2025 Junior School Curriculum Guide
Mentone Girls’ Grammar acknowledges the Boon Wurrung/Bunurong People of the South-Eastern Kulin Nations for their connection to land, sea and community, and for their custodianship of the land on which we live, learn and work. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people today.
JUNIOR SCHOOL
It is my pleasure to welcome you to our Junior School, where every girl is known, seen and heard.
Just a few moments spent in our school will reveal what makes it a truly special place to grow and learn. We understand that a parent’s choice to entrust us with the education of their daughter is a privilege, and as your daughter’s first teachers, we aim to foster a strong, trusting partnership with you that lasts throughout the continuum of their school years, and beyond.
At times we can be forgiven for believing schools are complex places and having spent more than five decades in schools as a student, teacher and school leader, I can certainly understand that perspective. However, I invite you to consider the purpose of schools as a rather simpler mission. Our focus is to build an environment that is relentlessly focused on relationships, where high performance teaching and learning is a culture of which we are proud in order to create a place of connection, curriculum, culture, community and communication.
Learning and Teaching in our ELC and Junior School is based on a clearly defined and aligned blend of approaches. Our Literacy and Numeracy curriculum is central to all that we do, embedded throughout our School in all subjects and is built around evidence-based explicit direct instruction.
We blend this strong foundational knowledge, understanding and skills with an approach to inquiry, underpinned by the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP). Through strong, guided inquiry we develop our learners as critical thinkers, articulate communicators and expose them to concepts which are abstract, timeless and universal.
Beyond the classroom, as our learners grow from Kindergarten to Year 6, they benefit from our personalised approach, with targeted intervention for learners who require support, and challenging enrichment pathways for those demonstrating high ability in core curriculum areas.
With instrumental music programs (including multiple orchestras and bands), Junior School Musical Production and competitive sporting opportunities via Girls Sport Victoria, we are proud of our girls’ achievements in the performing arts arena as well as on the sporting fields. Our girls are committed to broad and balanced experiences that define their productive days, weeks and years of school life.
I encourage you to come and visit our Junior School. If you do, you will see what makes our school truly special and you will feel for yourself, our unwavering commitment to ensuring that every girl is known, seen and heard.
We look forward to meeting you.
Head of Junior School
AN ALL-GIRLS’ EDUCATION
You want your daughter to thrive with confidence and resilience, to be truly seen and valued in an environment where she can express herself freely — without stereotypes. In an all-girls’ school, she’ll be nurtured in a community that celebrates her unique strengths, passions, and potential, empowering her to flourish not just academically but in every aspect of her life.
Some argue that coeducational schools reflect the ‘real world’ and better prepare students for it. However, the real world is also a place where women still face barriers to true equality. This viewpoint often assumes that girls in single-sex schools lack positive male role models, when in fact, they are surrounded by inspiring male figures in their families, friendships, schools and communities.
An all-girls’ education offers a safe and supportive environment where your daughter can develop the boldness, resilience, and ambition to demand inclusion and champion equality. Here, she learns that she can achieve anything, and this confidence will fuel her future.
The benefits of a girls’ school are profound and far-reaching, supported by extensive research. Below are five of the most powerful ways that a single-sex education can shape your daughter’s future.
Better academic outcomes
An analysis of the The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results shows that girls from girls’ schools in Australia and New Zealand outperformed girls from coeducational schools on all academic measures of science, mathematics and literacy.1
No career limits
A study of nearly 6,000 incoming female university students found that graduates of girls’ schools are more likely to show higher levels of science self-confidence, consider themselves critical thinkers, score higher on measures of academic habits of mind, and demonstrate stronger study habits.2
Healthy body image
Raising a confident, self-assured daughter who is comfortable with her body image is not an easy task. Studies show that girls in coeducational schools have lower self-esteem and feel more pressure to be thin than girls in girls’ schools.3
Less bullying and more respectful relationships
Research has found less aggressive behaviours in girls’ schools than in boys’ and coeducational schools, and many girls report preferring girls-only science, computing and IT classes where they are not subject to stereotyped beliefs and bullying by boys.
