Principal's Report

NAPLAN Testing

It has been an exciting week at Macedon Primary School, with students across Grades 3 and 5 participating in NAPLAN testing.

As you may be aware, NAPLAN testing across Australia was impacted yesterday by technical issues with the national assessment platform. At Macedon Primary School, we experienced some initial issues logging in. However, once students were able to access the platform, our Grade 5 students completed their Writing test without any interruptions or outages. Yesterday’s outage did not affect our Grade 3 students, as their Writing test was completed on paper rather than online.

We are also pleased to report that this morning’s Reading test ran smoothly, with no technical issues experienced by our students. Students will complete Conventions of Language on Friday and Numeracy on Monday.

Attendance

In Victoria, children and young people aged 6 to 17 are required to attend school every day that the school is open, unless an exemption has been granted. Parents and carers must ensure their child attends school and provide an explanation for any absence. Schools are required to follow up unexplained absences on the same day. Where attendance becomes a concern, schools will work with families to provide support and improve attendance.

At Macedon Primary School, we are aiming for our average number of absences per child to be under 16.5 days for the year. We will be monitoring attendance throughout the year to ensure students are attending regularly and are well supported.

Regular attendance makes a significant difference to student learning. Missing just one day per fortnight adds up to more than four weeks of school across the year. By the end of Year 10, that can amount to more than an entire year of missed schooling. If your child is averaging more than 5 days away per term, Sue, our Mental Health and Wellbeing teacher, will contact families to check in and discuss what we can do to support your child and help ensure they do not fall behind.

We ask that all family holidays be discussed with the school and approved in advance. Please speak with your child’s teacher to organise a plan for learning while your child is away.

Help Us Shape Our SWPBS Behaviour Responses

As part of our School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) work, behaviour incidents are generally classified as either minor or major. This helps staff clearly distinguish between low-level behaviours that can be managed by the classroom teacher and more serious behaviours that require support from a member of the leadership team.

As we continue to refine our approach, we would value parent and carer input. We are seeking your feedback on which behaviours you believe should be regarded as minor and which should be regarded as major. 

Your feedback will help us develop a shared understanding across our school community. Please support us by taking a few moments to complete this survey.

https://forms.gle/Ux4Sjky8UotS4wq27 

Easing into Adolescence

Families of children aged 10–14 may be interested in the Victorian Government’s Easing into Adolescence resources. These free resources provide practical information and strategies to help young people navigate adolescence and the transition to secondary school, with a focus on emotional development, emotion coaching, emotional regulation and building learning confidence. The webpage also includes links to a range of additional wellbeing supports for families. 

If you would like to explore the resources, they are available on the Easing into adolescence webpage.

Voluntary Financial Contributions

Thank you to the families who have already made a voluntary contribution. Your support makes a real difference to the programs and opportunities we can provide for our students.

In 2025, we received contributions from approximately 55% of families. These contributions directly support classrooms, specialist programs, our library and technology resources, helping us provide rich and engaging learning experiences for our students. Contributions can be made through Compass.

Every contribution helps us provide richer and more memorable learning experiences for our students. We sincerely thank families for contributing in any way they can.

Parent Teacher Interviews

Parent/Teacher Interviews will be held in Week 9, providing families with an opportunity to meet with your child’s teacher and talk through their learning so far this year. These conversations are a valuable chance to discuss your child’s progress, celebrate what they have achieved, and identify their next area of growth.

Interviews will run on Wednesday 25th March for our 1/2, 2/3 and 3/4 classes, and Thursday 26th March for Foundation/1 and 5/6. Bookings can be made via Compass by selecting “Book Parent Student Teacher Conference”. If you need support with the booking process, you can find a step-by-step guide on the Compass website: https://www.compass.education/guide/#Parent-Teacher-Conferences

Adopt a Garden Bed

We’re inviting families to help us keep Macedon Primary School looking its best by adopting a garden bed.

Families who adopt a garden bed will take responsibility for basic maintenance, including weeding and topping up mulch. You’ll also have the freedom to decide what your garden bed looks like and how it’s presented, making it a great way to add a personal touch to our beautiful school grounds. The work can be done at any time that suits your family. If you’re interested in adopting a garden bed, please contact Salina at the office.

Thank you for helping keep our school looking amazing!

Warm regards,

Andrew Bloomfield

Principal

andrew.bloomfield@education.vic.gov.au