Academic Success

• Years 3 & 5 students performing at least two years above state and national means.

• Year 3 reading score exceeded Year 7 state and national means.

• Students from Prep to Year 5 engaged in a relevant, exciting, and hands-on Science Program in the dedicated Barbreck STEM Lab. Focus learning in 2022 included the role of shelter in survival, learning about mixtures and how to separate them, learning about the features of living creatures, creating algorithms, how heat energy is produced and how it moves, how landscapes change over time and extending their inquiry skills in both Science and Engineering, designing food packaging and designing experiments looking at the development of mould in sandwiches.

• Head of Science in St Catherine’s Senior School, teaches STEM to our Year 6 students in the Ruth Langley Research and Learning Science Labs in the Senior School, providing a wonderful extension of their STEM skills as they transition into their senior learning.

• Commencing in 2022, Year 6 students participated in the Barbreck Academic Transition Program within the core subjects of English, Mathematics, Science and STEM, and Health.

• The program aims to support 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.

• The Transition Program introduces Year 6 students 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.

• To provide a greater level of feedback to students and their parents, Continuous Reporting was trialled in Years 4 to 6 during Semester Two. A feature of this reporting practice is to report more regularly and provide feedback on areas of strength, areas for improvement and advice moving forward. This initiative was well received by both students and parents.

• Inaugural Lower, Middle and Upper Primary Art Exhibitions in the Neilma Gantner Gallery Walk. All students participated alongside their peers showcasing what they made in Art class.

• Barbreck Arts Week celebrated the performances and creative work of all students, using the concept of travel.

• Artist-in-Residence Ms Lucy Mason, provided specialised artistic and dramatic classes to students from Prep to Year 6 during Arts Week.

• Early Birds French Program provides students new to French a weekly foundation session filled with fun games and activities, focused on movement and laughter.

• French conversation group ‘L’Equipe’ provided an opportunity for students to try more advanced speaking techniques.

• French home learning was also introduced in 2022 via the exciting DoulAugust Challenge.

• 2022 was the first year all Health lessons were face-to-face instead of online. This allowed for more fluid conversations and discussions.

• Many students were able to reflect and share their feelings on the impact COVID lockdowns had on their wellbeing and mental health.

• Dedicated Health classroom allows students to look at books and posters on our various Health topics and feel they can ask questions and share stories in a trusting environment.

• Year 6 Canberra Study Tour: Students had the opportunity to participate in a variety of educational programs with a focus on Australia’s history, culture, heritage, and democracy. The highlight for many girls was the visit to Parliament House, where they saw both the House of Representatives and the Senate in action.

• Year 5 Sovereign Hill Study Tour: This three-day Study Tour provides a rich learning opportunity, where students experience life as it was during the Gold Rush period of the 1850s to extend their Humanities classroom learning.

• 93 Years 5 and 6 girls took part in the Bike Education program.

• 48 Year 6 girls took part in the Year 6 Irongirl Competition, completing 1300m of running and 150m of swimming.

• Year 9 Sport Coaching Program: Year 3 students coached by enthusiastic Year 9 students.

• 35 Barbreck athletes competed in the Armadale District Athletics. Finished third overall.

• One student progressed to Regional competition.

• Four students progressed to Division competition.

• The 10 Years Relay Team won their event to progress to Division level.

• One student progressed to the State Championships in the Shot Put.

• House Cross Country was held in Term 1 in preparation for the Armadale District Competition. Davis were the overall winners.

• 40 students were chosen to represent St Catherine’s at District Cross Country.

• From District, one student finished fifth in the 11 Years age group. One student placed sixth in the 12/13 Years.

• One student placed 35th at the State Championships.

Our Year 6 students proved to be very enthusiastic about District competitions. District placings were:

• Soccer: third in district.

• Netball: fifth in district.

• AFL: fifth in district.

• Basketball: fifth in district.

The Armadale District Diving Carnival held at St Catherine’s in early Term 2 was a highlight for our keen divers. The standard of diving was high and our high performing divers in each age group were:

• Year 6 (12/13 years): A Division –third, B Division – first, second, third and fourth.

• Year 5 (11 years): B Division –third, fourth.

• Year 4 (10 years): In their first competition our divers performed all their jumps and dives to the best of their ability. Although they missed placing, they were proud of their efforts in their first dive carnival.

At Barbreck all Years 3 to 6 students compete for their House in Swimming, Cross Country, and Athletics. The Years 5 and 6 students tackle many sports in their after-school sports time. Soccer, Netball, Handball, Tee-Ball, and flags are all played for House points, with students competing with tremendous House spirit. In 2022, Beaulieu Blair took out the overall honours.

During Term 1 the Armadale District Swimming Sports were held. After individual events, St Catherine’s was equal second with relays to follow. Relays are always a test of depth, and where the larger schools shine through. St Catherine’s finished second with our 10 Years Relay Team progressing to the Beachside Division Carnival. In the Population Trophy, St Catherine’s were victorious.

• St Catherine’s won Overall Girls Primary School Championships at both Victorian and National competitions.

• The Victorian Interschools for Cross Country and the Alpine events were held in August and as always St Catherine’s was well represented in every event and division.

• At Nationals, the Division 4 XC Relay Team took first place with a spirited performance.

St Catherine’s was represented by two students at the Armadale District Competition. Both girls finished midfield in a competitive tournament.

• Developing children’s independence and extending their understanding of what it means to be a community of learners who respect and care for each other.

• Through their play, children were encouraged to take risks, problem solve, make mistakes, face challenges, and learn to share their thoughts and ideas with each other.

• The children explored Indigenous perspectives within the curriculum taking turns saying the Acknowledgement of Country, as well as participating in various Indigenous workshops.

• STEP into STEM Program saw the 4YO classes utilising the Junior School STEM lab to learn with the Barbreck STEM educator throughout the year.

• All classes participated in the Dr Jane Goodall “No Waste November” Project.

• As an extension of the children’s Science learning, the children in the 4YO classes participated in an excursion to Werribee Open Range Zoo where they were able to observe the animals they had been researching first-hand.

• Woodworking Workshop for 3YO classes. To extend their learning in the areas of mathematics and engineering as they designed and built their own wood buildings and sculptures.

• Community Vegetable Garden –the children collaborated to care for the vegetable garden and develop their understanding of sustainable practices and where food comes from.

• 4YO classes commenced the St Catherine’s French Language Program.