Year 7 and 8 students belong to the Junior Sub School and are supported by the Junior Sub School Coordination team.

The Junior Sub School provides a nurturing and caring environment for students and works closely with families to monitor attendance, to report on student progress and communicate any concerns to families. Families can also contact the Junior Sub School if they have any questions or concerns regarding their child during the school day.

In Year 7, each student is placed in a homegroup and are assigned a homeroom where they will complete the majority of their work. The homegroups are denoted with a letter, e.g. 7A, 7B, 7C etc. Students will remain in their homegroups for all their core subjects. This allows them the opportunity to form strong relationships with their fellow classmates.

Each homegroup is monitored by a Learning Manager, who teaches the homegroup Integrated Studies (IS) for 10 sessions a week. The Learning Manager works closely with the Coordination team to monitor students’ social and emotional wellbeing and academic progress.

The Junior Sub School in partnership with the Wellbeing Team, implement a range of Proactive programs, including excursions and incursions, which focus on the relevant needs of our Junior Sub School students. Key topics can include: cyber-safety, resilience, study skills and mental health.

 

Year 7 Wellbeing Activities 

 

Week 1 – How to make new friends at a new school

It can be scary starting at a new school, a new class and having no friends to start your first day. 

Top tips from the Wellbeing Team: 

  1. Smile and say hello to your class students
  2. Ask how someone is going when doing an activity together
  3. Find things in common by asking questions (e.g, what music do they like?)

Click here for a guide on how to make new friends! 

 

Week 2 – Moving up!

We are edging closer to moving up to year 7. 

It is real and it is approaching fast, but we understand as young students there may be some things you are excited about and some things you may be worried about.

This weeks activity is about exploring some social experiences. 

Click here to watch some videos on what to do, when you are feeling pressure to fit in.

 

Week 3 – How to keep safe online while using Social Media

This week we are focusing on cyber safety.

Over the past few years, the use of social media has increased. Social media holds benefits including increased communication, identity formation, improved self esteem, and sharing news and knowledge. 

Common social media platforms are Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok. However, it is important to keep in mind the different ways you can keep safe online.

Click here to view important ways to keep safe online.

 

Week 4 – Sleep Hygiene

Sleep is a common psychological behavior. Approximately one third of our lives are spend sleeping, which is essential to function well and perform daily tasks.

People aged between 12-17 require at least 8-10 hours of sleep every night. Those who are aged between 18-25 should get at least 7-9 hours of sleep every night. 

Click here to view some tips and techniques to assist you in sleeping well.

 

Week 5 – Time Management

As you begin your journey through high school, learning to manage your time is essential to becoming successful. Time management is the way one organises their time and plans how long they spend on specific tasks. Some of the benefits of time management include feeling less stressed, greater productivity and efficiency.

Have a go at using some of the tips below to best manage your time.

  1. Setting goals
  2. Setting time limits
  3. Reduce surrounding distractions
  4. Use a clock or a watch to help monitor time
  5. Rewarding achievements when you accomplish your goals

 

Week 6 – How to be a good friend

Although we may not be able to fix a friends problem, there are ways we can support them. This includes listening to what your friend has to say, showing that you care about them and telling a teacher, school staff member, parent or an adult if you are worried about your friend.

Please see the video link below and in pairs with another student, take turns showing how you can be a good friend.

Click here to view the video 

 

Week 7 – Respecting Gender Diversity

Gender diversity is acknowledging and respecting ways of identifying outside the binary of male and female. Please read the link below on gender identity and in pairs, discuss (a) what does respect mean to you and (b) how do you think you can show respect.

Click here to read about gender diversity

 

Week 8 – Respecting Culture Diversity

Respecting cultural diversity can be shown through appreciating and valuing culture within our society. For peace and harmony, it is essential to understand the broad range of cultures. In pairs, think of as many different cultures as you can and write them down on a piece of A3 paper.    

 

Week 9 – Mindfulness 

Mindfulness is being present and noticing what is happening right now. This supports children and young people to  calm down if they feel angry, sad, or frustrated. Mindfulness can help us feel happy when we are dealing with difficult emotions. Please watch the clip below and spend a few minutes practicing this mindfulness activity.

 

Week 10 – School Holidays  

After the year we have had, every student deserves a well-earned break. You may decide to spend more time with your family, watch movies, playing video games. However, it’s also essential to find a balance between indoor and outdoor activities. Summer is an excellent opportunity to spend time outside because of daylight savings. So, over the school holidays, have a go at spending some time outside. This can include going for a walk down at your local park or playing sport.  

 

Week 11 – Support During the School Holidays

During the holidays and being away from school, you may feel the need to access supports. Please see the services that you can contact for support below:

-Kidshelpline: 1800 55 1800; https://kidshelpline.com.au/

-eHeadspace: 1800 650 890; eheadspace.org.au

-Orygen YAT: 1800 888 320

-Sunshine Hospital: 8345 1333

-Ambulence, Fire and Police: 000