Principal's Message

The focus of Prep - Year 12 schooling is to educate, nurture, and prepare students for independence in adulthood. 

But for a system that exists to serve students, students often have the least agency or voice in their education. Most students do not get to choose where they go to school, who their teachers are, what classes they take, where they sit in their classrooms, what they eat for lunch, or how they get to and from school. 

It is often discussed at SMDP how can we expect students to be prepared for independence if they don’t get to practice asserting independence or decision making in their primary years.

Student voice is important for empowering and engaging students. Students need support to learn how to use their voice, whether to advocate for themselves, express their opinions, or stand up for a friend. Besides the impact on students to empower student voice, teachers can also learn a lot about students when student voice is prioritised in classrooms. It can be easy to make assumptions about students when they do what they are told without a chance to use their own voice, so opening up classroom practices and school processes to empower and allow student voices is an incredibly effective way for schools to get to know and better understand their students.

Enabling students to have a voice and see themselves as active participants within their learning journey and wider school life has a direct and real connection with their sense of wellbeing. This is why at SMDP we believe that student voice is important and strive to give our students the opportunity to be active in their learning.

Instead of sitting passively and waiting for the teacher to direct the learning experience, students who are supported to use their voice and choice in the classroom are proactive learners, taking initiative to explore new concepts, are often more resilient through making mistakes, and more collaborative with peers. 

Our Year 6 Leaders are a visible example of student voice. Their weekly meetings with Kathy, our Wellbeing Leader, have inspired such initiatives as our Anti Bullying Day, Soctober Games, Friday Zooper Dooper stall and SMDP Feast Day celebrations. We have also established a Student Voice Committee with representatives from each level who regularly meet with school leaders to discuss ways to enhance and improve our school. 

Our lunch times clubs that include Minecraft/ICT, jewellery making, gardening also contribute to empowering students to be involved and further explore their interests. 

Another way to promote student voice is to enact their learning in their Inquiry and RE projects. On Friday 24th November students from Yr 3/4 will be selling their handmade jewellery while students from Yr 5/6 will be selling homemade lemonade ($1.50). Usual Zooper Doopers will also be on sale. The money raised will go towards a social justice cause of the students choice. 

All students are asked to bring along some extra coins on this day if they wish to support these initiatives. 

At SMDP we believe all students should be seen, heard, and know that they can have a positive impact upon their own and other community members’ school life.

Have a great weekend.

Dan Ryan

Principal

St Martin de Porres Primary School is committed to creating an environment where the safety, well-being, and participation of all children within our care is paramount. 

2023 - School Closure Days

Listed below are our school closure days for 2023. These are student-free days. Staff use these days to develop their learning further and keep informed with current practices and procedures. 

NOTE: These dates may be subject to change that may be outside of our control.