Similarly for physical education (PE) classes and sporting activities, international research shows that girls strongly prefer all-female classes where they are not self-conscious of their body image and what they are wearing.4
Finding her voice: there’s no place for inequality
An Australian study of five coeducational schools confirmed previous findings that sexual bullying behaviours are commonplace within coed schools. Similarly, a report by Britain’s Institute of Physics, Opening Doors, found that sexist language was often dismissed as “harmless banter” in coed schools.5
However, in schools like Mentone Girls’ Grammar, girls are intentionally equipped with the knowledge and skills required to overcome social and cultural gender biases and in doing so actively break the stereotypical norms that define women in society.
Sources: 1. Macquarie Marketing Group (MMG) and the Alliance of Girls’ Schools Australasia, 2020 2. Riggers-Piehl, Lim & King, 2018. 3. Kim et al., 2018. 4. Gee & Cho, 2014, Fisher, Lang & Forgasz, 2015, Morgan et al., 2019; Robinson et al., 2021; Timken, McNamee & Coste, 2019; Wallace, Buchan & Sculthorpe, 2020. 5. Shute, Owens & Slee, 2016. Also see, Shute, 2017 (published online 2021).
TEACHING & LEARNING
Approaches to Learning
At Mentone Girls’ Grammar, our Approaches to Learning are at the heart of our educational philosophy, especially within the context of an all-girls’ environment. We understand that young girls thrive in settings that empower them to explore their potential without limits. By adopting a model of dual pedagogy, we seamlessly integrate the inquiry-based approach of the Primary Years Programme with the science of learning.
Why? The evidence clearly shows that the mastery of foundational concepts through explicit instruction enhances the inquiry process for students.1
Our approach is built on evidence-based, high-impact strategies that cater to the diverse needs of all learners.
We emphasise consistency and excellence in our teaching, with low variance routines and practices across classrooms to ensure every girl receives the same high-quality education. Our educators are committed to ongoing professional learning, which enables them to deliver this dual pedagogy effectively, ensuring that no student is left behind. In this nurturing environment, our girls are encouraged to take risks, ask questions, and develop the resilience needed to succeed in their academic journey.
Literacy & Numeracy
We understand that girls benefit from learning environments where they feel supported and encouraged to push their boundaries.
As a result, our Literacy and Numeracy programs are grounded in research and best practices, reflecting the latest insights into effective teaching. Underpinned by the Victorian Curriculum, we recognise that explicit instruction is key to mastering these foundational skills. Our teachers deliver structured, targeted lessons that build strong reading, writing, and mathematical abilities.
Our curriculum is designed to be rigorous yet accessible, allowing students to develop fluency and confidence in these essential areas. This approach allows us to cater to
diverse learning needs and ensures that every student is learning at a level that is “just right” for them. We achieve this through a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS), offering point-of-need interventions in the classroom, and more intensive, individualised teaching through our Learning Support program, ensuring every girl is equipped to achieve her personal best.
Primary Years Programme (PYP)
A central part of our IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) are the Units of Inquiry through which the girls learn.
Our Inquiry units are a vibrant and dynamic cornerstone of our curriculum, purposefully designed to engage our students in meaningful exploration of the world around them. Within our girls-only environment, this program holds power, as it inspires our students to see themselves as capable, confident, and curious learners, ready to make a positive impact on the world. By integrating multiple disciplines (Science, Geography, History and more) through the lens of the PYP’s transdisciplinary themes, our students develop a deep, interconnected understanding of key concepts that transcend traditional subject boundaries.
Inquiry-based learning in our school not only nurtures our students’ natural curiosity but also equips them with critical thinking, problem-solving, and research skills - essential tools for thriving in the 21st century. These Approaches to Learning are embedded in every aspect of the curriculum, encouraging our girls to become self-regulated learners who can collaborate, communicate, and take action in their communities and beyond.
