Message from Michele Marquet, Head of Junior School

Dear Parents and Carers, 

This week, our students have been engaging in some fabulous experiences linked to National Science Week. We thank our JS Science Specialist Teacher, Mr Josh Botto, as well as our Class Teachers for designing and implementing such an exciting week of scientific learning, fostering a love for science among our Cranbrook Junior School students! One of the highlights of the week was the collaboration between Year 10 students from the Senior School and Years 3 and 4 students. Together, they engaged in a number of scientific experiments and activities, with Year 3 students fortunate to travel to the Senior School to visit their labs and complete their tasks in these spaces. Across the week, students explored scientific theory, conducted experiments, completed Kahoot quizzes and participated in lunchtime activities, igniting their curiosity. 

Last week, Music and Special Group photos were taken. Tomorrow, students in Years 3 – 6 will have their summer and winter sports team photos taken. Please ensure you have read the information in the Y3-Y6 Important News & Reminders section, so you can assist your son to wear and bring along the appropriate kit for these photos.

Y3-Y6 students will participate in House football tomorrow afternoon and House Rugby next week on Friday. On these days, Y3-Y6 boys should bring their House T-shirts to School.

A reminder that our Winter Sports season ended for all Y3-Y6 students last Saturday. There are no Saturday sports games now until the start of Term 4. 

Next week is Book Week and we look forward to all of our students embracing our Book Week Parade on Friday, 22 August at 8:30am. Parents are welcome to join us as the students parade through the passive play area, once the carline has ended. Ms Light and our teachers have planned some other wonderful experiences for our students to celebrate the joy of reading too, including K and Y1’s Books at Bedtime on Thursday, 21 August at 5:30pm. This year’s theme is ‘Book an Adventure’ and we look forward to the students and staff creating wonderful ways to represent this in their costumes. Please ensure that your son’s outfit is age-appropriate and connected to children’s literature.

Important Upcoming Dates:

• JS Music Eisteddfod – Thursday, 28 August (12:30pm – 5pm)
• Father’s Day Morning – Friday, 5 September (7:45am – 8:30am)
• JS Play – Wednesday, 10 September; Thursday, 11 September & Friday, 12 September
• Student-led conferences – Tuesday, 16 September; Wednesday, 17 September and Thursday, 18 September 
• Y6 Exhibition Evening – Thursday, 18 September (5:30pm – 7pm)

We look forward to sharing many of these events with our Junior School families.

Kind wishes,

Michele Marquet
Head of Junior School

Daisy Turnbull, Director of Coeducation

Dear Parents and Carers,

New Uniform Look Book

I am excited to share our new uniform look book for families to peruse the new Coeducational Uniform Suite designed by Johnathan Ward for Noone. All students from Preschool to Year 12 will be wearing the new uniform.  

Our new coeducational uniform is in production and will be available in the Uniform Shop from Week 1 of Term 4.  

For students in Years 11 & 12 in 2026, we are strongly encouraging they wear a white shirt. For our current Year 11s I have spoken to a few who are waiting until Term 4 to buy white shirts, and I know Mr Metcalfe in the Year 12 College has some motivating rewards for those who wear white shirts (which may, or may not, involve Frosty Fruits!) 

There is a two year phase in period for the new uniform, which means you can continue to buy pieces of the current uniform from the Uniform Shop as well as from the CSPA Second Hand Uniform sale until the end of 2027. As the blazer is a very minute change for current students, the current blazer can continue to be worn beyond that. 

We will also be updating the uniform policy online and in the school diaries for 2026.  

For incoming students, they will be sent information about booking a uniform fitting in Term 4.  

Daisy Turnbull
Director of Coeducation

From the Deputies

Dear Families,

WaitMate
Thank you to the many Junior School parents who made time in their busy schedules last Tuesday to come and hear child and adolescent consultant psychiatrist, Dr Richard Baker, and Amy Friedlander from WaitMate. They helped us to better understand the consequences of smartphones and social media on growing minds and to consider a simple and cost-effective way we can reduce these risks for our own children.

