Mrs Dunwoody reflects on the significance of the creative arts and last week’s Junior School Art Show.
As I prepare to step away from my role as Head of Junior School, I find myself reflecting on the profound privilege it has been to serve this remarkable community. Over the years, I have witnessed countless moments of joy, growth, and connection, and each one of them a testament to the spirit of Camberwell Girls Grammar School. I am very grateful to our Junior School families, students, and staff for your support, trust, and partnership. You have made Ormiston not just a school, but a second home to me.
It has been a joy to work so closely with our Early Learning 3 to Year 6 students over the past 14 years, including 12 years in this leadership role. Our CGGS values of Respect, Integrity, Commitment, Hope, and Courage have guided everything we have done together. Thank you to all families for allowing me to be part of your child’s learning journey. As a school leader, it has been an honour to contribute to something truly special here at Camberwell Girls.
As I step into a new chapter, I do so with full confidence knowing that our Junior School is in the very capable and caring hands of Emma Hinchliffe and Nancy Robottom. I wish every Ormiston family continued joy, fulfilment, and connection in the years ahead. May the relationships we have built continue to flourish and may the CGGS values remain a guiding light in all that you do.
I would like to congratulate Neesha N of Year 6 for her inspiring fundraising initiative, aimed at helping children around the world access the same educational opportunities we are fortunate to enjoy here in Australia. Through collecting and recycling bottles and cans from her apartment building, Neesha raised an impressive $400. She used these funds to purchase a range of school supplies and thoughtfully assembled stationery packs filled with Textas, pens, coloured pencils, stickers, and other essential items.
During the school holidays, Neesha travelled to Sri Lanka and personally delivered the packs to a local primary school. The school community was deeply grateful for her generosity, and I commend Neesha for embodying our school motto, Utilis in Ministerium — useful in service. Her compassion and initiative undoubtedly made a huge impact on the students who received the supplies, and we are very proud of her efforts.
Congratulations to our Year 6 Topaz netball team and their dedicated coaches on a fantastic Grand Final victory last Saturday. I had the pleasure of watching the match, and was very impressed by the team’s confidence, determination, and teamwork throughout the game. Topaz emerged victorious, and it was a special moment for the students and their families which was a wonderful way to mark the end of a very successful season.
Paul Donohue
Head of Junior School
EL3 has demonstrated a strong interest in writing the alphabet and connecting with each other. This gave us the idea to create an EL3 Post Box. We wanted to reinforce on our commitment and Term 3 goal of creating a more sustainable classroom and we used a cardboard box from a recent delivery to create our post box. The children unanimously decided that it must be painted rainbow! EL3 worked collaboratively to paint as well as create the sign for the post box.
We held morning meetings surrounding the post, letters, and envelopes, where the children shared their prior knowledge and built on their understanding of how writing letters to each other can strengthen our connections.
We continued to use writing letters to grow our sense of connection and belonging by inviting the families to also use the EL3 postal service. The look of joy and love has been so heartwarming as children and families open letters created for each other.
In our final week of Term 3, we have written letters and created artworks for ourselves to be posted via Australia Post. These will be posted this week and will arrive at the children’s homes during the first week of the holidays. EL3 are so excited as they wait to receive their mail! Through interests of letters, connection and the alphabet, EL3 has continued to grow their knowledge and experiences of communication and community.
Eva Szymanski
Early Learning 3 Teacher
This term, our Year 1 students have been diving into the fascinating world of forces as part of their Inquiry learning. Through hands-on activities and engaging discussions, they have observed and identified forces used to move everyday objects.
Students were supported by Ms Kylie Rose, Junior School STEAM teacher, who organised fabulous lessons at the Senior School science laboratories. Year 1 explored a variety of materials including plasticine, wire, cellophane, and straws. They examined and described the properties of each material and discussed similarities and differences. Students then experimented with these materials to observe how their shapes and properties could change.
