Daily Schedule & Bell Times
Bell times for the Junior School (8:45am–3:20pm) and Senior School (8:40am–3:25pm), arrival and dismissal rules, the Wednesday 2:45pm Senior early finish, and assembly and Mass times.
Updated 24 August 2026
The Junior School (Prep–Year 6) and Senior School (Years 7–12) run on slightly different bells so that 1,480 students are not all at the canteen, the gates or the Kiss-and-Drop zone at the same moment. The two schools share the same gates-open and supervision times in the morning, and both finish within five minutes of each other in the afternoon, so families with children in both schools can do one pick-up.
Morning arrival (both schools)
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 6:45am | OSHC Before Care opens, Hall Annexe ($22 per session, book via Portal) |
| 8:00am | Gates open (Chapel Road main gate, Junior gate, Senior gate on Sutherland Street). Learning Commons opens. |
| 8:15am | Yard supervision begins. Students should not arrive before 8:15am unless booked into OSHC or attending a supervised early training/rehearsal. |
| 8:15–8:45am | Kiss-and-Drop zone operates on Chapel Road (2-minute limit, no parking) |
| 8:30am | Online lunch orders close; OSHC Before Care children walked to class |
| 8:40am | Senior Homeroom begins |
| 8:45am | Junior classes begin |
Students arriving after the first bell must sign in at the Junior Office or Senior Office and will be marked late. See Absences & Late Arrivals.
Junior School bell times (Prep–Year 6)
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 8:45am | Classes begin (morning prayer and roll) |
| 8:45–10:45am | Morning learning block (Literacy focus) |
| 10:45–11:15am | Recess |
| 11:15am–1:15pm | Middle learning block (Numeracy focus, specialists) |
| 1:15–1:25pm | Supervised eating time in classrooms |
| 1:25–2:00pm | Lunch play |
| 2:00–3:20pm | Afternoon learning block |
| 3:20pm | Dismissal |
- Junior students finish at 3:20pm every day, including Wednesdays (the early finish applies to the Senior School only).
- Fridays: Interschool Sport for Years 3–6 runs 1:30–3:00pm in the winter and summer seasons; Prep–2 have PMP and Fun Fridays. Junior assembly follows at 2:30pm for students not at away fixtures.
Senior School bell times (Years 7–12)
| Time | Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday | Wednesday |
|---|---|---|
| 8:40–8:55am | Homeroom | Homeroom |
| 8:55–9:55am | Period 1 | Period 1 |
| 9:55–10:55am | Period 2 | Period 2 |
| 10:55–11:20am | Recess | Recess |
| 11:20am–12:20pm | Period 3 | Period 3 |
| 12:20–1:20pm | Period 4 | Period 4 |
| 1:20–2:05pm | Lunch | Lunch (CSSA sport teams depart from 1:20pm) |
| 2:05–3:05pm | Period 5 | Period 5 (shortened, 2:05–2:45pm) |
| 3:05–3:25pm | Afternoon Homeroom / Reading & Reflection | — |
| 3:25pm | Dismissal | 2:45pm dismissal (staff professional learning) |
- Wednesday early finish: all Senior students are dismissed at 2:45pm. Students in CSSA Wednesday sport teams travel to fixtures from 1:20pm and return to the college by 3:25pm. Buses run at 2:50pm and 3:30pm on Wednesdays. Homework Club and the Learning Commons remain open until 4:30pm for students who cannot be collected early.
- Senior assembly: Mondays 8:40–9:15am, fortnightly in odd weeks of term, in Mary MacKillop Hall. Period 1 starts at 9:15am on assembly days. House meetings take the even weeks.
Afternoon dismissal
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 3:15–3:45pm | Kiss-and-Drop zone operates on Chapel Road (2-minute limit) |
| 3:15pm | OSHC After Care opens (Hall Annexe, $34 per session, to 6:15pm) |
| 3:20pm | Junior dismissal. Prep–Year 2 are dismissed from their classroom doors to a parent or nominated adult; Years 3–6 from the Junior gate. |
| 3:25pm | Senior dismissal. College buses depart the Sutherland Street bus bay at 3:35pm. |
| 3:30pm | Homework Club begins (Monday–Thursday, Learning Commons, free, to 4:30pm) |
| 3:45pm | Yard supervision ends. Junior students not collected by 3:45pm are taken to the Junior Office and, if still uncollected at 4:00pm, signed into OSHC (session fee applies). |
Assemblies, Mass and regular gatherings
| Gathering | When | Where | Parents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Junior assembly | Fridays 2:30–3:15pm | Mary MacKillop Hall | Welcome — sit in the rear rows; awards and class items each week |
| Senior assembly | Mondays 8:40am, odd weeks | Mary MacKillop Hall | By invitation (awards) |
| Whole-school Mass | First Friday of each month, 9:15am | St Mary of the Cross Church (adjacent) | Welcome |
| Senior House meetings | Mondays 8:40am, even weeks | House rooms | — |
| Prep–2 Mini Olympics / Junior Athletics | Friday 4 September 2026 | Main Oval | Welcome |
Full Mass and liturgy dates are on Masses & Liturgies; assembly information for Junior families is on Assemblies & Celebrations.
Uniform Shop, canteen and office hours at a glance
- Reception: 8:00am–4:30pm Monday–Friday in term.
- Canteen (The Harbour Café): Junior Monday, Wednesday and Friday; Senior Monday–Friday. Online orders by 8:30am.
- Uniform Shop: Tuesdays 8:00–11:00am, Thursdays 1:00–4:30pm, first Saturday of each month 9:00am–12:00pm in term.
- Learning Commons: 8:00am–4:30pm Monday–Thursday, 8:00am–3:45pm Friday.
What if…?
- My child has an appointment mid-morning. Send a Portal note or written note before school; collect and sign out at the Junior or Senior Office. Please avoid the 8:40–8:55am and 3:15–3:30pm windows when offices are busiest.
- It is raining at dismissal. Junior students wait under cover in the Penola or Tenison verandahs and are released as parents arrive; Kiss-and-Drop still operates.
- The forecast is above 35°C at 9:00am or a Total Fire Ban is declared: sport is cancelled and students stay indoors at recess and lunch. See Extreme Weather.
Contact
College Reception — Phone (03) 9555 0100 · Email office@stmaryswc.vic.edu.au · Junior Office (03) 9555 0130 · Senior Office (03) 9555 0140 · Monday–Friday 8:00am–4:30pm during term.