Dear Parents and Carers,

At this time of year, there is a wonderful sense of celebration. It’s a time to finish the school year on a high, reflect on new beginnings, enjoy summer, spend time with family, and look forward to the festive season.

Sushi day:

We had a fantastic Sushi Day, with over 600 orders (amazing!) enjoyed by students and staff! This helped raise approximately $290 for the school. It was great to see everyone enjoying their sushi and supporting our school community!

Celebration Day:

Looking ahead, please mark Tuesday December 16, on your calendar for our Celebration Day. The day will begin with our Celebration Breakfast, followed by the Celebration Day Concert from 9:30–11:00 am in the COLA. Parents are warmly invited to attend and enjoy seeing our students perform confidently in front of a big crowd.

The concert is a fantastic way for children to showcase their talents and celebrate another tremendous year at BEPS. A big thank you to our Performing Arts specialist, Rebecca, and classroom teachers for preparing and leading this fabulous event.

Details:

Date: Tuesday December 16
Time: 9:30–11:00 am (Concert)
Where: COLA
Dress Code: Celebration colours (red, green, gold, pink, silver, etc.)

It promises to be a joyful morning of performances, fun, and celebration for the whole BEPS community!

Year 6 Leadership 2026:

Over the past few weeks, our Year 5 students shared their leadership speeches with different audiences across the school. Last week, we had the joy of watching our elected Year 5 students present to the whole school at assembly. The leadership selection process is a big commitment—students write and deliver a speech to their peers and teachers for roles across our specialist areas, as well as wellbeing and sustainability. It can feel overwhelming, but so many students showed incredible bravery by stepping up and speaking from the heart. Hearing them share their ideas with such confidence, humour, and pride was inspiring. Many pushed through nerves to express their hopes for leading our school in 2026, and we couldn’t be prouder of their effort and courage. Congratulations to all students who put themselves forward.

2026 Day and Transitioning to a new class:

On Tuesday, we celebrated our 2026 Day, where students spent time getting to know their new teacher and classmates for the upcoming year. Earlier this term, students had the opportunity to name five friends they would like to be with next year. Although we ask for five friends, it’s not always possible to keep entire friendship groups together. We do our best to ensure every child has at least one friend from their list, and we have discussed this with all students.

Careful consideration goes into class placements, including gender balance and academic, social, and wellbeing considerations. Creating classes is a lengthy process, with teachers and leadership ensuring that students are placed in the most suitable learning environment. We know new class placements can bring a mix of emotions, but we continue to remind families that our year levels work closely together, and students learn and collaborate across classes throughout the week.

Friendship groups naturally shift and grow in primary school, and giving children the chance to build new connections is a part of their development. While some students may be in a different class from close friends, this can build confidence and resilience. Some children may feel disappointed if they only have one friend—or if it isn’t the friend they were hoping for—and may ask to move classes. These moments, while tricky, are valuable opportunities to support your child in building resilience, confidence, and trust in their ability to adapt. Transitioning into a new class and a new year can bring both nerves and excitement.

Volunteer Thank You Morning Tea

To show our appreciation to all the wonderful parents, caregivers, and friends who gave their time and support in so many ways throughout the school year, we hosted a morning tea for our volunteers. It was such a pleasure to catch up, share a cuppa, and thank you in person.

Whether it was helping with excursions, contacting books, helping at stalls, meal deals fundraising, classroom activities, or countless other tasks, your contributions were truly appreciated. Our school simply wouldn’t have been the same without your help.

Reports:

Over the next week, teachers will be finalising reports, meeting with families for SSGs, and holding transition conversations. Reports will be available on Compass by Wednesday, December 17.

Graduation:

Grade 6 Graduation took place on Thursday, this week. It was a lovely celebration of our students’ achievements and their journey through primary school. It was a joy to watch them walk across the ‘stage’ with pride and confidence, surrounded by their families and teachers. The afternoon captured their hard work, growth, and the friendships they’ve built over the years. We were so proud to farewell our 2025 cohort and wish them every success as they move on to secondary school. Next week, Year 6 will enjoy an excursion with staff to celebrate the end of primary school. We wish them a fun and safe day!

Last Day of the Year:

On the last day of term—Friday December 19—we’ll finish the year with a whole-school assembly at 12:50 pm, followed by dismissal from the COLA at 1:30 pm.

Finally, take care during the school holidays and stay safe. Teri and I hope you have a relaxing holiday season and find some time to reflect, be grateful, and enjoy moments together.

We look forward to seeing you in the new year, refreshed and ready for 2026!

Have a wonderful Christmas and a safe New Year.

Take care,

Edwina & Teri

Chess Club - 2026 Registration