On Friday 29th of June, Year 4 went on a fabulous excursion to the Big Dig Archeology Centre.
We discovered some fascinating information about the lives of three convicts that travelled on the First Fleet ships to Australia back in 1788. Their names were Anne Armsden, Margaret Byrne and George Cribb. We explored the area where their houses used to be because they were all so close together and lived in the area we now know as The Rocks.
Anne Armsden’s crime was highway robbery. She robbed two very wealthy women. Anne stole two rolls of cloth that were worth more money then Anne made in one year. Anne Armsden committed this crime because she was very poor and did not have very nice clothes. Her punishment was to be hung up by the neck until she died. Anne arrived in court and begged for a change in punishment so the judge gave her the choice to be hung or to go to Sydney, Australia for seven years. Anne chose to come to Australia. When she got here she met a very rich man named George Leg. Anne and George married one another hoping to live happily ever after. However, George was sadly eaten by a shark.
George Cribb’s crime was possession of fake money. George was travelling along the highway and the police pulled him over. They said, “Can we have a look in that suitcase?” and George tried to run away. When George got arrested he was sentenced to travel to Australia as a convict as punishment for his crime. When he arrived in Australia he became a butcher. He earned lots of money and he owned a butcher shop as well as a pub.
George was unlucky in love and had 3 wives. Their names were Martha, Fanny and Sophie. George’s nephew fell in love with Fanny and Fanny loved him back. Unfortunately, they ran off together leaving George alone.
The third convict, Margaret Byrne, stole objects that belonged to a rich lady. One day the rich lady saw Margaret take a plate so they called the cops and Margaret was arrested. Margaret was sentenced to seven years in Australia. After her sentence was over she became a baker and married a man who was also convict.
Once we finished learning about the First Fleet convicts we got to visit the pit which was filled with sand. We were put into groups and started to dig for artefacts. When we entered the sand it felt like foam beads melting on a hot summer's day. We got to take our shoes off and the sand started tickling the majority of our feet. Some of the artefacts we found were broken plates, a toy bus, dominoes, a horseshoe, a lemon juicer and a hair brush.
The day was so much fun because we learnt so much about the convicts and the First Fleet ,which we have been learning about in History.
The bus ride was long but awesome because we got to sit next to our friends.
This was the best excursion that we’ve been on.
By Chelsy and Riley in 4R
Holy Spirit Primary St Clair
www.hsstclair.catholic.edu.au
-
11 Jun 2026
From Facebook
This week in Religious Education, our Year 6 students read and unpacked two foundational pieces of scripture to explore how God works within us. We unpacked Galatians 5:22-23 and 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 to learn the difference between the Fruits of the Spirit and the Gifts of the Spirit. To help us remember the difference, we talked about it like this: The Fruits of the Spirit are the qualities that grow inside our hearts when we follow God- like love, joy, peace and patience. They shape who we are. The Gifts of the Spirit are special talents and abilities God gives us to help others and build up our community and church- like wisdom, faith and healing. They shape what we can do. To bring these concepts to life, Year 6 designed beautiful, creative artworks in their RE books. Take a look at their amazing work samples below to see how they visually captured the difference between a fruit that grows and a gift that is shared! Click below for more photos https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1eox1sUnN4qB8NPEjfB009wgjWgPv3Q0U?usp=sharing
09 Jun 2026
From Facebook
๐ Boosting Our Literacy Skills: Becoming Thoughtful Writers and Readers! Our students are working hard to level up their writing by learning how to join ideas together using connecting words like and, but, so, and because. They are discovering that while these longer sentences help their writing flow smoothly, each part of the sentence can often make sense all on its own! To make their stories more engaging for the reader, our learners are now using a mix of short and long sentences alongside very thoughtful word choices. They are also becoming "language detectives" by identifying descriptive words in the books they read, which helps them understand how authors add detail and meaning to a story. By noticing how professional writers use sentence structure and vibrant language to grab an audience's attention, our students are developing into insightful readers and creative writers! ๐ #SchoolLiteracy #WritingSkills #YoungWriters #NSWPrimarySchools #LearningTogether
Latest news More news
11 Jun 2026
From Facebook
This week in Religious Education, our Year 6 students read and unpacked two foundational pieces of scripture to explore how God works within us. We unpacked Galatians 5:22-23 and 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 to learn the difference between the Fruits of the Spirit and the Gifts of the Spirit. To help us remember the difference, we talked about it like this: The Fruits of the Spirit are the qualities that grow inside our hearts when we follow God- like love, joy, peace and patience. They shape who we are. The Gifts of the Spirit are special talents and abilities God gives us to help others and build up our community and church- like wisdom, faith and healing. They shape what we can do. To bring these concepts to life, Year 6 designed beautiful, creative artworks in their RE books. Take a look at their amazing work samples below to see how they visually captured the difference between a fruit that grows and a gift that is shared! Click below for more photos https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1eox1sUnN4qB8NPEjfB009wgjWgPv3Q0U?usp=sharing
09 Jun 2026
From Facebook
