Head of Junior School

• Print

It has been a wonderful week of music across Redlands Junior School, with two outstanding performances showcasing the talent, dedication and enthusiasm of our students.

We began with the K-12 Strings Concert on Monday afternoon, which was a truly special celebration of musical learning across the School. One of the highlights was seeing 80 Year 2 students performing together. There was something quite extraordinary about watching such a large group of young musicians playing with confidence, concentration and, most importantly, enjoyment. My personal favourite was undoubtedly the One-Finger Fox Trot! It was a delightful reminder that musical learning should be challenging, rewarding and, above all, fun.

What made the concert even more special was the opportunity to see the full progression of musical development, from our youngest Kindergarten musicians through to our accomplished Year 12 performers. It was a wonderful illustration of what can be achieved through sustained commitment, quality teaching and a genuine love of music. Seeing this journey unfold reminds us that learning is not always about the immediate outcome. It is about the small steps, the regular practice, the encouragement and the persistence that gradually build confidence and capability over time.

We also enjoyed the Years 3 and 4 Music Instrumental Program (MIP) Concert, which provided another wonderful opportunity to celebrate our young musicians. The performances highlighted not only the progress students have made in learning their chosen instruments, but also the many benefits of making music together.

Learning a musical instrument develops much more than musical ability. It strengthens concentration, memory, listening skills and coordination. It teaches children the importance of patience, practice and perseverance, particularly when something feels difficult or does not come easily at first. Students learn to set goals, respond to feedback and experience the satisfaction that comes from recognising their own improvement.

Playing in an ensemble brings an additional and equally valuable dimension to this learning. Students must listen carefully to one another, find their place within the group, maintain rhythm and tempo, and understand how their individual contribution supports the collective performance. They learn that success is not about being the loudest or most prominent musician, but about working together, being attentive to others and contributing to something greater than themselves. These are lessons that extend well beyond the music room.

At our 3-6 Assembly this week, I spoke with students about the importance of modelling our School values of Responsibility and Respect, particularly as we approach the end of the school year. With so many exciting events, celebrations, performances and activities ahead, it is easy for energy and enthusiasm to build. However, it is often in the small, everyday moments that our values matter most.

Responsibility is about taking ownership of our actions, making good choices and doing what is expected of us, even when nobody is watching. It is remembering to bring our belongings, being organised, completing tasks thoughtfully and following instructions. It is also recognising that our behaviour and choices have an impact on those around us.

Respect is equally evident in the little things. It is the way we speak to one another, the way we listen when someone else is talking, the way we include others in games and activities, and the way we care for our classrooms and shared spaces. It is showing appreciation for the efforts of others and recognising that everyone deserves to feel valued and supported.

As we move through the final weeks of the year, I encouraged students to remember that finishing well is not simply about the big events or achievements we celebrate. It is about the way we conduct ourselves each day and the care we show to those around us.

This week, our musicians provided a wonderful example of what can be achieved when individuals practise, listen, support one another and work towards a shared goal. Whether performing on stage or contributing to our everyday school community, the message is much the same: every contribution matters, and it is often the small things we do consistently that make the biggest difference.

Redlands Community Golf Day | Friday 27 November | Long Reef Golf Club

Join us for the 2026 Redlands Community Golf Day at Long Reef Golf Club on Friday 27 November. Whether you’re a keen golfer or simply looking to enjoy a great day with the Redlands community, it’s a fantastic opportunity to connect, enjoy some friendly competition and support our school community.

Registrations are now open. Secure your place today and we’ll see you on the green!

Register here

Michael Quach
Head of Junior School
mquach@redlands.nsw.edu.au

Strings Concert

On Monday afternoon, we gathered for our Strings Concert, and it was a joy to see so many proud faces in the audience. Our Year 2 Strings ensemble delivered an impressive performance, and it was wonderful to see how hard the children had practised to perfect their pieces. We were also treated to a K-2 Strings performance, which included some of our Year 1 students. Playing music together is another way for our students to connect and come together as a community, and Monday’s concert was a reminder of this. Congratulations to all our young musicians and thank you to the families and staff who supported them along the way.

Kindy as Entrepreneurs

Last Wednesday, our Kindy students hosted their very own Plant Market, the highlight of a term spent learning to think like entrepreneurs. The children grew herbs in mugs and cups that they had brought in from home. Today, we were pleased to welcome a representative from the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, who visited to thank the children for donating their market proceeds to the charity. Our guest shared how the donation will help provide books to children in remote Indigenous communities. Thank you to every family who supported this initiative.

Recognising Ms Emily McInerney

On Friday evening, several members of the Junior Leadership Team travelled to Warwick Farm for the 2026 World Teachers Awards, as Emily McInerney was nominated as an ‘Outstanding Teacher in the Early Years of Teaching’. Although Emily did not win the overall award, she was one of only six Primary Teachers across New South Wales to be nominated in this category. I know that any parents or carers who have had the pleasure of Emily teaching their child will agree that she absolutely deserves this recognition for the dedication and care she shows every student, every day.

