Welcome to Term 3

Welcome back to Term 3. I hope everyone enjoyed a relaxing break and is feeling refreshed for another exciting term of learning.

Student Achievement Snapshot – Literacy and Numeracy

Our Year 3 and Year 5 students have achieved very strong results across literacy and numeracy, reflecting the consistent effort of students and staff throughout the year.

In Year 3, over 88% of students achieved Strong or Exceeding in Reading, 96% in Writing, 84% in Spelling, and almost 87% in Numeracy. More than three-quarters of students also achieved Strong or Exceeding in Grammar and Punctuation.

Similarly, our Year 5 students demonstrated excellent achievement, with over 88% achieving Strong or Exceeding in Reading, 89% in Writing, 87% in Spelling, and an outstanding 91% in Numeracy. Nearly 79% also achieved Strong or Exceeding in Grammar and Punctuation.

These results are a testament to the hard work of our students, the expertise of our teachers, and the strong partnership we share with families in supporting every child's learning and growth.

As a school community, Term 3 provides an opportunity to reflect on the progress we’ve made during the first semester and set new goals for continued growth and improvement. We look forward to supporting every student as they strive to achieve their personal best.

Congratulations Ms Murtagh

We’re really excited to congratulate Gen Murtagh (CPS Learning Specialist) for completing the Graduate certificate in Education (Learning Difficulties) through the University of Melbourne as part of the Inclusive Education Scholarships Initiative. This is a significant achievement, and we recognise her commitment to strengthening inclusive education practices.

We know that Gen’s participation in the program has strengthened her capability to respond to the needs of students with learning difficulties. She is already implementing her learnings at Carnegie Primary School and collaborating with colleagues to create a more inclusive learning environment for our students.

Congratulations Mrs Lawerson

We’re thrilled to congratulate Kate Lawerson (CPS Learning Specialist) for being selected to coach with the Coaching Mastery team. Kate will remain at CPS in her current roles and contribute in a casual capacity to support other teachers with their implementation of the Classroom Mastery routines across Melbourne.

We are fortunate to have such amazing talent at Carnegie. Well done Gen and Kate.

Concert

One of the highlights of this term will be our Whole School Production. Every year level will learn and perform a dance as part of this exciting event. Our staff will be working enthusiastically alongside our Performing Arts teacher, Mrs Seaton, and the STOMP Performance Group to bring the production to life. We know this will be a wonderful opportunity for students to build confidence, teamwork and performance skills, and we can’t wait to share the finished production with our community.

Staffing

We are delighted to welcome back Mr Brett Nathan, who has joined our Grade 3 team while Ms Kelly undertakes a teaching experience in Sanur, Bali. We know Mr Nathan will be a wonderful addition to the team, and we wish Ms Kelly every success during this exciting professional opportunity.

In a few weeks, we will also welcome Mr Sam Roberts, who is well known to our school community as a regular CRT teacher and talented performer. Sam will be replacing Mr Angus McCracken for the remainder of Term 3 while Angus travels overseas. We look forward to drawing on Sam’s theatrical expertise as our Year 6 students begin preparing for their annual year level production. I know Mr Lello, Mrs Cogan and Mrs Travis are excited to work alongside him to bring this year’s performance to life.

Congratulations to Mr Beau Landes, who has been successful in gaining a replacement teaching position for the remainder of the year. We thank Beau for his valuable contribution to our school, as an Education Support Officer, as a classroom teacher and both the Performing Arts and Science teacher. We wish him every success as he continues to implement explicit teaching practices at Valkstone Primary School. We welcome back Mrs Emma Whitby, who is well known to our community, having taught in both the senior and junior school. She will take on the Science role for the remainder of the year.

School Disco

I would like to sincerely thank Monica Espinosa and her dedicated team for coordinating and organising the School Disco held on Saturday, 18 July. By all accounts, the event was a tremendous success, with students thoroughly enjoying an evening of fun, music and dancing. This year's vibrant Neon theme created a colourful atmosphere and was a hit with the children. Monica and the team continue to refine and improve the event each year, thoughtfully incorporating feedback from our school community to enhance the experience for everyone. Their commitment, enthusiasm and hours of planning are greatly appreciated. Thank you for making this much-loved annual event such a memorable occasion for our students and families.

Building Pride in our School Community

Did you know that Carnegie Primary School has a Community Engagement Subcommittee, led by Amanda Miller and Josh Acklom? Everyone is welcome to join.

The committee has two key areas of focus: building school pride and raising our school's profile through digital engagement.

As part of our school pride initiative, we'd like to thank the Grade 1 team for their outstanding efforts at our first Working Bee for 2026. Led by Brennan Carroll, the team spread mulch, cleaned the Truganini fence line, refreshed the garden beds around the Arts area and cleaned outdoor seating. Their hard work has made a noticeable difference, and our school grounds are looking well cared for. Thank you to the following families for their efforts and setting a gold class standard for future working bees:

1. Carroll-Espinosa Family (Matilda and Patrick Y5, Brennan and Monica)
2. Papalas family (George and Thomas plus Olivia-Kindy)
3. Day family (Andrew, Phoebe and Hamish-Prep)
4. Wood family (Evie, Sam and Esther)
5. NIkolic family (Naomi, Milan and Sascha)
6. Harrap family (Penelope and Danae)

You may also have noticed our growing digital presence, particularly on Instagram. Josh Acklom has been developing new skills to showcase the many wonderful learning opportunities and events at CPS. If you haven't already, be sure to follow Carnegie Primary School on Instagram to keep up with all that's happening in our school community.

Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD)

Every year, all Australian schools participate in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD).

The NCCD helps schools identify and record the adjustments and supports already provided to students with disability so they can access education on the same basis as their peers. These adjustments are made in line with the Disability Discrimination Act 1992, the Disability Standards for Education 2005, and the NCCD Guidelines.

Information provided to the Australian Government for the NCCD includes:

the student's year level
the student's broad category of disability (physical, cognitive, sensory, or social/emotional)
the level of educational adjustment provided (quality differentiated teaching practice, supplementary, substantial, or extensive).

The information collected helps schools to:

recognise and document the adjustments provided to students with disability
review and improve the support provided to students
strengthen inclusive teaching practices and improve educational outcomes.

The NCCD also provides state and federal governments with information to help plan and fund support for students with disability across Australia.

The NCCD does not involve any testing of students and has no direct impact on your child. Information submitted to the Australian Government is de-identified, meaning individual students cannot be identified. All information is protected under Australian privacy laws governing the collection, storage and use of personal information.

For more information, parents and carers can access:

NCCD Parent and Carer Factsheet (English): NCCD Parent and Carer Factsheet (English)
Parent and Carer Factsheets in other languages: Translated NCCD Parent Factsheets
NCCD website: Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD)
Australian Government Privacy Policy: Privacy Policy

If you have any questions about the NCCD or the adjustments your child receives, please contact the school.

Karen Roberts

Principal

Respect, Resilience, Curiosity, Integrity

Team Kids News