They both stressed how important it is to think about how we can give back to our children more of their childhood by reducing smartphone technology usage in the first 12 years of their lives. Dr Baker noted that recent research showed mental health benefits for our children for every year we hold back giving them a smartphone, up until 18 years of age. There is also recent research that shows a causal link between smart phone usage and the deterioration of mental wellbeing during the teenage years.

As adults, we are all well aware of what a massive timewaster smartphones can be, but more significantly for our children, access to these very clever devices can shape, distort and overtake our precious children’s thinking, impacting their broader world view, their self-perception and their wellbeing. Their young brains are still developing and what they are exposed to affects them more seriously than adults. The more phone exposure too, the less influence we have as their parent, or caring teacher, and the less we are able to present a counterbalancing perspective that can help our children to have a healthy self-view and a balanced perspective on others and the world.

We already have had a number of families sign up to WaitMate after the session and we know there are many others who are keen to connect with others within their children’s cohort who are waiting to give their children a smartphone. Follow this link to a brochure about WaitMate and follow the QR code there to sign up. In the near future, we will be sending out an edited version of the presentation for those who were unable to attend in person last Tuesday.

We have been delighted with the wonderful response to this session with many families already signing up:

Year 6 – 13 unlocked!
Year 5 – 14 unlocked!
Year 4 – 8
Year 3 – 31 unlocked!
Year 2 – 25 unlocked!
Year 1 – 18 unlocked!
K – 15 unlocked!

But what if our family has already given our son a smartphone?
For families who are using smartphones and other screens, here are some guiding principles to minimise the risks of overuse or harmful content experiences:

• No social media under 16 – it will be illegal by 10 December and so weaning off or saying no to usage now is recommended
• Devices, including iPads, gaming consoles, laptops and smartphones should be used in shared family spaces 
• No devices in bedrooms, especially overnight
• Designate device free areas and times in the home, such as mealtimes
• Set a curfew on messaging and usage to reduce the impact on sleep
• Model healthy tech habits by charging devices in a central location overnight, using old school alarm clocks next to your bed instead of phones, sticking to the device free space and time rules in your home that are set for your kids
• Share a digital contract, setting out clear expectations and conditions for safe use (ideally before children get a personal smartphone – but it is never too late!)

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Sharing insights from our visit with Daegu teachers
Last week, we were pleased to welcome a group of primary teachers from Daegu, Korea, who visited Cranbrook Junior School to discuss our implementation of the Primary Years Programme (PYP). This visit was a wonderful opportunity to exchange insights, following my own visit to Daegu last year for the IB Global Conference. It was exciting to learn that the government in Korea is supporting public schools in Daegu to adopt the PYP, and it was an enriching experience to share our teaching and learning practices with them. 

During their visit, we engaged in thoughtful discussions around key topics such as student agency, school culture, assessment practices, and the design of learning environments. Questions explored included how student agency differs between IB and non-IB schools, how we empower students, teachers, and the wider school community to exercise agency, and how our learning spaces support this. It was a valuable exchange of ideas that highlighted the importance of global connections in shaping the educational experiences of our students. In keeping with the IB’s mission of developing internationally minded individuals, these global connections help broaden teacher perspectives, foster cultural understanding, and enrich our collective learning journey. We look forward to continuing these conversations to further enhance our own practices.

Additionally, the visit was made even more special by the participation of our three Korean staff members, who were delighted to engage with the visitors in their own language. This created a unique and meaningful connection, reinforcing the value of language and cultural exchange in our collaborative efforts.

Kind regards,

Genét Erickson Adam
Deputy Head – Curriculum P-6, Snowsports Coordinator

Pre-schools’ Update – Week 4

Dear Pre-school Families,

We have had a wonderfully engaging week across both St Mark’s and St Michael’s Pre-schools as we celebrated Science Week!

