Mrs McClure welcomes the community to the 2025 school year and introduces new staff members.
At Ormiston each year, we have a special parent event at the beginning of a new year tilted, Meet the Teacher. This is a perfect opportunity for Foundation – Year 6 families to come to Junior School to listen to our Camberwell Girls leadership team and their child’s Class Teacher. At the start of each session this year, our Deputy Principal Mrs Davina McClure encouraged parents to be aware of their child’s technology use particularly on social media sites, and she also reminded parents to not over-schedule their child/ren with co-curricular activities outside school hours, and to allow for lots of play and relaxation time during the school week and on weekends.
Additionally, it was very positive to see so many parents attending both Meet the Teacher sessions. Class Teachers were pleased to see parents want information about daily classroom routines, specialist timetables, curriculum initiatives, best teaching practice at Ormiston and co-curricular activities. I would like to remind Ormiston families that the partnership between Home and School is very important in ensuring each child has the potential to do their personal best throughout the year.
I would like to wish all Ormiston families a restful weekend.
Paul Donohue
Head of Junior School
As the ELC students begin their new school year, it has been a joy to watch them form and strengthen connections with their teachers, peers, and the classroom environment.
Over the past two weeks, establishing routines has been a key focus, and the children’s involvement in morning and afternoon transitions has contributed to a positive, nurturing atmosphere where they can thrive. Tasks such as independently carrying and unpacking their bags, washing their hands with awareness of peers’ allergies, and actively participating in group discussions have become part of their daily rhythm.
This approach aligns with the concept of ‘slow pedagogy,’ which emphasises on being present and attuned to the natural rhythms of children. By taking the time to slow down and engage with the pace of their day, children become more purposeful in their learning, able to tune into the opportunities that arise organically in their environment.
Consistent and meaningful routines provide children with a sense of security, allowing them to anticipate the structure of their day and stay mindful of what’s happening around them. Rather than rushing through activities, they begin to appreciate the process, making their engagement more intentional and reflective. This approach fosters an environment where children are guided to notice and embrace the small, often overlooked opportunities for growth in their daily routines.
In nurturing these moments, we hope to empower children to embrace this year’s journey of learning and play with curiosity, purpose, and an open heart!
Esther Wong
Early Learning Coordinator
At Junior School, we are eager to help our students thrive in a connected world, by empowering them to make positive digital choices. To help us continue toward this goal, we are excited to announce our partnership with the Cyber Safety Project this year. Forming part of our Junior School BRAVE program in Foundation to Year 6, this collaboration aims to enhance our students’ cyber-safety and wellbeing and encourage them to be positive digital citizens. This initiative will also be implemented at Secondary School in Year 7 and 8 and forms part of a broader whole school focusing on the intentional use of technology.
The Cyber Safety Project is recognised for their expertly crafted curriculum, that evolves yearly to connect to students’ changing experiences online. The curriculum in each year level is designed to help students become informed and conscientious digital citizens which reflect the core values of respect, strength, empathy, and responsibility”.
Throughout the year, students will be guided through sequenced and age-appropriate lessons led by their classroom teachers, covering topics including safeguarding personal information, knowing when to switch off, addressing cyberbullying, and ethical online behaviour.
Empowering Parents
As the digital world is constantly evolving, it is vital that parents and educators stay up to date with what’s happening and how it impacts even our youngest children. We strongly encourage all Junior School and Early Learning parents to come along to our parent session with the Cyber Safety Project on Wednesday 12 March from 7pm – 8.30pm in Barbara Sutton Hall.
As well as attending our parent session, three useful parent resources I encourage you all to explore are:
The Cyber Safety Project – Parent Resources
The Office of the eSafety Commissioner – provides parent information and guidance on how to help your child report any online harms
Common Sense Media – A fantastic website that gives reviews and suggested age ratings for games, movies, books, tv shows and podcasts.
Keep an eye out for more updates on parent tips and tricks, and our journey with the Cyber Safety Project as part of our BRAVE program in future publications of The Weekly and CamNews.
Emma Hinchliffe
Deputy Head of Junior School
For many years at Junior School, we have valued a strong connection and collaboration with Ngu-rung-aeta (Head Man) and Wurundjeri Elder, Murrundindi who has worked with our students to foster an appreciation, understanding and respect of First Nations’ culture.
