A message from the Principal

As this final newsletter of the year goes out, it feels like a natural moment to pause and take stock.

It has been a huge year at St Kilda Park Primary School. A year that has left many of us tired and very ready for a break, but also deeply proud of what our school community has achieved together. When I look back across 2025, what stands out most clearly is not just the volume of activity or the pace of the year, but the genuine progress that has been made for our students and for our school.

Student reports are being issued this afternoon, and they tell an encouraging story. Across the school, students are making strong learning growth and demonstrating deeper knowledge, greater confidence and higher levels of engagement in their classrooms. This reflects the deliberate and sustained shift we have made towards explicit instruction. Clear learning intentions, carefully sequenced lessons, structured practice and high expectations are making a real difference, and our students are responding extremely well.

That academic growth has been matched by the way our school values are lived out every day.

Creativity has been on display across the year, from classroom learning to performances, exhibitions and whole-school events. Our students have had countless opportunities to create, perform, design and express their thinking in rich and meaningful ways.

Resilience has been evident in the way students have approached learning challenges, tried again after setbacks and grown in confidence over time. It has also been evident in our staff, who have worked with focus and care through a demanding year while continuing to refine their practice.

Curiosity continues to sit at the heart of learning at SKiPPS. Our classrooms are places where students ask questions, build knowledge and engage deeply with ideas, rather than skimming the surface. This curiosity has driven strong learning growth and genuine engagement.

Kindness remains a defining feature of our school. It is seen in the way students treat one another, in restorative conversations, in everyday interactions and in the strong partnerships between school and home that support our children so well.

None of this happens by chance. I want to sincerely thank our leadership team and staff for their professionalism, care and commitment to our students. Their work this year has been outstanding.

Thank you also to our families for your trust, support and partnership, to our School Council for their governance and guidance, and to our Parents’ Association for the extraordinary time and energy they continue to give in support of our school community.

As we reach the end of the year, I hope the coming weeks provide the chance to rest, recharge and enjoy time with family and friends. On behalf of everyone at St Kilda Park Primary School, I wish you a safe, restful holiday and a very Merry Christmas.

I look forward to welcoming everyone back in the new year.

Neil Scott

Principal