Moreover, our Program of Inquiry is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), fostering a sense of global responsibility and empathy in our students. By engaging with real-world issues, our students learn to appreciate diverse perspectives and develop a strong sense of social justice, empowering them to be proactive in creating a more sustainable and equitable world.
Sources: 1. Ton de Jong, Ard W. et al. (2023) Let’s talk evidence – The case for combining inquiry-based and direct instruction, Educational Research Review, Volume 39.
TEACHING & LEARNING
Learning Needs
We are deeply committed to meeting the diverse learning needs of our students. Through the implementation of three Assessment Weeks each year and weekly fluency assessments in Literacy and Numeracy, we monitor the progress of our students with care, providing opportunities for early intervention where needed. Our structured Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) framework ensures our students receive the appropriate level of assistance to scaffold them as they strive to reach their potential. We provide targeted interventions both within the classroom and in small groups or individual settings.
Home Learning
Our Home Learning program is thoughtfully designed to adapt to the busy lives of our students and their families, ensuring that learning at home is both meaningful and manageable. Recognising the diverse commitments our students juggle, we have created a flexible, predictable, and aligned approach that supports academic growth without adding unnecessary stress. Opportunities for extension are provided for students with a keen interest in taking their learning further when at home.
Key benefits of our program include fostering strong connections between home and school, reinforcing classroom learning, and developing essential skills like reading fluency, spelling, and number fact automaticity. Our Home Learning program is structured to build confidence, personal responsibility, and independent study habits that will serve our students well as they progress through school.
We work closely with our Senior School to ensure the expectations from Years 5 and 6 support a seamless transition to Year 7 and beyond. Ultimately, our Home Learning program is a partnership between school and home, designed to benefit every learner by building a strong foundation for future success.
Enrichment
Our Enrichment program, designed specifically for our most capable learners, offers weekly lessons in Literacy, Mathematics and STEM, led by passionate educators who inspire and challenge our girls. Additionally, we facilitate a range of enrichment opportunities through annual participation in the Australian Mathematics Competition, our own innovative, school-designed MathsMinds tournament and the administration of a suite of assessments via the International Competitions and Assessments for Schools which align with our Enrichment Pathways.
Digital Technologies
The purposeful and intentional integration of Digital Technologies into our Junior School curriculum enhances the learning experience of our students. With iPads for every student in Years Prep–2 and laptops for those in Years 3–6, we ensure our girls have the necessary tools to navigate safely and thrive confidently in a digital world.
Our approach to technology goes beyond basic skills; students learn to use digital tools thoughtfully and safely, developing age-appropriate research, presentation, and technology skills that support their growth as learners. Digital Technologies often intersect with our science curriculum, allowing students to explore concepts through data, research, and digital resources that enrich their understanding of the world around them.
By equipping our students with the skills and knowledge to use technology as a learning tool, we prepare them to be responsible, curious, and innovative thinkers in an ever-evolving landscape.
WELLBEING
To cultivate wellness, we blend carefully designed programs with a culture grounded in belonging, where every girl feels truly known, supported, and valued. In our Junior School, each girl has trusted adults who genuinely care for her well-being. This is what it means to be known, seen, and heard.
Every class participates in fortnightly well-being lessons led by classroom teachers and supported by experts, including our School Psychologist. These sessions are thoughtfully structured, age-appropriate, and rooted in our curriculum scope and sequence, drawing on the Social Thinking® methodology. Across year levels, our students explore health, friendships and relationships, body image, online safety, digital citizenship, mindfulness, goal setting, growth mindset, and more.
WELLBEING
Beyond the structured lessons, the everyday interactions and culture that emerge from these well-being practices truly set our school apart. As the girls progress from Early Learning to Lower Primary and Upper Primary, they develop increased confidence, assertiveness, resilience, and the courage to embrace challenges, achieving more than they ever imagined.
