Principal's Report

Dear HPS Community, 

Today our Foundation students, teachers and parent volunteers went on the bus to experience a fabulous day at the Melbourne Zoo. It was their very first excursion and whilst there was much talk about the bus trip before school amongst the children, it was all about the fun and excitement of seeing the animals that overtook conversations upon their return!

Thank you to our staff and parent/ carer volunteers who attended and guided and engaged our students in this fabulous shared experience. I heard there were some very chatty and loud spider monkeys, colourful butterflies and tall hungry giraffes that were among the favourites from the day. I think everyone who attended will sleep well tonight!

Next week we will have a visit from the Local Member for Ivanhoe, Anthony Carbines, who is attending for a site tour of our new buildings. Our school captains have been invited to join the tour, giving them a first look of the inside of the new learning spaces as well as the Yumagu Centre. Yumagu (YOO-mah - goo) - meanseveryone in Woiwurrung language.

Our 2027 School Captain process has begun and the shortlisted candidates did an exceptional job at assembly on Monday to share their bio and favourite quote. It gave a real insight into the leadership qualities and priorities they would bring if elected as the next school captain.

Whilst all students in Year 6 will be leaders within our school, the formal student leadership process involves candidates preparing and presenting a presentation about themselves and why they would make a great school leader in 2027 that is shared to students in years 3-5 participate who then vote. 

Student leaders are guided and supported to develop the skills, attributes, and behaviours that empower them to effectively lead their peers, advocate for positive change, and contribute to their school or community. 

What makes an effective leader?

• Understanding your own strengths, weaknesses, values, and motivations is key to being an effective leader. 
• A strong leader sets a positive example by consistently demonstrating ethical behaviour, responsibility, and a strong work ethic. 
• Great leaders value and respect differences in others and strive to create inclusive environments where everyone feels valued and heard. 
• Whether it’s cultural, socio-economic, or academic, a good leader recognises the diversity within a group and works to ensure everyone has equal opportunities. 
• Leadership is a continuous process of learning, adapting, and growing. 
• Leaders who are open to feedback and willing to improve are often the most effective.
• A strong student leader creates systems or supports initiatives that continue after they leave the role, ensuring that the positive impact of their leadership is long-lasting.

Overall, student leadership is not just about taking on a title or position; it's about using one's influence to make a positive impact on the community and developing skills that will serve both the individual and their peers long-term. We congratulate all who have been part of the process so far and wish remaining students the best as they continue to progress through the process.

2027 Class Placements

Each year, as we begin planning class placements for the following year, we invite students to nominate three friends they would like with them in a class. While we cannot guarantee that every friendship request will be accommodated, we aim to ensure each student is placed with at least one person from their nominated list. Nominations are not considered in any particular priority order.

Next week, students will be provided a Class Friendship Nomination Form. We ask parents and carers to discuss the nominations with their child and support them to consider friendships that will positively influence their learning, wellbeing and ability to demonstrate our school values of Respect, Resilience, Responsibility and Compassion.

If a student has not completed and returned their form by the due date, their classroom teacher will support them to complete it at school.

Creating class groupings is a complex process that requires careful consideration of many factors, including students’ academic, social and emotional needs, learning partnerships, classroom dynamics and the overall balance of each class. The information you have shared through ongoing consultation and collaboration with your child’s classroom teacher will be taken into account as we develop the 2027 class groupings.

We ask families to trust in our professional judgement and the care taken throughout this process. There is generally no need to submit additional requests directly to the Principal, as the information already shared with your child’s teacher will inform our decisions. While we understand that families want the best possible outcomes for their children, receiving numerous requests about who should or should not be placed together can make it more challenging to achieve balanced and well-functioning classes that meet the needs of all students.

Our priority is to create positive learning environments in which every child feels supported, connected and ready to learn. We thank you for your understanding, trust and support as we work through this important process.

If there is significant or exceptional information about your child’s social, emotional or learning needs that you believe has not yet been shared with us, please contact your child’s classroom teacher or myself so that it can be considered as part of the placement process.

Students do not attend school on Monday 2nd and Tuesday 3rd November.

We have a Curriculum Day scheduled for Monday 2nd November and the Tuesday 3rd November is the Melbourne Cup public holiday. 

Parent/ Carer Opinion Survey

Thank you to all the families who took the time to complete our recent survey last term. We greatly value your feedback, as it provides us with important insights into your experiences and helps guide our ongoing efforts to strengthen our school community.

We were pleased and proud to see an increase in positive endorsement percentage across many areas including;

• Community Engagement in Learning
  • Parent /Carer Community Engagement: school communication and communication with teachers
  • School Ethos and Environment: school pride and confidence
• Excellence in Teaching and Learning
  • Student Cognitive Engagement: student motivation and support
  • Student Development: student agency and voice and confidence and resilience skills
• Positive Climate for Learning
  • Student Safety: non-experience of bullying and promotion of positive behaviours. 

These results reflect the collective efforts of our staff, students and families in creating a positive, inclusive and supportive learning environment at Heidelberg Primary School.

The survey also highlighted some areas we would like to explore further and continue to improve. These include; 

• Community Engagement in Learning
  • Parent /Carer Community Engagement: parent and carer participation and involvement
• Excellence in Teaching and Learning
  • Student Cognitive Engagement: effective teaching 
• Positive Climate for Learning
  • Connection and Progression: positive transitions. 

We are committed to listening to our community and using this feedback to inform our planning and identify opportunities to strengthen these areas.

At Heidelberg Primary School, we believe that strong partnerships between home and school are essential to student success. Thank you for your continued support and contribution to our school community. Your voice matters, and we look forward to continuing to work together to ensure every student feels connected, supported and able to thrive.

Morning Supervision

A friendly reminder to all families about yard supervision arrangements at Heidelberg Primary School.

Our Before Care program operates from 7.00am, providing supervision for students who are booked into the service. Teacher supervision on school grounds commences at 8.40am.

Students who arrive at school before 8.40am and are not attending SAC are not supervised by school staff and remain the responsibility of their parents and carers until teacher supervision begins.

To ensure the safety and wellbeing of all students, we ask families to please ensure children do not arrive at school before 8.40am unless they are attending our supervised care program.

Thank you for your support and cooperation in helping us maintain a safe environment for every child at Heidelberg Primary School.

Play Equipment Donations

We’re looking for donations of any wooden children’s play kitchens that families may have at home and are looking to donate.

At Heidelberg Primary School, we’re looking to reinvigorate the playground area outside our Foundation classrooms by introducing some exciting mud kitchen play opportunities for our youngest learners!

If you have a wooden play kitchen that is no longer being used and is in good, safe condition, we would love to hear from you.

Thank you in advance for helping us create a wonderful space for our Foundation students to explore, imagine, create and learn through play! 

2026 School Term Dates

Term 4: Monday 5th October- Friday 18th December (1.30pm finish)

Have a great weekend everyone!

Naomi Ivers

Principal

Heidelberg Primary School

9457 2259

naomi.ivers@education.vic.gov.au