Investigative Play”, based on Walker Learning, has been introduced into our Kindergarten classrooms.
All kindergarten teachers have participated in hours of professional learning, via Zoom, through Early Life Foundations. Early Life Foundations is a specialist team providing professional learning in Walker Learning. Walker Learning promotes child-focussed inquiry learning, based on child development research and neuroscience. Evidence shows that investigative play not only increases student engagement and motivation, but also oral language, literacy and numeracy. Many primary schools across Australia and within CEDP have implemented investigative play, with positive results. Early indications suggest that St Michael’s evidence will be similar.
At St Michael’s, each Tuesday to Friday, Kindergarten learning starts with investigative play. Teachers set up ‘stations’, indoors and outdoors, each with clear developmental and learning objectives. Investigative play is rigorous: Teachers, and teacher assistants, engage with the children to support their learning through open-ended questioning and discussion.
St Michael's Catholic Primary Baulkham Hills
www.stmichaelsbhills.catholic.edu.au
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16 Mar 2026
From Facebook
π Question Time in Year 1! π€ Year 1 turned into curious researchers during Maths as they began collecting data for a class investigation! Armed with clipboards and big questions, students asked their classmates things like βWhatβs your favourite colour?β π¨ and βWhatβs your favourite drink?β π§ There were lots of excited conversations, careful counting and plenty of giggles as they gathered everyoneβs answers. We canβt wait to see what their data reveals when we explore it further! πβ¨ #Year1Learning #MathsInAction #CuriousLearners #DataDetectives #LearningTogether #StudentAchievement #LittleLearners #PrimarySchoolMemories #SchoolLife #StMichaels #PrimarySchool #BaulkhamHills #CSPD #CatholicSchool
15 Mar 2026
From Facebook
π§ Da Vinci Decathlon Success! π A few weeks ago, we had the wonderful opportunity to send a Year 5 team and a Year 6 team to compete in the Da Vinci Decathlon as an extension opportunity for our students. It was a fantastic day of challenge, creativity and critical thinking, and our students represented our school with pride! β¨ Our Year 5 team achieved an incredible 2nd place overall, with outstanding results across multiple disciplines: π₯ 1st β Legacy π₯ 1st β Code Breaking π₯ 2nd β Cartography π₯ 2nd β English π₯ 3rd β Science π₯ 3rd β Ideation Our Year 6 team also performed brilliantly, taking home: π¨ Winners of the Tablecloth Decoration π₯ 1st - Ideation π₯ 2nd - Science Competitions like this encourage students to think deeply, collaborate, and apply their learning in creative ways. Our teams certainly rose to the challenge! π A big thank you to Mrs Withford and Mrs Cassar for accompanying and supporting the students on the day. We are so proud of all the students involved! π« #DaVinciDecathlon #StudentAchievement #ExtensionLearning #FutureThinkers #ProudSchoolCommunity #StMichaels #PrimarySchool #BaulkhamHills #CSPD #CatholicSchool #catholicschoolsweek
Latest news More news
16 Mar 2026
From Facebook
π Question Time in Year 1! π€ Year 1 turned into curious researchers during Maths as they began collecting data for a class investigation! Armed with clipboards and big questions, students asked their classmates things like βWhatβs your favourite colour?β π¨ and βWhatβs your favourite drink?β π§ There were lots of excited conversations, careful counting and plenty of giggles as they gathered everyoneβs answers. We canβt wait to see what their data reveals when we explore it further! πβ¨ #Year1Learning #MathsInAction #CuriousLearners #DataDetectives #LearningTogether #StudentAchievement #LittleLearners #PrimarySchoolMemories #SchoolLife #StMichaels #PrimarySchool #BaulkhamHills #CSPD #CatholicSchool
15 Mar 2026
From Facebook
π§ Da Vinci Decathlon Success! π A few weeks ago, we had the wonderful opportunity to send a Year 5 team and a Year 6 team to compete in the Da Vinci Decathlon as an extension opportunity for our students. It was a fantastic day of challenge, creativity and critical thinking, and our students represented our school with pride! β¨ Our Year 5 team achieved an incredible 2nd place overall, with outstanding results across multiple disciplines: π₯ 1st β Legacy π₯ 1st β Code Breaking π₯ 2nd β Cartography π₯ 2nd β English π₯ 3rd β Science π₯ 3rd β Ideation Our Year 6 team also performed brilliantly, taking home: π¨ Winners of the Tablecloth Decoration π₯ 1st - Ideation π₯ 2nd - Science Competitions like this encourage students to think deeply, collaborate, and apply their learning in creative ways. Our teams certainly rose to the challenge! π A big thank you to Mrs Withford and Mrs Cassar for accompanying and supporting the students on the day. We are so proud of all the students involved! π« #DaVinciDecathlon #StudentAchievement #ExtensionLearning #FutureThinkers #ProudSchoolCommunity #StMichaels #PrimarySchool #BaulkhamHills #CSPD #CatholicSchool #catholicschoolsweek
10 Mar 2026
NAPLAN: What Parents Really Need to Know
Each March, families across Australia hear a lot about NAPLAN. The National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) assesses students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 in reading, writing, spelling, grammar and numeracy. But what does it really mean for your child in 2026?
