From the Leadership Team

Calm, focused and friendly

Throughout the start of each year, we find a lot of our time occupied by sharing our wonderful school with prospective parents. Our tours deliberately take place during a normal teaching block, so parents can see - warts and all - what a normal day at the school is like. I think it's critical that parents feel confident that when the child attends school, they know what they're sending their child into. Too often, I think we are forced to make decisions based on marketing exercises or manufactured experiences. 

However, it is important to recognise that it takes an enormous amount of faith in our students and teachers to do this. 

What I know we will see as we tour the school is students learning. First and foremost, we will see class after class either listening to their teacher and showing their understanding using mini whiteboards, answering questions or demonstrating something for the class or they will  be back at their desks working on some independent practice, a gentle buzz of good humour bubbling away while the students work away. 

I also know that we will see students and teachers having a joke, smiles on their faces engaged in genuine two-way discussions. And a few cheeky or curious kids who like to get involved in promoting our school. 

We will walk past a few students, travelling in pairs, visiting the bathroom and then skipping back to the classroom laughing. 

As we move around at particular times of the day, I can set my watch by students filtering out for a brief 2 or 3 minute brain break, eating fruit or having a run or playing a quick game before they head back to their learning. 

Additionally, there will be groups of students excitedly sharing their art work, telling stories in Indonesian, singing and dancing in Performing Arts and zooming around the oval in PE. 

It has become an absolute pleasure to share our school with people new to the community and invariably the feedback is that it is clear that it is a beautiful school, with really lovely children, teachers and processes that obviously contribute to the relaxed atmosphere. 

It always bring a smile to my face to share this with others. 

I know as a parent with children at school that it can be challenging to visualise what their day looks like, especially when their after-school stories may focus on particular negatives that impact them or just give you no clue about what is happening. But I hope that parents at RNPS can take some reassurance from the fact that I am able to walk into any room on any day with complete strangers and have full confidence that what we see will be an example of a wonderful school environment. 

We can all be very proud and grateful to have such a school in which our children can grow and learn. 

Positivity, Leadership

and Activated Youth (PLAY)

Through Living Ripples Student Wellbeing Action Grant (SWAG) we received a grant to help implement the Resilient Youth Australia’s PLAY Program. This PLAY Program Guide offers an overview of the benefits of the PLAY program, and the important role it can have in building Resilient Learners. PLAY positively impacts school behaviour and develops young hearts, brains and bodies. Our Grade 6 Captains undertook the training this week, building a strong understanding of the importance they play in modeling positive behaviours in all environments of our school and learning how they can have a positive impact on our younger students. The trainers for the day were blown away with the behaviours of our leader in particular how they managed and interacted with the prep students at the end of the day displaying their leadership skills. 

Here is reflection from Emma (Davis)

‘On Wednesday the 14th of May, all of the year 6 captains did the PLAY program. It was so much fun and also very informative on how to teach us to be good leaders. We had to play and learn 9 games to teach to our RNPS preps, and by the end of the day the aim was to be able to call yourself a confident leader so you can run games if you needed to in the future. We had 3 amazing teachers named Sally, Kelly and Scott, they were all great at what they did and also very funny. By the end of the day we were able to easily run games with the preps that they enjoyed and it was a highlight so far of 2025 year 6.’

Well done to all the Grade 6 students involved for displaying our values in a wonderful manner throughout the whole day!