Assistant Principal Update

I hope families were able to spend some time connecting over the weekend and the Melbourne Cup Holiday. With a long term ahead of us, a mini break at this mid-point hopefully will recharge us for the final 6 weeks ahead. 

This week the Prep/1 students have their Twilight Evening where they will come back to school for some fun activities. Next Thursday is the Year 2 Sleepover, where students have their first ‘School Camp’ experience. APS is very proud of our Camp Program, and how we have continued to be able to implement a whole school approach to supporting these extra-curricular experiences.

Class placement 2026 

As Melissa mentioned a couple of weeks ago, we are well underway with planning for 2026. 

It is the time of the year where we ask parents to email Melissa if they are wanting to make an educationally based request for their child. We use a program called Class Solver, to form the classes. Staff enter data  for each student about their academic progress, social development, anything else of relevance and friendships, which has been gathered from the students. Once the data has been entered the classes are created, the staff then review the classes carefully to ensure that all groups are ‘balanced’ and able to do their best learning. 

If you feel compelled to make an educationally based request then you are able to suggest no more than two students that you know your child should be with or to be separated from. This request must be made to Melissa by email before Friday 14 November. Please note no late emails will be accepted and no requests for specific teachers will be considered. 

Leadership @ APS

Melissa and I have spoken with the current year 5 students today as they prepare to undertake the process to select our 2026 Student Leaders. They are commencing their leadership speeches, which they will deliver in week 8 to their peers. The 2024 Student leaders worked with Melissa and I to develop an updated leadership model which came into effect this year with lots of positive feedback and success. The expanded leadership group has allowed more growth through student voice and agency. Families of students in Year 5 will receive a copy of the APS Student Leadership Information document via a Compass post this week. Below is a summary:

Student leadership includes listening to and being able to clarify the issues of the students they represent and advocating on their behalf. Student leaders have an increased sense of responsibility to help others and to model leadership principles and values. Student leadership is not confined to a small group of individuals, as leadership potential is inherent within all learners. Trust, autonomy and relationships are enhanced through the development of leadership qualities.

At Alphington Primary School we believe that all students can be leaders and encourage a range of leadership opportunities. In broad terms these are represented as three layers of leadership; official positions, senior leadership as a year 5/6 student, and point-in-time leadership opportunities.

Year 6 Official School Leadership Positions

Year 5/6 Senior Student Leadership 

At APS we have an expectation that all Year 6 students will participate in some form of leadership through their involvement in contributing to the school community and beyond. In addition, we offer some specific options for students to begin developing their leadership skills.

• Being a Prep Buddy
• Action Teams
• Leading Assembly
• Canteen 
• Supporting with whole school events
• Managing sports and games equipment

Point-in- time Leadership Opportunities 

These are events, fundraisers and ideas proposed and developed by students throughout the school year. 

Students who aspire to nominate for Official Leadership Positions will often have developed their leadership skills through point-in-time opportunities.

Examples of past ideas include: 

• World’s Greatest Shave
• Biggest Morning Tea
• Down ball competitions
• Charity fundraisers

Curriculum Day – Monday 3 November

Staff undertook professional learning as part of our Curriculum Day working collaboratively in mixed year level teams to review the priorities of our 2025 Annual Improvement Plan (AIP). Using the traffic light system, we evaluated whether the key actions had been completed, developing, or not commenced/removed. Following the review of the 2025 AIP, teachers moved into their Curriculum Implementation Group teams (English, Maths, STEAM, Empowerment, Inclusion) and began to develop their key priorities, strategies and actions for 2026. Melissa and I will work with the school leadership team in a couple of weeks on our Leadership Planning Day to utilise this information in developing our 2026 Annual Implementation Plan.

The final session of the day focussed upon ‘Putting Faces on the Data’ and unpacking the 4-year academic targets set following our school review and the completion of our 2023-2027 School Strategic Plan. The goal of the session was to take each of the long-term targets and start to understand what these mean in terms of the individuals and groups of students over the year. Keeping in mind that the 2027 target for Year 3 students relate to our current 2025 Year 1.

By 2027 increase the percentage of Year 3 students achieving NAPLAN proficiency levels as follows:

• Exceeding in Writing from 16% (2023) to 25%

• Exceeding and Strong in Numeracy from 88% (2023) to 90%

   

By 2027 increase the percentage of Year 5 students achieving NAPLAN proficiency levels as follows:

• Exceeding in Reading from 50% (2023) to 55%
• Exceeding and Strong in Writing from 88% (2023) to 90%
• Exceeding and Strong in Numeracy from 83% (2023) to 87%

Staff analysed our various student data sets and identified an appropriate target for students aligned to the updated NAPLAN bands. (Needs additional support, Developing, Strong, Exceeding) and set a realistic target for those students in years P-5 based upon their current levels of achievement. As a school we can set learning goals for these students in the specific learning areas to target our teaching across the curriculum. This ensures we are appropriately challenging all students at their point of need, with consideration to the overall improvement of our school in relation to the teaching of literacy and numeracy, and the 4-year strategic targets.

Art Show & Writers Festival 

Our Annual Art Show and Writers festival will be held on Wednesday 26 November onsite from 3:45-5:45pm. Student Art will be displayed in the Staff Centre on Level 1 of the Administration Building. Writing will be displayed in classrooms in the Main Building and The Three Level Learning Centre. 

Remembrance Day 

On Tuesday 11 November at 11:00am (prior to recess) all classes will observe a minute’s silence to commemorate Remembrance Day. Staff will plan some time prior to the minute silence to talk with students about the meaning of Remembrance Day. The Year 5 students will be selling remembrance badges and lead us in our minutes’ silence.

Prep Transition

Last week we held our Prep Transition - Parent Information Session and this Friday our 2026 Prep students are onsite again undertaking a mini specialist program, introducing them to Visual Arts, Performing Arts and LOTE. This is a very exciting time for our school as we support students as they begin their schooling journey. The current Year 5 students have joined the transition students and begun their role as Prep Buddies, a highly successful program which we are very proud of and that the students highly value.

Student Wellbeing

The end of the year is often a challenging time for students as they tire and require a little more structure and support to ensure their emotional and wellbeing needs are being catered for. We are very conscious of this, and teachers are continuing to plan multiple different learning activities which are fun and engaging. We recognise that the busyness of school and personal lives impact students in different ways, so teachers are allocating extra time both explicitly planned and incidentally to hold Circle Times with their classes. This ensures that minor incidents and concerns can be dealt with and discussed in a safe and supportive environment.  Please reach out if your child is experiencing difficulties as we head into the final half of Term 4.

Enjoy your week.

Shane Wilkie

Assistant Principal