09 Mar 2026
From Facebook
Buddy Lunch Mondays ππ€ Every Monday, Kindy and Year 6 come together for their buddy lunch! ππ₯ͺ Itβs always such a lovely time filled with chatting, laughter and happy moments between our youngest students and our school leaders. These photos capture some of the special moments shared during their weekly lunches. Our Year 6 students do a wonderful job looking after their Kindy buddies, helping them feel welcomed and supported as these friendships continue to grow each week. We love seeing these beautiful connections in our school community! πβ¨ #BuddyLunch #KindyAndYear6 #SchoolCommunity #LittleAndBigFriends #StMichaels #PrimarySchool #BaulkhamHills #CSPD #CatholicSchool
06 Mar 2026
From Facebook
Week 7 - βββββββββ β¦βββ Just a reminder that students are able to wear their sports uniform throughout the week during wellbeing week, not just on their sports days.π
05 Mar 2026
From Facebook
Catholic Schools Week Celebration ππ Today we had the joy of welcoming our families into our school as part of our Catholic Schools Week celebrations. Our community gathered for a special liturgy, families visited classrooms, and we finished the morning with a picnic lunch together on the grounds πΏπ§Ί It was wonderful to see parents and carers sharing in the learning, prayer and community spirit that makes our school so special. Thank you to all the families who took the time to join us today. We are truly grateful for your presence and support π€π This yearβs theme, Belong to Something Greater, reminds us that Catholic education is about more than learning. It is about faith, connection and growing together as a community. Today was a beautiful example of that β¨βͺοΈπ #CatholicSchoolsWeek #BelongToSomethingGreater #CatholicEducation #SchoolCommunity #FaithInAction #Grateful #PrimarySchoolLife #SchoolLiturgy #Community #CatholicSchoolsNSW #SchoolLife #LearningTogether #StMichaels #PrimarySchool #BaulkhamHills #CSPD #CatholicSchool
05 Mar 2026
From Facebook
Donβt forget, βcup of connectionsβ prayer is on this morning in the Mercy Room at 8:30am. We look forward to welcoming all our parents today - liturgy begins at 11:45 followed by open classrooms and a picnic lunch π«ΆπΌ
03 Mar 2026
From Facebook
πββοΈπ¦ Zone Swimming Carnival π¦πββοΈ What an incredible day last Thursday! Our swimmers represented our school with determination, courage and outstanding sportsmanship. We are so proud of every single one of them. A special congratulations to Daniela on being named Senior Girls Champion π What an amazing achievement! Best of luck to our students heading to Diocesan Swimming tomorrow. Swim strong and know we are cheering you on every stroke of the way! π #ZoneSwimming #SeniorGirlsChampion #DiocesanBound #ProudSchoolMoment #BestSchoolEnergy #StMichaels #PrimarySchool #BaulkhamHills #CSPD #CatholicSchool
