With around 800 students on a single campus, one of Lowther Hall’s great strengths is its range of cross age programs, which see girls of varying ages working and learning together.

Multiple cross age programs help foster our culture of inclusiveness and create additional opportunities for students to be known by peers of all ages throughout the School community. The opportunity to interact and participate with other girls of varying ages cements students’ feeling of connectedness to their School community – a factor that is of vital importance to the healthy growth and development of young people.

From House activities to leadership mentoring to music ensembles to buddy programs, the range of formal and informal cross age opportunities at Lowther Hall is extensive!

The House System.  When they enter Lowther Hall, each student is placed in one of the School’s six Houses. As well as facilitating cross age interactions, the House system provides significant opportunities for leadership and participation across areas including sport, music and drama.

Year 4 Mentoring Program. This program provides an opportunity for some of our younger girls to provide friendship and guidance to the Year 1 students. Every girl in Year 4 and Year 1 is involved.

Year 6 Leadership Program. All 54 Year 6 students hold a leadership position in which they must promote, devise and lead activities for younger students.

Year 8 Mentoring Program. This program sees Year 8 students apply for positions to work with significantly younger students in specific areas of interest. There are 70 mentoring positions including:

• Kindergarten, Prep and Year 1 Gate Greeters
• Prep and Year 1 Playground Friends
• Kindergarten Play Friends
• Prep and Year 1 Reading Friends
• Years 2 to 6 Classroom Mentors
• Year 4 Camp Leaders
• Choreographic Assistants for Junior School Musical.

Year 1 Community Event. Specific projects within Blinkbonnie House provide opportunities for Year 1 students to lead their younger peers in games and learning activities which they plan, communicate and run with staff facilitation.

Senior School inter-year level programs.  Each year, Senior School pastoral care staff evaluate the needs of each cohort of students based on annual surveys regarding health and well being as well as observations of teachers and feedback from girls. Specific cross-age experiences are then prepared for different cohorts to address their specific needs. 

Years 11 and 12 Home Group.  Home Groups in Years 11 and 12 include a mix of students from both year levels. This enables girls to form friendships between year levels and facilitates informal leadership mentoring opportunities for Year 11 girls.

Peer Tutoring.  Established peer tutoring programs see older girls assisting younger girls with their learning.

Student Representative Council (SRC).  Students from every year level are represented on the SRC and work together to conceive and implement initiatives that positively impact the student body.

Social Justice Committee: Students from every year level are represented on the Social Justice Committee and work together to conceive and implement initiatives that positively impact the wider community. 

Community Connections Program: This program involves students in Years 7 and 8, who have been through an application process, working together to provide a series of activities for visitors from a local nursing home over 4 Saturdays.

Alumnae Involvement: Cross age activities continue into life after Lowther with our Old Grammarians encouraged to stay connected and give back to their school by being involved in programs and events with current students. Specific ways in which this occurs:

• Year 7 School History Project 
• Years 9, 10, 11 and 12 Careers Expo 
• Years 10, 11 and 12 Assembly Guest Speaker Series 
• Year 11 Leadership Conference Panel 
• Year 12 Pathways Panel Series