Rather than focusing on happiness as the sole measure of success, we embrace the broader journey of well-being, where experiencing a full range of emotions is essential to a healthy, fulfilling life. Our dedicated teachers walk alongside each girl through her successes and setbacks, regulation and dysregulation, equipping her with the skills and self-assurance to navigate life’s inevitable ups and downs with resilience and grace.
BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
We believe that education is as much about nurturing the heart and spirit as it is about fostering academic success.
Life beyond the classroom in our Junior School is filled with thoughtfully designed experiences that empower our girls to explore their interests, build confidence, and develop leadership skills in a supportive, yet challenging environment.
From sports and the arts to service learning and environmental stewardship, our girls are encouraged to embrace new opportunities, collaborate with peers, and pursue their passions. Through these enriching experiences, they grow into resilient, compassionate, and empowered young women, ready to make a meaningful impact on the world.
Performing Arts
Our Junior School Performing Arts program sparks creativity and confidence in every student. Through music, dance and drama, students discover their talents in an encouraging environment that celebrates self-expression and teamwork. With regular performances and our annual Junior School production, our girls learn the values of collaboration, discipline, and artistic exploration, all while enjoying the journey. This program fosters a lifelong appreciation for the arts, building skills that serve students far beyond the stage.
Sport
Sport in our Junior School emphasises a love for physical activity while building teamwork, resilience, and sportsmanship. Through our affiliation with Girls Sport Victoria (GSV) and local school competitions, the girls experience a wide array of sports and activities. Our program celebrates participation, effort, and achievement, ensuring that every girl shines, regardless of her level of experience.
Leadership
Every learner in our Junior School is encouraged to lead, with leadership opportunities becoming more structured as they progress. Leadership here is about empowering each girl to discover and develop her unique voice, either through badged or unbadged leadership opportunities.
Through roles like the Student Representative Council (SRC), peer mentoring, and community service projects, our students learn to lead with empathy, integrity, and confidence. We inspire every girl to take initiative, make decisions, and motivate others, fostering a culture of respect and collaboration. By nurturing these skills from an early age, we prepare our girls to be thoughtful, compassionate leaders in all areas of life.
BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
Experiential learning
Experiential learning brings education to life through hands-on activities, real-world experiences, and interactive projects with both local and global experts. By engaging directly with their surroundings and the world beyond our gates, our girls deepen their understanding of core subjects while developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Whether it’s through outdoor exploration, science experiments, or creative workshops, our girls learn by doing, forming connections that last a lifetime. This approach not only enriches their academic journey but also instills a lifelong curiosity and a love for learning.
A core part of our experiential learning program is our sequenced overnight camp program which begins in Year 2:
Level Camp Location
2
Year 3 Camp Manyung, Mt Eliza 3 days / 2 nights September
Year 4 Phillip Island Adventure Resort, Phillip Island 3 days / 2 nights October
Year 5 Eumarella School Camp, Anglesea 3 days / 2 nights November
Year 6 Canberra Study Tour 5 days / 4 nights March
Service learning
Outstanding service learning at our school is about more than just community service; it’s an integral part of our educational philosophy and our faith as an Anglican School. Through carefully designed programs and pathways, students engage in meaningful projects that address real-world issues, often designed around helping disadvantaged girls and women, both locally and globally.
A guiding principle of service-learning in the Junior School is that our girls need to experience the world as it is, and we make a commitment to move beyond simple fundraising, rather finding ways for students to apply their academic knowledge and passions in age-appropriate practical settings whilst fostering a deep sense of empathy, responsibility, and civic engagement.
Our service learning is characterised by leadership opportunities, strong partnerships with local organisations, reflective practices that enhance personal growth, and a commitment to making a lasting impact on the world beyond our school gates. This holistic approach ensures that service learning is not simply viewed as a co-curricular activity, but a transformative learning journey that shapes our girls into proactive, thoughtful, and socially responsible young women.
