From the Principal
When you read this newsletter, I will be embarking on some planned long service leave and returning to school on Monday, 8 September. During my absence Bron Orr will be Acting Principal and Michelle DiGiovanni will be Acting Assistant Principal.
Invitation to participate in the 2025 Parent / Caregiver / Guardian Opinion Survey
You are invited to participate in the annual Parent / Caregiver / Guardian Opinion Survey. Your opinions are important to us and your feedback will assist our school in gaining an understanding of families’ perceptions of the school climate, student behaviour and student engagement.
The survey will be conducted online and only takes 20 minutes to complete.
The Parent / Caregiver / Guardian Opinion Survey will be open online from Monday, 18 August to Friday, 19 September 2025.
To complete the survey, simply:
Click on the link below or copy and paste the text into your browser. This link will take you directly to the survey.
- Select the School and Campus School Name: Oakleigh Primary School
Campus Name: Oakleigh Primary School
- Enter the School PIN: 927261
- When complete, please click on the ‘Submit’ button at the end of the survey to submit your answers. Please note that the survey will time out after 60 minutes of inactivity.
Child safety and wellbeing at Oakleigh Primary School: information for families and the school community
The Child Safe Standards sets out a list of protocols for child safety across the school. The standards recognise the critical importance of families and the broader school community in maintaining and promoting child safety and wellbeing.
Oakleigh Primary School has reviewed and updated our child safety policies and procedures to ensure they meet the requirements of the standards. These are available to view at the school office.
These policies are:
- Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy
- Child Safety Code of Conduct
- Child Safety Responding and Reporting Obligations Policy and Procedure
- Complaints Policy
- Student Wellbeing and Engagement Policy
- Bullying Prevention Policy
- Volunteers Policy
- Visitors Policy
- Inclusion and Diversity (including Multiculturalism)
We are committed to continuous improvement in our approach to child safety and wellbeing and welcome feedback from families and members of our school community on ways we can further strengthen our child safety policies, procedures and practices.
School Council will be reviewing these policies at our meeting on 27 August 2025.
If you have any suggestions, comments or questions, please contact Oakleigh Primary School at oakleigh.ps@education.vic.gov.au or by phone on 03 9568 0558.
Japanese Learning Assistant
Earlier this year Elani Gibney applied to host a Japanese Language Assistant through the Modern Languages Teaching Association of Victoria (MLTAV).
We were pleased to be accepted into this program, and we welcome Yu our Language Assistant who will be with us for 4 weeks during August and September.
Yu is being hosted by one of our families during her time at Oakleigh. We warmly welcome Yu to Oakleigh PS!
Aboriginal Children’s Day and Oakleigh Primary School and Kindergarten’s Reconciliation Action Plan
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children's Day is held annually. It is a day dedicated to celebrating the strength that comes from growing up in a culturally rich environment and honouring the journeys aboriginal children take as they grow, guided by culture, community and connection to Country.
The 2025 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day theme is ‘Little Footsteps, Big Future’. Information about the day can be found here:
https://www.snaicc.org.au/our-work/campaigns/childrens-day/
At Oakleigh Primary School and Kindergarten, we are committed to recognising and celebrating significant days of aboriginal people. Together with the Kindergarten and Out of Hours School Care Service, we have created a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), detailing the actions that we will take as a service to support reconciliation and recognition. This plan has taken many months to finalise and is published on the Narra Gunna Wali website:
https://www.narragunnawali.org.au/rap/actions
A copy of our Reconciliation Action Plan can be found below, which combines our actions and deliverables into the one document.
Early Educators Day
Do you have a child that attends kinder?
September 3 is Early Educators Appreciation Day. This day celebrates the wonderful work early childhood staff do to educate our children.
I want to acknowledge the excellent staff we have at our Kindergarten and the fantastic job that they do in educating our youngest students. Led by Robyn and Belinda, they truly care about the students and are constantly looking for ways to improve the service, link in with the school and connect with families.
I ask families who attend the service to recognise our staff in any way you can - a small handwritten card or note, some flowers from your garden or a simple thank you.
Safety Around Crossings
The Department of Education have asked me to share with families about the importance of being safe around crossings.
https://transport.vic.gov.au/news-and-resources/education-resources/safe-crossings-safe-kids
We have a few crossings around the streets near our school, and it is important that our children know how to use them correctly.
Have a great month! The weather is warming up!
Ruth Biddle
Principal