Campus News 2026 Term 1 Week 8

Curious Minds at Work: Stage 1 Investigations!

Welcome back to a brand-new year of discovery! This term, our Stage 1 (Years 1 and 2) students have dived headfirst into BDC Investigations, our signature play-based learning program.

If you have walked past the Investigation Centre or the Sensory Garden lately, you might have seen some serious "work" happening - which, to the untrained eye, looks a lot like play. You may have been offered a hot drink or snack in the BDC Cafe, or spotted some ingenious architecture in the cubby building area. At BDC, we know that for a child, play is the highest form of research.

BDC Investigations is not just a break from the classroom; it is a pedagogy rooted in brain research and child development. We believe that when a child is at the centre of their learning, they don’t just memorise facts - they develop a lifelong love for inquiry.

Learning Beyond the Four Walls

Whether it is engineering a bridge in the Investigation Centre, exploring textures in the Sensory Garden, or role-playing in our classrooms, our students are proving that they are more than just pupils - they are researchers.

By prioritising relationships first, we create a safe space where students feel brave enough to fail, try again, and eventually succeed. We cannot wait to see what these young Superheroes achieve throughout the rest of Term 1!

"The starting point is the child. When we honour their interests, we set them up for a lifetime of success."

Meet Our Investigation Superheroes!

To help our Stage 1 students identify the high-level skills they are building, we look for our Investigation Superheroes. These characters help children put a name to the complex thinking and social skills they use every day:

• Super Investigator: Seeking new information and figuring out how the world works.
• Super Citizen: Showing empathy, kindness, and looking after our learning environment.
• Super Critical Thinker: Asking "Why?" and "How?" to solve tricky problems.
• Super Communicator: Sharing ideas clearly and listening to others.
• Super Collaborator: Working together as a team to achieve a big goal.
• Super Creator: Using imagination to build, paint, and design something new.

Through BDC Investigations, our Stage 1 students are doing so much more than "playing" - they are building the foundational skills of a lifelong learner. By prioritising relationships and personalising every experience, we ensure that every child is set up for success from the very start of their schooling journey. We look forward to a term filled with wonder, curiosity, and plenty of "Superhero" moments in the Investigation Centre and beyond!

Term 1 at Farnworth

So far this year, Farnworth has made a strong and positive start. Our Farm Manager, Mr Kirk Taylor, has been doing an excellent job caring for the beef cattle herd, which are looking healthy and content. Our honey bee hives are currently under the guidance of Neil Griffin, who has been working alongside Kirk to pass on his knowledge and ensure the hives can be managed confidently into the future. After having just one functioning hive following last winter, it has been encouraging to see the apiary expand to four thriving hives, complete with plenty of delicious honey.

On Tuesday 24 February, Mrs Harris and the senior Agriculture students visited Farnworth for their first farm visit of 2026. It was a highly productive day, with Neil leading a hive inspection while Kirk facilitated cattle weighing and supported students in conducting health checks on each animal. We were also pleased to welcome BDC parent Mr Ben Sykes and Mr Luke Matten from Donovan’s Livestock Agents. Their insights into cattle farming and career pathways in Agriculture provided students with valuable perspectives and sparked meaningful conversations.

On 9 March, our first group of six cattle were transported to the Grafton Regional Livestock Selling Centre for auction. We were very pleased with the prices achieved and proud to mark our first BDC cattle sale. Thank you to Rob Hartachre for transporting the cattle safely, and to Luke Matten for his assistance with loading the cattle and finalising the paperwork on the day.

iHub News

Harmony Week (16–22 March) - a time for our school to celebrate the wonderful cultures that make our community so special. It is a day to remember that no matter where we come from or what language we speak, everyone belongs.

Why We Celebrate
Harmony Day coincides with the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. It’s a chance for us to practice:

Inclusiveness: Making sure everyone feels welcome and safe.
Respect: Valuing our different traditions, languages, and stories.
Belonging: Building a community where every student can be themselves.

What’s Happening at School?
To show support, on Friday our students were encouraged to wear orange, the official colour of Harmony Day.

Harmony in the iHub
All of Week 7, we explored what harmony looks like through iHub displays:

Digital displays on our TV network; book displays in both the central area of the iHub; as well as the ‘QuickPick’ wall display area.

At a time when the world could benefit from peace and human kindness, let’s celebrate Harmony Day by treating each other with great care and respect.

eSports Update
BDC is competing in the AEL Rocket League tournament for Term 1 (and for the next three terms). BDC Blazes takes on schools from all over Australia every Saturday from 1pm (during comp time). They played in the semi final last weekend (Saturday 21st March). They won the quarter final but lost to the top ranked players in the semi final. BDC will play off for third place this weekend (Saturday 28th March). Wish David Jones, Jose Dariz and Ari Tarlington-Grant the best of luck for the next game.

Nominations for Term 2's team will go out soon, so look out for School Box messages. Also, there will be an in school Rocket League 2 v 2 competition for Term 2 in the iHub. Stay tuned for further information.