Tomorrow (Friday, 2 May) there will be a community prayer morning with Mr Noble for any parents, carers or staff in our JS community. It will be held from 7:45am in Meeting Room 1 (near Junior School reception). It is an opportunity to spend time in prayer for each other and the school. We run prayer meetings the first Friday of each month during term time.
On Wednesday, 30 April, the Year 3 students visited the Royal Botanic Garden to participate in two education programs – Plant Scientists and Sustainability Superheroes as part of their Sharing the Planet unit of inquiry.
Plant Scientists
The Year 3 students were taken on a guided walk through the Botanic Gardens where they learnt how scientists classify plants. They compared the seeds of flowering and non-flowering plants and experimented with various ways that seeds are dispersed.
Sustainability Superheroes
The students visited and explored a sustainable garden, planted seeds which will grow plants for food and discussed the benefits of compost and worm farming. They used their problem-solving skills to design a simple rainwater harvesting system.
The Year 3 Teaching Team
Excursion Photo Gallery
Dear Parents and Carers,
It has been a delight to see all of our students return from their holidays, eager to learn and ready to meet up with their friends once again. The term has started smoothly, with students quickly settling back into routines and classes. Our staff returned last Monday, making great use of the day planning and preparing for some exciting learning experiences across all year levels.
We have a busy term planned with a variety of opportunities for our families to join us on campus. Next Friday, we are excited to welcome our Mothers, Grandmothers and other special women in the lives of our students. Please click on this link to view the invitation to Mothers’ Day.
Next week, a few of our year levels will have special experiences linked to their current units of inquiry: Y5 head to Taronga Zoo on Wednesday and Y6 will welcome parents onsite to the learning showcase on Thursday. Our Y2-Y4 students will also enjoy a French incursion. These opportunities enhance and support the learning of our students in multiple learning domains.
A reminder that our first fixture for Y3-Y6 Winter sport will be take place this Saturday. Please check the Cranbrook Parent App for fixture and team details for your son.
Staff News
This week, we warmly welcomed back Mr Josh Cohen (Assistant Head of Sport and PDHPE) after his long service leave.
We look forward to a productive and engaging second week of term.
Kind wishes,
Michele Marquet
Head of Junior School
Dear Families,
Junior School Travel Mode Survey
Next week, we will be sending all K-Y6 families a School Travel Mode survey to help us with our planning for traffic management around the Junior School site in the years ahead.
We would appreciate as many families completing this survey as possible, so we have accurate data to use when making decisions around any changes we need.
Join us for Walk to Cranbrook on Tuesdays and Thursdays!
This initiative aims to promote physical activity, increase independence, reduce traffic congestion around the school, and encourage alternative modes of transportation.
Here are some suggested ways for your son to get to school on Tuesday and Thursday:
A reminder if you are driving, please try to carpool with other families where possible.
Safety is our top priority, so please remind your son of the following tips:
We encourage you to participate in this initiative and make Walk to Cranbrook a fun and healthy routine for our Cranbrook families. Together, we can create a safer and more active community.
Thank you for your support!
Kind regards
Grant Andrews, Richard Baker and Genet Erickson Adam
Dear Families,
Welcome back to Term 2! It has been wonderful to see our Pre-schoolers return with such ease and enthusiasm, settling back into the rhythm of the classroom with a smooth transition. They have been excitedly exploring the updated changes in the learning environment, which has added a fresh spark to their daily activities. As the wet weather sets in, we kindly remind families to ensure children are dressed appropriately for all conditions. We love embracing the outdoors in all seasons, so please remember to pack raincoats, gumboots and any other wet weather gear your child may need.
We are excited to introduce a quick and easy way to share your voice! Each term, we will be shining a light on one of the Early Years Learning Framework Quality Areas, and we would love to hear your thoughts through a simple and engaging feedback process.
How it works:
This is a simple, meaningful way for you to be involved in shaping our program and ensuring it reflects your child’s needs and interests.
