Primary School

Lakeside Students RISE Up

Lakeside Students RISE Up

As part of our endeavours to acknowledge and highlight positive behaviour, we present RISE Awards at Flag Assembly each Monday. RISE is an acronym for Resilience, Integrity, Service and Empathy. Each teacher identifies one student who has made a concerted effort to display the attribute of the week. This might be someone who exemplifies it readily, or it might be given to someone who has worked hard to really improve themselves in that area. These are our key character traits for the Primary School which help to reinforce our school behaviour expectations. 

R - Resilience

I - Integrity

S - Service

E - Empathy

Parents are welcome to attend our Flag Assemblies, held on the Primary basketball court.

It is my great pleasure to announce that the following children recently received awards:

Mr Craig Kupke

Head of Primary School

Year 1 Road Safety Incursion: STOP, LOOK, LISTEN, THINK! 

Last week, our Year 1 students took part in a lively and informative road safety incursion, guided by the golden rule: Stop, Look, Listen, and Think! With helmets securely fastened and excitement in the air, students explored the essentials of staying safe around roads—learning how to cross streets safely, wear helmets correctly and make smart choices as pedestrians and riders.

The basketball court transformed into a mini road network, buzzing with bikes and scooters as students practised their new skills in a hands-on session. From checking for traffic to navigating crossings, each child had the chance to apply what they’d learned in a fun, active setting.

It was a day filled with learning, laughter and plenty of pedal-powered joy. A big thank you to our facilitators and families for supporting this important initiative—because when it comes to road safety, every little rider counts! 

Mrs Stephanie Cox

Year 1 Teacher

Author Visit: Zanni Louise

On Thursday 14th August, Australian author Zanni Louise visited Lakeside to run engaging writers workshops with our students from Year 3 to 6. During these sessions, she guided the students through a writers’ workshop, sharing her expertise and techniques as an experienced author with more than 40 published books. Students began with the process of character development. Zanni assisted students to create believable and interesting characters. The session then explored planning techniques to structure ideas effectively and finally encouraged students to practise focussed writing to bring their stories to life. The workshop was inspiring and gave students practical strategies to strengthen their own creative writing. Thanks to Zanni for her inspiration and providing a wonderful experience as we all celebrate Book Week 2025.

Mrs Eliza Silva

Year 6 Homeroom Teacher

Visiting Author: Heidi McKinnon

On Thursday, August 14th, students across the junior school were treated to a very special visit from Heidi McKinnon, the much-loved author of books such as Floof, I Just Ate My Friend, and It's a Long Way to the Shop. Excitement filled the air as students gathered to hear stories, ask questions and discover what it's really like to be an author and illustrator.

During the interactive sessions, students eagerly asked about the inspiration behind Heidi's writing and how she brings her characters to life. The highlight came when Heidi guided our young learners through her creative process, showing them step-by-step how she develops her delightful illustrations. Inspired by her demonstration, students put their own imaginations to work, drawing their very own monsters with smiles all around.

Students left with a powerful message from Heidi: that stories matter, and anyone with imagination and determination can create them.

We are so grateful to Heidi for sharing her time and passion with our school community. Her visit has sparked fresh enthusiasm for reading and writing and we can't wait to see how our students' creativity continues to flourish!

Rebecca Wilson 

Year 2 Teacher Homeroom Teacher

CERES 

This term our Year 6 students have had the valuable opportunity to visit the CERES (School of Nature and Climate)

The primary objective of this educational experience was to develop students' deeper understanding and problem-solving abilities related to our driving question, “How can we use our knowledge and understanding of the world to make informed choices that reduce our global environmental impact?”

Our comprehensive program was structured into three engaging sessions, during which students explored; 

• Sustainable farming practices that contribute to resilient communities and effective agricultural systems

• Methods to foster care and connection with the plants and animals that provide human food sources

• Practical skills in planting and caring for seeds and seedlings, as well as identifying various native plant species

• Techniques for assessing soil health and understanding different soil types suitable for crop cultivation

• Indigenous foods native to Wurundjeri land, including tastings of lemon myrtle, warrigal greens, and saltbush

• Education about organic farming practices, the effects of herbicides and pesticides, and the environmental impact of food transportation

   

Throughout the day, students enjoyed recreational time at the Terra Wonder Playspace, an innovative playground constructed from recyclable materials. Each student was provided with their own Warrigal Green seedling to cultivate at home. Extending the learning beyond the classroom. 

As our Year 6 students prepare to embark on the ‘What’s My Business’ unit next term, this excursion has planted important conceptual foundations for their business ideas and proposals in Term 4. 

Additionally, the experience has inspired students to begin planning an explanatory design project aimed at creating environmental awareness and educating others about their impact on the natural world. 

We believe this excursion has provided our student with individual hands-on learning experiences that inform their understanding of environmental stewardship and sustainable practices.

Year 6 Team

Year 6 Earth and Space Science Incursion

This term, our Year 6 students participated in an engaging 'Hands On Science' incursion designed to enhance their understanding of Earth and Space Science concepts. The workshop provided students with hands-on experiences to investigate the forces operating within Earth and our Solar System, while exploring key scientific principles including gravity, atmospheric pressure, planetary movement and relative positioning.

During the double-period session, students engaged in a variety of practical activities that brought their classroom learning to life. These included experiencing atmospheric pressure firsthand, investigating gravitational and centripetal forces that maintain planetary orbits, and modelling Earth's rotation to understand day-night cycles and seasonal changes. Students also explored Earth's unique atmosphere and its protective qualities, discovered how atmospheric conditions create sky colours and learned about the forces required for space exploration and rocket launches.

This learning experience has provided Year 6 students with essential background knowledge as they work toward answering this term's driving question: "How can we use our knowledge and understanding of the world to make informed decisions that reduce our global environmental impact?" The incursion has strengthened their understanding of how every concept across science, history, and geography is connected and supports the learners in developing evidence-based responses to important environmental challenges.

Warm regards, 

Year 6 team

STEMania - Year 4-6 Students Decode the Universe with STEMania!

Our students had a blast on Thursday, 14th August, when ‘STEMania!’ brought science to life through interactive comedy and hands-on learning. The hour-long program aligned with National Science Week's theme: Decoding the Universe.

The engaging performance combined sketch comedy with educational content, showing students how Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics help us understand our world. Through eccentric characters and relatable situations, our young scientists discovered that science is about asking questions, technology drives innovation, engineering involves design and testing and mathematics is part of everyday thinking.

Students didn't just watch—they became part of the action, contributing ideas and volunteering on stage to shape their own learning experience. The interactive format left our Upper Primary students with renewed curiosity and excitement about STEM learning.

A fantastic way to celebrate National Science Week and inspire our next generation of innovators!

Prafulla Shetty

Year 4 Homeroom Teacher

New Playground

As the term began, students could see the beginnings of a new play space near the Primary basketball courts. The excitement built as they could see the changes take place until finally it was finished. This has now become an exciting addition, with many students enjoying the new play area.

It is with great thanks to the PTFA that we acknowledge the contribution of around $20000 to support the installation of the equipment as a part of our nature playground. It’s terrific to see the tangible result of their fundraising efforts. And thanks to our wonderful families for supporting the various PTFA fundraising events.

This is a small part of an overall project that will involve further development of the space at the front of the school. The focus over time will be on adding elements that form a sensory garden and further nature play features.