Assistant Principal Update

As I write this, I have now been at Cheltenham Primary School for nearly eight weeks. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all members of the school community who have made me feel so welcome.

For those I haven’t yet had the chance to meet, a brief introduction: originally from Southern England, I emigrated to Victoria in 2008. My background is in secondary school leadership, with a focus on science and mathematics teaching. Most recently, I worked in a regional role, supporting mentors and graduate teachers in schools across the Casey area.

One of my early (and slightly amusing) observations is the difference in pace here in primary schools — here students run to and from the toilet, while secondary students tend to stroll at a much more leisurely pace!

During my time here so far, I have been working closely with our Professional Learning Community (PLC) Leaders to strengthen the structure and efficiency of their meetings. Another key focus has been building on the great work already underway to enhance Mathematics teaching—particularly in developing students’ fluency, reasoning, understanding, and problem-solving skills.

We’ve also introduced a few changes aimed at improving both communication and student recognition. These include updates to how we use Compass and the introduction of a new system for acknowledging Positive behaviours, aligned with our School Values of Respect, Responsibility, and Kindness.

In terms of infrastructure, we’ve made some safety improvements at the front car park gate. Vehicle access will now be restricted immediately before and after school, while still allowing foot traffic (see picture below). 

I look forward to meeting more of you at the upcoming Trivia Night!

Dan