Principal's Report

At the time of writing there is so much that is of focus. It is a combination of continuing the implementation of plans for 2022 and preparing for 2023. This is a complex time and I am delighted that despite the considerable building works in our school we are continuing as expected.

In the coming weeks we can expect to conduct the usual events and traditions that have become so much part of our school. This will involve amongst other events the Speaking with Confidence evenings for students in Year 5; Pink Stumps Day (student & staff cricket match); the final Preparatory Transition Day; the Gingerbread House and Mince Pie fundraiser; the Year 6 Graduation; the Kindness Colour Run Day; the Big Day out for our Year 6 students;  and final day arrangements. Additionally, we look forward to our Christmas Market that will be held this Saturday from 8.30am – 2.30pm. Again, thank you to the many volunteers who put themselves forward to be part of this successful day.

Shortly you will be informed about other events that will be occurring in the remainder of the year including an afternoon Christmas Soiree and the engaging and enjoyable experiences planned for February 2023.

Class and Specialist Structures for 2023

After considerable consultation with senior Department of Education and Training personnel and my staff, we have established the arrangements for 2023. This structure is very generous and involves small classes at every level in the main. The structure will comprise the following:

We have established that the Preparatory and Year 1 classes will be upstairs in the BER building whilst Year 2 will be on the ground floor. Therefore, the BER Building will be used as it was intended, for Preparatory to Year 2 students. Importantly we also look forward to our students accessing the new Visual Arts Centre, which will be in the two rooms at the lower level on the southern side of the BER building. We also look forward to continuing our Specialist programs in Music, Japanese, Physical Education & Sport, and the return with great anticipation of Visual Arts.

Please be aware that our students will continue to access the library, with their class teachers, on a weekly basis and will have further access during lunch times. We have exciting plans for our library and expect this to come to fruition once the temporary office area is removed and placed in the newly renovated main building. In the coming weeks, I expect that our Library Working Party of School Council will meet with architects from Williamsboag to progress our long-term plans for our magnificent library. Meanwhile our students continue to access the library and borrow books on a regular basis. We continue to use the funds in our tax-deductible Library Fund to purchase more books and add to our amenities. 

At this stage, our Year 3 classes will be in the same location as experienced in 2022; our Year 4 classes will be in the two rooms at the end of the western end of the main building and our Year 5 class will be in the same location as 4/5S in 2022.

The arrangements for Year 6 are truly exciting. We are going to place all Year 6 students for Term 1 in the large classroom currently occupied by 6ZB with two full-time Year 6 teachers. This will be a fantastic experience for Year 6 in establishing collaborative understandings, ensuring program cohesiveness and clarity, and setting up our students for an extraordinary year of success including Leadership roles. Throughout my career as a Principal, I have taken this step on several occasions and the results for students involved have been extraordinary. As Principal, I will be directly involved with these students and look forward to the leadership opportunities that we are going to provide. Ms Georgina Kirwan, our Assistant Principal who has many years’ experience with Year 6 in our school, will also be involved. It is anticipated that from the beginning of Term 2 these students will be split into separate classrooms in the new collaborative classroom area at the western end of the main building. 

Staffing Arrangements for 2023

At this stage I believe we have a great deal of stability for 2023. Whilst I have structured the school to meet our focus and important curriculum priorities, in early in December I will announce the full staffing provision, aware of course that teacher and Education Support Staff can apply for positions in the weeks ahead. Currently we are in the process of advertising and being involved in a selection process to appoint a teacher of Japanese. As indicated previously, Ms Catherine Bradford will be retiring at the end of 2022. We will miss the contributions, skills and enthusiasm that she has provided to our Japanese provision over many years. Together with myself and Ms Kirwan, Ms Bradford will be involved in the selection process to appoint a teacher of Japanese. 

Year 5 Camp – Happening at Chatham Primary School 

Many of you will be aware that sadly, many schools are cancelling camps for 2023 and beyond. After considerable discussion and planning with staff, along with discussions with our School Council President Daniel Heath, we are truly delighted to advise that we will be conducting a Year 5 Camp in 2023. The Camp will be held at Sovereign Hill in Ballarat and will support the Curriculum Provision for Year 5. At this stage the Year 5 Camp is scheduled for Monday 27th – 29th March 2023. Information will be provided shortly about the Camp and a deposit for those attending will be required this year to confirm arrangements. Formal arrangements for the approval of the Camp will be pursued with the Department of Education and Training in the coming days with further approval sought by the School Council at the December meeting. Whilst this is being considered, the planning for our Year 6 Camp is well underway and will be held at Lakewood Park, Forge Creek, East Gippsland from 6th – 10th February 2023. What magnificent opportunities for our students!