We were delighted to welcome Mr Josh Botto, Cranbrook Junior School Science Teacher, who led a special science session for each of our Pre-school groups. The children were filled with enthusiasm, excitement and curiosity as they participated in hands-on experiments and explored the wonders of science.

This visit is part of our ongoing collaboration with Cranbrook Junior School, and we are proud to foster such enriching connections. These early experiences help build familiarity, confidence and a strong foundation for the children’s future learning journeys.

Thank you to parents who attended the recent Pre-school AGM. Your involvement and support play a vital role in the success of our Pre-school community.

Important Reminders:

St Michael’s Driveway Access
We kindly remind all families that no parking is permitted on the driveway or at the bottom of the driveway at St Michael’s. Unfortunately, there has been an increase in parents using this area for parking.

Please note:

• This is an emergency access point.
• Parking in this area obstructs safe access to the Pre-school.
• We must respect the wishes of the Church and maintain our shared community space.

Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.

Compass
Both St Mark’s and St Michael’s are sharing classroom updates, photos, and important announcements through Compass. Please ensure you are signed up to Compass and look out for the notifications, so you do not miss out on what’s happening in your child’s learning environment.

Upcoming Dates to Remember

Week 5 – Book Week: “Book an Adventure”

• Monday, 18 August:
  Dress-Up Day – St Mark’s & St Michael’s (3 & 5 Day Groups)
  Story Time with Kindergarten Teachers
• Tuesday, 19 August:
  Story Time with Mrs Erickson Adam, Junior School Deputy Head
• Wednesday, 20 August:
  St Mark’s – Mr Andrews, Junior School Deputy Head
  St Michael’s – Mrs Marquet, Head of Junior School
• Thursday, 21 August:
  St Mark’s – Mrs Marquet, Head of Junior School
• Friday, 22 August:
  Dress-Up Day – St Michael’s (2 Day Group)
  St Michael’s – Mr Andrews, Junior School Deputy Head

Week 6

• Monday, 25 August:
  St Michael’s (3 & 5 Day Group) – Science Incursion
• Tuesday, 26 August:
  St Mark’s – Aboriginal Experience Incursion

Week 7 

• Monday, 1 September:
  St Michael’s (5 Day Group) – Father’s Day Morning, 8:45–9:15am
  St Mark’s & St Michael’s – Dental Tooth Fairy Visit
• Tuesday, 2 September:
  St Michael’s (3 Day Group) – Father’s Day Morning, 8:45–9:15am
• Wednesday, 3 September:
  St Mark’s – Father’s Day Morning, 8:45–9:15am
• Thursday, 4 September:
  St Michael’s (2 Day Group) – Father’s Day Morning, 8:45–9:15am

Week 9 – Bush School Excursions

• Monday, 15 September:
  St Michael’s (3 Day Group) & St Mark’s – Bush School Excursion
• Friday, 19 September:
  St Michael’s (2 Day & 5 Day Groups) – Bush School Excursion

End of Term 3: Friday, 19 September

Kind wishes,

Abigail McFarlane
Pre-schools Coordinator

Cranbrook Gala – Save The Date

Dear Parents,

As we embark on our exciting new chapter in Cranbrook’s history, we are delighted to bring together the Cranbrook Community to mark the beginning of co-education and to warmly welcome Dr Anne Johnstone, our new Head of School. We will be hosting a Gala Evening on Saturday 6^th December 2025 6pm at Cranbrook School. Please mark the date in your calendar. Further details will be announced over the next few weeks. The event is open to all parents from Pre-school to Year 12. Tickets will go on sale in September.

We look forward to celebrating this exciting new era together!

Kind regards,

Angelique Haritos
CSPA President

CETOP Sausage Sizzle Fundraiser

Last week during CETOP Week, on the Monday, our Junior School students took a pledge to ‘go without’ for a day in their classrooms. Pledges included a day without stationery, to a day without technology, all raising awareness of the daily challenges faced by others. Students donated their pocket money to their pledge, often earned by helping out with chores at home.

