FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Term 4 - Week 5

Welcome to Week 5, Term 4. 

As a school, St Nicholas School has developed a culture of fostering strong professional  relationships with our parents. Our staff are not in a position to reciprocate the relationship you have with your child, no matter how well they get to know them. Our parents are also not expected to understand the dynamics and sophistication of a school setting like our staff do. For these reasons, and others, it highlights the importance of us working together to set our children up for a ‘hope filled future”.

While the voice of our parents is crucial, the voice of our students is also integral if we are to maximise the chances of each child reaching their vast potential. Our students need to be active participants in not just their learning, but also the improvement process of our school.

Student voice is sought in many ways at St Nicholas School. One such example is a survey we have instigated with our Years 2-6 children over the last 3 years. As a staff we utilise this data to learn how our children are feeling and thinking in regards to the three 'Rules for Living' by which we live each day:

• I am safe
• I am valued, respected and cared for
• I am a learner.

Our Years 2-6 students are presented with 16 statements. They are required to reflect on how much they personally agree with each statement on a six point scale. 1 meaning 'I NEVER feel like that or think that 👎🏽' to 6 meaning 'I ALWAYS feel like that or think that 👍🏽'.

At a school like St Nicholas School, due to our high student population, the results are a very powerful measure. We get a strong sense of how our students feel in regards to their safety, the respect they receive and their learning. The diagram below presents our results over the last 3 years in one very simple table.

In 2021 I was extremely satisfied with the message our students were communicating in regards to safety, respect and learning. What is extremely pleasing however, is our school's ongoing commitment to improvement being reflected and recognised by our students.

Have a great week

John Clery

PRINCIPAL