School News
Apply now to enrol your child in Foundation (Prep) for 2027
All Victorian government primary schools follow the statewide Foundation (Prep) enrolment timeline. The timeline advises families when and how to enrol their child at a Victorian government primary school.
You can apply to enrol your child in Foundation (Prep) in 2027 from Monday 20 April 2026.
What you need to do:
1. Contact our school 5633 1566 to book an optional school tour.
2. Download the Foundation (Prep) enrolment information pack from Enrolling in Foundation (Prep) This pack includes guidance on the application process.
3. Submit an enrolment application by Friday 31 July 2026.
Our school uses the Department of Education’s secure digital enrolment system called VicStudents. This means you can submit your Foundation (Prep) application online and receive updates through the system. If you have any questions about the online enrolment process, please contact our school. Paper enrolment application forms are also available on request.
4. You will be notified of the outcome of your application between Monday 3 August and Friday 14 August 2026.
5. If you receive an enrolment offer, you should accept the offer by Friday 28 August 2026.
6. Take part in school transition sessions during Term 4, 2026.
7. Prepare your child to start Foundation (Prep) from Thursday 28 January 2027.
Enrolment applications submitted after 31 July 2026 will be processed by our school as they are received, in accordance with the Department’s Enrolment Policy.
For more information about the Foundation enrolment timeline, visit: Enrolling in Foundation (Prep).
Why Habits Matter So Much
As part of our ongoing series exploring the Trafalgar Primary School Behaviour Curriculum, this fortnight we look at the power of habits.
Many people think good behaviour comes down to making the right decision in the moment. In reality, the most successful classrooms rely less on constant decision-making and more on well-established habits.
Our approach is grounded in the work of Tom Bennett, particularly his book Running the Room. Bennett explains that routines are the foundation of calm, orderly classrooms because they remove uncertainty. When students know exactly what to do, and have practised doing it repeatedly, appropriate behaviour becomes automatic.
This is why our teachers invest time in explicitly teaching routines. Entering the classroom calmly, listening attentively when someone is speaking, moving quietly between activities, lining up respectfully, and following instructions the first time are all behaviours that are taught, practised, and reinforced every day.
These routines may seem simple, but together they have a powerful impact. They reduce distractions, maximise learning time, and create classrooms where every student knows what success looks like. Instead of spending energy working out what to do next, students can focus on learning.
The same principle applies at home. Everyday routines such as morning preparations, homework, mealtimes, bedtime, and family expectations become much easier when they are consistent. Children thrive when they know what is expected and those expectations remain predictable over time.
At Trafalgar Primary School, we believe strong habits create strong learners. By teaching and practising positive routines every day, we help students develop the self-discipline, independence, and confidence they will carry well beyond the classroom.
Our Behaviour Curriculum is built on the belief that success is not left to chance. It is created through clear expectations, consistent routines, and the daily habits that help every student learn, belong, and thrive.
Fidget Toys and Comfort Items at School
Over recent weeks, we've noticed a resurgence of students bringing fidget toys, plush toys and other comfort items to school. We'd like to take this opportunity to clarify our approach.
At Trafalgar Primary School, we do not believe students require fidget toys or comfort items to be successful learners in the classroom.
Our classrooms are built around explicit instruction, where students are actively engaged in learning. Throughout a lesson, students are reading, writing, discussing, responding to questions and working with learning materials. In this environment, there is simply no educational need to be simultaneously occupied with a fidget toy or comfort item.
This approach is grounded in the Science of Learning. Attention is a limited resource, and introducing additional objects to manipulate can divide a student's focus rather than improve it. Instead, we help students develop the habits of attention and self-regulation through excellent teaching, predictable routines and calm, orderly classrooms.
We recognise that some students may use sensory supports in other settings. Where a registered Occupational Therapist recommends a specific support, those recommendations will be carefully considered within the context of the classroom. Supports that are effective at home or in a clinical setting are not automatically appropriate in a busy school environment. Any adjustment must support learning without creating distraction or reducing engagement for the student or others.
For this reason, we ask that students leave fidget toys, plush toys and other comfort items at home unless specific arrangements have been made with the school.