During Chapel, our 2025 Year 6 Nepal travellers shared inspiring reflections from their journey earlier this year: stories of connection, service and learning in Nepal. On Thursday and Friday, the delicious smell of sausages filled the air, as our community enjoyed a CETOP sausage sizzle, raising funds for projects in Nepal and Ladakh. Combining the money raised from the sausage sizzles and the class pledges, we raised over $2000. Together, we have proved that small actions can make a big difference!

Important Reminder: Y3-Y6 Sports Photos

Y3-Y6 Sports Photos
Tomorrow, Friday, 15 August, boys in Years 3 – 6 will have their summer and winter sports team photos taken. They will need to wear their summer team playing gear to school, pack and bring to school their winter team sports playing gear PLUS their House T-shirt (for House Football in the afternoon).

Details are below:

Students, in their respective teams, are reminded to WEAR the following uniform items to school for their first photo:

• Basketball – Basketball Saturday playing uniform with trainers.
• Cricket – Cricket Saturday playing uniform (whites) with trainers.
• Water Polo – PE uniform with trainers.
• Summer Tennis – PE uniform with trainers.
• Summer Multisport – PE uniform with trainers.
• Sailing – PE uniform with trainers.

Students, in their respective teams, should PACK the following items to bring to school so they can change into them for their second photo:

• Football – Football Saturday playing uniform with trainers (NO boots and shin guards).
• Rugby – Rugby Saturday playing uniform with trainers (NO boots).
• Winter Tennis – PE uniform with trainers.
• Winter Multisport – PE uniform with trainers.

Please remember Y3-Y6 students should bring to school their coloured House T-shirt for the House Football Competition taking place in the afternoon.

Many thanks 

Josh Cohen 
Assistant Head of Sport & PDHPE, JS

Term 3 Events Overview

Please follow this link to view the Term 3 Events Overview for Junior School Families.

Science Week

National Science Week 2025 is Australia’s celebration of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) that aims to engage people of all ages in exploring the wonders of science. It provides an exciting opportunity for our students to participate in hands-on activities, experiments and presentations that spark curiosity and encourage a love for science.

Year 3 students had the exciting opportunity to visit the Senior School labs, where they conducted experiments and explored some more advanced scientific equipment with our Year 10 students. Meanwhile, Year 4 students benefited from the mentorship of Year 10 students, as they came over to the Junior School for hands-on activities and scientific inquiries. This event fostered a collaborative learning environment, allowing younger students to learn from older peers, enhancing their understanding and enthusiasm for science.

Furthermore, students took part in engaging activities and competitions across the School. Students competed in a class Kahoot, testing their knowledge on various scientific topics. During lunchtime, students chose to participate in a range of science-related activities and competitions. Many boys also chose to share photos and videos of themselves completing their take-home activities. They explored science with their families and extended the excitement of Science Week beyond the classroom.

This range of activities ensures that every student has a chance to experience and celebrate the joy and wonder of science.

Joshua Botto
Junior School Teacher – Science & Technology

Little League Report – Round 10

While it was disappointing to see so many fixtures cancelled in the final round due to wet weather, it has nevertheless been another strong winter season with excellent performances across all our sports. Our students displayed great skill, teamwork, and commitment throughout the season, and we can be proud of their progress.

A special congratulations to our Year 6 students on completing their final winter season in the Junior School. Their leadership, sportsmanship, and dedication have set a wonderful example for the younger years, and we wish them well as they continue their sporting journeys.

Over the next two weeks, our focus turns to House Football and Rugby before we shift our attention to the second half of the summer season. Please see below for the key dates as we transition to summer sport.

Week	Dates	Sports Team Training – Details
Week 4	11-15 Aug	No before or after-school sport. House Football will run on Friday afternoon during in timetable sport.
Week 5	18-22 Aug	No before or after-school sport. House Rugby will run on Friday afternoon during in timetable sport.
Week 6	25-29 Aug	No before or after-school sport.  Summer training recommences Friday, 29 Aug.
Week 7	1-9 Sept (Mon–Tue)	Before and after-school summer training commences
Saturday Fixtures
Term 3		No more Saturday summer sport fixtures
Term 4, Week 1	Saturday, 17 Oct	Saturday summer sport fixtures commence.

