Message from Richard Baker, Acting Head of Junior School

Dear Junior and Pre-School families

The Christmas spirit was alive and well on Tuesday evening as our Year 3 to Year 6 students filled Cranbrook’s VCH with their beautiful voices for their annual Carol Service. Through carols, hymns and readings, the students delivered a heartfelt celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Special thanks to Rev. Rod Farraway, Matthew Noble, Peter Fox, Jane Homes à Court, Karen Harricks and Fiona Chan for their dedication in preparing the students for this joyful occasion. Year 6 students impressed us all with their thoughtful Bible readings, adding a reflective touch to the evening.

Last week, our Y3-Y6 students and staff had a fabulous time at the Y3-Y6 Christmas Lunch. Once again, we extend enormous thanks to the CSPA volunteers who helped to arrange this momentous event. Please view the gallery here.

Year 6 2024 Valedictory Service
Tomorrow, Friday 6 December, we will bid farewell to our current Year 6 graduates at the Year 6 Valedictory Service. We look forward to a special gathering of students, staff and families to celebrate our Year 6 students and to wish them well as they prepare for the next chapter of their academic journey. The service will be held at 1:15pm in the Junior School Gymnasium. We kindly ask all guests to arrive and be seated by 1:00pm.

Junior School Prize Giving Ceremony
We warmly invite parents and carers to our 2024 Prize Giving Ceremony on Wednesday, 11 December, 10.00am – 12.00pm at the Junior School Gymnasium. If you do wish to attend, please remember to book your tickets.

This formal event celebrates the academic, artistic and personal achievements of our Y3- Y6 students. The ceremony will feature inspiring reflections, Drama and Music performances, and addresses from students and President of Council, Mr Geoff Lovell, Acting Head of School, Mrs Michele Marquet and Matthew Radvin (Y12 student).

Please ensure students arrive with polished shoes and neatly groomed hair to ensure we uphold the traditions of this important occasion.

Note on Bus Services for Wednesday, 11 December:
The school day will conclude at 12.00pm following the Prize Giving Ceremony. Morning bus services will run as normal; however, there will be no afternoon bus services. Please use the carline for student pick-up.

Staffing Update – Term 4, 2024
As we near the end of the School year, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to several staff members who will be leaving us:

  • Rosie Heckes, Year 1 & 2 Educational Development Teacher, will be relocating to Melbourne with her family to take on a Year 6 classroom teacher role at Kingwood College.
  • Clementine Mockett, Year 4 Teacher, will be returning to the UK with her partner in early 2025. She will continue to support Cranbrook Junior School through Term 1.
  • Amelia Laumberg, Year 6 Team Leader, is taking a year away from Cranbrook to travel and will return in 2026. We thank her for her dedication and commitment to our Junior School over the last two years.
  • Kerry Duncan, Year 6 Case Manager, has accepted a promotion as Junior School ILC Coordinator at Barker College.
  • Karen Harricks, Year 3 Team Leader, has been appointed Deputy Head of Junior School at PLC Croydon.

These new appointments for Kerry and Karen reflect the strength and high calibre of our Cranbrook teaching staff, highlighting the dedication, professionalism and expertise that our educators bring to the classroom and beyond. We thank these staff members for their dedication and contributions to Cranbrook Junior School and wish them all the best in their future endeavours.

I look forward to seeing many of you at our upcoming special events, as we celebrate the achievements, milestones and spirit of our Junior School community.

I would like to wish our Cranbrook students and families a happy and peaceful festive season. 

Kind regards

Richard Baker
Acting Head of Junior School