Students learned that a force is a push, pull, or twist that can cause an object to move, stop, change direction, or alter its speed. They shared their own definitions and examples of these actions from everyday life, building a strong foundation for understanding how forces operate.
Students applied their knowledge by creating videos explaining push and pull forces, constructing a catapult and conducting experiences about how it worked, and using Lego Duplo sets to construct models and experiment with how different forces could move or change their creations. These practical activities allowed them to see forces in action and reinforced their understanding in fun and creative ways.
Throughout the unit, students have been encouraged to ask questions, make predictions, and reflect on their learning. Their curiosity and enthusiasm have made this exploration of forces a dynamic and enjoyable experience!
Liz Warren and Angela Columbine
Year 1 Class Teachers
This year’s theme for Science Week was ‘decoding the universe’ which allowed students to problem solve and create. Students were invited to use their detective skills to match the animal to their prints and then use natural materials to make some of them. These prints were from a range of animals, such as the kangaroo, crocodile and duck. There was an opportunity for budding engineers to build their design of a bridge made from spaghetti! It was amazing to see creative minds work together to make unique structures. Students also completed a quiz to test their general knowledge in science. The questions were from a range of topics such as biology, geology and astrophysics.
A very big thank you to Ella Z (Year 12), Selina Z (Year 11), Mrs Henson (Head of Science), the staff who supported the activities and all the students who participated and had fun!
Kylie Rose
STEAM teacher
The Ormiston Art Show was a celebration of creativity, imagination, and artistic growth. Families, students and staff gathered to admire the incredible range of work our students have produced throughout the year, transforming the Hall and Great Space into a vibrant gallery.
A slideshow offered a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the artmaking process. Families enjoyed seeing students experimenting with materials, sketching, painting, sculpting, and collaborating with peers in the Art Room.
The exhibition showcased a wide variety of mediums, reflecting the skills and creativity of our young artists. From bold paintings and detailed drawings to ceramics and mixed-media pieces.
Highlights from the exhibition included: the Early Learning 4 collaborative painting which featured ideas from their imagination; the Year 1 Leadbeater possum tea towel which will fundraise for this endangered species; and the year 5 ceramic trophies which celebrated their talents and attributes.
The Ormiston Art Show not only celebrated finished works of art but also the importance of the creative process. By experimenting, problem-solving, and expressing themselves visually, students developed both confidence and resilience in their artistic practice.
Our Art Show assembly was led by Mahva M and Naomi F of Year 6, who both spoke confidently about the Ormiston Art program. Musical entertainment was provided by Olivia H on piano and the Yr 5/6 Quartet, consisting of Ellie, Alessandra, Elsa and Doris.
An addition to our Art Show was the ‘what did you think?’ space, where students, teachers and parents could write a comment on a post it note about the Art Show. Some examples of comments included:
Lilian Bishop
Junior School Art Teacher
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The second year of the Kew Future Leaders Speech Competition provided 10 Year 6 students the opportunity to present a speech outlining their vision to continue to improve our world. Member for Kew, Jess Wilson selected Audrey C as the CGGS winner resulting in Audrey presenting her speech during the finals at the Victorian Parliament House on Tuesday 2 September. She was one of 12 finalists from primary schools around Kew who shared their future visions and areas of passion. Audrey’s speech was positively received by the panel of adjudicators as she highlighted the need for mental health provisions for young people in Kew. Her speech was testament to her understanding and research into an important aspect of community health. The opportunity enabled Audrey to meet other passionate young people from the Kew community and share her ideas on the floor of Parliament. She demonstrated our school values of Courage and Hope and we acknowledge our appreciation of Audrey as a representative of CGGS at this selective event.
Margaret Hall
Year 5/6 Coordinator
Mrs Dunwoody reflects on the significance of the creative arts and last week’s Junior School Art Show.
Mr Donohue takes this opportunity to farewell the Junior School community on his final day.
