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Our Pathway to School

Inside the teen brain: A work ...

At St Peter’s Girls, we provide our bespoke Pathway to School, a targeted ELC-to-school experience for all ELC children during the six months prior to their commencement as Receptions at the start of a new school year or in the mid-year intake.

Based in a new flexible and dynamic learning space within our Early Leaners’ Centre, our Pathway to School is led by a qualified Early Childhood Teacher. To complement the globally-recognised learning experiences that already take place across our Centre, children are engaged in an extended range of focused learning opportunities aimed at setting them up for a successful and positive start to school.

Fundamental capabilities that are accelerated through our Pathway to School include social, emotional and self-management skills to further develop independence, organisation and resilience. Literacy, numeracy and STEM explorations are amplified daily during rich inquiries and interwoven play activities, guided by problem-solving and creativity. Crucially, our Pathway to School places children’s wellbeing at the centre as we focus on their individual growth.

BENEFITS FOR CHILDREN PROGRESSING FROM OUR ELC TO RECEPTION AT ST PETER’S GIRLS’ SCHOOL

A strong sense of belonging in our School community from a young age as girls become familiar with School staff and the wider School environment. Close communication and handover of information shared between our ELC and Reception teachers.

The power of all-girls’ education delivered by a world-class provider of single-sex schooling.

A consistent approach to the teaching of literacy and numeracy across ELC to Year 6.

Buddy programs with girls in other year levels that create connections across our ELC - 12 School.

A high sense of aspiration as younger girls see and engage with older girls daily.

Involvement in our ELC to Reception Hat and Bag Ceremony – an exciting rite of passage celebrating our girls’ Pathway to School.

The uniforms are ironed, the school hats have been found and with any luck lunch boxes weren’t left in the bottom of a school bag at the end of Term 4. Welcome to the new school year! While the start of first term often brings with it excitement, nerves and possibly a few tears, a new school year means new beginnings, new adventures, new friendships, and new challenges. The slate is clear for our children and anything can happen from the moment they step into their new classroom for the year ahead.

With the new year also comes our next issue of EDUCATE. In this mag we take a deep dive into the indoors and outdoors of learning. Junior Landcare have given us some tips on how to educate our children on conservation, and Climbing Tree Creations have taken us through the opportunities for play in a high school environment, and what play looks like for this age group. We also take a look at the changing names and nature of learning spaces, with Dr Nathan James Crane explaining classroom typologies and the recent shift in the way designers and educators are conceptualising these spaces.

Madhavi Nawana Parker broaches the all important topic of helping our young people through exam stress, especially for our year 11s and 12s, and we find out more about First language teaching across the APY Lands in South Australia’s north-west. This important initiative from the Department of Education sees schools and communities working together to build Aṉangu students’ multilingual literacy skills for learning across the curriculum by drawing on the strong foundation of Aṉangu languages, cultures and knowledges.

Best wishes for the year ahead, and a special dose of extra good luck for those families with children starting primary school or high school for the first time this year. The next adventure starts now.

Publisher Charlotte Chambers