Principal Address

Dear Parents,

I pray you had a blessed week.

It was wonderful to hear Mrs Davila’s message about respect at Chapel. She reminded us that everyone is created by God and therefore everyone is worthy of our respect. Thank you also to the tribe of faithful parents who came and prayed for our students, staff and families this morning after Chapel.

Zone swimming

Good luck to our Zone swimmers representing the school at the Zone Swimming Carnival on Wednesday. All the best and we are very proud of you!

Heat Policy: I had a few parents ask about our policy and procedures with the hot weather this week:

A reminder that all classrooms are fully airconditioned and also have fans for further ventilation. Including our temporary classrooms.
Students are given increased water breaks on hot days.
In the holidays, a huge fan was built in our gym, which makes it reasonably cool for our OOSH and for sports lessons.
If the weather is over 35*C outside, lunch will be modified with students indoors.
If the weather is over 33* degrees, there will be some modifications made, i.e increased play in shaded areas, moving students to the gym and library, etc.
School will never be cancelled due to heat, unless there is a loss of power or water.

Every Child Growing in 2026

One of our focuses this year as a staff has been making sure that every child in every classroom is both supported and challenged academically, this is a vital part of our vision as a school and our school value of excellence.

I think our school has always been very strong at nurturing the heart and mind, we’ve been talking more as a staff this year at making sure every child, every day is extended.

At the beginning of each year, students complete a series of assessments and screeners in both Literacy and Numeracy. These assessments are repeated throughout the year and at the end of the year, following the same structure and targeting the same key skills and outcomes. Each testing cycle increases in complexity to reflect the new learning students have undertaken throughout the year. These screeners provide teachers and the leadership team with a clear and timely understanding of where each student is performing academically, allowing for the early identification of both support and extension needs.

In addition to these testing points, ongoing assessments such as progress monitoring and formal classroom assessments take place throughout the year to further support and track student learning and growth. Children do not all learn the same way, at the same speed, or with the same confidence. Some need extra scaffolding to build understanding. Others are ready to move faster or dig deeper. Our responsibility is to recognise that and respond wisely.

So what does that look like in practice?

It begins with strong curriculum knowledge. Our teachers have spent significant time this year engaging deeply with the new NSW syllabuses, ensuring they understand not only what needs to be taught, but how learning develops over time. That clarity allows them to adjust lessons thoughtfully and intentionally. It also means an ongoing commitment to professional growth. Teachers are constantly learning themselves, participating in professional development, refining their practice, and strengthening the quality of instruction in their classrooms.

Students are provided with differentiated learning materials and opportunities. Often that looks like students working in small groups where work is targeted at their current level for a particular subject.

Perhaps most importantly, our teachers are not working in isolation. Classrooms are open. Colleagues observe one another. Ideas are shared. Strategies are discussed. This culture of collaboration allows good practice to spread quickly and consistently across the school through our staff.

All of this matters because we want every student to experience success, not just academically, but in confidence, resilience and love of learning.

New Purchase

Our school has recently purchased a new golf cart! This was to ensure students who may have mobility issues have a way to move around the school safely down to the current 3/4 classrooms with me driving them. It will also be used if there is heavy rain and students need to use the bathroom. I have had so many requests for rides from the students. Including a letter from one of our Year 5’s outlining the reasons it would be an amazing thing for kids to experience. As such, On each student’s birthday, I’m going to be giving each child (and a friend of their choice) a ride! Jude and Enokh in Year 2 got to be the inaugural riders, one of them telling me it was the best thing ever! Please note It is fully equipped with seatbelts and we won’t be going very fast!

My Movements:

I am attending the Christian Schools Australia (NSW) Principals conference next Wednesday-Friday. The school will be very well looked after by Mrs Davila and the rest of the team in my absence.

My door is always open.

Mr Joe Britton