Punctuality and Safety Reminder

We kindly remind all families of the importance of arriving at school on time each morning. A prompt start to the day helps set students up for success, ensuring they are calm, prepared and ready for learning when classes begin. Leaving promptly at the end of the school day is equally important. It helps maintain a calm and orderly environment during pick-up times and ensures that all students are safely collected under supervision.
We also ask for your support in reinforcing an important safety message with your child. For the safety of all students and families, ball games are not permitted before or after school at any of the following locations:
• Basketball courts
• Downball courts
• Grammar Green
• Quadrangle area (Woodlea Campus)
With the high volume of pedestrian traffic during drop-off and pick-up, we need to maintain a safe and calm environment for everyone.
Thank you for your ongoing support in helping us prioritise student safety and punctuality each day.

Mrs Sally Savic – Head of Junior School: Woodlea and
Mr Darren Gibson – Head of Junior School: Maddingley

Maddingley

Year 3 Ballarat Wildlife Excursion

On Friday 6 June, the Year 3 students visited the Ballarat Wildlife Park. This was a fantastic opportunity for them to apply their knowledge from the Classification of Animals unit in a real-world setting. As they observed a variety of animals up close, the students identified key features and discussed how these characteristics help classify animals into groups such as mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds and fish. The students enjoyed being taxonomists for the day, recording their observations on worksheets and consolidating their learning through hands-on experience.
Throughout the day, students encountered a diverse array of native animals, including koalas, wombats, emus, dingoes and of course, many kangaroos. They also observed the park’s impressive collection of reptiles such as crocodiles, snakes, and lizards, housed within the Reptile House. Students listened attentively to presentations led by knowledgeable keepers. These sessions provided in-depth insights into the behaviours and habitats of various species including meerkats and penguins. The tiger enclosure was the most popular non-Australian exhibit at the park, and the students were amazed by its size and striking colouring as it prowled around its enclosure.
The highlight of the day for all was the opportunity to interact closely with the park’s many kangaroos. Students thoroughly enjoyed the chance to hand-feed and pat these iconic animals. There were so many kangaroos that some students ran out of space on their worksheets to record them all. Although the weather at Ballarat Wildlife Park was cold and windy, the rain held off until it was time to leave. The excursion provided students with a memorable experience and a real-world setting in which to demonstrate their knowledge.

Mrs Bethan White – Head of Year 3

Woodlea

Prep Students Visit the Local Wetlands

Our Prep students have been busy learning about our local area as part of their Global Studies unit. They have discovered what makes our region special, looked at different landmarks, and talked about how we can look after our environment and the plants and animals that live here.
Recently, we extended this learning with an educational excursion to the wetlands adjacent to our campus. Despite the cool weather, our Prep students approached the experience with enthusiasm, equipped with clipboards and pencils to document their observations.
During the excursion, students identified both natural and man-made landmarks while searching for local flora. The highlight came when students encountered a mob of kangaroos resting beside the wetlands, providing an authentic opportunity to observe the local fauna they had been studying.
The students thoroughly enjoyed experiencing their classroom learning in a real-world setting, reinforcing the importance of caring for our environment and their connection to the local area.

Woodlea Prep Team

Year 3 Science

Our Year 3 students have been on an exciting learning journey exploring Earth’s natural resources. Over the past weeks, our students have been discovering the world of soil, rocks and minerals, and investigating how their characteristics vary depending on where they’re found in the environment.
Outside the classroom, students looked around our school grounds to spot how we use natural resources every day. In class, our Year 3 scientists have been hands-on with samples of rocks, soil and minerals. They’ve conducted experiments, tested their characteristics, made predictions and carefully recorded their observations. It’s been an engaging and insightful experience for them; many students even brought in samples from their own collections to share.
This fun and engaging unit has deepened our students’ understanding of Earth’s resources and increased their appreciation of the environment and the importance of responsible resource management. Great job, Year 3 Geologists!

Marina Buatti – Science Teacher