And just like that, we have reached the end of Term Three!

It has been an enormous term across Banmira, filled with camps, Book Week, Athletics, our Junior Campus Sleepover, Father’s Day celebrations, Student Support Group meetings, learning walks, our Debutante Ball and countless moments of learning and achievement in between.

As we head into a well-earned holiday break, I want to thank our students, staff and families for another fantastic term together. Term Four will be here before we know it, and it promises to be another huge one as we celebrate everything our students have achieved throughout 2026 while also beginning to look ahead to 2027.

Thank You for Sharing Your Voice

A huge thank you to the more than 60 parents and carers who took the time to complete our 2026 Parent/Carer Opinion Survey.

Your feedback is incredibly valuable to us. It helps us understand what families believe we are doing well, where we can continue to improve and what matters most to our community as we plan our future directions.

As we have shared previously, this isn't feedback that simply disappears into a report. Family feedback has already helped shape our focus on stronger communication, more opportunities for families to participate in school and learning activities, and clearer sharing of student progress through our IEP processes.

Thank you for taking the time to have your say and helping us continue to make Banmira the best school we can for our students and families.

Farewells and a Welcome Back

This fortnight we have also farewelled a handful of valued members of our Banmira team.

At Junior Campus, we say goodbye for now to Nicole and Charlise, two of our Education Support Staff, and thank them for the care and support they have provided to our students and teams.

At Senior Campus, Sarah Barrington begins parental leave as she and her husband prepare to welcome their first child in the coming weeks. We wish Sarah and her family all the very best for this incredibly exciting next chapter.

At the same time, we are delighted to welcome Stella Barrett back to Banmira. Stella returns after spending 2026 on leave and will join our Senior Years team while Sarah commences parental leave. It is wonderful to have a familiar face back amongst our team!

Banmira Enrolments and Planning for 2027

Our school has experienced extraordinary enrolment growth over recent years, and Banmira has now reached the enrolment capacity of our campuses.

We know how highly families value specialist education and the opportunities available at Banmira. As a school, we have a responsibility to make the best possible use of the facilities we have while ensuring we can safely and effectively support every student enrolled with us.

To maximise the space available across our two campuses and provide as many students as possible with the opportunity to attend Banmira, all students born in 2014 and 2015 will move to our Senior Campus from the beginning of 2027. These students will begin transition activities early in Term Four, giving them plenty of opportunities to become familiar with the campus, staff, spaces and routines before next year.

As our available places are now at capacity, Banmira will no longer maintain a waiting list for enrolment. We recognise that this may be disappointing for families seeking a place at our school. Maintaining a waiting list when we cannot reasonably anticipate spaces becoming available, however, can create a false expectation that an enrolment offer may be forthcoming.

Our commitment to inclusive education extends beyond our own school gates. We will continue working alongside families, neighbouring schools and colleagues across our community to support students with disability to access high-quality, inclusive education wherever they learn.

Looking Ahead to Term Four

Term Four is always a special time at Banmira. It gives us the opportunity to celebrate just how far our students have come over the year while also beginning transitions, planning and preparations for 2027.

There is already plenty on the calendar. We’ll kick things off with our School Fun Run on Friday 16 October, followed by our 2027 Senior Campus Information Night on Thursday 22 October and some Halloween fun to finish October.

A reminder that Monday 2 November is a Student Free Day, followed by the Melbourne Cup Public Holiday on Tuesday 3 November.

Later in the term we will celebrate our Senior Campus Art Exhibition, Year 12 Graduation, State-wide Transition Day and our Whole School Christmas Assembly, before students finish their 2026 school year on Wednesday 16 December.

There will be plenty more information about these events as Term Four unfolds, so keep your campus Key Dates calendar somewhere handy!

Have a Wonderful Break

To our students, families and staff, thank you for everything you have contributed to another busy and rewarding term at Banmira.

We hope the school holidays provide an opportunity to slow down, enjoy some warmer weather and spend some quality time together. We look forward to welcoming everyone back on Monday 5 October for our final term of 2026.

Have a safe, happy and well-earned holiday break!

Jesse Whittaker

Principal

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