Principal's Message
CELEBRATING 150 YEARS OF WARRNAMBOOL PRIMARY SCHOOL – WE NEED YOUR HELP!
On Saturday 17 October 2026, Warrnambool Primary School will proudly celebrate 150 years of education, community and achievement. Since opening in 1876, our school has played an important role in the lives of thousands of students and families and remains the oldest and most historic primary school in Warrnambool. As we prepare for this very special milestone, we're asking our community to help us bring our history to life.
Are you our oldest living former student? We'd love to hear from you! If you know someone who attended Warrnambool Primary School many decades ago, please encourage them to get in touch. We are searching for our oldest living former student to help celebrate this remarkable occasion.
We're also looking for:
-Old school photographs
-Class photos and sporting team photos
-School reports, certificates and newsletters
-Uniforms, badges and memorabilia
-Historical documents and stories
-Any other interesting items that help tell the story of our school.
Items can be loaned for our historical displays and will be carefully cared for and returned after the celebrations.
Please keep an eye on the Warrnambool Primary School Facebook page for regular updates, historical photos and opportunities to share your memories as we count down to this once-in-a-lifetime celebration.
Whether you attended the school, taught here, worked here or have family connections spanning generations, we'd love you to be part of celebrating 150 years of Warrnambool Primary School.
Save the date – Saturday 17 October 2026. Join us as we honour the rich history, proud traditions and enduring legacy of Warrnambool Primary School.
STRONG NAPLAN GROWTH RESULTS FOR WARRNAMBOOL PRIMARY SCHOOL
We are delighted to share our 2026 NAPLAN Relative Growth results for students who completed NAPLAN in Year 3 (2024) and again in Year 5 (2026).
These results measure the percentage of students who achieved Medium or High Growth over the two-year period. This is one of the most meaningful measures of student progress, as it reflects the learning growth students make regardless of where they started.
Although Victorian State comparison data has not yet been released, Warrnambool Primary School's results compare very strongly with both Similar Schools and our Network.
Our highlights include:
Writing: 76% of students achieved Medium or High Growth, compared with 61% in Similar Schools and 61% across our Network.
Spelling: An outstanding 79% of students achieved Medium or High Growth, exceeding Similar Schools (72%) and the Network (66%).
Grammar & Punctuation: 76% of students demonstrated Medium or High Growth, ahead of Similar Schools (69%) and the Network (71%).
Reading: Our students continued to perform strongly, with 70% achieving Medium or High Growth.
Numeracy: Warrnambool Primary School matched both Similar Schools and our Network, with 67% of students achieving Medium or High Growth.
These results reflect the dedication of our students, the commitment of our teachers and education support staff, and the strong partnership we enjoy with our families. Our ongoing focus on evidence-based teaching practices, explicit instruction, high-quality curriculum planning and targeted intervention continues to support students to make excellent progress.
We are incredibly proud of our students and look forward to building on these strong results as we continue our commitment to ensuring every student achieves their personal best.
YEAR 5 SOVEREIGN HILL CAMP
Our Year 5 students are eagerly looking forward to their Sovereign Hill Camp, taking place from Monday 3 August to Wednesday 5 August 2026.
This exciting three-day camp provides students with the opportunity to step back in time and experience life during the Victorian Gold Rush. Through hands-on activities and immersive experiences, students will deepen their understanding of Australia's history while creating lasting memories with their classmates.
During the camp, students will enjoy a wide range of educational activities, including:
-Exploring the historic township of Sovereign Hill.
-Descending underground on a guided mine tour.
-Trying their luck at gold panning.
-Watching traditional gold pouring demonstrations.
-Visiting the Gold Museum.
-Participating in old-fashioned school lessons.
-Riding in a horse-drawn coach.
-Learning about blacksmithing, candle making and traditional crafts.
-Observing period costumes, shops and trades from the 1850s.
-Enjoying the spectacular Aura evening sound and light show, bringing the story of the Gold Rush to life.
-Taking part in team-building activities and sharing the camp experience with friends.
Camp is a wonderful opportunity for students to develop independence, resilience and confidence while strengthening friendships outside the classroom.
We wish all of our Year 5 students a fantastic camp and thank our staff for giving their time to make this memorable learning experience possible. We look forward to hearing all about their adventures when they return.
The Little Mermaid – Book Your Tickets Now!