This Term’s Focus: Quality Area 1 – Educational Program & Practice
Thank you for being a valued part of our community.
Kind regards,
Abigail McFarlane
Ollie McGee – CIS and State Swimming
We are proud to celebrate the outstanding achievements of Ollie McGee in the pool this season. Ollie had a phenomenal performance at the CIS Championships, taking out first place in the 50m Freestyle with a personal best time of 28.51 seconds. He also secured second place in the Butterfly, and third place finishes in both Breaststroke and 100m Freestyle, showcasing his talent across multiple strokes.
Ollie continued his impressive form at the NSWPSSA Championships, achieving top-five finishes in several events. He placed 5th in the 50m Breaststroke, 50m Butterfly, 200m Individual Medley and the 100m Freestyle, competing strongly against the best swimmers in the state.
Adding to his list of honours, Ollie was selected as the CIS Flag Bearer at the NSWPSSA State Championships, a recognition of his commitment and outstanding performances.
Congratulations, Ollie. Your hard work, sportsmanship and determination are an inspiration to all of us.
Armidale Rugby
From 11-13 April, a group of enthusiastic Cranbrook rugby players travelled to Armidale for a weekend filled with competition, growth and team bonding. It was a fantastic few days, both on and off the field, with students building strong connections, pushing themselves, and proudly representing the School.
On the field, the Cranbrook teams showed tremendous spirit and determination. One of the standout moments was a memorable match against Shore, where both teams fought hard in a thrilling game that ended in a draw. Neither side was willing to give an inch, setting the tone for the season ahead and showing just how competitive and resilient the Cranbrook players intend to be in the IPSHA competition.
The students faced tough challenges against strong sides from Marist College, Canberra and Padua College, but showed great character and improvement throughout. Their efforts were rewarded with a well-deserved victory against South Toowoomba later in the tour. In their final game, Cranbrook once again showed grit and teamwork, drawing with a determined St Pius outfit.
Throughout the weekend, the spirit of rugby was alive and strong. The boys enjoyed the opportunity to test themselves against teams from across Australia and embraced the chance to bond and support one another as a team.
Congratulations to all the players, parents and staff involved for making it such a successful tour.
James Roughan
Head of Sport and PDHPE, Junior School
Click here for information regarding 2025 NBA Basketball School Camp.
The Junior School has been filled with the beautiful sounds of our students singing and creating music as the entire School has been busy preparing for our Showcase performances in Week 5. Please read the detailed information in the Music section so you know in which concert(s) your son is performing in. The invitation to this musical extravaganza can be found here.
K-Y6 Music News
This term is filled with musical performances and excitement, as every K-6 student is involved in our Junior School Showcase, which takes place in Week 5.
Please mark in your diary, the following major events which you are warmly invited to attend.
K-Year 2 Junior School Showcase (every student in Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2)
Year 3-6 Junior School Showcase (every student in Year 3 to Year 6)
Our Junior School Showcase is a highlight of the year and we hope that you can attend to support our students as they share the culmination of their hard work and creativity.
Best wishes,
Peter Fox
Head of Music, Junior School
During Library sessions, we have been sharing with classes the children’s and YA program for the upcoming Sydney Writers’ Festival. The Family Program on Sunday, 25 May at Carriageworks includes a range of free and ticketed talks, events and activities for 5–12 year olds. Meeting and engaging with authors and illustrators in such an environment are a wonderful way to inspire reading, writing and creativity. Hopefully, we will see some of our families there.
Click here for more information on the Sydney Writers’ Festival.
The 2025 NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge is open!
All students have received their login details via a sticker in their school diary. Please note that passwords are new for 2025.
Further instructions for logging in, entering student records at home and challenge rules may be found here.
Students are supported in their weekly Library sessions to access a range of picture books and novels across all Challenge levels.
Parents are also welcome to borrow additional books after school with their sons.
For further information please contact Mrs de Wit in the iCentre: edewit@cranbrook.nsw.edu.au
