMovie presentation that displayed their understandings of the ‘Olden Days’. It was great to see what excellent work our Prep students can do with their own digital book when using the ‘Book

Creator’ iPad application. They were able to insert images, add titles and record a narration. We look forward to building on our students’ already excellent skills. In ICT, we are always looking to the future and to develop skills in our students that ready them for what comes next in ICT. We can be proud of our students and teachers as they continue to adapt to new technologies and explore new ways of learning.

The 2022 Visual Arts program commenced with anticipation for the Junior School Gallery Walk. This year’s exhibition, entitled ‘Art Walk’, was presented and displayed over the three levels of Junior School. The corridors were transformed into the gallery space with artworks framed and exhibited highlighting the talents of our PLC Junior School artists. The opening night was a great success with a large number of students and their families enjoying the ambience as they participated in ‘Art Walk’. It also showcased the talents of the Acorns Clarinet Ensemble and the Year 6 Quartet, combining the abilities of the Music Department and the Art Department. Artworks displayed captured different topics and mediums explored during art lessons and accompanying descriptions gave viewers an overview of the thinking and skills involved in creating the pieces. Highlights included Alphabet Playgrounds drawings (Prep), Picasso pinch pots (Year 1), Super Hero Capes inspired by Indigenous artist Dennis Golding (Year 2 and Year 3), Indigenous-inspired Dilly Bags (Year 4), Mythical Clay Creatures inspired by Vipoo Srivilasa (Year 5) as well as Whales and Fish prints inspired by Pablo Salvaje.

The Personal and Social Development curriculum continued to evolve this year with the ever-changing dynamics of our society and its impact on the social and emotional needs of our students. In Junior School, we recognise that for our girls to flourish at school and in life, wellbeing is an area that will continue to require particular focus. There is a strong body of research that links wellbeing and learning, and emphasises the importance of equipping students with tools and strategies to build resilience and promote positive mental health. It is clear that the overall wellbeing of our students directly impacts their academic achievement and their ability to thrive. This year, Mrs Leticia Newell, Deputy Head of Junior School (Curriculum and Wellbeing) and Mrs Melissa Harvey, Junior School Psychologist, along with our Department Coordinators and classroom teachers, have continued to closely monitor and support the wellbeing of each student after an extensive period of lockdowns due to the pandemic followed by the return to school. In response to the social and emotional issues that have been evident this year, the Junior School has provided students with various opportunities for personal growth, in addition to our Personal and Social Development (PSD) curriculum already established from Prep to Year 6. These included incursions from URSTRONG, Toolbox Education and Girls who Glow. These incursions focused on developing friendship strategies, emotional regulation, and health and wellbeing pillars. In addition to workshops for students, our Junior School staff have undertaken professional development opportunities to strengthen their understanding of how best to support students’ mental health and wellbeing. The Wellbeing Breakfast Bookclub provided a worthwhile experience for staff and allowed time for rich, robust professional discussion on how best to improve the wellbeing of our students, based on the book, Raising a Mentally Fit Generation by Kari Sutton. As Sutton states, ‘Mental fitness is a precursor to resilience, and the best ways to support our children and young people in developing positive mental health and wellbeing is to teach them the protective skills and tools they need to deal with challenges before they need them'.

Christian Education lessons continued to focus on various areas of the Bible and the qualities of God. The annual JOYCE camp was a wonderful opportunity for Years 5 and 6 girls to strengthen their connections with each other and further explore the Christian faith. Easter and Nativity services brought the community together to celebrate these important events in the Christian calendar.

PLC’s ‘Exploratorium’ represents a place where students collaborate and test new ideas, follow their curiosity, and get excited about solving problems across a range of scientific fields including biology, physics, chemistry, and earth and space sciences. The Science curriculum is dynamic, and the Science team is continuously working towards delivering challenging and relevant content through hands-on activities and meaningful problem-based tasks that have relevance in the real world.

An increasingly meaningful approach to science was continued in 2022, helping students to not only develop science inquiry skills and a deep understanding of science content, but gain an understanding of how to apply their science, mathematics and technology skills and knowledge to the field of engineering. Science education at PLC extends beyond mastering content; the approach is geared towards actively merging students’ scientific knowledge with other fields to support them in further developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Ambitious in design, collaboration and communication skills are also being intentionally incorporated into the program to reflect the scientific and engineering communities of the real world.

Mrs Voce would like to sincerely thank the Junior School staff for their commitment to the College, and for the energy, intellect and enthusiasm that they bring to their role each and every day. They have provided many rich learning experiences to enable the students across the Junior School to flourish holistically.

Melissa Voce Head of Junior School