I would like to start this week’s update with a huge thank you to our amazing Education Support staff, as today is officially Education Support Appreciation Day. Our Education Support staff play such an important role in our school each and every day. They support students in the classroom and in the yard, help create calm and inclusive learning environments, build strong relationships with children and families, and work tirelessly to support student learning and engagement. Their care, patience, flexibility and dedication make a significant difference to the lives of our students, and we are incredibly grateful for all that they do. We look forward to celebrating and recognising them further next week.

A big congratulations to those students who participated in Cross Country on Friday, and to the staff who accompanied and supported them throughout the day. I am delighted to announce that Lake Jansen came first, closely followed by Maddie Hauserman, who came second. For the boys, Leo Galessa placed 9th out of over 50 competitors, which is a fantastic achievement. We are very proud of all students who represented our school with such determination, resilience and sportsmanship (I was not at assembly to hear more about cross country and hope I have not missed any other student who placed).

The week was also very exciting for our Foundation students, who embarked on their first Explorers session out of the school grounds. A lot of planning and organisation goes into this program, and it is a very unique and valued part of our school. Thank you to all staff who helped make this such a successful experience. It was a very positive and engaging first session for both classes.

The Explorers program is designed to support students to develop confidence, independence, resilience and curiosity through real-world learning experiences in their local environment. Research shows that quality outdoor learning programs can have a positive impact on student wellbeing, confidence, social skills and engagement in learning. These experiences also help students build enquiry and problem-solving skills, while developing a stronger sense of belonging and connection to their community.

We have now received our preliminary NAPLAN results for this year, and they are very positive, with growth across all areas compared to last year’s results. In every area, we reduced the number of students in the “Needs Additional Support” category and increased the number of students achieving in the “Strong” and “Exceeding” categories.

These results reflect the high expectations set by our teachers, their dedication to continuous improvement, and their ongoing involvement in professional learning and reflective practices to strengthen teaching and learning. A big thank you also to our Assistant Principal, Kirsten McCalmont, who has supported staff through collaborative planning meetings and helped strengthen our school’s ability to analyse and respond to data in order to improve learning outcomes for students.

Most importantly, we must also recognise the hard work and effort of our students. Well done to all involved!

Charlotte Wilders