Bell Times

As you are aware by now, learning sessions at Donvale Primary School for 2026 will be one hour in length. We are very excited by this change and what it offers our learning program from next year.

Recently, students, parents and staff were surveyed as to their preferred playtime structure for our school day. We would like to thank everyone who responded, especially those who offered thoughtful feedback. The results were unanimous across all three groups, that we will continue to have two play times each day.

With this change has come a necessary alteration to our bell times.

In 2026, the school day will look as follow:

The morning music will continue to play before school to bring children to lineup, students will still have time for brain food at 10:00 and music will also play before the end of playtimes to remind students to get a drink and go to the toilet.

Each day’s learning will be structured differently depending on class and cohort need, activities and events and the specialist timetable, but will look something like the table below where possible. Prep and Grade 1 morning sessions will be protected time, free of specialists.

The rationale for eating times being at the end of play times is to ensure students have time in a structured space to eat without the “distraction” of the bell ringing for outside play while students are halfway through eating and thus leaving half-full lunchboxes in schoolbags.

Each week, students will enjoy 5 hours of Maths and 12 hours of Literacy. This time will incorporate explicit teaching of systematic, synthetic phonics from P-2, Spelling, Grammar, Punctuation and Morphology P-6, paired reading, English and Writing as well as 2 hours of Humanities: History (P-6), Geography (P-6), Civics and Citizenships (3-6) and Economics and Business (5-6).

Students will receive 1 hour of Art, 1 hour of Music, 1 hour of Mandarin and 1 hour of PE.

Each grade will now receive 2 hours of STEM teaching delivered by classroom teachers in a program overseen by our current STEM teacher, Emily Wallis.

Classes will also run fortnightly Class Meetings and Health lessons 

We will finish our weeks with our student-led assemblies.