Lunchtime clubs
Lunchtime clubs provide a fun and enriching opportunity for our girls to explore their interests, connect with peers, and develop new skills in a supportive environment. With offerings like Lego Club, Swifties bracelet making, Gardening, Tech Club and Mindfulness, our diverse range of clubs caters to a wide array of passions, ensuring that every girl can find something that sparks her curiosity and joy.
These staff-supported activities offer a valuable break from the classroom and playground, giving students a chance to try new things, nurture emerging talents, and build lasting friendships in a relaxed setting. The social and emotional benefits are profound: girls develop confidence, a sense of belonging, and resilience as they collaborate with peers and share their passions. Lunchtime clubs are a daily highlight, fostering a strong sense of community and excitement for learning that extends well beyond the classroom.
YEAR LEVEL ELABORATION: PREP
Celebrating Firsts
Every day is a new adventure in Prep, filled with exciting ‘firsts’ that lay the foundation for a lifelong love of learning. From making new friends to discovering the joy of reading and exploring creative play, our Celebrating Firsts program captures the wonder of these formative experiences. It has been thoughtfully designed to nurture confidence, curiosity, and resilience, encouraging our youngest learners to embrace new challenges with joy and enthusiasm.
Through Celebrating Firsts, each child embarks on a journey of discovery, gaining the skills and support needed to thrive in their first year of school and beyond.
Key features include:
• Bell Ringing Ceremony to signify the commencement of her learning journey at Mentone Girls’ Grammar
• Systematic, Synthetic Phonics program to support effective, evidence-based literacy development. (UFLI)
• Structured approach to Numeracy.
• Involvement in our Prep-2 Choir weekly.
• Fortnightly Wellbeing lessons led by our Junior School psychologist to explicitly teach vital social behaviours using the Social Thinking® methodology.
• Engaging incursions, presentations and excursions throughout the year to bring learning to life.
• Immediate commencement of Specialist experiences including P.E., weekly swimming lessons, Art, Library, Music, Dance and Drama and more.
• Individual student assessments during the first weeks of school to know each learner’s needs. Additional Assessment Weeks in Terms 2 and 4 to progress monitor each student.
• Celebrating 100 Days of School
• Access to Lunch Time Clubs each day to scaffold the development of social skills and nurture interests and passions.
• Our dual pedagogy model supports the development of foundational skills to support and encourage successful inquiry.
• Weekly Swimming lessons
YEAR LEVEL ELABORATION: YEAR 1
Build and Grow
Following the excitement of firsts in Prep, our Year 1 program, Build and Grow, empowers students to take purposeful steps in applying their foundational skills and knowledge with growing confidence.
Grounded in evidence-based best practices, this program combines explicit direct instruction with hands-on experiences to support and deepen each child’s learning journey. Through structured guidance and collaborative exploration, students build resilience, curiosity, and a sense of accomplishment, helping them tackle new challenges with enthusiasm. Build and Grow nurtures a love of learning by providing a balanced approach that develops both skill mastery and independence, setting a strong foundation for future growth.
Key features include:
• Thorough development of foundational literacy and numeracy skills through an evidence based explicit teaching approach.
• Systematic, Synthetic Phonics program to support effective, evidence-based literacy development. (UFLI)
• Home Learning Program to establish independence, good home study habits and consolidate learning.
• Frequent use of iPads as a tool to support learning.
• Parental involvement/presentations to enhance our knowledge of the world around us.
• Rigorous assessment and feedback through weekly progress monitoring and Assessment Weeks.
• Program of Inquiry designed to teach self-regulation skills, incorporating the Zones of Regulation and Social Thinking®.
• Targeted explicit intervention to support the mastery of foundational skills.
• Differentiated teaching to ensure each learner is met at her point of need.
• Fortnightly Wellbeing lessons facilitated by our Junior School Psychologist to explicitly teach self-regulation and tools for successful social interactions.