Thank you for your support in helping us maintain calm, focused learning environments where every child can thrive.
Breakfast Club
As we come to the end of another fantastic term, we'd like to take a moment to reflect on the wonderful support and success of our Breakfast Club throughout Term 2.
With winter well and truly here, our kitchen has been a warm and welcoming place each morning, serving up hot toast, cheesy toasties, warm Milo and a variety of cereals. It's been wonderful to see so many students starting their day feeling warm, nourished and ready to learn.
None of this would be possible without the incredible generosity of our sponsors. A huge thank you to IGA Trafalgar, Gracie's Bakery, Baker's Delight Mid Valley and Foodbank for their ongoing donations and support. Your contributions make a real difference to our school community and are sincerely appreciated.
We also continue to offer Care Packages for families who may need a little extra support. If you or someone you know would benefit from a free Care Package, please contact the School Office or speak with Mrs Marslen. All enquiries are welcome and treated with complete confidentiality.
Donations of Milo or jam are always gratefully received and can be dropped off at the School Office.
Thank you to our volunteers, sponsors and school community for your continued support throughout the term. We look forward to welcoming everyone back for another great term of Breakfast Club after the holidays. Stay warm, stay safe, and enjoy a well-earned break!
Mrs Marslen
Breakfast Club MasterChef
Parents & Friends Committee News
Trivia Night
We would like to thank staff and parents, and their friends and family who attended our Trivia Night fundraiser event last week.
We had around 90 guests in attendance and over 100 prizes were given out. We raised over $2300 on the night for our school which is an outstanding effort for our biggest night ever.
We would like to thank Trafalgar Bowls Club for allowing us to use their function room once again, and our trivia hosts Silent Groove Productions for an excellent evening.
We also have 43 incredible sponsors to thank! We are grateful for their continued support in providing trivia competition, raffle, game and door prizes as well as some surprise giveaways on the night.
Donut Drive
We are excited to announce our next fundraiser will be a donut drive with OMG Decadent Donuts across the month of July! Delivery day is set for Friday 31st July. Keep an eye out on Compass for further information on how to order via our unique OMG! school fundraiser platform in the coming weeks.
100 Days of School
We would like to congratulate our Foundation students who are approaching their 100th day of school next term, with a year level celebration planned for Friday 7th August. If your Foundation child would like to dress up, start ordering those costumes now! 100 Days of School is an important milestone where we celebrate our youngest students' progress as they reach the approximate half-way point of the school year.
Across our wider school community, older students and their families may wish to reflect upon their own journeys across the year so far with a sense of pride and accomplishment. We look forward to celebrating this fun occasion with you.
Next Meeting
Our next meeting is as follows:
Date: Tuesday 21st July
Time: 7-8pm
Location: Adult Learning Centre, Trafalgar Primary School, opposite the office with a Zoom link also available upon request. Please sign in at the office first.
Doors will be open from 6.30pm onwards for any parents that would like to catch up for a chat and BYO cuppa beforehand. All welcome.
New members for our Committee and Parent Helpers List are always welcome - membership is free, and you choose how involved you'd like to be. Reach out to us if you'd like to join and be a part of the fun this year.
If you have any feedback, questions, would like to be added to our Parent Helper List, or would like to join P&F for 2026, please contact us:
- via email - TPSpandfSecretary@gmail.com
- or via our Google Contact form - link HERE
THEIRCARE News
New Process for Delivering Parent Messages – Commencing Term 3
We would like to remind families that it can be very difficult for office staff to deliver messages to students after 2:30pm, as this is one of the busiest times of the day in the school office.
To help improve this process and minimise disruptions to classrooms, a new procedure will commence from the beginning of Term 3.
Shortly before the end-of-day bell, a PA announcement will be made for any students who have a message from a parent or carer. Students will then be asked to come to the office to receive their message.
Please note that while every effort will be made to ensure students receive these messages, we cannot guarantee delivery if a student does not come to the office following the announcement.
Teachers will explain the new process to their classes and encourage students to listen carefully for the daily announcement each afternoon. We are confident that this approach will reduce classroom interruptions and that students will quickly become familiar with the new routine.
We appreciate your understanding and support as we implement this change.