NAPLAN data and Reports – Year 3 & 5

Please be advised that the median scores for our NAPLAN data are in keeping with expectations and are consistent with other schools in the Boroondara area. Needless to say, one needs to be careful about uninformed interpretation of these results whether they are highly positive or less so. The involvement of certain cohorts of students in Years 3 and 5 that other schools sometimes exclude can have a marked impact upon median NAPLAN scores. It is worth noting that we include all students in testing arrangements. From my extensive experience as a Principal in Victorian schools, this practice is not consistent. It is far more useful to assess the results of individual students and triangulate the data with other more reliable instruments before making conclusions. We are currently involved in this process and your Principal is forensically reviewing the data on each student, as he reviews the development of student’s final reports. This is an extremely important function albeit one that is extremely time consuming.

Student Achievement Data

Over the last few weeks, the Assistant Principal and myself have been reviewing the triangulated Student Achievement Data of our students across the school. This is particularly in the areas of Number & Algebra, Reading, Writing, Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation. In the main we are very buoyed about what we are seeing but can also identify that several students have missed out on important splinter skills and their repetition through two years of COVID disruption. This is clearly being witnessed in all schools across Victoria: Independent, Catholic and Government. For instance, the teaching of handwriting and therein the correct formation, shape and joining of letters is not an insignificant skill in 2022. This is not some penchant for neo classicalism in education, but rather a reflection of the practical need of such skills as students move throughout their schooling and adulthood. The teaching of handwriting is not something that can be easily done during remote learning. Needless to say, we are addressing these matters as an entire school and we are delighted with the progress being made.

In recent times I have met with some of our private tutors who are working with students across a number of Independent, Catholic and Government schools. In the main, there are shared understandings of the direction we are all taking in this regard. Increasingly, I will be working with such people and recently had the opportunity to speak at great length to Mrs Diane Barlow, a former Principal and teacher, who has worked with a number of students across schools over many years. We will continue our positive relationships with such people in the times ahead.

Curriculum Day – Friday 18th November 2022

This was an extremely productive day and involved staff working in their anticipated teams for 2023. This involved them reviewing the Curriculum and Assessment plans for their year level and liaising with colleagues at other year levels across the school. It was an opportunity to review our practices and reflect the priorities we have for each student cohort. Involved was a consideration of the incursions and/or excursions that were seen to support and develop our priorities in 2023, and to ensure that those events that are part of our culture and provision were included. Of some thought and interest is our capacity going forward to provide other school camps in 2023. This needs careful and fiscal consideration before the end of the year.

Additionally, this was an important day for our teachers to review the student requisites and associated materials needed for 2023. Involved also was the introduction of new materials and some consideration given to the value of several platforms in use across the school. As a result, we continue to critically assess the composition of student requisites for 2023. 

The school has highly comprehensive Curriculum and Assessment Plans that span the last three years. These will be important as we proceed through a School Review process in 2023 and establish our directions for the next four years. 

Curriculum Days and Professional Practice Days 2023

Please be advised that these dates have been placed on the Chatham calendar that is located on our website. I would encourage you to make note of these student-free days for 2023:

Curriculum Days

Friday 27th January 

Monday 30th January 

Friday 19th May

Friday 17th November

Professional Practice Days

Monday 27th February

Friday 25th August

School Council

On Monday 21st November, we were delighted to meet with the Chatham Primary School Council. We note the following decisions were approved and will be enacted in the coming days, weeks and months.

1. The construction of significant decking to accompany the Kitchen Garden structure to the value of $38,000. We expect the successful tenderer, Raunik Industries, will commence the works as early as possible and at this stage, February 2023. This will be funded from both the Parents’ Club accumulated funds and those remaining in the tax-deductible Building Fund. Apart from supporting the Kitchen Garden, this facility will involve enormous opportunity for community engagement and a focus on the Performing Arts.
2. The construction of a large shed along the western fence, south of the current chicken coop to accommodate tools and other assets to support the work in the Kitchen Garden and other areas of the school. This will be undertaken at a cost of $9,268.00 (including GST). Again, this will be supplied by the remaining funds left in the tax-deductible Building Fund.
3. Approval for the level of funds sought from parents for the 2023 Educational Contributions. Information about this particularly important matter will be distributed in the coming days.

Again, there is so many amazing things happening at our school and I look forward to keeping you informed in the important days ahead.

Christopher Cotching

Principal