This time of year carries a wonderful sense of energy, filled with reflection, planning and anticipation as we celebrate what has been achieved while also looking ahead to what’s next. Over the past fortnight, our community has enjoyed many annual events and traditions that make this time of year so special. We gathered for our annual Celebration of Sport Assembly, recognising the commitment and achievements of students in their sporting pursuits. The 2026 Foundation students also began their first transition sessions, and we welcomed new families to the Year 5 New Parent Afternoon Tea which was a lovely opportunity to connect and share in the excitement of what is on the horizon for next year. Speaking of Year 5, our current students have been preparing to take on their new leadership roles next year. This week they shared their speeches, speaking with enthusiasm about what’s important to them, the values they bring to leadership, and the ways they hope to work with the students in the JS next year.
As we look toward the year ahead, families may have seen in last week’s communication that, from 2026, most of the stationery resources required by Junior School students will be purchased and provided by the school. Only a small selection of texts and specialist items will need to be ordered through Campion- noting that many of the items appearing on the list should be retained from this year and used again. This new approach aims to simplify the process for families and ensure all students are equipped and ready to begin the school year smoothly.
Nancy Robottom and Emma Hinchliffe
Acting Heads of Junior School
As the Barbara Sutton Hall continues to undergo a significant transformation, the spirit of performance and the connections made through music continue to flourish in creative and imaginative ways. Our team of specialist music educators has worked closely with students throughout the year, guiding them in strengthening their musicianship skills, refining performance awareness and nurturing collaborative connections during weekly rehearsals.
On Thursday 13 November, the Junior School Instrumental Ensembles came together for a memorable evening of music performance. Each ensemble delivered outstanding performances, showcasing a diverse range of instrumental skills and musical expression. The students embraced the opportunity to perform in a unique setting within the Library and the Hall, sharing their passion for music with family, friends, and the broader school community. For the audience, it was a delightful occasion to experience these performances and celebrate the joy that music-making brings.
We would like to extend our thanks to all the students for their enthusiasm, dedication, and hard work in preparing for this concert. Their commitment to excellence and love of music shone through in every performance. We also acknowledge the incredible efforts of our specialist music staff, whose guidance and support were influential in bringing the concert to life.
Kate Savige and Rohan Mack
Directors of Music
On Tuesday our Junior School gathered for a short and meaningful Remembrance Day Assembly to pause, reflect and honour all those who have served and sacrificed. Students observed a minute’s silence and listened as we shared the significance of this national day of commemoration. We were also proud to be represented across the wider CGGS community. Year 6 student Olivia H attended the Secondary School service, where she performed the Last Post with great composure and maturity. In addition, our Junior School Captains, Audrey and Neesha, visited the Kew RSL to lay a wreath on behalf of the school and pay their respects.
Last week, we welcomed our 2026 Foundation students for their very first transition session, and the excitement in the room was contagious. The children settled beautifully into the classroom and quickly began exploring the new environment and making connections with one another. For many, it was their first opportunity to experience what school will be like next year, and they embraced it with enthusiasm.
To start the session, we read a picture book about starting school. The story helped spark discussions about what students might expect next year, from learning in the classroom and meeting new friends, to playing outside and my personal favourite, ordering a lunch order. As a group, students shared the things they were most looking forward to. It was wonderful to hear their ideas and see how eager they are to begin their learning journey.
After our discussion, students completed an activity in their Foundation journals. They drew a picture showing something they are excited about for next year and had a go at writing words or short sentences to match their drawing.
We are so proud of the positive start our future Foundation students have made. We look forward to seeing them continue to grow in confidence over the coming sessions as they become more familiar with our school and their new learning environment.
Mikaela Stanaway
Foundation Classroom Teacher
On Friday 8th November, Year 2 students participated in their signature experience, an extended day of school. The aim is for students to experience a longer day together in a step towards attending camp in Year 3. Once the school day had finished, the Year 2’s had a snack and played on the playground. Afterwards, we played a game of Poison Ball. There was plenty of dodging, ducking, dipping, diving and dodging by all students as they battled to see who could stay in the longest. We finished off with a game of Paper, Scissor, Rock tag.
The students were then introduced to some circus activities with Mrs Robottom. They practiced juggling with scarves and bean bag balls, walking on stilts and spinning plates. These new skills proved challenging and plenty of mistakes were made, but perseverance and patience was showed by all students.
We all ventured over to senior school’s Cooinda Café for dinner. Students ate chicken burgers, pasta bolognese and fried rice and washed it down with fruit juice. This peaceful time was appreciated by Mrs Robottom and me.
The final activity was a movie in the Junior School Hall. Farmageddon, a Shaun the Sheep movie, was laughed at and loved by all students. They enjoyed watching the movie with their friends, pillows, blankets and cuddly toys. Half time Zooper Doopers were the final piece in an otherwise unforgettable afternoon and evening. There were plenty of tired eyes by the end of the night even though they all thoroughly enjoyed the day. Thank you to Mrs Robottom, Mrs Vicki and Miss Rebecca for all their help and organisation.
Peter Sartori
Year 2 Classroom Teacher
Each afternoon, we share a meditation story that provokes wonder and awe and guides children on a journey that explores a different life skill or value. As the children engage in guided meditation, they experience mindfulness, discover ways to relax their mind and body, develop breathing techniques, listening skills and learn how to use visualisations and affirmations to experience a state of calmness.
