School News
Student Support Groups (SSGs) in 2026
Over the coming weeks, we will begin scheduling Student Support Group (SSG) meetings for 2026.
SSGs are required under Department of Education guidelines for certain cohorts, including those supported through Disability Inclusion funding, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, and those in Out-of-Home Care. These students will continue to have SSG meetings as required.
For other students, SSGs are used when a more coordinated and individualised planning approach is required, particularly where a student’s needs extend beyond what can be supported through regular classroom adjustments and targeted school-based interventions.
Having had an SSG in 2025 does not automatically mean one will continue in 2026. Each year we review student progress, adjustments and support structures to ensure the right level of planning is in place.
In many cases, adjustments are now effectively embedded within classroom teaching and targeted interventions. Where this occurs, a formal SSG structure may no longer be required. This does not mean support is being withdrawn. Students will continue to receive differentiated instruction, reasonable adjustments where needed, and ongoing monitoring of their progress, with learning goals set and reviewed through both classroom and intervention programs.
If your child requires an SSG in 2026, you will receive a letter next week inviting you to book a meeting. The first meeting will be held face-to-face to review learning progress, wellbeing and agreed adjustments. Subsequent meetings across the year will then be scheduled.
If at any stage your child’s needs change, we will reconvene an SSG as required.
We value our partnership with families and remain committed to ensuring every student receives the support they need to make progress.
Kind Regards,
Meaghan Bartrop
GPA Update & Progress Reports – Term 1, 2026
This week we will release our Progress Reports – GPA Cycle 1, 2026 via Compass. These reports provide families with an early snapshot of how students have begun the school year. They focus on learning behaviours, effort, engagement, and classroom habits, giving an indication of how students are settling into routines and expectations.
Progress Reports are not end-of-semester academic grades, but rather an early checkpoint designed to support strong communication between home and school so that we can work together to support each child’s growth across the year.
At Trafalgar Primary School, we emphasise our expectations to Be Safe, Be Respectful, and Be a Learner. If you have any questions about your child’s Progress Report or GPA, please contact your classroom teacher in the first instance. We thank families for their continued partnership in supporting regular attendance and helping every student to be present, prepared, and ready to learn each day.
Swimming at Trafalgar Primary School – 2026 Update
At Trafalgar Primary School, we believe swimming is a life skill. In Australia, knowing how to swim is essential for safety.
Each year, every student at our school participates in swimming lessons. We fully fund this program so that cost is never a barrier for families. All students are assessed by qualified instructors through the YMCA program, and you will see a summary of this year’s results in the table below.
What the Data Tells Us
The overall picture is clear: many of our students are not yet confident or capable swimmers.
By the end of Year 6, students are expected to be able to swim 50 metres and meet the Victorian Water Safety Certificate standard. Our results show that too many of our older students are not yet at that level.
This is not unique to our school. Across Australia, swimming ability has declined in recent years, particularly in regional areas. However, that does not change our responsibility for Trafalgar students.
Swimming lessons once a year are important, but they are not enough on their own. Swimming is a skill that improves with regular practice. Without ongoing exposure, children lose confidence and progress slows.
Every Trafalgar Primary School student should leave Year 6 able to swim 50 metres confidently and safely.
Right now, we still have work to do to reach that goal. We will continue to provide swimming lessons for every student, every year, and we will fully fund the program so that cost is never a barrier for families. Students’ progress will be carefully tracked through structured assessments, and results will be shared with families so you have a clear understanding of where your child is at. We are proud to offer this level of commitment to swimming education at a time when many schools are no longer able to do so.
How Families Can Help
The biggest difference-maker in swimming progress is time in the water.
Families can support their child by:
- Enrolling in additional swimming lessons outside of school.
- Visiting the local pool regularly.
- Practising basic skills like floating, kicking and treading water.
- Encouraging confidence in safe, supervised environments.
Even a few extra visits to the pool over summer can make a significant difference.
Individual student assessment results will be available through classroom teachers at Parent/Teacher Interviews and published with end of Semester reports.
Why We Are Focusing on Behaviour This Year
At Trafalgar Primary School, we believe that good behaviour makes everything else possible.
When behaviour is calm, predictable, and fair, students feel safe. When students feel safe, they can focus, try hard things, make mistakes, and learn. This is not accidental — it is built deliberately.
