Year 5

Meredith Beer

Acting Head of Junior School

JUNIOR SCHOOL

WHY IS THE JUNIOR SCHOOL SUCH A NURTURING ENVIRONMENT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE?

There is a saying, it takes a village to raise a child. We in the Junior School, see ourselves as a key part of each child’s village. Every Junior School staff member is an important part of each individual child’s learning and life journey. Parents are regular visitors to the classrooms, allowing us to build strong connections between home and school. I believe that we provide an outstanding level of pastoral care with classroom teachers supported by Pastoral and Academic Care co-ordinators, fellow teachers, library staff, the school Counsellor, teachers from the Learning Enrichment Centre, education assistants and the Head of Junior School. Each child therefore has an extended school family to connect with and to.

As we have smaller numbers of students in the Junior School, and our campus is not physically large, the staff get to know all the children. Staff do playground duty across year groups making connections with many of our students. We also have buddy classes and House Meetings which provide the opportunity for students across year levels to work together and build wonderful relationships.

WHAT IS THE MOST REWARDING PART OF YOUR JOB THIS YEAR?

I get to school early, and as I work in my office I hear children chattering and laughing as the front gate is slammed shut, indicating that the students are arriving to start their day. A new day heralds new learning, new experiences, and challenges, for there is always something amazing happening. I just love the excitement and energy that surrounds the Junior School. After being invited to step into the role as Head of Junior School on short notice, it has been most rewarding to be able to use my knowledge of PLC and its Junior School, the staff, the Primary Years Programme and the community to maintain the high-quality education offered. I have greatly enjoyed reconnecting with the school, the staff and be involved in all the enjoyment that goes with being a part of the PLC community.

WHICH MOMENTS HAVE MADE LASTING MEMORIES FOR YOU THIS YEAR?

Watching the Kindergarten children grow and develop as they play outside my office, particularly the joy a child displays as they conquer the monkey bars. The Inter-House cross country, where the children in Years 1 - 6 showed such team spirit and rising to the challenges this event presents. Minkey and netball games where the skills of the students developed greatly over the time, but most of all the PLC girls’ positive attitude and fabulous sportsmanship. Seeing Senior School girls work so well with the younger students. The Fesitval of Science, the students’ involvement and excitement proving that Science is fun and wonderous. Year 6 Exhibition, standing back and seeing the Year 6 girls grow into independent, confident, and capable learners who are so very well equipped to become well balanced, global citizens.

DO YOU PREFER CHILDHOOD OR ADULTHOOD?

This is a very hard question indeed. I lived in Geraldton until I was 8 years old, and only a few