Around Ironside

Back to School Boost

The Back-to-school boost provides a $100 credit for each primary school student from the start of 2026.  This $100 credit will assist families with school costs during 2026.  A $100 credit will be placed on the account of all students enrolled in Prep to Year 6 from the start of the 2026 school year.

Families choose which cost they will use their $100 for throughout the year.  For example, families may apply their 2026 Back to school boost towards the cost of the Student Resource Scheme (SRS) or, other school related expenses such as excursions, camps, or extra-curricular activities.

Please note that the Back-to-school boost cannot be used for reimbursement of purchases made at external stores, nor can it be provided as a cash payment to families or students.

Reminder: Collect Student Medication from Sick Bay

A friendly reminder for parents and caregivers to please collect any student medication from Sick Bay before the end of the school year. The school is unable to store medication over the long holiday break. Any medication not collected by the final day of term will be disposed of in accordance with school procedures.

EAL/D Program at Ironside State School 

Ironside State School is one of Queensland’s most multicultural schools. Students from many cultural and linguistically diverse backgrounds help make our school community vibrant. 

Our English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EAL/D) program helps students build confidence, independence, and the language skills they need to learn. We support students to learn English and to learn through English. We also help students participate in all school subjects while they acquire the English language.

Specialist EAL/D teachers and Education Support Officers work with students in Years One to Six. This includes students who have recently arrived in Australia and students who are still developing English skills. We are also excited to be launching a targeted oral-language program for our Prep students. Support may be given in small groups, one-on-one, or inside the classroom.

Students who are new to learning English may not receive a grade on the school report card for some learning areas. These students may receive an ‘N’ instead of a grade. This follows the Queensland K–12 Framework (November 2024, p. 40). The ‘N’ grade represents that we have ‘insufficient evidence to make a judgement.’ Students may still receive grades in subjects where less formal English is used, such as The Arts, Physical Education, and Music.

This process aligns with research that shows it takes time to learn academic English. As students improve, they will receive grades based on the year-level curriculum. During this time, they will continue to get targeted English language support from the EAL/D program.

If you are interested to read more about this please see below: 

If your child has received an ‘N’, or you have questions about their English Language Acquisition, please contact their classroom teacher and the EALD teaching team to discuss your child’s progress. We are here to support your child on their schooling journey! 

Lunchtime Clubs

Newsletter Languages - Term 4 2025

The Global Passport program – applications now open

The Global Passport – explore the world in 5 days program is a fully funded online opportunity for students in Years 4–6 (2026). During 5 days in the January school holidays, the students will travel virtually to new countries and build language skills and cultural understanding with expert university tutors. 

To learn more, register for the upcoming information session.

More information about the Global Passport program can be found here.

For further information, please contact the Global Engagement team at Global.Engagement@qed.qld.gov.au. 

☀️ No Hat, No Play

We are noticing an increasing number of students arriving at PE lessons without a hat. Our spare hat supply is very limited.

Please ensure your child brings their own clearly named hat to school every day. Hats are an important part of our SunSmart policy and are required for outdoor activities, including PE.

Thank you for helping us keep our students safe in the sun.

Student Absences

Please be aware that our student absence email is absentstudents@ironsidess.eq.edu.au, not studentabsence@ironsidess.eq.edu.au.