To start the term, the Junior School and Early Learning staff were privileged to experience a session with Murrundindi’s son, Pallyan, where he honoured us with a Welcome to Country and Smoking ceremony at our Junior School Yarning Circle. This area, is in the heart of our yard, was designed in consultation with Murrundindi by our current Year 5 students.
As part of our commitment to reconciliation, we are excited to announce that our Early Learning and Junior School students will be engaging in a Wurundjeri language program in 2025. Pallyan, will be visiting each class twice per term to engage the students in traditional Wurundjeri language, music, stories and song. This term, he will be introducing greeting vocabulary to all the students. Further language content during the year will relate to classroom inquiry units such as: animals names, understanding seasons and Connection to Country.
In the coming weeks, we will be providing further information about this program in CamNews and sharing the vocabulary that we have been learning from Pallyan with the hope that you are encouraged to use the words at home.
It is our aim that the program will enable our students, staff and families to use our voices to embed traditional Wurundjeri vocabulary in our everyday interactions and continue to build a community of shared understanding and respect of Indigenous culture with a strong connection to the land on which our school stands.
Nancy Robottom
Deputy Head of Junior School
The focus for the first week back in the Art room has been the CGGS values of integrity, commitment, respect, hope and courage. We have discussed how these values can be demonstrated when working creatively in Art lessons.
In their first Art lesson, each student created an individual artwork that has contributed to a large paper patchwork quilt. We discussed the ‘art principle’ of unity which is the idea that different elements of an artwork work together to create a sense of wholeness and harmony. Like a quilt stitched together with individual patches, each student in Ormiston has their own unique skills and perspectives that collectively form our learning community. This stunning collaborative artwork is now on display in the Junior School Hall for all to enjoy.
Lilian Bishop
Art Teacher
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![PXL_20250203_014128919[49]_600H](https://cggs.vic.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/PXL_20250203_01412891949_600H.jpeg)
![PXL_20250203_014136655[80]_600H](https://cggs.vic.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/PXL_20250203_01413665580_600H.jpeg)
The Foundation students have settled in well during their first week at school, showing great enthusiasm and resilience as they embrace their new environment. They are quickly learning classroom routines, such as carrying their own school bags and placing them in their lockers, as well as handing their diaries to a teacher for signing. It has been great to see new and old friends from our Early Learning Centre coming together.
In the first week they have been introduced to a great friend of Foundation, Milo Monkey. He taught the students their first sound and all the things that he likes beginning with that sound. One of the highlights of their first week has been exploring the big playground, where they’ve enjoyed running, climbing, and playing games with their classmates. It’s been wonderful to see their bright smiles and hear their laughter as they learn and explore. It’s going to be a big year ahead in Foundation!
Mikaela Stanaway
Foundation Teacher
Year 6 have made an incredible start to the school year, settling into their new classrooms with enthusiasm and positivity. The energy and excitement in the air have been contagious as students embrace their leadership roles and the many new opportunities that come with being the senior students of Ormiston.
One of the highlights so far has been their introduction to the secondary school science labs, where they have begun conducting hands-on experiments and learning to work like real scientists. Exploring energy concepts in a specialist environment has sparked curiosity and engagement, setting the stage for a dynamic term of scientific discovery.
Further to this, Year 6 students have combined digital technologies with hands-on learning to explore simple circuits and solar panels. By designing and testing circuits, students are already gaining a deeper understanding of renewable energy and how technology can be used to solve real-world problems. These are important understandings we will focus on as we work toward our Learning Expo.
Equally important has been the formation of new friendships and classroom communities. Through team-building activities and shared learning experiences, students have begun forging strong connections with their peers, creating a supportive and inclusive environment for the year ahead.
We are very proud of how well Year 6 have started 2025 and look forward to seeing their confidence, independence, and curiosity continue to grow!
Margaret Hall
Year 6 Teacher
Mrs McClure welcomes the community to the 2025 school year and introduces new staff members.
New and returning students have settled in nicely with various engaging transition programs.
It has been a time of discovery at the Junior School as students start a new school year.
Students enjoyed a fun photobooth to commemorate the start of the School's 105th anniversary.