• Weekly Swimming lessons
YEAR LEVEL ELABORATION: YEAR 2
Making Connections
In Year 2, our flagship program, Making Connections, invites students to expand their understanding by linking prior knowledge with new discoveries, constructing a strong and interconnected foundation of learning—much like adding bricks to a growing structure. As they build this ‘knowledge wall’, students gain confidence in applying what they know to fresh challenges, developing skills that reinforce both comprehension and curiosity.
This year also emphasises the importance of connecting with others. As social interactions deepen and friendships evolve, students learn valuable strategies for effective communication, empathy, and collaboration. Making Connections equips our students to thrive both academically and socially, fostering a community of learners who support one another as they explore and grow together.
Key features include:
• The first step in our Experiential Learning Program –the Year 2 School Sleepover offers a supportive first experience of school camp with a one-night sleepover at school.
• Systematic, Synthetic Phonics program to support effective, evidence-based literacy development. (UFLI)
• A structured approach to the teaching and learning of literacy and numeracy follows the evidence of how children learn.
• Program of Inquiry is designed to help each learner understand herself and to understand how her family, her culture and her community influence her experience of childhood.
• Fortnightly Wellbeing lessons with our Junior School Psychologist to support girls through social change.
• The Zones of Regulation is used as a shared language for supporting students to regulate independently.
• Classroom structures and systems are thoughtfully designed to promote developing independence and initiative as our girls prepare to step up.
• Weekly Swimming lessons
YEAR LEVEL ELABORATION: YEAR 3
Independent Me
Year 3 marks an empowering leap toward independence, where students embrace responsibility in an environment that supports both their academic and personal growth. Our Independent Me program blends evidence-based teaching with inquiry-based learning, creating a dynamic educational experience that nurtures curiosity and resilience. Equipped with their own laptops and surrounded by intensive enrichment opportunities, each student is guided to explore Numeracy, Literacy, STEM, and the arts through interactive, hands-on learning.
From specialist programs to their first House events, a two-night camp, and Wellbeing sessions, students develop confidence and social skills in a community that values personal growth. With targeted interventions, personalised support, and continuous feedback, Year 3 is where students take bold steps towards independence, preparing them to thrive and succeed.
Key features include:
• The next important step in our Experiential Learning Program – a 2-night camp at Camp Manyung on the Mornington Peninsula with a fantastic outdoor education focus.
• Access to age-appropriate Lunch Time Clubs to facilitate and support social development.
• Enrichment Pathways (English, Mathematics, STEM) available for highly able students, administration of ICAS tests.
• Digital technology development through student laptop program.
• Evidence-based explicit teaching approach for Literacy and Numeracy combined with an inquiry approach to disciplines including Health, Geography, History.
• Weekly Swimming lessons
• Participation in Learn to Ride program
• Term 4 Beach Program
YEAR LEVEL ELABORATION: YEAR 4
Place and Purpose
In Year 4, our Place and Purpose program guides each student on a journey of self-discovery, where she learns to embrace her individuality, find her voice, and recognise her unique place within our Junior School community. This pivotal year deepens her growing independence, inviting her to explore who she is and what drives her. Through structured learning, cross-curricular connections, and handson experiences, students develop a strong sense of self, exploring how a sense of purpose enhances well-being and motivates personal growth.
In Place and Purpose, students bridge the early and senior years of Junior School, discovering the excitement and challenges of learning, achieving, and growing. With the support of small class sizes, varied learning environments, and dedicated pastoral care, each girl is empowered to make confident choices, build meaningful relationships, and develop resilience. Year 4 is a time to explore, become, and belong—a year for each student to find her place and purpose.
Key features include:
• Our Experiential Learning program sees our Year 4 students spend 2 nights, 3 days enjoying outdoor life at Phillip Island.
• Classroom design reflects the flexible needs of students.
• Clear routines, structures and responsibilities create rhythm and predictability for security and the promotion of independence and organisation.
