Junior School Overview (Prep – Year 6)
An introduction to the St Mary's College Junior School: our classes, daily structure, specialist programs, key staff and where to find the information parents ask about most.
The Junior School at St Mary's College is home to around 620 students from Prep to Year 6, learning together on our single Chapel Road campus alongside the Senior School. We are a Catholic school in the Josephite tradition of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, and our motto Lumen in Tenebris – "Light in the Darkness" – shapes how we teach, how we care for each child and how we work with families.
Our structure
| Year level | Classes | Year-level coordinator |
|---|---|---|
| Prep | Prep A, Prep B, Prep C | Ms Bec Lawson |
| Year 1 | 1A, 1B, 1C | Mr Josh Pham |
| Year 2 | 2A, 2B, 2C | Mrs Fiona Grant |
| Year 3 | 3A, 3B, 3C | Mr Ahmed Saleh |
| Year 4 | 4A, 4B, 4C | Ms Ellie Marchetti |
| Year 5 | 5A, 5B, 5C | Mr Daniel Ruiz |
| Year 6 | 6A, 6B, 6C | Mrs Karen Fitzgerald |
Classes are capped at 28 students (Prep classes at 24). Each year level has a coordinator who is your first point of contact after the classroom teacher. The Junior School is led by Ms Priya Natarajan, Head of Junior School, supported by our Learning Diversity Leader Mr Sam Devlin and Junior School Counsellor Ms Alana Ford.
The Junior School day
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 8:00am | Gates open (students should not arrive before 8:15am unless booked into OSHC) |
| 8:15am | Yard supervision begins |
| 8:45am | Classes begin |
| 10:45am – 11:15am | Recess |
| 1:15pm – 2:00pm | Lunch (eating time supervised for the first 10 minutes) |
| 2:30pm Fridays | Junior Assembly, Mary MacKillop Hall – parents welcome |
| 3:20pm | Dismissal |
Full bell times for both schools are on the Daily Schedule and Bell Times page. Before and after school care runs on campus from 6:45am and until 6:15pm – see OSHC.
Learning in the Junior School
Our teachers deliver the Victorian Curriculum with a strong emphasis on explicit teaching of reading, writing and mathematics in the morning blocks, and inquiry-based learning in the afternoons. Religious Education is taught in every year level. Details are on the Prep and Curriculum Years 1–6 pages.
Every class attends six specialist subjects each week: Physical Education, Music, Visual Arts, Italian, STEM and Library. The weekly specialist timetable tells you which day your child needs their sport uniform, art smock or library bag.
Students in Years 3–6 also take part in Friday Interschool Sport in the NDPSA competition, while Prep–Year 2 enjoy the Perceptual Motor Program and Fun Fridays.
Wellbeing and support
We want every child to feel known and safe. Our Wellbeing program combines gratitude, empathy and mindfulness lessons with Respectful Relationships, a Prep buddy program and House activities. Students needing extra help or extension are supported through our Learning Support team.
Camps and major events
| Year level | Camp / event | 2026 dates |
|---|---|---|
| Prep | Prep Teddy Bears' Picnic (on campus) | Term 4 |
| Year 1 | Late stay and dinner at school | Term 4 |
| Year 2 | Sleepover in the Hall | Term 4 |
| Year 3 | Day excursion program (Sovereign Hill) | Term 3 (completed) |
| Year 4 | Camp Sunnystones, Bacchus Marsh | Thursday 10 – Friday 11 September 2026 |
| Year 5 | Phillip Island Adventure Resort | Tuesday 6 – Friday 9 October 2026 |
| Year 6 | Canberra tour | Monday 16 – Friday 20 November 2026 |
The cost of Prep–Year 5 camps and excursions is included in the camp and excursion levy that forms part of school fees. The Year 6 Canberra tour is an optional tour and is charged separately.
Other highlights this semester include Book Week (Monday 24 – Friday 28 August 2026), the Junior Athletics Carnival on Friday 4 September 2026, the Year 6 Graduation on Wednesday 9 December 2026 and the Junior Christmas Concert on Thursday 10 December 2026. See Assemblies and Celebrations for the full calendar.
Communicating with us
- Absences: report before 9:00am via the Parent Portal, the absentee line (03) 9555 0111 or SMS 0428 555 011. See Absences and Late Arrivals.
- Classroom teachers check email between 8:00am and 4:30pm on school days and aim to reply within two working days. For anything urgent on the day, phone the Junior Office on (03) 9555 0100.
- Reports are published at the end of Terms 2 and 4 on the Parent Portal – see Reports and Assessment.
- Conferences: Year 5 and 6 Parent-Teacher-Student Conferences are on Thursday 27 August 2026 – see Parent-Teacher-Student Conferences.
- The fortnightly newsletter is published on Mondays – see Communication and Newsletters.
Starting in the Junior School
Families considering St Mary's for Prep should visit Prep 2027 Enrolment and our Prep Transition Program. Enrolment enquiries for all other year levels go to our Registrar, Mrs Kate O'Brien, on (03) 9555 0120 or enrol@stmaryswc.vic.edu.au. New families will also find the New Family FAQ and What to Bring and Stationery helpful.