Yours in Sport,

James Roughan
Head of Sport and PDHPE, Junior School

Football

Round 10 marked the conclusion of another season of Cranbrook Junior School Football, and despite the soggy conditions across Sydney, our students finished in style with goals, determination, and plenty of muddy smiles.

6A – 4–2 Win
The A’s capped off their Junior School careers with a perfect sweep of regulation wins for the second consecutive year. On a rain-soaked Kings pitch, Robert Z shone, scoring twice and exemplifying the resilience and class that will serve this group well in the Senior School. The celebrations,  a dozen students sliding across the wet grass, captured their love for the game and for each other. A special group heading onwards and upwards.

6B – 3–3 Draw
A mud-splattered battle saw the B’s combine beautifully in attack to take a strong lead, supported by exceptional goalkeeping and resolute defending. Three goals to the good, they were pegged back by a late Kings surge. While it felt like one that got away, their effort, skill, and spirit in their final game were outstanding.

6C – 3–3 Draw
The C’s saved their best for last, playing slick, one-touch football to put three past Kings. It was the culmination of a season’s work, movement, passing, and confidence all on display. Though Kings clawed back for a draw, the growth shown was immense. A performance that hints at big things ahead in the Senior School.

6D – 1–4 Loss
Plenty of heart from the D’s, who refused to let two early Kings goals dampen their fight. A well-worked finish brought it back to 2–1 before the hosts pulled away. A spirited end to a season in which the students can be proud of their commitment and improvement.

5C – 8–1 Win
Two-touch football in testing conditions saw the C’s run riot against Mosman. Crisp passing, clever movement, and clinical finishing,  a fitting way to sign off a superb season.

5D – 10–0 Win
The D’s ended their season in style, with Sam netting five in a dominant display. Composed, creative, and relentless in both halves, they were a class above from start to finish.

3A – 1–1 Draw
Against a strong Scots side, the A’s played their best football of the season. Patient build-up play and a flowing team move brought the equaliser through Hamish, Harry, and Noah. Tom and Oscar shared goalkeeping duties and excelled outfield in a performance Pep Guardiola would have admired.

3B – 3–2 Win
A gritty and well-earned win thanks to goals from Ollie C and Will B.

3C – 2–1 Win
Level at 1–1, Jake produced a moment of magic with a left-footed half-volley over the keeper to seal the victory in a tense clash with Scots.

3D – 3–6 Loss
Despite the defeat, the students were competitive and gave their all. Angus capped off his season with another hat-trick, a highlight in an otherwise tough fixture.

Ben Rollison
Head of Football

Multi-Sport
Round 10 also marked the final week of the Winter Multi-Sport program, with the group finishing the season full of energy and enthusiasm. The session began with Sling Net, a warm-up activity that developed hand–eye coordination, followed by a variety of evasion games to get everyone moving and thinking quickly. The focus then shifted to striking skills in a competitive game of Backboard and Wall, before the group split into three teams for the final Indoor Football matches of the term. The games were played in great spirit, showcasing the skills, teamwork, and sportsmanship developed over the season.

Congratulations to all students on an enjoyable and successful Winter Multi-Sport program.

Josh Cohen
Assistant Head of Sport & Multi-Sport Coach

Music News – Week 4 Update

We have had a flurry of interest in our upcoming Music Morning Concerts, JS Soireé and JS Music Eisteddfod. Performance opportunities are listed below:

K- 6 Music Morning Concerts
Music Morning Concerts are held on certain Fridays from 8am to 8:30am in Music Room 1. These concerts are open to students in K to 6 who have a piece ready at performance standard, regardless of level of difficulty. It’s always wonderful to hear their great work and witness our students’ progress in an encouraging environment. Instrumental teachers sign up their students, as appropriate, and you will receive an email from me with an invitation to attend should you like to hear your son perform.

