Dear parents and carers,

Big Play Out

The fair has become a major highlight on the yearly calendar for our school community. Once again, this was evident at our recent Big Play Out. Despite the extreme heat, what an amazing day we had for this much anticipated event. There was great entertainment, an exciting food and drinks precinct, awesome stalls, and fun amusements for the children. While raising funds for different school projects is an important aspect of our fair, what should not be overlooked is how our fair fosters a sense of community spirit. The success of our fair is very much determined by the capacity of individuals within our community to rally to support each other to put on this event. It reminds us that we are all part of the fantastic tapestry of Clifton Hill PS. Thanks to parent Tony Owczarek for these wonderful photos.

This year alone, there were 11 committee members, 22 stall coordinators and 442 volunteer shifts that were filled across the different stalls and amusements. We are lucky to have such an active and engaged parent community and these numbers serve as a testament to the incredible power of our community engagement.

A well-executed event doesn’t happen by accident. It needs someone driving the ship. For the last three year those drivers have been Victoria Keogh and Claire Sandow. Their energy and passion for Clifton Hill PS has brought our fair back to life after the COVID years. Unfortunately, they have now decided to step down from their leadership roles as fair coordinators. We cannot thank them enough for their time, energy and efforts. We are grateful for the Big Pay Out legacy they have created.

It is now time for new drivers. Please reach out to Megan if you would like to take on the challenge.

School Saving Bonus

The Victorian Government is delivering the School Saving Bonus – a one-off $400 support for government school students from Prep to Year 12 in 2025.

You should have received an email from the Department of Education with your unique $400 School Saving Bonus code.

The School Saving Bonus will help families cover the cost of uniforms, textbooks, excursions, activities and more.

If you have multiple children enrolled in Victorian government schools for 2025, you will receive one School Saving Bonus code email per child. These emails might arrive on different days. Please make sure to check your spam/junk email folder.

Parents and carers can use the School Saving Bonus code in store at school-nominated suppliers. Parents and carers can also choose to access the School Saving Bonus online system, where they can allocate part or all the $400 bonus to use at school nominated-online suppliers or for school activities. To learn more about the School Saving Bonus, visit School Saving Bonus | vic.gov.au (www.vic.gov.au) where a step-by-step user guide is available. 

If you have not received your School Saving Bonus code via email, please contact the Department of Education by emailing school.saving.bonus@education.vic.gov.au

Education Transitions

The transition to a new learning environment usually brings changes to a child’s relationships, physical and social environments, and daily routines. While this brings exciting opportunities, some children, and their families, can find these changes stressful.

As the end of a school nears, our attention turns to student transition. At CHPS, transition has three key components, Kindergarten to Foundation, Step Up and Year 6 to Year 7. A positive start to any new year can make a big difference to a student’s school engagement, learning and wellbeing.

Starting primary school is a major milestone in a child’s life and strong family-school partnerships help make a smoother transition. Ensuring children make a safe and happy transition from their early years’ education to the primary school environment, we had our 2025 Foundation students participating in three orientation sessions last month. These sessions allowed the incoming students to spend time with their 2025 classroom teacher, participate in learning activities and become familiar with their 2025 classroom environment. During these sessions, parents and carers attended information sessions with the focus being on how to best support their child to transition into primary school. They also had the opportunity to engage with other future parents.

On Monday 16th December we will hold our annual ‘Step Up Day’. This is an opportunity for students in Foundation to Year 5 to meet their 2025 teacher and classmates in a relaxed environment. Students will spend a session in their new classroom and begin establishing relationships to help with a smooth transition for the new year.

Finally, it is an exciting time for or Year 6 students as they begin their transition into Year 7. After seven years at primary school, the move to a new environment can be a little daunting too. Our Year 6 staff work closely with our local secondary schools to make the transition process a smooth one. As part of the transition from Year 6 to Year 7, students in government secondary schools participate in an orientation day on Tuesday 10th December. Students attending private secondary schools also participate in similar days. These days may include a school tour, meeting fellow students and teachers, and taking part in special lessons and activities.

A key part of the transitioning for our Year 6 students is celebrating their graduation at of the end of the year. It is an event they are looking forward to and are busy preparing for.

Just a reminder that school finishes on Thursday 19th December at 2:30pm.

On behalf of CHPS, I wish you a safe and happy break.

Gareth Buck

(Assistant Principal)

Clifton Hill Primary School acknowledges the Wurundjeri people as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we come together to learn, and we pay our respects to Elders of the Kulin Nation past and present.

Big Play Out Fun!