Our meditation stories are thoughtfully designed to support the different ways children learn and experience the world. Some children connect through movement and physical sensations, or visual elements like colours, pictures, or symbols, and other children through words, sounds, or music. Each child’s experience is unique, and by including all these approaches, we ensure that every child can engage in a way that feels comfortable for them.
Questions such as What can you see? What do you hear? How does it make you feel? encourages deeper engagement and reflection.
The meditation stories have affirmations that develop self-awareness and encourage children to have a belief in their potential Some of the affirmations in the meditation stories have included I am strong, I am grateful, I am confident, I have choices, I am unique, and I love challenges.
During our meditation stories we provide opportunities for times of silence. Silence encourages the children to stop, listen and ‘be’ and provides a tranquil space that nurtures and cultivates inner calmness, peacefulness, and mental clarity, essential in managing the stresses of everyday life.
At the conclusion of the story, the children have time and opportunity to reflect as this helps to strengthen metacognition – thinking about their thinking and learning – and share their thinking and reflections with their peers.
I liked Lavendar Field when we went for a walk, and we went to a waterfall. I saw the water in my mind, and it was leaking down onto the rock. I felt relaxed and my breathing was in and out. Elsa
I liked Mermaid’s Cave because I imagined that I saw the mermaid and I saw scales on her. I could hear the water moving. I felt happy and calm and I kept myself still. Aimee
I like the Mermaid’s Cave because it made me so calm. It was beautiful. When I breathed, I was so calm. The picture that I saw in my mind made me calm and happy. I felt calm because it was so quiet and we had candles to look at on the mat. Jeslyn
Angela Follacchio
Early Learning 4 Full Time Teacher
On Thursday 6th November, students in Years 5 and 6 headed off to MSAC bright and early for the GSV Swimming and Diving Carnival. We took a strong team of 26 students with many swimming in multiple events, as well as diving.
The morning began with the swimming competition. The first group of races were our breaststroke swimmers. We started strong with some excellent results across the Year 5 & 6 races:
5A 50m Breaststroke: Nicole L 1st
6A 50m Breaststroke: Claire Z 1st
6B 50m Breaststroke: Cathy G 3rd
6C 50m Breaststroke: Annabelle Z 1st
6E 50m Breaststroke: Aurelia P 1st
6F 50m Breaststroke: Neesha N 3rd
We then moved on to our freestyle competition. Our Year 5 swimmers faced some tough competition with some new GSV records being set by the competition. Many of our Year 5 swimmers placed 4th and 5th in their races and swam very competitively. Our Year 6 freestyle swimmers were next and again represented CGGS incredibly well. Congratulations to the swimmers listed below who placed in the top 3 for their races:
6A 50m freestyle :Claire Z 2nd
6B 50m Freestyle: Alessandra R 1st
6D 50m freestyle: Janice P 1st
6E 50m Freestyle: Faye L 3rd
6F 50m Freestyle: Annabelle Z 1st
6H 50m Freestyle : Aurelia P 3rd
Our backstroke competition was exceptional We absolutely owned the pool and we placed top 3 in every race with four 1st, one 2nd and one 3rd.
6A 50m Backstroke: Claire Z 1st
6B 50m Backstroke: Cathy G 1st
6C 50m Backstroke: Annabelle Z 1st
6D 50m Backstroke: Aurelia P 3rd
6E 50m Backstroke: Janice P 1st
6F 50m Backstroke: Cecilia Y 2nd
A special mention to Claire Z who set a new GSV record for the 50m backstroke swimming and impressive 33.33.
Finally our Year 6A 4x50m medley relay team swam brilliantly to take out 2nd place.
After a fantastic effort in the pool we headed inside for our Diving competition. All divers were competing in the 1m springboard competition. We had four Year 6 divers and seven Year 5 divers. Congratulations to all our divers and a special mention to Aadhya in Year 6 and Evangeline in Year 5 who both placed 3rd in their competition.
The entire day was a huge success, both in terms of ribbons won, personal bests achieved and support of each other to overcome nerves and have a go. Congratulations to all the students that were part of the team.
Kim James
Head of Health, Physical Education and Sport
On Friday the 31 of October, 25 students from Years 6–9 represented CGGS at the First LEGO League Regional Competition, held at Strathmore Secondary College. The day was filled with innovation, teamwork, and excitement as students designed, built, and programmed LEGO robots to complete a series of real-world missions in this year’s theme – Unearthed.
Our Year 6 team, The Tech Titans, proudly represented the Junior School in their very first year of competition. They impressed the judges with their creativity, collaboration, and confident presentation, receiving outstanding feedback and a nomination for the Breakthrough Award – an incredible achievement for first-time competitors.
In the Secondary School, our teams also achieved outstanding results. The Year 7 team, The Futuristic Explorers, won the Design Award for their exceptional robot design and detailed engineering log. The Year 8 team, Otterly Awesome, delivered an exciting performance in the robot game, finishing 3rd overall after an impressive final round. Our Year 9 team, Opportunity, competing in their fourth and final year, demonstrated excellent preparation and teamwork to win both the Core Values Award and the Robot Performance Award, earning a place in the National Championships South at MLC on Saturday the 6th of December.
Throughout the day, students displayed the true spirit of the First LEGO League – discovery, innovation, and gracious professionalism.
Congratulations to all participants for their enthusiasm and achievements and thank you to Mr Kingsley Ren and Mrs May Ou for supporting our students on the day.
Sam Fitzgerald
Head of Digital Technologies
