Message from Grant Andrews, Acting Head of Junior School
Dear Junior and Pre-school families,
“Courage doesn’t mean you don’t get afraid. Courage means you don’t let fear stop you.” – Bethany Hamilton
At the start of every school year, and as some children may be walking to and from school for the first time, it is important that we raise awareness of stranger danger. Please remind your children to be aware of their surroundings, to never get into a car with a stranger and to always seek help from a trusted adult if they feel unsure or unsafe.
It was a picturesque Saturday morning for an early start and the first round of sport fixtures. How fantastic it was to see some fine cricket, basketball and multi-sport all in action on campus. Thank you to our coaches, managers, parents and students for ensuring a positive start to the season. I encourage all of our students to keep up their hard work in training and continue to show courage and fine sportsmanship at all times.
Across the Junior School, parent-teacher dialogues have been happening all week. Working in close collaboration and partnership with parents and carers is highly valued at Cranbrook, and we thank you for taking the time to share information with us about your son. Thank you to our staff who have graciously given additional time and capacity to support these valuable dialogues, in order to prioritise the establishment of a connection with you in anticipation of a positive year ahead for your son.
Cross Country – Friday, 21 February
A reminder that our much-anticipated Years 3-6 Cross Country event will be held on Dangar Oval tomorrow, starting at 8:40am. Thank you to the Senior students who came down on Tuesday to support the House Captains in preparing for their House chants and war cries.
NAPLAN 2025 Y3 and Y5 Parent and Carer Information
Each year, the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is undertaken by students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. Students will participate in tests for writing, reading, conventions of language (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy.
At Cranbrook Junior School, NAPLAN 2025 will take place from Wednesday, 12 March – Monday, 24 March. NAPLAN is just one part of our school learning assessment program. The tests assess literacy and numeracy skills your child is already learning at school. In preparation for NAPLAN, our school will undertake activities to help students become familiar with the format and functionality of the online tests. These activities are not an assessment of student ability and will not be marked. Excessive preparation for NAPLAN is not required nor recommended.
The public demonstration site is available to see the types of questions, tools and functions used in the NAPLAN tests.
Further information about NAPLAN is available on the NESA website
If you have any questions about NAPLAN, please contact your child’s teacher.
Cultivating Respect
Critical thinking plays an important role in supporting our students to sift information, discover truth and develop a sense of justice, respect and understanding. As our students navigate both the digital and physical world, they are confronted with decision-making at every turn. Having the courage to speak up, to ask questions and to advocate for truth is an essential part of building a strong community in which every individual feels safe, valued and connected.
We urge all families to take the opportunity to discuss the following critical issues at home:
How we Can Support Our Children – Kirra Pendergast (leading international expert in online safety and founder of Safe on Social)
- Hate speech is not a joke or an opinion it is harmful. No one has the right to demean or exclude others based on race, religion, or identity.
- Social media is not a consequence-free zone. What we post, like, or share online carries weight and accountability potentially forever.
- Silence allows harm to continue. If they witness any hate-fuelled behaviour, they should feel empowered to speak up and stand against it.
- Critical thinking is essential. Encourage them to question content online and recognise the impact of misinformation.
Cranbrook will continue to reinforce these values in classrooms, but meaningful change starts at home. We encourage you to have ongoing and open discussions about respect, digital responsibility and the power of words online and offline. Together, we can ensure that our children grow up in a community that values empathy, respect and justice for all.
Warm regards,
Grant Andrews
Acting Head of Junior School