K-2 Games Day

We are excited to hold our K-2 Games Day on Friday 13 November. It is going to be a great day full of fun activities! 

• What to Wear: Normal uniform
• What to Bring: Hat , water bottles, Recess and Lunch (canteen orders will still be available)

Schedule:
8.30-10.30am: Kindy and Year 2 Rotation of Activities (Year 1 Normal Class time)

10.30-11am: Recess
11am-1pm: Year 1 Rotation of Activities (Kindy and Y2 Normal Class time)
1pm -End of Day: Regular lunchtime and classes after lunch

Parents are welcome to watch during the allocated time for their child’s year group. We are looking forward to seeing you there!

Year 2- 3 Transition Meeting

It was lovely to meet with so many Year 2 parents on Monday morning to discuss your child’s move to Year 3. For those parents who were unable to attend, we will send the slides by the end of the week for your reference.

K-2 Christmas Performance

Our much-anticipated K-2 Christmas Performance ‘The Inn-Spectors’ will be held on Wednesday 25 November from 5-6pm. Next week, we will have our first rehearsal in Dunnet Hall, which is very exciting! Most parents have now secured tickets for this event, but if you have any issues, please do let me know.

Term 4 K-2 Assemblies

We have one Tuesday afternoon K-2 assembly remaining for this school year which will be held on Tuesday and will be led by 2 Blue and 2 Yellow.

Our K-2 End of Year Assembly will involve several Year 2 speakers and a presentation of certificates to our Year 2 students. This will be held on Monday 30 November from 9am-10am in Dunnet Hall.

Our Kindergarten Storybook Project

We are a group of Year 11 students completing our IB CAS project, and we have spent this term creating a special storybook for the Kindergarten students.

We wanted the book to be something that the Kindys would genuinely enjoy, so before creating the story, we spent time talking with them and asking about the characters, adventures, and ideas they would like to see in a book. We used their suggestions to help shape our story and make it something created with the Kindergarten community, rather than simply for them.

We wrote the story ourselves and have designed and illustrated the book with our Kindergarten audience in mind. The story follows four Australian animal friends as they experience an exciting day at Kindergarten, learning about friendship, teamwork, courage and looking out for one another along the way.

We are now making copies of the finished book available for families to purchase. The proceeds will be donated to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, an organisation that works with remote Indigenous communities to provide culturally relevant books and literacy resources, and to support reading and storytelling in Indigenous languages. 

Each book is $10, and we encourage families to get involved and purchase one as a keepsake of your child’s time in Kindy, as well as supporting a worthwhile cause.

Through this project, we hope to bring our school community together around something our Kindy’s can enjoy while also using the project to support literacy beyond our own school.

Thank you for your support!

Learn More

Year 11 IB Students

Ashley Bentley
Deputy Head of Junior School: Students (K-2)
abentley@redlands.nsw.edu.au

Year 6 Success at UNICEF

Congratulations to our Year 6 students who recently achieved an outstanding result as part of our UNICEF learning collaboration. Two Year 6 teams qualified for the final stage, showcasing their innovative solutions to real-world challenges facing children.

One of our teams was awarded second place for their product, Freddie the Firefighting Fox, an educational program designed to teach children about the risks of bushfires and how they can prepare and stay safe.

Our other qualifying team developed an innovative product designed to help keep children safe during floods, demonstrating thoughtful research, empathy and creativity in responding to the challenges faced by children experiencing natural disasters.

Both teams should be incredibly proud of the way they combined collaboration, creativity and critical thinking to develop solutions with a genuine purpose. Their success is a wonderful example of our Year 6 students using their learning to make a positive difference in the world.

Congratulations to both teams on this fantastic achievement!

Students:

Freddie the Fire Fighting Fox – 2nd place

• Alyssa Martın
• Max Papageorgiou 
• Mia Johnston
• Ollie Rabbetts

Sea Shield

• Aurianna Maguire
• Mason Rantall 
• Millie Barnes
• Noah Joyce

Kate Moore
Deputy Head of Junior School: Students (3-6)
kamoore@redlands.nsw.edu.au

Public Transport – Industrial Action

We would like to make families aware that the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) has scheduled industrial action commencing Wednesday 4 November and continuing until further notice.

While efforts are being made to maintain normal services, families may experience delays or cancellations to public transport services. We encourage parents and carers who use public transport to plan ahead and check live service updates before travelling.

School bus services will continue to operate as usual where possible. In the event that a school bus service is cancelled or significantly delayed, the transport provider will contact the school directly so that we can promptly communicate any relevant information to affected families.

We encourage families to keep up to date with the latest service information via transport.info.

Thank you for your understanding and for allowing extra time for your journey during this period.

Year 3–5 Camps 2027

Information regarding our 2027 Year 3–5 camps, including camp details, permission forms and medical information, will be shared with families of students attending a camp in 2027 prior to the December holidays.

We will also hold a parent information and Q&A session early in 2027, providing families with the opportunity to hear directly from our camp providers and ask any questions they may have.

Further details regarding this session will be shared in the new year.

Amber Wilson
Deputy Head of Junior School: Operations (P-6)
awilson@redlands.nsw.edu.au