๐ Boosting Our Literacy Skills: Becoming Thoughtful Writers and Readers! Our students are working hard to level up their writing by learning how to join ideas together using connecting words like and, but, so, and because. They are discovering that while these longer sentences help their writing flow smoothly, each part of the sentence can often make sense all on its own! To make their stories more engaging for the reader, our learners are now using a mix of short and long sentences alongside very thoughtful word choices. They are also becoming "language detectives" by identifying descriptive words in the books they read, which helps them understand how authors add detail and meaning to a story. By noticing how professional writers use sentence structure and vibrant language to grab an audience's attention, our students are developing into insightful readers and creative writers! ๐ #SchoolLiteracy #WritingSkills #YoungWriters #NSWPrimarySchools #LearningTogether
09 Jun 2026
From Facebook
๐ข๐งธ Learning Through Hands-On Maths! ๐งธ๐ข Our Kindergarten students have been busy exploring the concept of hefting as part of their learning in Maths. Using their hands to compare the weight of different objects, students made predictions, discussed their thinking, and used mathematical language such as heavier, lighter, and the same weight. Through engaging, hands-on investigations, students developed their understanding of mass and hefting while building confidence in explaining and justifying their ideas. It was wonderful to see their curiousity, teamwork, and excitement as they explored and compared a variety of classroom objects. We are so proud of our young mathematicians and the thoughtful conversations they shared throughout their learning! ๐๐โ๏ธ Click here for more photos https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1gf9YJhJhpRhqWk4j8Lg_hKN_FWFR4HWf?usp=sharing
09 Jun 2026
From Facebook
What do squares, trapeziums, rhombuses, and kites all have in common? They are all quadrilaterals, and Year 3 are busy mastering them! ๐ฅโฌก๐Our students have been describing and comparing 2D shapes by looking closely at their attributes, checking for parallel lines, equal sides, and right angles. Check out our clever mathematicians in action! ๐ธ๐.
05 Jun 2026
From Facebook
Maths is adding up to fun in Year 5! This week, our mathematicians have been exploring percentages of collections using counters and hands-on learning experiences. Did you know? โญ 50% means half, so we can simply divide by 2. โญ 25% means a quarter, so we can divide by 4. โญ 10% means one tenth, so we can divide by 10. Using collections of counters, students have been discovering quick and efficient ways to find percentages and explain their mathematical thinking. They have been working collaboratively, sharing strategies, and making connections between fractions, decimals, and percentages. To extend their learning, students have also been applying percentage strategies to solve real-life problems, such as calculating discounts, working out portions of groups, and interpreting everyday situations involving percentages. These experiences help students see the relevance of mathematics beyond the classroom and develop their problem-solving skills. We love seeing our students build confidence as they tackle challenging tasks, think flexibly, and justify their reasoning. Well done, Year 5!
04 Jun 2026
What Your Child Really Learns in the First 100 Days of School
One moment your child is holding your hand at the school gate and before you know it, they're walking in confidently, greeting friends by name, carrying their own bag, and coming home full of stories about 'assembly' and 'sport'. Hereโs what to expect in their first 100 days of Kindergarten.
04 Jun 2026
From Facebook
Today, our Year 4 students and their families gathered with Father Saju to celebrate Parish Mass. Together, they reflected on Jesusโ greatest commandment: to love God with all their heart and to love their neighbour as themselves. Through prayer and reflection, students considered how they can live out this message through kindness, compassion, and respect in their everyday lives. We are proud of the reverence, participation, and faith demonstrated by our Year 4 students throughout the Mass. Thank you to the families who joined us for this special celebration.
02 Jun 2026
From Facebook
Today, our amazing Year 2 students turned into ultimate media detectives this week as we learned to crack the code behind food advertisements and how they influence our choices! It was incredibly exciting to watch them uncover the clever tricks marketers use and then channel that knowledge into designing their own brilliant, healthy posters. They did an absolutely fantastic job explaining the difference between everyday healthy choices and flashy "Sometimes" food adsโwe are so proud of their creativity!
01 Jun 2026
From Facebook
01 Jun 2026
From Facebook
๐โโ๏ธ Year 3 in Action with Zing Sport! ๐ Our Year 3 students ALWAYS have a fantastic time at their Zing Sport sessions, developing ball skills through fun and engaging games. From balancing, skipping, catching, and bouncing to dodging and scoring goals, students built confidence, coordination, teamwork, and sportsmanship along the way. ๐ฅ It was wonderful to see everyone actively participating, encouraging one another, and having fun while learning new skills! ๐
31 May 2026
From Facebook
โจ Congratulations to Our Stage 3 Confirmation Candidates โจ Today, a large group our Stage 3 students celebrated the Sacrament of Confirmation, led by Father Wim. We congratulate each student on this important step in their faith journey. During his homily, Father Wim spoke about the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and reminded students that these gifts help guide us in our daily lives. He encouraged them to use these gifts in the same way a coach supports and guides a teamโhelping others, making good choices, showing courage, and living as disciples of Christ. May the Holy Spirit continue to guide and strengthen our newly confirmed students as they grow in faith, wisdom, and love. ๐๏ธ๐๐
29 May 2026
From Facebook
Canberra โฆ you will always have a special place in our โค๏ธ hearts ! We will forever be grateful ๐๐ปโค๏ธ