Curious minds. Confident learners.
Junior School at St Catherine’s is a time of discovery, creativity and growth. Our learning program is both joyful and purposeful, inspiring curiosity while nurturing a lifelong love of learning. Girls are encouraged to investigate, create, collaborate and reflect as they engage with new ideas and experiences.
In an environment where every child is known, supported and appropriately challenged, students develop confidence, independence and the ability to think critically and communicate clearly.
Our learning approach
Explicit instruction meets inquiry
Our teachers combine explicit instruction with inquiry-based learning to build strong foundations across literacy, numeracy, STEM, Music, Drama, Visual Arts, PDHPE, Biblical Studies, French and Chinese.
As girls grow, they learn to transfer knowledge and skills across different areas of learning, helping them approach increasingly complex ideas with confidence and understanding.
Strong foundations for future learning
Supporting each girl to achieve their best
Reading, writing and Mathematics form the foundation of every student’s learning journey. Through explicit teaching, hands-on learning experiences and evidence-based programs including InitiaLit, MultiLit, SpellEx, The Writing Revolution and Seven Steps to Writing Success, girls develop the skills and confidence needed to thrive academically.
Targeted intervention and extension opportunities ensure every student is supported at the right level, enabling each girl to grow, progress and achieve her personal best.
We had so much fun building models of our new playground. We used recyclable materials to build our models. The classroom was a huge mess, but it was worth it! It was amazing to see everyone use their imaginations.
Mira
Personalised pathways for every learner
Supporting our learning
At St Catherine’s, learning is viewed as a partnership between school and families. Teachers use ongoing assessment and observation to build a deep understanding of each student’s strengths, progress and learning needs, informing both planning and reporting. Our Learning Enrichment team provides targeted support, curriculum extension and accelerated learning opportunities where appropriate, working closely with families and specialists to ensure each student is challenged, supported and empowered to achieve her potential.
Extending high-potential learners
For our high-potential learners, our Years 5 and 6 Fielding Classes provide additional academic challenge within a fast-paced learning environment that extends beyond the standard curriculum. Families of Year 4 students are invited to submit an expression of interest in Term 3, followed by testing and interviews. Online information sessions are held each year, and families interested in learning more are encouraged to contact our Enrolments team.