The countdown is on for Warrnambool Primary School's spectacular whole-school production of The Little Mermaid!
Join us on Wednesday 2 September 2026 for what promises to be a wonderful celebration of the performing arts and an unforgettable showcase of our students' incredible talents.
Performance Times
-12:00 pm Matinee
-7:00 pm Evening Performance
Tickets are available now through CompassTix.
This production celebrates something very special at Warrnambool Primary School—we've brought the performing arts back! Every student has embraced the opportunity to sing, dance and act, building confidence, teamwork and creativity along the way.
The excitement throughout the school has been contagious, and our students have absolutely loved being part of this incredible experience.
We believe every child should have the opportunity to discover and pursue their passions, whether that's performing on stage, working behind the scenes or simply experiencing the joy of being part of a production.
Our goal is to have two sell-out performances, and we'd love your support! Invite your family, friends, neighbours and grandparents to come along and celebrate the amazing talents of our students.
Important: Please purchase your tickets before the day through CompassTix. Door sales will not be available, so don't miss out!
We can't wait to see two packed audiences cheering on our students as they bring The Little Mermaid to life. Thank you for supporting the performing arts at Warrnambool Primary School!
YEAR 3 AND 5 - KOORIE CULTURAL SESSION
On Wednesday, students in Year 3 and 5 participated in a special learning experience exploring the history and cultural significance of possum skin cloaks.
Mrs Karen Harrodine, a teacher from East Warrnambool Primary School, visited our school and shared a beautiful replica possum skin cloak, created by women at Kirrae, along with a single possum skin. Karen spoke with students about the traditions, craftsmanship and history associated with possum skin cloaks, providing valuable insights into this important aspect of local Aboriginal culture.
As part of the session, students created their own symbolic designs, drawing symbols to represent people, places and experiences that are important in their own lives.
We sincerely thank Karen Harrodine for sharing her knowledge and helping our students develop a deeper appreciation of this rich local history and culture.
FUKUOKA JAPAN VISIT
Today our school was lucky to receive a visit from a group of Japanese high school students from Fukuoka, Japan.
The Fukuoka Japan-Australia Society organise an annual exchange between Fukuoka and Warrnambool. The students spend 10 days with host families from Brauer College and the students spent a day with our students.
This year our Year 1 and 5 students had the chance to practice using their Japanese, play games and make origami. Students joined together at lunch time to play basketball, netball and soccer and had the chance to enjoy some Japanese sweets gifted by the Japanese students.
This was a great cross-cultural experience for our students and so many stated "this was the best lesson ever!".
WINTER WARMIES DAY - FRIDAY 7TH AUGUST
Next week is National Homeless Week. While on camp in Melbourne, the Year 6 students seen many people who were homeless and sleeping on the streets and in parks around the city. As part of the Year 6 Leaders Congress, the JSC are running a Winter Warmies Day where students are invited to wear warm, casual clothes to school on Friday 7th August. Items such as jumpers, coats, beanies, gloves and scarves will be perfect for the day.
We are asking you to bring a gold coin donation and the money raised will be used to purchase backpack swags for people who are sleeping rough in Warrnambool. Please enjoy the day out of uniform and contribute to this important cause.
IMPORTANT FIRE SAFETY MESSAGE
As the school year continues, many students are using devices such as laptops, tablets and phones. Most of these devices contain lithium-ion batteries, which have become part of everyday life, but need to be used safely.
Fire services are responding to an increasing number of fires caused by lithium-ion batteries, often caused by incorrect charging or leaving devices unattended. That’s why fire safety at home is especially important during the school year.
You can help reduce the risk by:
- Only using the charger and battery designed for each device
- Unplugging devices once fully charged
- Never charging devices on soft surfaces like beds or couches
- Not charging devices overnight, or when no one is home
- Charging larger devices such as e-bikes and e-scooters away from living spaces and keeping them clear of exits
- Regularly checking devices and stopping use if a battery looks damaged, swollen or overheats
You can watch Fire Rescue Victoria’s safety video here.
It’s also important to make sure smoke alarms are working and tested every month. Fire Rescue Victoria recommends installing smoke alarms in bedrooms, living rooms and near areas where devices are charged—because working smoke alarms save lives.
For more tips on lithium-ion battery safety, visit: https://www.frv.vic.gov.au/battery-safety.
A few simple habits can help protect your home and your loved ones.
Have a great weekend.
Peter Lee
Principal