Michele Marquet, Acting Head of School

Dear Parents and Carers

As we settle into the swing of Term 4 and look ahead to the last weeks of the school year, the calendar is brimming with opportunities for our students and events that signify the journey to the end of another school year.

For many this is an exciting time as we celebrate all that has been accomplished and the embedded learning which has taken place. For others, there may be some trepidation and anxiety about the transition to another year level as parents and students start thinking about what will happen at school in the year to come.

A successful transition into the next year level – whether it is into Kindergarten, Year 3, Year 7 or Year 11 – can be greatly assisted by parents and our School’s transition programmes. These established transition programmes, together with the School’s approach to learning through the IB Continuum framework, smooths these transitions and eases School stresses on our students. Through the IB learning framework which starts in our Pre-Schools and runs all the way through the Senior School years, we are working with the students to develop character so they can respond to challenges with optimism and an open-mind, confident in their own identities and able to tackle unpredictable and new situations.

The School’s transition programmes include campus and classroom visits and immersion days which allow the students to see what it is like, talk with current teachers of the next year level and ask questions they might have of students who are already living it, before ‘moving up’ themselves in 2025. These sessions are part of helping our students manage the challenges that change naturally brings.

Here are a few tips for families to support conversations around transition:

Junior School

• Put feelings of concern into perspective, rather than trying to fix the situation, reinforcing there is nothing to worry about.
• Be calm and talk positively about the move into a new year level.
• Highlight positives about growing up and confirm your belief that your child will manage well.
• Talk to your child about the things they will be able to do in the following year: Y1 boys can choose new after school activities; Y6 boys take on key leadership roles; Y3 boys start playing team sports and have even more after school activities from which to choose!
• Remind your son that some of the boys from his current class will be in next year’s class – but having new boys in it will mean he can make even more friends.

Senior School:

• For students transitioning to Year 7, parents will still be there to help but encourage them to take ownership.
• Encourage your son to share his concerns and ask any questions directly to their House Mentor, Head of House or a teacher.
• Help your son to be organised, to refer to his diary and check his emails regularly so this becomes a habit. If he tends to procrastinate, help him to breakdown larger tasks early, so he can do small amounts each day.
• Listen to your son’s concerns and then brainstorm things he can do rather than you stepping in to do them for him.

Things do change every year at school, but coping with change is an essential life skill. Dr Judith Locke’s book The Bonsai Student has some excellent suggestions for families wanting to get the balance right in supporting their child to manage change and not hindering them from developing into an independent young person who will make valuable contributions to society.

If you are concerned about any aspect of their transition to the next grade, please talk with their class teacher and Head of House.

Student Mobile Phone Usage Survey for Parents
As mentioned last week, in light of a growing body of research into the impact of social media on young people’s mental wellbeing, our School is reviewing the current implementation of the mobile phone policy for students in Senior School. We are seeking feedback from staff, students and families. To assist us to better understand parental perspectives, please click on this link to complete a survey for parents of students currently in Year 6 – Year 11. Thank you so much for your support.  

Student Cap Development Application Update
I am delighted to share that Woollahra Municipal Council has approved the School’s Development Application to increase the enrolment cap at Bellevue Hill from 1339 to 1600 with immediate effect.

This planned increase provides sufficient capacity to accept girls into the Senior School offering a fully coeducational environment across all year groups from 2029.

The DA has been approved with the School incurring no additional capital works costs on New South Head Road, or any other additional costs contained within the approval.

Management of traffic and parking around the School will continue to be a focus, with future changes to ease congestion to be developed and announced in school communications.

Best wishes

Michele Marquet
Acting Head of School