Solway Primary School Newsletter

Principal's message

It is hard to believe that we are almost at the end of Term 3, I would like to start this weeks newsletter by sharing with you that recently, Mrs Watkins and I have had the opportunities to attend professional learning days through the Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership, focusing on building our leadership capabilities to drive school improvement. As well as participating in Area Principal forums provided by the Department of Education, where school leaders collaborate and share strategies to strengthen teaching and learning across our region. This has meant that from time to time we are away from school for a day or two. While we know this can be noticed within the school community, these professional learning opportunities are essential. They ensure we continue to grow as leaders and remain focused on delivering the best possible learning outcomes for our students at Solway Primary School.

 

Student Attitudes to School Survey 

Each year, students across Victoria participate in the Attitudes to School Survey, which provides valuable insights into how they feel about their learning, wellbeing, and connectedness at school. The survey results help us reflect on what’s working well, identify areas for improvement, and guide the programs and supports we provide for our students.

We are pleased to share some excellent results from the 2025 survey. Our students reported very positively in several areas:

  • Emotional Awareness and Regulation increased from 71% in 2024 to 80% in 2025.
  • Stimulated Learning rose from 73% to 85%, showing students are feeling more engaged and challenged in their learning.
  • Sense of Connectedness grew from 65% to 83%, reflecting the inclusive and supportive culture at Solway PS.
  • Student Voice and Agency jumped from 64% to 78%, showing that students feel they have more say in their learning.
  • Differentiated Learning Challenge improved from 76% to 89%, highlighting the positive impact of targeted teaching and learning supports.

 

We also saw encouraging growth in self-regulation and goal setting (up to 84%), confidence (83%), and attendance attitudes (82%).

One area that has remained steady is resilience at 70%. As resilience is one of our core school values, it plays a vital role in how students approach challenges, bounce back from setbacks, and support one another. Building resilience is a key focus for our community, ensuring students are equipped with the skills they need not only for school, but for life.

 

Athletics Carnival 

Congratulations to all our Year 3–6 students who recently participated in the Athletics Carnival. The weather was perfect, and the effort, determination, and sportsmanship shown by our students was outstanding. They represented Solway with pride, living out our school values of Respect, Responsibility and Resilience throughout the day.

 

A big thank you to Mr Rob Tongue for his organisation and coordination of the event, and to the parents who assisted on the day—without your support, opportunities like this simply wouldn’t be possible. We wish the students who have qualified for the District Athletics Carnival on Wednesday 10th September the very best of luck as they take the next step. 

 

For our Prep–2 students, their House Athletics Carnival will take place during Term 4, with details shared with families closer to the date.

 

2025 Parent / Caregiver / Guardian Opinion Survey

Our school is conducting the annual Parent / Caregiver / Guardian Opinion Survey and is seeking your feedback. The survey, offered by the Department of Education, is designed to assist schools in gaining an understanding of families’ perceptions of school climate, student behaviour, and student engagement. Your opinions are important to us and will contribute to identifying areas for improvement and professional development needs in the school, to target school planning and improvement strategies. The department will use the results from the survey for research purposes and to improve outcomes for students. The survey will be conducted online and only takes 20 minutes to complete. It can be completed on any internet enabled device (desktop computer, laptop, tablet or smartphone) and is compatible with most browsers. The Parent / Caregiver / Guardian Opinion Survey will be open until Friday 19 September 2025.

 

To complete the survey, simply:

  1. Click on the link below, or copy and paste the text into your browser. This link will take you directly to the survey.

     

                                https://research.orima.com/parent

        2. Select Solway Primary School  

        3.Enter the School PIN below.

 

                              PIN: 154738

      4.When complete, please click on the ‘Submit’ button at the end of the survey to submit          your answers.

 

VALE- ADAM BILNEY

It is with huge sadness that we share the passing of Adam Bilney on  August 8, husband to Kate, father to Thomas and James. The Solway staff and community sends its condolences to the Bilney family at this time. The Bilney family would also thank the wonderful Solway PS community, past and present, for their ongoing support.

 

Thank you for your continued support and lets all strive to be “our best always”. 

 

David Rosser

Principal