First day of high school

January 31^st was a huge milestone for Year 7, marking their first day of high school. The first day spent in Pastoral Classes as students familiarised themselves with the SFX timetable, the new learning environments, lockers and most importantly, with their Pastoral teacher and class who they will journey with until they graduate Year 12 in 2027. The Senior Leadership Team also provided a great deal of care to the students on their first day.

The 240 students are a diverse cohort and have transitioned from 31 local, interstate and international primary schools. The students have done a tremendous job supporting each other as they settle in, with many new friendships forged. They have mastered the new routines of different classrooms and teachers and it is wonderful to visit their classes and see engaged and enthusiastic learners.

Starting High school is a moment we will never forget! We have been waiting for this amazing experience since 2015 when we started primary school. It is so much better than primary school—the lockers, not sitting on the floor when listing to the teacher and the spectacular canteen (My primary school definitely didn’t have mango smoothies). The amount of really caring staff and students we have met is AMAZING. We would have to be lying if we said we weren’t nervous the night before starting high school. The first day was not much of a shock because it was only our year group and the Senior Leadership Team.

SFX has made our start to high school so much easier than it might have been without the great support. If we get lost trying to find our class, we just ask one of those wonderful students in white shirts to show us where to go. Our Pastoral teachers also did a really good job of making sure we had all the information we needed—even teaching us how to use a combination lock. We look forward to the upcoming years of being an SFX student and joining the community.

By Isabella Pole & Leila Wrenford, Year 7