JUNIOR SCHOOL

IN THE JUNIOR SCHOOL, WE ASPIRE TO PROVIDE OUR STUDENTS WITH INSPIRING LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES EVERY DAY. IT IS FAIR TO SAY THAT THE GIRLS HAVE EMBRACED EVERY TASK AND CHALLENGE THAT HAS COME THEIR WAY IN THE FIRST SEMESTER OF ST MARY’S CENTENARY YEAR.

One such test that they not only welcomed but excelled in was the Junior da Vinci Decathlon, held at the University of Western Australia's Winthrop Hall on 31 March. The da Vinci Decathlon is designed to celebrate the academic gifts of young

Australians by providing a stimulating and challenging competition run in the spirit of an Olympic Decathlon. Twenty-nine schools competed in the event, with students competing across ten disciplines: Engineering, Cartography, Mathematics, Code

Breaking, Art and Poetry, Science, English, Ideation, Creative

Producers and Legacy. St Mary’s Year 6 team reigned supreme, claiming the title of 2021 Western Australian State Champions.

The girls were awarded first place for English, second for Ideation,

Legacy, Code Breaking and Engineering, and third place for Maths and Art and Poetry. The School’s Year 5 group also acquitted themselves with distinction, placing third for Mathematics,

Cartography and Code Breaking.

INSPIRING STORIES

We have also sought to inspire our Junior School girls via the introduction of a new, innovative literacy program called Little Learners Love Literacy. We are deeply committed to equipping every St Mary’s girl with the ability to read well. Learning to read is such an essential skill not only to achieve success in school and thrive in society, but also to experience the joy that reading brings to one’s life. Decades of research now prove that reading occurs in a specific way in the brains of all people. It does not occur naturally the way that speech does. The process must be taught explicitly by building neuropathways in the brain that link the sounds of speech to written symbols and letters. This orthographic mapping must be robust for students to become fluent readers. For the past three years, our Academic Centre for Enrichment (ACE) and early years teachers have been working together to deliver a Science of Reading Pedagogy in our Pre-primary to Year 2 classrooms. World leaders in reading research have emphasised the importance of teaching the big six ideas of reading: oral language, phonemic awareness, systematic synthetic phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. This model forms the framework of our teaching at St Mary’s. We are committed to implementing classroom reading programs informed by the growing scientific evidence on instructional factors that support early reading development. When we know better, we do better! We apply this philosophy to all aspects of our girls’ Junior School journey, including their physical education. Girls from Kindergarten to Year 6 participate in a wide range of sporting opportunities throughout the year, and in the summer months we make great use of our outstanding aquatic complex. Dedicated swimmers spend many afternoons following the black line in the pool and they reaped the benefits of their hard work in March. Our Year 6 team placed first in their JIGSSA Twilight Swim Meet, while our Years 4 and 5 groups claimed second place on the podium. St Mary’s is also deeply committed to supporting our students from a wellbeing standpoint. We aim to inspire our girls to be the best person they can be by providing them with a holistic education and access to experts in a variety of fields. In March, our Years 5 and 6 girls benefited by participating in a Be the Girl workshop co-ordinated by Magic Coat for Kids. During the two-hour session, the girls explored ways to develop and manage their own wellbeing as they navigate the ‘tween’ years. The workshop encouraged them to identify what makes them calm and happy and realise the importance of a positive body image, and challenged them to lead others by way of positive actions.

Mrs Helen Adams Head of Junior School

INSPIRING STORIES