When children begin their journey in the Junior School, they bring with them a natural sense of curiosity, wonder, enthusiasm, and excitement. We welcome and encourage all of these attributes – and are excited to share the start of their learning journey.
Through inquiry-based learning that encourages curiosity and collaboration, students develop a strong foundation of skills that will support their continued studies when they enter Middle School.
It is a place where stumbles and errors are celebrated as opportunities for acquiring new knowledge, and the beginning of building resilience against challenging tasks and challenging times.
But our Junior School students don’t learn in isolation. Students of all ages get the opportunity to interact and build connections across our Junior, Middle and Senior cohorts.
This starts in Reception, for our youngest learners, who spend time with ‘buddies’ from more senior years, learning to build trust, communication skills and friendships.
Whilst we have a large Campus, our Junior School students have their own dedicated play and nature areas, including the Rose Garden which has become their outdoor space to run and play.
Our teaching involves clear, direct instruction where teachers break down new concepts step-by-step.
Our programs are designed with a developmental focus, supporting each student to build confidence, resilience, optimism, and a strong sense of personal identity.
This combination aims to provide each student with the strong foundations they need to succeed, while also encouraging them to think deeply, ask questions and develop a genuine love of learning.
This approach has strong evidence to ensure your child builds essential curriculum skills in a structured and supportive way.
Teachers model strategies, guide students through practice, and provide feedback to help your child grow in confidence and understanding.
Research shows that explicit teaching is the most effective way to learn new things, while inquiry-based learning helps students deepen their understanding and develop transferable skills on what they have already learned.
By combining these two approaches, we support your child in mastering the basics and learning how to ask questions, solve problems, and think for themselves as a flexible learner.
As an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, we offer the Primary Years Programme (PYP) from Reception to Year 5.
This is a globally recognised educational framework, and the PYP focuses on developing the whole child as an inquirer, fostering intellectual curiosity, emotional wellbeing, and strong personal values both in and outside the classroom.
Part of the PYP framework, includes our Programme of Inquiry which is organised around six themes that connect learning across subject areas (transdisciplinary) and invite students to explore big ideas and global issues.
Each Unit of Inquiry helps students ask meaningful questions, engage in hands-on learning, build deep understanding, and apply knowledge to real life.
The six themes are:
Units of inquiry are concept-driven, connecting literacy, numeracy, science, humanities, the arts, technology and wellbeing.
Students learn through investigation, collaboration, problem-solving and action, developing strong academic and personal skills.
Service learning at Mercedes College is a blend of learning, connection, and community engagement, which helps our students to grow and think about the world around them.
Through year level programs, whole-school projects, social justice initiatives, and local community partnerships, our students learn that their actions have worth and consequence, and small everyday acts of kindness and compassion have impact.
Junior School students learn in a single classroom setting, with the exception of specialist subjects including Physical Education, French, Music, and Visual Arts.
Students learn about French culture and language from Reception, engaging in unique learning experiences including role play, song and dance, with an annual French Day.
In Year 3 our students participate in a Strings Immersion Programme, learning the Violin, Viola or Cello across a full term of dedicated tuition.
Students benefit from a strong Visual Arts programme, which incorporates workshops with visiting local artists alongside work with our Arts Teaching staff.
Our Dance Programme is also woven into the Junior School, with each year level cohort learning unique performances appropriate to their age, designed to enhance their knowledge of tempo, coordination, and collaboration.
As our Junior School students start to develop new skills, we introduce them to different experiences that help develop their resilience and build connections and friendships in their cohort.
Our Year 2 Camp sees students spend a night away from home, and is the perfect lead into longer and more active camp experiences that occur each year, as students move through the Middle School, into Senior School.
This gentle introduction encourages independence and importantly, starts to build resilience in our younger learners.
Camps and ActivitiesThe result of this long-form project is participation in an exhibition of students’ work as a multi-media display incorporating imagery, text, 3D modelling, digital technologies, interactive experiences, and more.
Term 1 enrolment: For children who turn five on or before April 30
Term 3 enrolment (Mid-Year intake): For children who turn five on or before October 31
Our Mid-Year Reception intake offers inquiry and play-based curriculum designed to provide a gentle and supportive transition from early childhood settings into school life.
During these two terms, student learning is guided by the Early Years Learning Framework, Australian Curriculum, and IB Primary Years Programme (PYP), in preparation for a full four terms of PYP in Reception the following year.
To foster strong connections, our Reception teachers visit your child’s Kindergarten, childcare, or ELC before school begins. These visits help us understand each child’s development and ensure a personalised and supportive transition.
Before orientation visits, children and their families are invited to meet our Reception teachers and other new families for an activity afternoon. This time includes fun, practical activities designed to introduce students to their new learning environment, teacher and classmates and help them feel confident and connected from the very beginning.
To prepare students for their official start in either Term 1 or Term 3, children are invited to attend four orientation visits.
During these sessions, they become familiar with daily routines, the learning environment, and begin building relationships with teachers and classmates, easing their transition into school life.