If your son is learning outside the school, and he is ready to perform, please send an email to pfox@cranbrook.nsw.edu.au should you wish him to take up this opportunity.

• Tomorrow, Friday, 15 August (Week 4)
• Friday, 29 August (Week 6)

Junior School Music Soireé – Thursday, 21 August: 6pm – 7pm (Week 5)
On Thursday 21 August there will be a Junior School Music Soireé held in Music Room 1 from 6pm to 7pm. This event is for more accomplished instrumentalists and vocalists in Years 3-6 who are well prepared and can perform with polish and regard to the musical style. Your son’s instrumental teacher (or Mr Fox) will send home a Soireé form should they feel this event is suitable for your son. Please note: this event is also open to students who have private instrumental lessons outside of the School. Please click here for more information.

Spring Festival: Year 3 to 6 Junior School Music Eisteddfod – Thursday, 28 August, from 1pm (Week 6) – ENTRIES ARE NOW CLOSED
As part of the Spring Festival, the Cranbrook Junior School Eisteddfod has been designed for boys in Year 3 to 6 to showcase their performance on piano, strings, woodwind, brass, percussion, guitar and voice.

This year’s Eisteddfod will be judged by external adjudicators who will write an encouraging report on the boys’ performances, give feedback and award grades of achievement.

Please click here for further information.

A comprehensive list of all Junior School Music events for Term 3 can be found here.

Best wishes,

Peter Fox
Head of Music, Junior School

i-Centre News – Book Week 2025

Book Donation Drive – Theme: COURAGE  
Emmett (Year 3), his sister and family have been passionately collecting inspiring books for children each year to support Anglicare’s Out of Home Care Program. Emmett understands how special books can be, especially for foster children who may not have many books of their own. This year, Emmett is collecting books that celebrate Courage – stories that reflect courage, adventure, well-being, positivity and overcoming challenges.

Emmett would love your help in finding books that celebrate courage and make every child feel included. Donation tubs will be placed in each grade’s piazza, so students and families can contribute easily by dropping off suitable books throughout the week. The final day for bringing in books is Friday, 22 August. Let’s help fill those boxes with stories that inspire.

Children’s Book Council of Australia – Book Week 2025
Next week, we will focus on this national celebration of Australian children’s literature and reading across the school. The activities and opportunities planned across the week will allow us to connect, celebrate, and advocate for the value of storytelling, books and reading for everyone.

Performances
Monday, 18 August 12pm & 2pm
Students will attend theatrical book adaptations performed by Meerkat Productions based on the 2025 CBCA Shortlisted and Notable books – The Garden of Broken Things (YK – Y2) and Small Acts (Y3 – Y6).

K-6 Assembly
Wednesday, 20 August 12pm
We will come together to celebrate Book Week and witness the excitement of the Years 3-6 Spelling Bee Final. All parents are welcome to attend.

Books at Bedtime
Thursday, 21 August 5.30pm
This event for Kindergarten and Year 1 returns this year on the Thursday evening (details emailed separately).

K-6 Book Character and Theme Parade – Book an Adventure
Friday, 22 August 8.45am
Students and staff are encouraged to interpret this year’s theme, ‘Book an Adventure, through costume and props. Please ensure that your son’s outfit is age-appropriate and connected to children’s literature.

Parents are warmly invited to this outdoor celebration of book characters and literary ideas. It’s time to start planning!

Kind regards,

Ms Light (Teacher Librarian & Digital Literacy Leader) and Mrs de Wit (Library Technician)

NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge

Congratulations to the readers who have already completed the challenge. The final date to register books read this year has been extended to Friday, 19 September.

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.

A reminder that login details are in student diaries. For assistance, please contact Mrs de Wit edewit@cranbrook.nsw.ed.au

Mrs de Wit
Library Technician