This year, we are strengthening our whole-school behaviour approach so that every child knows what is expected, every adult responds consistently, and learning is protected for everyone. This is not about control or punishment. It is about building a culture where students belong, feel secure, and can do their best learning every day.
Belonging doesn’t come from lowering expectations or making exceptions. It comes from being part of a community where rules are clear, fair, and shared. When students know the boundaries and see them applied consistently, they learn that school is a place they can trust.
Over the coming newsletters, we’ll share more about the thinking behind our behaviour approach, the routines we teach, and how these support learning, wellbeing, and belonging. We appreciate your partnership as we do this important work together.
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE - CAMPS, SPORTS and EXCURSIONS FUND (CSEF)
Term 1 Lunch Order Information
Parents & Friends Committee News
Pizza Rolls for Athletics Day
Pizza roll orders are still open for Athletics Day next week on Thursday 6th March.
All rolls are $6.00, varieties are Hawaiian, BBQ and Margarita.
Orders close Saturday 28th February @ 11.45pm.
Hot Cross "Bun-raiser"
We are running an Easter fundraiser through Missen Link Burgers to offer hot cross buns to families next month. Ordering is easy - use the Canteen menu on Compass!
Orders open: NOW
Orders close: Monday 23rd March, 5pm sharp.
We have some exciting options available:
Classic - Traditional, choc chip, and triple choc chip
Favourites - Caramel white choc chip, raspberry white choc chip and fairy bread (rainbow)
Filled - Custard, jam and unicorn fart (bubblegum)
Delivery date: Friday 27th March
Our Parent Helpers will deliver orders to classrooms ready to take home at the end of the day. Larger orders (over 6 packs) can be collected from the school office at the end of the day.
Get your orders in quick to avoid missing out! Sorry, no gluten free varieties available due to baking limitations. Jam and traditional varieties are dairy free (made with margarine).
P&F - Survey
We opened a survey last year to help us plan our events and fundraisers for 2026. Please click HERE to open the Google Form and complete the questions to let us know your thoughts.
We have a $25 VISA gift card to be given to one lucky person - complete the survey to go into the draw! The winner will be contacted directly and announced in the school newsletter at the end of Term 1.
Friday Funnies
With Clean Up Australia Day coming up, here's some Aussie jokes to get you through the weekend.
- Why did the wallaby wear sunglasses? Because his future was too bright.
- What do you call a platypus who loves to dance? A funky duck.
- What do you call an Australian ghost? A boo-merang.
Friday Facts
Here's an interesting fact about the Australian Coat of Arms, which you can find on a
50 cent coin.
A kangaroo and emu feature on the Coat of Arms as our unofficial animal emblems. They symbolise progress and the nation moving forward as neither animal can easily walk backwards. What else can you see?
Get to know your Committee:
Each newsletter we will introduce someone on our committee. Next is our Secretary, Jane Cook.
Hi all, you’ve probably seen me around the school grounds and at a few of our P&F events. This is my third year taking up the mantle as secretary, and I’ve found my niche in organising and planning lots of fun, exciting events and fundraisers for students and their families. I’m a proud mum to two girls at school and I have a baby girl at home too. I’m an accountant, and I always say, there’s not much that a good spreadsheet can’t solve! I’m also on the School Council and assist with the Uniform Subcommittee. In case that’s not enough of a handful, I help out some of our local community groups from time to time as well. Last but not least - Go Davey! House rivalry aside, I’m usually wearing a rainbow hat or otherwise lots of bright colours.
Feel free to say hello, ask questions, pass on ideas or feedback, or have a chat any time.
Next Meeting
Our next meeting is as follows:
Date: Tuesday 28th April
Time: 7-8pm
Location: Adult Learning Centre, Trafalgar Primary School, opposite the office with a Zoom link also available upon request.
Please come along and learn about how we plan to support the school, our students and their families this year. Our meetings are approximately once a term, with virtual chat in between as needed.
New members for our Committee and Parent Helpers List are always welcome - membership is free and you choose how involved you'd like to be. Reach out to us if you'd like to join and be a part of the fun this year.
If you have any feedback, questions, would like to be added to our Parent Helper List, or would like to join P&F for 2026, please contact us:
- via email - TPSpandfSecretary@gmail.com
- or via our Google Contact form - link HERE.
THEIRCARE News
