Assistant Principal Report

Year 5 Camp – Cottage by the Sea

Last week I had the pleasure of joining our Year 5 students on their 3‑day camp to Cottage by the Sea in Queenscliff.

This camp is always a fantastic opportunity for students to experience a seaside environment in a safe and supportive setting. Through a range of fun outdoor activities and shared experiences, students build confidence, independence and strong friendships. There is also a strong focus on wellbeing and inclusion, with students encouraged to step outside their usual routine and try new things. It’s always a really positive experience, and students return to school more confident, connected and ready to learn.

We were very lucky with the weather. On the way down we experienced a mix of fog and sunshine as we travelled through Geelong, but once we arrived, we were treated to clear skies and light winds across the three days.

One of the highlights was definitely the boogie boarding at the beach. For many students, it was their first time wearing a wetsuit and getting into the ocean. While the water was certainly cold, every student had a go and showed great enthusiasm — it was fantastic to see.

We also enjoyed some beautiful walks along the beach and had the chance to explore parts of Queenscliff and nearby Point Lonsdale.

I’d like to commend our students on their outstanding behaviour and positive attitude throughout the camp. We received some lovely feedback from camp staff and members of the local community who commented on how respectful and engaged our students were.

A big thank you as well to our staff — Mrs McFarlane, Ms Komp, Mrs Dawson, and pre‑service teacher Ms Pisera — for giving their time and making the camp such a positive experience for our students.

Education Week at Deer Park West Primary School

This week we are celebrating Education Week, with a focus on the theme “Showcase your School.” It’s a great opportunity for us to recognise and celebrate the learning, growth and positive culture that exists across our school community.

Throughout the week, classes have been exploring what makes our school such a special place — from the learning happening in classrooms, to the relationships we build, and the opportunities students have to grow and succeed.

As part of this, we look forward to continuing our open afternoon and Celebration of Learning in Week 9, where families are invited into classrooms to see learning in action and celebrate the work of our students. This has become an important part of how we share learning with our community, and we always enjoy welcoming families into the school.

You’ll also see some student reflections and contributions throughout the rest of this newsletter, where students share what they value most about our school.

Education Week is a great reminder of the work we do every day, and the strong partnerships we have between students, staff and families that make our school such a positive place to learn.

Foundation 2027 Enrolments 

We are very pleased to share that Foundation 2027 enrolments have been open since the start of the term, and we are now welcoming families to begin the enrolment process. Enrolment packs are available from our school office and include everything needed to get started. Enrolments forms can also be found on our website. 

Our school continues to be a place where children feel safe, seen and supported—and where high‑quality learning really thrives. We are incredibly proud of our strong academic results, which reflect not only the hard work of our students but also the expertise and commitment of our staff. Our focus on high expectations, targeted teaching and building confident, capable learners means our students make excellent progress year after year.

If you are new to our school community, we warmly welcome you to join us for a school tour. Visiting the school is the best way to see:

• Our engaging learning spaces and calm, purposeful classrooms
• How our teachers support academic growth through explicit instruction and rich learning tasks
• Our strong wellbeing focus and inclusive school culture
• The outdoor play and learning environments that our students love

Most importantly, a tour gives you a feel for the sense of connection and pride our students have in their school. Tour dates can be found in the Calendar tab of the newsletter. 

We look forward to welcoming you, showing you around and sharing what makes our school such a supportive, high‑achieving and nurturing place for children.

Warm regards,

Joshua Fielding

Assistant Principal