• Enrichment Pathways (English, Mathematics, STEM) available for highly able students, administration of ICAS tests.
• Access to age-appropriate Lunch Time Clubs to facilitate and support social development.
• Digital technology development through student laptop program.
• Evidence-based explicit teaching approach for Literacy and Numeracy combined with an inquiry approach to disciplines including Health, Geography, History.
• Weekly Swimming lessons
• Participation in Learn to Ride program
• Term 4 Beach Program
YEAR LEVEL ELABORATION: YEAR 5
Learning to Lead
Our Learning to Lead program empowers each student to step confidently into leadership, both formally and informally, as she begins her journey toward the Year 6 leadership program. Here, leadership is not just a badge—it’s a way of thinking and growing. Through a structured, explicit approach to literacy and numeracy and our Program of Inquiry, each girl gains a strong academic foundation in a calm, supportive environment where she is truly seen and valued.
Year 5 is a time for every girl to build confidence, develop purpose, and take her place as a valued member of our community, ready to lead herself and others with integrity and compassion.
Key features include:
• Our flagship Leadership Program begins on Day 1 and extends over two years.
• Students are exposed to badged and unbadged leadership opportunities.
• Enrichment Pathways (English, Mathematics, STEM) available for highly able students, administration of ICAS tests.
• Calm, focused working environments.
• Classroom routines, responsibilities and opportunities for leadership and initiative are driven by student voice and autonomy.
• Year 5 girls are given access to the Willow Playground in the second semester, a first step into the Senior School.
• Rich novel studies throughout the year ignite curiosity, comprehension and exploration as girls unpack the magic of story.
• The development of Digital Technology skills and knowledge is an important part of each day as the girls learn how to use laptops to enhance learning, engage knowledge and ethically research.
• Participation in GSV and Interschool competitions.
YEAR LEVEL ELABORATION: YEAR 6
Step Up, Step Out
Year 6 at Mentone Girls’ Grammar School is all about ‘Step Up, Step Out’ —a transformative year where leadership becomes a part of everyday life. This flagship program calls on each student to ‘step up’ as a leader, role model, and learner, building the skills and confidence needed to inspire younger students and prepare for the transition to Senior School. With opportunities for both badged and unbadged leadership, the girls are encouraged to take on responsibility, demonstrate integrity, and serve as positive role models within our school community.
The ‘step out’ aspect of Year 6 is about growing into independence with the knowledge, self-awareness, and resilience needed to thrive beyond Junior School. In this pivotal year of transition, girls gain maturity and perspective as they prepare for the challenges and opportunities of Senior School. Step Up, Step Out is a celebration of growth and possibility, empowering each student to face the future with confidence, compassion, and a strong sense of purpose.
Key features include:
• 16 badged leadership roles comprise a process that begins in Year 5.
• Our final JS Experiential Learning Program – students travel by plane to Canberra to explore a range of unique experiences such as speaking with federal senators, visiting the Prime Minister’s Office and Government House. This incredible experience is linked to our Program of Inquiry.
• A shared approach to teaching and learning in Literacy and Numeracy through explicit direct instruction.
• Exhibition – each student’s opportunity to showcase her knowledge of inquiry-based learning, culminating in student voice and action.
• Privileges including full access to the Willow Courtyard and our BayCafe during recess and lunch breaks.
• Collaboration with Melbourne University to explore STEM, robotics, programming and other tech skills using our laptop program.
• Fortnightly Wellbeing lessons facilitated by our Junior School Psychologist support our girls through the onset of puberty and explicit teaching of social and emotional regulation skills and tools for successful transition.
• Enrichment Pathways (English, Mathematics, STEM) available for highly able students, administration of ICAS tests.
• Term 4 Beach Program
• Teacher collaboration with Senior School teachers to promote successful and seamless transition to our Year 7 program.
• Participation in GSV and Interschool sporting competitions.
