The end of our first ‘mostly normal’ term is a good time to reflect on the impact of COVID-19 on these past 12 months. It is a time to take a step away and look at how the girls have progressed and the ways in which Barbreck staff are supporting them through their commitment to providing the best care and attention.

Our commitment to ensuring all 40 lessons per week (backed by the technology we were able to provide) throughout the lockdown period last year has placed our students in a good position. Our annual standardised assessments demonstrate that most of the girls kept abreast of their learning and attained the levels expected for them. While other schools were indicating their students were at least six months behind expectations, this has not been the case at St Catherine’s with the majority of our girls maintaining their expected progress.

Barbreck staff continue to support students to advance in their learning journey. Our commitment to personalised learning ensures we maintain class sizes that best achieve the desired outcomes of improved academic achievement for all students. Our teachers know your daughter and know her well. We know her strengths and have identified her areas for development. This knowledge enables us to provide teaching at her instructional level, ensuring optimal progress can be made.

Our collegial practice approach of having more than one teacher in a classroom for key areas of learning for four lessons per week increases the contact our girls have with qualified staff who can best support their journey of learning. This, coupled with our optimal class sizes, offers our girls the opportunity to build on their progress and improvements.

The provision of support classes, with each girl having her own individual learning plan, focuses the teachers’ attention on areas that will provide the most beneficial gains in learning and progress towards expected levels of achievement.

The formation of extension groups allows for high achieving girls to work at their instructional level in the areas of numbers and algebra, and reading and writing.

Our newly introduced timetabled health and well-being lessons offer valuable opportunity each week to the health and wellbeing of our girls. In addition, the wonderful pastoral care provided by our staff offers the girls daily contact with teachers who know and care for them. It is a key strength of our School how our teachers care for the girls, whether it is with social and emotional support – their teachers are there for them.

Our new Junior School Psychologist, Ms Fiona Ganino-Day, also provides support for the girls and acts in an advisory capacity for staff wanting to provide support for the girls in their class.

While COVID-19 impacted us all, our Junior School Barbreck girls are well placed, happy and settled into their School year, supported by a wonderful team who cares for them.

Thank You and Happy Easter

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Barbreck parents for your continued support of the School and staff, and wish everyone a wonderful time spent with family this holiday.

Stay safe and healthy.

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Out of School Hours Care

St Catherine’s School offers an Out of School Hours Care program to all ELC and Junior School families. The program is implemented by our provider ‘After the Bell’, and operates within the ELC building. Parents are reminded that if you need to use the Before School Care or After School Care service, registrations need to be made in advance with ‘After the Bell’. Please allow up to five business days for your registration to be processed before your child can begin attending the program. Registration is free. All families are encouraged to register so that you can use this service in the event that you are unable to pick up your child.

Before School Care – 7.00am to 8.45am

After School Care – 3.00pm to 6.00pm

Registrations can be completed via the ‘After the Bell’ website https://afterthebell.com.au/register-now/

Please phone 9758 6744 for all enquiries