From the Director of Learning and Growth

Welcome to Term 4! It's hard to believe we're already in the final stretch of the year, and I want to begin by saying thank you. The relationships between home and school are such a gift to our community, and the time, care and love so many of you pour into them really does make a difference for our students.

We're not alone in seeing this. Australia's national education research body, AERO, has found that when schools recognise and support the learning that happens at home, students' achievement, learning behaviours and social skills all improve. What a lovely reminder that none of us does this work on our own. We walk alongside each other, as God intends us to do in community.

Our four dispositions of being adventurous, purposeful, compassionate and relational shape how we grow together. At their heart, they reflect who we are as a Lutheran school: people who are known and loved by God, and who are called to use our gifts in service of others. Our partnership with you is our relational disposition lived out every day.

This year, assessment tasks, or as we like to think of them, learning moments, have come home with both feedback on what students have achieved and feedforward on their next steps. Each one is a snapshot of your child's learning progression, showing how far they've come and where they're heading next. Thank you for sitting down with your child, talking with them about their progress and celebrating the effort behind their work.

Your involvement in home learning matters too. AERO's research shows that some of the most helpful things families can do are simple: take an interest in what your child is working on, talk with them about school and what they've learned, share your hopes for their learning, and help them set up a regular time and place to study. When you ask your child, "What's your next step, and how might you get there?", you're encouraging them to be adventurous learners who give new things a go and see mistakes as part of growing. Most importantly, these conversations remind our young people that they are capable, valued and loved for who they are, not just for what they produce.

This year we've also had a big focus on student reflection and voice, and it has been wonderful to see. Across the school, students have been pausing to think about what they've learned, how they learned it and what they'd like to try next. They've also been sharing their ideas, questions and perspectives about their learning, and our teachers have been listening closely. Australian research shows this kind of reflection is powerful. Evidence suggests that approaches that help students think about their own learning has a very high impact, adding on average around seven months of extra progress across a year. AERO highlights setting goals, tracking progress and reflecting on outcomes as keyways to build students' ability to manage their own learning. But it's about more than results. When students reflect honestly and speak up, they grow in confidence, take ownership of their learning and discover the unique gifts God has given them. Giving every student a voice is also part of being relational and compassionate: each child is valued, and each child deserves to be heard. You can join in at home by asking, "What are you proud of this week?" or "What would you do differently next time?"

Our end of semester reports, in their new format, will continue this term. We want every family to have a clear and meaningful picture of their child's progress, and we remain committed to learning that is transparent and rigorous.

For our secondary students, this term brings exams and end of term learning moments, and we know this can be a busy and sometimes stressful season. We'd love families to help protect healthy routines at home: regular sleep, breaks from study and time to rest and recharge. The Growing Up in Australia study found that around a quarter of 12–13 year olds and half of 16–17 year olds weren't getting the minimum eight hours of sleep on school nights, and that teens who fell short were more likely to show signs of anxiety and depression and less likely to say they were happy. The good news is that young teens with regular bedtimes were more likely to get enough sleep. Rest isn't time taken away from study. It's part of good preparation, and it's also God's good gift to us. Being purposeful during exam time includes looking after ourselves well.

This is also a season for compassion. A kind word, a cup of tea, patience on a tricky evening or a gentle reminder that their worth doesn't depend on a mark can mean the world. We take great joy in watching students' hard work and persistence come together into something they can be truly proud of, and we're cheering them on every step of the way.

Looking ahead, I'm excited to share that next year we'll be introducing Lakeside Connect, a new communication platform for our school community. We have listened closely to your feedback and are truly grateful for your insights. Lakeside Connect will make communication simpler and give you a window into the day-to-day learning happening in our classrooms. We're especially looking forward to the ways it may help students share their learning and reflections with you. It's another way of strengthening the relationships we treasure, and it fits well with AERO's finding that short, regular updates from school to families about learning have been shown to lift student achievement.

Our staff are busy preparing behind the scenes for a smooth rollout in 2027, and we'll share more details before the launch. We can't wait to see how Lakeside Connect helps us grow our partnership with you.

Wishing you and your family God's blessing for the term ahead.

Melissa Harford

Head of Primary 

Director of Learning and Growth