2028 Sub-School Structure

Home 2028 Sub-School Structure

2028 Sub-School Structure

Children Grow. Their School Journey Should Grow With Them

Children change remarkably throughout their school years. The needs of a five-year-old are very different from those of a ten-year-old, just as the needs of an adolescent differ from those of a young adult preparing for life beyond school.

Following extensive research, reflection and consultation, Peninsula Grammar is introducing a revised Sub-School Structure in 2028 that more closely aligns learning, wellbeing and leadership opportunities with the developmental stages of childhood and adolescence.

This structure recognises that students benefit most when they are supported within a learning environment designed specifically for their age and stage.

A Learning Journey Designed for Every Stage

Our Sub-School Structure reflects a simple belief: students thrive when learning, wellbeing and opportunity are aligned with their age and stage of development. By creating clear and purposeful stages from Kindergarten to Year 12, we are strengthening the continuity, care and opportunities that define a Peninsula Grammar education.

Why This Matters

Learning experiences designed for each stage of development
Strong wellbeing and pastoral support
A greater sense of belonging and connection
Leadership opportunities that grow with students
Clear and confident transitions between stages of learning
Preparation for future study, careers and life beyond School

One Journey. Three Distinct Stages

From Kindergarten to Year 12, every stage of learning brings new opportunities, new challenges and new possibilities.

At Peninsula Grammar, we believe students thrive when their learning, wellbeing and sense of belonging are aligned with their stage of development.

Our new Sub-School Structure has been thoughtfully designed to ensure every student is known, challenged and supported at every step of their journey.

Junior School | Kindergarten to Year 6

Becoming Me

The Junior School years are a time of curiosity, discovery and growth. Through engaging learning experiences and a nurturing environment, students build confidence, develop strong relationships and establish the habits that underpin future learning.

From 2028, Years 5 and 6 will remain within Junior School, recognising the importance of this stage of primary development. At this age, students benefit from increasing independence, responsibility and leadership opportunities while continuing to learn in a setting designed specifically for primary-aged children.

Students leave Junior School with strong foundations, growing confidence and a readiness for the opportunities of Middle School.

Middle School | Years 7 to 9

Challenging Me

The Middle School years are a significant period of growth and change.

As students move into adolescence, they seek greater independence, form a stronger sense of identity and expand their understanding of the world around them.

A dedicated Middle School environment provides the support, challenge and opportunities students need at this important stage, helping them build resilience, responsibility and self-awareness.

Students leave Middle School ready to pursue their interests, strengths and aspirations with confidence.

Senior School | Years 10 to 12

Inspiring Me

The Senior School years focus on growth, achievement and purposeful preparation for life beyond School.

Students are supported to pursue academic excellence, develop leadership capabilities and explore future pathways through a broad range of learning experiences and opportunities.

With the guidance of expert teachers, mentors and wellbeing staff, students develop the confidence, character and capability to make meaningful contributions in their communities and beyond.

Students leave Peninsula Grammar prepared for the future and grounded in the values that will guide them through it.

Frequently Asked Questions

My child is joining Peninsula Grammar in Year 5 in 2027. What will happen to them in 2028?

Year 5 students will begin in 2027 exactly as planned, as a Year 5 Middle School student. They will have the opportunity to settle in, build relationships, develop their independence and experience all that Middle School has to offer.

In 2028, they will continue as a Year 6 Middle School student. They will be the final Year 6 cohort in our current Middle School structure, and we intend to make this a particularly special year for them. They will be known, celebrated and cared for, with a strong sense of their important place in the story of Peninsula Grammar.

They will not feel caught between two structures. Our focus will be on ensuring they experience a positive and purposeful Year 6 while we move towards the new Sub School Structure.

My child is joining Peninsula Grammar in Year 7 in 2027. What will happen to them in 2028?

For students entering Year 7 in 2027, their first year will mark an important step into the secondary years, with greater independence, new opportunities and a dedicated team supporting them to know and understand them well.

In 2028, they will continue into Year 8 within the new Middle School structure, which will encompass Years 7 to 9. They will therefore be part of the first cohort to experience the new Middle School model as it begins.

We see this as a significant opportunity to build even greater continuity across Years 7, 8 and 9, to know students exceptionally well, and to support their growing independence through these important adolescent years.

Why is the new Sub-School Structure being introduced?

The new structure has been designed to better align learning, wellbeing and students’ sense of belonging with their stage of development. It provides three distinct stages: Junior School from Kindergarten to Year 6, Middle School from Years 7 to 9, and Senior School from Years 10 to 12. Each Sub-School will have a clear developmental focus.

The change is not about disrupting students’ education. It is about creating greater continuity, stronger connections and an environment that is increasingly responsive to students as they grow.

Why is the new Sub-School Structure being introduced from 2028?

The decision to introduce the new Sub-School Structure from 2028 has been deliberate. The new structure and its three distinct stages have been carefully considered and established following an extensive review of our current model.

Introducing the structure from 2028 gives us the time to implement the model properly and thoughtfully, ensuring that the curriculum, wellbeing and pastoral programs, behaviour support, reporting, leadership and other aspects of each Sub-School are aligned before the new structure begins.

It also allows us to prepare our staff, students and families for the change, and to ensure that the particular needs of students who will experience the change in 2028 are well understood and supported.

In other words, 2028 is not when we decide what the new structure will look like. It is when the structure we have carefully designed begins.

How will we support students through the change in 2028?

The introduction of the new structure will be carefully planned around the students who are experiencing it. Our focus will be on ensuring continuity, maintaining strong relationships and providing students with the support they need at each stage.

For the Year 5 students joining us in 2027, this means a particularly special Year 6 experience as the final Year 6 cohort in the current Middle School structure.

For the Year 7 students joining us in 2027, it means becoming part of the first cohort to experience the new Years 7 to 9 Middle School model.

For all students, the priority will be to ensure that the change strengthens their experience of Peninsula Grammar, rather than creating unnecessary disruption.

What will the new structure mean for my child in Year 9 as this Year is absorbed in the Middle School?

The new structure is designed to make Year 9 a purposeful and important preparation year for the Senior School years that follow. As the most senior students within the Middle School, Year 9 students will have an important role to play in shaping the culture of the Sub School. They will be encouraged to take greater responsibility, demonstrate leadership and model the behaviours and values we expect of younger students.

Our unique Challenge Program will continue to be an important part of this experience. It provides students with opportunities to step beyond the classroom, challenge themselves, develop resilience and independence, and build the skills they will need as they move into the Senior School.

By the end of Year 9, students will be well prepared to take the next step into Years 10 to 12, having developed greater independence, confidence and responsibility, and with a strong understanding of themselves as learners and as members of the Peninsula Grammar community.