Our School
Junior School
Reception – Year 6
From their first step into our Reception classrooms, Investigator College students embark on a learning journey unlike any other. Guided by expert teachers, surrounded by remarkable facilities, and supported by a caring community, they are encouraged to wonder, explore and grow.
Junior School
Why our Junior School?
Investigator College is an Early Learning to Year 12 Anglican School in Victor Harbor. Beginning in Prep (Mid-Year intake) or Reception (also known as ‘Foundation’), our Junior School is designed to help students build wellbeing, character, and strong academic foundations, setting students up for happiness and success in school and in life. Our families and staff believe we are the first choice in primary education on the Fleurieu Peninsula, for reasons including the following.
Small class sizes and individual attention
Investigator College’s class numbers are small by design, so that teachers can get to know your child and give them the attention they need in class. Separate classrooms with solid walls for each class also help to create a learning environment where students can focus. The opportunity for a continuous education from Early Learning through to Year 12 also appeals to many parents, because the smooth transitions and continuity of teaching help to advance learning.
Strong academic foundations
Parents value the high quality of the teaching at Investigator College and the College’s proven track record for building academic foundations in key areas such as literacy and numeracy. The College’s NAPLAN results and Year 12 results distinguish it as the top regional choice for families who want to help their child reach their full potential. Our track record is enabled first and foremost by our wonderful teachers, who have the College’s excellent facilities at its Victor Harbor campus (including our new state-of-the-art library) and Currency Creek EcoCentre at their disposal.
Unique learning opportunities
Investigator College offers a range of genuinely unique learning opportunities — including environmental science at its Currency Creek EcoCentre, robotics in Digital Technology and as part of its Robotics Club, and enterprise via its participation in the Future Anything Program. These opportunities allow children develop unique competencies and explore their interests, with the opportunity for related learning down the line as they enter Secondary School.
Our commitment to wellbeing
Investigator College has an extensive wellbeing program, ranging from fun family-focused events, through to House competitions, opportunities to stay active, and its very own wellbeing mascot, designed to help students understand, express and regulate their emotions. Initiatives like these promote kindness, but a deciding factor for many parents is also our low tolerance for bullying and willingness to intervene.
Junior School
Developing young minds
At Investigator College, our goal is for the quality of our teaching and learning to truly set us apart — empowering each and every learner to become their very best self.
Our curriculum delivers the essentials with flair, designed to excite and engage young learners, whether they are starting in Reception, or mid-year in Prep. Core subjects include:
English, Maths, Science, History, Geography, Music, The Arts, Technology, Health and Physical Education, and Japanese.
Students benefit from the strong bond with their primary teachers as well as the subject matter expertise of our specialists. They not only learn theory but also put it into practice, gaining the life skills of critical thinking, problem solving, cooperation, collaboration and communication in the process.
Both within and adjacent to the curriculum, we provide unique and inspiring learning opportunities from Prep or Reception to Year 6, allowing a student’s sense of wonder to guide them.
This includes regular excursions to our Currency Creek EcoCentre, where students get hands-on with nature and science while developing a sense of ownership and responsibility through our Year 4 Currency Creek Custodians Program. Likewise, it includes the opportunity to engage with VEX Robotics to build digital literacy and vital skills for learning in a technology-rich world.
Our Future Anything Program is another highlight, inviting children to develop solutions to real-world problems and nurture their inner entrepreneur. Students can also explore their interests through our various extra-curricular clubs, from sports offerings through to chess and art.
Where a child could benefit from additional resources or support, students have access to our Learning Strategies Team. Those excelling across subjects and benchmarks may be invited to our Enrichment Program from Year 4 onwards, where students are encouraged to push themselves further through internal projects and external competitions.
This approach yields real results. Our Junior School consistently performs strongly on national benchmarking such as NAPLAN — and what happens here often forms the foundation for region-leading Year 12 ATAR results down the line.
All of this is made possible by our wonderful teachers and the exceptional facilities at their disposal — from our Performing Arts and Sports Centre, Agricultural Centre, Currency Creek EcoCentre and Aurora Building (opened 2026).
Junior School
Developing wellbeing
A happy child is an engaged child, prepared to thrive emotionally and academically. As an Anglican school, and a registered Positive Education Schools Association (PESA) Member, wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do.
Small class sizes mean our staff take the time to know students individually — their personalities, their goals, and when something isn’t right. Dedicated wellbeing support, including school counsellors and our on-campus wellbeing space (coming soon), give students somewhere to turn when they need it.
In the Junior School, this culture comes to life through programs like our wellbeing mascot Pickles Pistachio, the Kindness Trail positive behaviour program, and Happy Mail — small rituals that build a school community where doing good is noticed and celebrated.
Events for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Grandparents’ Day invite families in, and regular buddy programs and excursions to our Currency Creek EcoCentre give students the chance to build new friendships.
Investigator also has a well-earned reputation for low tolerance for bullying and a willingness to find solutions — something many parents tell us was a deciding factor in moving to the College.
Investigator College is committed to developing the whole person. We know we have succeeded when students exhibit confidence, good manners and behaviour, and a genuine commitment to being their best self.
Students have the opportunity to join our Student Representative Council in Years 1 to 5, or take up student leadership positions in Year 6. These leadership opportunities, paired with opportunities to volunteer and give back to the community, help students to develop the kind of exemplary character that lasts well beyond the school gate.
KEY JUNIOR SCHOOL STAFF
John Robinson
Principal
Sam Cross
Head of Junior School
Katie Hills
Head of Teaching and Learning
Mark Tenny
Junior School Wellbeing Coordinator
Enrol
Join our amazing Junior School at Investigator College!
Investigator College is excited to welcome new students, parents and families into our Junior School. Begin your enrolment journey today, and join our amazing Junior School at Investigator College!