Principal Update

Welcome to Week 3 of Term 4. 

It is shaping up to be another busy and exciting term, with our school fair, swimming programs, transition activities and end-of-year celebrations. Please keep an eye on the school calendar for upcoming events.

Our 2027 Prep Transition Program begins on Thursday 22 October, with four sessions designed to help our newest students become familiar with APS. Our whole-school Step Up Day on Tuesday 15 December will provide students with an opportunity to prepare for the year ahead.

Alphington Fair – Saturday 24 October

Our annual Alphington Fair is almost here! We look forward to welcoming families and friends for a wonderful day celebrating our school community.

A special thank you to our Fundraising and Fair Committee and the many parent volunteers who have contributed countless hours to preparing for this event. Their commitment and generosity are greatly appreciated.

Don't forget to pre purchase wristbands and collect on Thursday after school, Friday from the office or Saturday from the Information Booth.

TryBooking: https://www.trybooking.com/DQPEZ

Planning for 2027

Planning for 2027 is well underway. Following an enrolment census of 385 students earlier this year, our current enrolment has grown to 388, with further enquiries and enrolments continuing.

We anticipate maintaining 19 classes in 2027 and are currently reviewing staffing, class structures and student placements. Our priority remains balancing responsible resource management with the learning and wellbeing needs of all students.

Teaching and Learning

Our continued focus on Literacy, Numeracy and student learning growth is supported by the implementation of the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model 2.0 (VTLM 2.0).

Our school-wide Instructional Model emphasises explicit teaching, guided practice, checking for understanding and independent learning.

Last Friday, staff participated in professional learning on Responsive Teaching, strengthening their use of questioning, assessment and student feedback to adjust instruction. Further professional learning at the Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership will support this work.

Our upcoming Student-Free Day on Monday 2 November will provide additional time for staff to focus on our Annual Implementation Plan priorities, including consistent Mathematics planning and assessment from Foundation to Year 6.

2027 Student Free and Professional Development Days – New VGSA 2026

At our School Council meeting last night, we approved the Student Free Days, Professional Practice Days and the date for our Three-Way Parent Student Conferences for 2027. 

The updated Victorian Government Schools Agreement has an additional 3 Professional Practice Days (PPDs). 

These are days provided to teachers where they can work on planning, preparation, assessment and professional development priorities. They are teacher directed days. 

As a result, there is an increase in the total number of approved days where students are not required onsite. 

We will share these dates with TheirCare so supervision arrangements can be made through the outside school hours care program. 

Consideration has been made: 

• to spread the days across the year 
• include all days of the week to support part-time staff and non-contact planning arrangements
• Dovetail with school holidays and public holidays to provide support to families

Updated 2027 start dates

We understand that the start dates for 2027 had already been published so please make note of the new start dates as a result of the new VGSA.

• Wednesday  27th January -Teachers only commence - (Student Free Day)
• Thursday 28th January - Student Free Day

• Friday 29th January - All students start (Prep Shortened day 9.00am – 1.00pm)

   

APS Colour Fun Run – Thursday 29 October

Get ready for an afternoon of colour, fun and community spirit! Our Colour Fun Run will take place at Alphington Park from 1:30–3:00pm.

Lunch will be earlier than usual, from 12:30–1:30pm. Classes will be timetabled to complete the course, with additional activities throughout the afternoon.

We will return to school for a 3:00pm celebration assembly, including a special surprise draw for students who have raised $10 or more for the Starlight Foundation.

Child Safety at APS

At Alphington Primary School, the safety and wellbeing of every child is our highest priority. We are committed to providing a safe, inclusive and respectful environment where all students feel valued, are listened to and know how to seek support. Our Child Safety policies outline expectations for staff, volunteers and visitors, including appropriate conduct, identifying and responding to concerns, and reporting suspected abuse or harm. Families are encouraged to raise any child safety concerns with Shane Wilkie (Principal), Michael Connelly (APS Child Safety Champion) or Luke (Assistant Principal). All concerns are taken seriously and managed in accordance with Department of Education requirements.

Thank you for your continued support of our school community. I look forward to seeing many of you at the Fair this Saturday.

Shane Wilkie 

Principal

Alphington Primary School