Principal's Message

Dear Holy Family Parents,

NAPLAN 

Over the coming weeks, our Year 3 and Year 5 students will participate in NAPLAN (National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy). 

NAPLAN is a nationwide assessment for students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 across Australia. It assesses skills in:

• Reading
• Writing
• Spelling
• Conventions of Language
• Numeracy

The assessments are aligned to the Australian Curriculum and provide a snapshot of student learning at a particular point in time.

NAPLAN helps schools and teachers:

• Gain additional insight into student progress
• Identify areas of strength and areas for further growth
• Inform teaching and learning programs
• Support whole-school improvement planning

It is one source of information among many that we use to understand and support your child’s learning. Classroom assessments, teacher observations, student work samples and ongoing feedback provide a far richer and more comprehensive picture of your child’s progress.

Students receive an Individual Student Report later in the year. Results are now reported against proficiency standards:

• Exceeding
• Strong
• Developing
• Needs Additional Support

These categories indicate whether a student is meeting expectations for their year level at the time of testing. It is important to remember that children develop at different rates, and one assessment does not define a child’s ability or potential.

At Holy Family, our focus remains on nurturing confident, capable learners. We approach NAPLAN calmly and positively. 

We encourage students to:

• Try their best
• Read questions carefully
• Manage their time
• Maintain a healthy balance of sleep and routine

Most importantly, we remind them that their worth is never measured by a test score.

As always, we are incredibly proud of our Year 3 and Year 5 students for their commitment to learning. With calm reassurance and encouragement from both school and home, they will approach NAPLAN with confidence.

Kindy and New Families Welcome BBQ 

Siena Catholic College

We are delighted to announce that Catholic Schools Broken Bay is establishing a new K-12 co-educational College in Pymble from 2027.  This new College, Siena Catholic College, will be the existing catholic primary school sites of  Our Lady of Perpetual Succour (OLPS), West Pymble, and Sacred Heart, Pymble. The Siena Junior Campus for students in Years K-4 will be located on the West Pymble site, and the Senior Campus for students in Years 5-12, will be located on the Pymble site. There will be a gradual transition to this structure over the next few years, with the first intake of Year 7 students being welcomed to Siena Catholic College in January 2027. By 2030 Siena will be a full K-12 College.

There will be an annual intake of Yr 7 students into Siena Catholic College, and students in our CSBB primary schools will be given preferential consideration for enrolment in Years 7-12. Students completing Year 6 in any of our CSBB primary schools have always had a pathway into St Leo’s Catholic College in Wahroonga and Mercy Catholic College in Chatswood; Siena offers an additional option in response to community feedback about the need for another Catholic College on the North Shore.  

Families are warmly invited to attend the Siena Catholic College Open Days in March 2026 to meet key staff, hear about the vision for the new College, and explore the facilities and programs that will be available. 

For further information visit the Siena website https://www.sienadbb.catholic.edu.au or email us at sienacatholiccollege@dbb.catholic.edu.au

Please CLICK HERE to read the Parents Charter from Catholic Schools Broken Bay.