Junior School

The Junior School at Walford encourages girls to develop a love of learning, a strong sense of self and friendships that will last a lifetime. Walford Junior School girls are encouraged to ask questions and be curious. Academic standards are high, and we believe it is equally as important that each girl strives to be her own personal best for a future that will require courage and flexibility.

Book a Personalised Tour of the Junior School

Families are welcome to visit Walford and experience first hand the Walford difference. We look forward to meeting you and learning more about your child. You will meet key staff who will guide your daughter’s learning and personal growth and also visit classrooms and Walford’s outstanding facilities.

Learning and Teaching

The Junior School uniquely focuses on creative learning blocks and ‘Wondering Wednesday’, underpinned by Design Thinking, Technologies, Sciences and Arts education. The International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme Units of Inquiry are the foundation and springboard into conceptual learning and transdisciplinary curriculum links. The IB PYP inspires authentic student action and agency.

Junior School signature programs are created for both stand alone and combined year levels, drawing on Walford’s close proximities to the Adelaide CBD, hills and coastal areas. Junior School students are encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning, delving richly and deeply into concepts that are linked to globally relevant, real-life situations and industry.

Strong literacy and numeracy skills are also developed through explicit and targeted teaching in discreet blocks of time across the week. Specialist teachers from the middle and secondary school provide further enrichment within Mathematics and Science as we intentionally target individual growth. Targeting the growth of each learner is also enabled through Walford’s LINC model.
Literacy, Ignite, Numeracy Co-educators work alongside highly qualified teachers to provide enrichment and additional support, to help each student grow her proficiency, including girls with high potential in one or more identified areas.

Walford continues its proud traditions of extensively providing Specialists lessons, in the areas of Music, French, Chinese Mandarin, Design Thinking, Digital Technologies Physical Education and Visual Art.

Junior School at Walford

Her Best Junior School

Wellbeing, Engagement and Belonging (WEB)

Wellbeing underpins all learning and permeates every aspect of school and life. Each day in the Junior School beings with a focus on wellbeing, guided by the anchor of the classroom teacher. Helping students develop a mindset and the capabilities needed to flourish in an ever-changing world is central to the wellbeing program. Our wellbeing framework is thoughtfully and intentionally crafted providing challenging and rewarding opportunities for learning and growth. Topics covered are flexibly responsive to the needs of each cohort.

From ELC through to Year 5, the WEB program is sequentially designed. With a focus on the development of social and emotional skills, students are supported to become agents of their own lives, leading to a strong sense of empowerment both within and beyond the school gates. Psychologists and key experts across a range of related fields are engaged annually to work with teachers, parents, and students to ensure that the topics explored are grounded in evidence-based research.

Central to wellbeing is a strong sense of belonging and connection within the school community. Through the mentoring program, all classes have a buddy class with activities designed to foster cross-age connections and build on the nurturing and supportive nature of the friendships at Walford. Formal and informal mentoring encourages students to feel valued and positive about their interactions with others inspiring optimism and aspiration for the future.

Leading and Leadership

Our aim is for students to learn early on that they can influence change for the better by serving causes greater than their own. Underpinning our approach to leadership is our school motto Virtute et Veritate – “With truth and moral courage”, reminding us that leadership is about bravely standing up for that which we know to be ethically right and true.

Students are strongly encouraged to lead at Walford and there are a number of formal and informal opportunities for them to do so. Formal positions in the Junior School include Junior School Leaders, Sports Leader, Music Leader and Sustainability Leader, in addition to an active Student Representative Council, House Captains, IT Champions and the Peer Support Program.

The Year 5 Exhibition is the culminating learning project for the Primary Years Programme. Each Year 5 student has a significant role in leading the whole school community through a comprehensive display of acquired knowledge, taking the opportunity to teach on their learning and inspire others to take action. This showcase of collaboration, service and action highlights the empowerment and agency that is central to our Junior School leadership program.

Beyond the Classroom

In addition to the many co-curricular opportunities available, the Walford Junior School encourages students to be active in a range of initiatives that encourage agency, challenge thinking, build connections and are fun. An annual Junior School Musical and Christmas Concert ensure a role for everyone on stage, whilst the In-Residence programs across curriculum areas inspire connected learning.

Knowledge and thinking is enriched through participation in a variety of competitions throughout the year. These include:

  • RoboCup digital technologies competition
  • IPSHA Poetry Competition
  • ICAS and AMS Mathematics Competitions
  • Young Writers Award
  • ASPO Mathematics Games competition
  • Oliphant Science Awards
  • The Commissioner for Children and Young People’s Digital Challenge
  • IPSHA Junior Orator of the Year competition
  • The Premier’s Reading Challenge
  • The Premier’s Be Active Challenge

Students have further opportunities to participate in enrichment and extension programs, some of which are led by Senior Secondary teachers including:

  • MathsCraft
  • Specialist Science – undertaken in Senior Laboratories
  • Digital Technologies program
  • Science Week
  • Year 2 Strings Immersion Program
  • Year 5 Band Immersion Program

The annual Junior School Swimming Carnival and Sports Day are highly anticipated events in the calendar. Year 5 students have the chance to compete for the Parks Medal in the annual Sports Day race as well as enjoy strong competition and novelty events across both sporting carnivals.

Explore the Junior School