From the Leadership Team

Welcome James Heyne 

Last Friday, James Heyne visited the school and was introduced to St Paul children at Assembly. James begins as Interim Principal at the beginning of Term 3, however he has been visiting regularly to get to know staff members and learn more about the school. Please be encouraged to say hello to James if you see him around the school! 

Social Media Restrictions for Under 16s – An Important Reminder 

In recent weeks, we have become increasingly aware of challenges associated with students communicating via social media platforms such as TikTok and others. Of particular concern is the growing pattern of messaging late at night and in the early hours of the morning. These behaviours are impacting students’ sleep, wellbeing, and their capacity to learn and engage positively at school. 

It is important for families to be aware that Australia now has clear legal restrictions regarding social media use for children under the age of 16. 

From 10 December 2025, the Australian Government introduced world-leading regulations requiring major social media platforms to prevent children under 16 from creating or maintaining accounts. This applies to platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, YouTube, and others that enable social interaction, posting, and messaging. 

While this is sometimes described as a “ban,” it is more accurately a legal restriction that delays access to social media accounts until age 16.   

Legal implications for this:  

• Children under 16 are not permitted to hold accounts on these platforms 
• Parents cannot consent to bypass this requirement 
• The responsibility sits legally with the platforms, but the expectation is that families will actively support these boundaries 

These laws are in place because of growing evidence that social media platforms expose young people to harmful content, addictive design features, and unsafe interactions at a vulnerable stage of development. 

Why This Matters for Your Child 

Despite these restrictions, we are seeing increasing instances of students accessing social media accounts, often unsupervised, and using them late into the night. This raises several concerns: 

• Sleep deprivation due to overnight messaging and notifications 
• Increased exposure to conflict or inappropriate interactions 
• Reduced focus, resilience, and emotional regulation at school 

Devices in bedrooms overnight significantly increase the likelihood of these issues. Without boundaries, children can feel pressure to respond to messages immediately, even during the night. 

Given the legal framework and the wellbeing concerns we are observing, we ask all families to take a firm and active approach to managing device use at home. 

We strongly recommend: 

• No social media accounts for children under 16, in line with Australian law 
• Devices not be kept in bedrooms overnight 
• A clearly enforced “device curfew” each evening 
• Charging phones and tablets in shared family spaces 
• Regular, open conversations about online behaviour and respectful communication 

These are not simply preferences—they are protective measures that align with national safety expectations for young people. 

As a school, we are seeing firsthand the impact when these boundaries are not in place. We ask for your partnership in ensuring that home practices reflect both the spirit and the expectation of these laws. 

As a Lutheran learning community, we are called to live wisely and care for one another well. Encouraging healthy limits, prioritising rest, and guiding children toward respectful communication, both online and offline, are part of this responsibility. 

Thank you for your ongoing support as we nurture students who are not only learners, but thoughtful, responsible, and well-supported young people. 

Toys, Fidgets and Other Personal Items at School

We kindly remind you that children should not bring toys, fidgets or other personal items such as Pokémon cards or other trading cards or collectables from home to school.

While we understand that these items can be special or comforting, they can also become a distraction in the classroom, may be misplaced or damaged and can sometimes lead to disagreements between children. Our focus is on creating a learning environment where all children can concentrate and engage fully in their activities.

If your child has a specific need for a sensory or support item, please chat with your child’s teacher. We have a large range of these in school and so will be able to provide for those children as and when they need them.

Thank you for your understanding and support.