Playing our part to build a national pitcure of child health.  

In early 2021, our school, along with thousands of others across the country will begin preparations for the fifth Australian Early Development Census (AEDC).

The AEDC gives us a national picture of the development, health and wellbeing of children in their first year of full-time school. Since 2009, the census results have helped communities, schools and governments plan services and develop better policies to target support for children and families.

Children don’t miss any class time, and parents/carers don’t need to supply schools with any new information for the census. The AEDC gives us data at a school and community level - it isn’t an assessment of individual children.

Some teachers have also noticed that completing the assessments made them more aware of the needs of individual children and the class as a whole and that the census results are useful in planning for transitions to Year 1 and developing class programs.

Participation in the AEDC is voluntary. Parents/carers don’t need to take any action unless they choose not to include their children in the census.

To find out more about the census and how communities are using the data to help children and families visit the AEDC website: www.aedc.gov.au.

If you have any questions, you can contact Shelley Laird on 9742 6659.

Pupil Free Days

The Department of Education (DE) allows all government schools to hold four curriculum days per year. Curriculum days are pupil free days which allow the staff to work together on planning and professional development activities.  The first day of Term 1 is a student-free day in all government schools to allow for appropriate planning to take place for the arrival of students. School Council has approved the following dates for 2026 as curriculum days:

Staff Professional Practice Day

The Department of Education (DE) allows all government schools to hold a common professional practice day on the same day for all staff.  This is to enable the most effective and efficient use of this day.  We have scheduled our professional practice day on the following day.  Students will not be required to attend school on this day:

Tuesday 2nd November 2026 (Melbourne Cup Eve) 

This information is for parents, carers and guardians about the new Education and Training Reform Amendment (Protection of School Communities) Bill 2021.

Victorian school communities are overwhelmingly positive and safe places for teaching and learning where we all play a role in supporting students in their achievements, engagement and wellbeing needs.

It is likely that you have heard the recent media announcements that the Victorian Government has introduced the Education and Training Reform Amendment (Protection of School Communities) Bill 2021. If passed through parliament, the proposed Bill would come into effect in May 2022.

The Bill aims to protect and keep school communities safe by preventing and deterring violent and aggressive behaviours from adult members of the school community and ensure that schools are positive, safe and inclusive places to work and learn. This Bill will apply to the small minority of adult members of the Victorian school community who engage in this behaviour, after early conflict resolution measures through non-legislative avenues have failed.

The proposed law will empower principals and other authorised persons to issue School Community Safety Orders in response to parents, carers and other adult members of the school community who engage in harmful, threatening, abusive or disruptive behaviours on school grounds or places where school activities take place, or inappropriate and harmful communication through emails and social media.

This Bill will apply to the small minority of the school community who engage in this behaviour when all other reasonable interventions have failed. The changes would ensure that all members of the school community are kept safe and to minimise any harm to their safety and wellbeing. There will be internal and external review mechanisms in place if a person who is subject to a School Community Safety Order wishes to appeal an Order.

Arrangements will be available to ensure parents can still remain engaged in their child’s learning to and to minimise any disruption to the student.

This Bill would not replace the existing avenues to raise any complaints, issues or suggestions with schools.  WPS Statement of Values and School Philosophy.  By continuing to engage with these communication channels in a respectful and collaborative manner, we can continue to work together to support our students

Further information about the details of the Bill will be communicated to you if the Bill is passed by parliament.
 

We are proud to partner with Camp Australia to provide our Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) program.

Camp Australia – Guiding Children’s Growth

3-Day Guarantee

Camp Australia programs are centred on child enrichment, while ensuring a reliable, engaging and hassle-free OSHC service at our school.  Their engaged educators foster a safe, inclusive environment where children can relax, have fun and grow.

There is zero cost to register for before and after school care with Camp Australia.  This would ensure that Camp Australia have your child’s/children's details and therefore they could be easily booked into outside school hours care when required or in an emergency.

There is no supervision at school before 8.30am or after 3.20pm.  Students are not to be at school outside of these hours as there is no supervision available.

We encourage all families to sign up by clicking here.  

 

Your OSHC – OSHC that inspires

Your OSHC is Camp Australia’s before school, after school and pupil free day program, tailored to the likes and interests of each child in service. Camp Australia’s educators design enriching experiences to inspire your children’s confidence, independence and imagination. In any one week, they could be participating in science experiments, active play, creative expression and more - they believe in learning through experience so that each child can grow.

Join us for a couch conversation for parents/carers abot the importance of staying connected as a family with our constantly changing future.

Every Victorian child should have access to the world of learning opportunities that exist beyond the classroom. The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund helps ensure that no student will miss out on the opportunity to join their classmates for important, educational and fun activities. 

It is part of making Victoria the Education State and the Government’s commitment to breaking the link between a student’s financial circumstances and their outcomes.

School camps provide children with inspiring experiences in the great outdoors. Excursions encourage a deeper understanding of how the world works while sports teach teamwork, discipline and leadership. All are a part of a healthy curriculum.

CSEF is provided by the Victorian Government to assist eligible families to cover the costs of school excursions, camps and sporting activities.

If you hold a valid means-tested concession card or  support an out of home care student you may be eligible for CSEF. A special consideration category also exists for asylum seeker and refugee families. The allowance is paid directly to the school to use towards expenses relating to camps, excursions or sporting activities for the benefit of your child.

HOW TO APPLY

New applicants should contact the school office to obtain a CSEF application form or download from the website below.

 
If you applied for CSEF at your child's school last year, you do not need to complete an application form this year unless there has been a change in your family circumstances.

You only need to complete an application form if any of the following changes have occurred:

• new student enrolments: your child has started or changed schools this year.
• changed family circumstances: such as a change of custody, change of name, concession card number, or new siblings commencing this year.

Check with the school office if you are unsure.

MORE INFORMATION

For more information about CSEF visit:
https://www.vic.gov.au/camps-sports-and-excursions-fund

We will regularly share resources available through our membership with you, including Insight Articles and Webinars. You can also access your resources at any time using the below URL (unique to our school) and password.

URL & PASSWORD

https://schools.happyfamilies.com.au/login/wps

PASSWORD: happywps

We recommend bookmarking this link. You should only need to put the password in once and the site will remember you.

The latest Insights articles are listed below:

Term 3 2024
The quest for independence and identity
Gettting along with siblings
Parenting with Influence, Not Control
The Power of Perspective
Stop, look and listen to your kids
Parenting on the same page

Term 2 2024
The best way to say 'No!' to your kids
Making Family Life Fun
Teaching children that mistakes are okay
Every Day Counts
Technology Giants and Our Kids
Family Goal Setting
Managing fatigue as a parent
The Power of Habit

View webinars     View Articles

INSIGHTS ARTICLES 

A new Insights article is released weekly during the term and we will include these with the school newsletter. Insights articles are written by Dr Justin Coulson and other leading experts and provide parenting education and support for a wide variety of traditional and contemporary parenting challenges. You can also access 300+ previous Insights articles on our school’s URL.

Each week Justin will be answering a question from the school community.  click here to watch video.

PARENT WEBINARS

You have access to 4 live webinars a year (one per term). We will announce upcoming webinar details in the Insights articles. You’ll have access to the recording via our school’s URL but as the webinars are live, we recommend you watch them in real time so that you can ask Dr Justin and / or the guest presenter any questions you may have.

We hope you enjoy the Insights and webinars!