From the Principal

Dear Families,

Student Leadership Badge Ceremony

On Friday 21st March we will be holding our student leaders badge ceremony. This will take place at our fortnight whole school assembly. All Junior School Councillors from Prep-6 and House captains will be presented with their leadership badges and certificates. We welcome all families and in particular families of student leaders to join us for this special assembly commencing at 2:45pm.

Seaside Fair

On Sunday November 23rd we will see the return of our Seaside Fair. Last held in 2023 coinciding with the school’s 150th anniversary, the fair was a huge success raising valuable funds that contributed to the redevelopment of the junior quad and other school grounds projects. Not only is this event a great fundraiser but it is an extraordinary community event.

This event is only possible due to the amazing support of our parent volunteers, in particular our Friends of Willy parents group.

So if you would like to support this event in any way and want to know more about how you could do this a meeting will be held at The Stags Head Hotel Tuesday 11th March at 7pm. For those looking to join the group for dinner. The FOW team will be meeting at 6pm for dinner prior. We encourage interested families to get a long, as it all goes to supporting our Willy Kids

Public Holiday

Just a reminder that this coming Monday 10th March is a public holiday and the school will be closed.

NAPLAN

As we approach the upcoming NAPLAN testing period, we wanted to take a moment to remind parents and students about this national assessment. Students in Years 3 and 5 will undertake assessment in reading, writing, language conventions (spelling, grammar, and punctuation), and numeracy.

While NAPLAN is a valuable tool for measuring individual student performance and identifying areas for improvement, it's essential to remember that this is just one of many ways we assess students' abilities and progress. At Williamstown Primary, we emphasise a holistic approach to learning, and NAPLAN results are just a snapshot of our students' development.

We encourage families to continue fostering a positive and stress-free environment leading up to the tests, and to remind students that their best effort is what truly matters. Results from NAPLAN will be available later in the year, and we will provide information on how to interpret these results and use them to inform ongoing learning.

IMPORTANT REMINDERS

School arrival times. 

In recent weeks we have seen an increase in students arriving at school well before the designated supervision time. Official yard supervision commences at 8:45am, and we are asking families to refrain from allowing children on-site before 8:30am. During this time staff are occupied setting up for the day or in early meetings. This in-turn means there is minimal supervision in the yard at this time. Your support on this matter is much appreciated. 

Building independence

With the dust now settled for the start of a new school year, routines have now been established and students are doing a great job at preparing for the day. To further help support the building of student independence can we ask for morning farewells to occur outside of buildings and hallways. Building student independence in getting ready to learn starts with them independently hanging up bags, pulling out their drink bottles and entering the classroom. Providing students the time and space will also decrease congestion and busyness in our hallways.

External Tutoring 

In recent years, the topic of external tutoring has gained significant attention. We understand that parents and carers want the best for their children and are seeking additional support to help them thrive, something we wholeheartedly appreciate.

However, when families consider engaging with external tutors, a common question often arises: What is the best time during the school day for students to be withdrawn to attend tutoring programs? At Williamstown Primary, we deeply value every hour and every session of class time, a sentiment reflected in our 2025 Annual Implementation Plan under the theme of ENGAGE – “Every Minute Counts.”

When students are withdrawn from school for tutoring, they risk missing out on valuable instructional time. The fluid nature of our timetabling means that curriculum lessons may shift week to week. As a result, one week a student might miss a writing lesson, and the next, a maths lesson. We recognise that some students must attend appointments with allied health professionals, and we fully support their access to these essential services.

That said, catching up on missed lessons can be challenging. 

We kindly ask for the support of parents and carers in minimising these disruptions to ensure our students don’t miss critical learning opportunities.

Warm regards,

Mat