From the Principal
Karen Roberts
Week 4 is already upon us - how quickly this short term will fly! I hope this newsletter finds you well and filled with pride for our amazing school community.
As Principal, the past two weeks have demonstrated what an amazing community we truly are!
Friday 1st August, we had the pleasure of celebrating Principals' Day, a great occasion that coincided wonderfully with our Prep 100 Days of School celebration. Visiting our Prep classrooms was a fabulous experience. We were genuinely amazed by the creativity and effort on display — from our teachers, our enthusiastic students, and the wonderful support of our parent community.
The children delighted in showcasing their transformation into 100-year-olds, and what a sight it was! We were greeted by a parade of stooped postures, walking sticks, spectacles, grey hair, suspenders, pearls, and even emergency alert bracelets reading, “If found, please return me to the Nursing Home at CPS!”
It was a pleasure to speak with the students and witness their excitement and pride. Moments like these are a reminder of the powerful learning that happens when imagination, community, and a sense of fun come together. Thank you to everyone who helped bring the celebration to life — it was a day to remember!
In reference to Principals' day, Amanda and I were overwhelmed by the ‘sparkling' acknowledgment we received from our staff and students. It was a day filled with appreciation, highlighting everyone's commitment to nurturing our school vibe and fostering connection. We would like to extend a special thank you to Liz Harley, whose thoughtful initiative made this celebration possible. Liz's efforts truly showcased the spirit of community that defines our school.
Friday 8th August, we welcomed parents and carers to showcase and celebrate literacy at CPS. This event was a wonderful opportunity to immerse yourselves in our learning environment. The morning commenced with a short briefing by Gen Murtagh, one of our school’s literacy specialists, followed by classroom demonstrations / involvement in Fluency Pairs, a key component of our reading instruction.
Thank you for being part of the Carnegie Primary School team. Together, we continue to celebrate milestones and create memorable experiences for our students.
NAPLAN RESULTS
Exciting Growth in Year 3 to Year 5 NAPLAN Results
In a nutshell, “Our Learners Are Soaring!”
We’re thrilled to share some fantastic news about our students’ learning growth from Year 3 (2023) to Year 5 (2025)! Our latest NAPLAN data shows impressive improvement across all learning areas – a true testament to the hard work of our students and staff.
- Writing saw a standout leap, with the number of students in the Exceeding category jumping from 23% to 41%!
- In Grammar & Punctuation, our top performers increased by 12 percentage points, and fewer students now require additional support.
- Reading remains a strength, with more than 89% of students achieving at or above expected growth.
- Spelling and Numeracy continue to show steady, reliable improvement, with more students reaching the Strong and Exceeding levels.
Importantly, the percentage of students needing additional support has decreased in most areas, a reflection of our targeted teaching and intervention strategies.
These gains highlight the strength of our teaching programs, our shared learning routines, and most importantly, the positive learning culture we're built together. Congratulations to our students for their incredible effort and to our staff for their commitment to excellence!
BULLYING NO WAY
CPS does not tolerate bullying. We have Bullying Prevention and Engagement and Wellbeing policies which are aimed at preventing and responding to bullying.
Links to policies on website here:
Bullying No Way!
CPS are participating in National Week of Action: Bullying No Way! this week. An important first step in protecting students from bullying is having a shared understanding of what bullying is.
The national definition for bullying in Australian schools is:
Bullying is an ongoing and deliberate misuse of power in relationships through repeated verbal, physical and/or social behaviour that intends to cause physical, social and/or psychological harm.
It can involve an individual or a group misusing their power, or perceived power, over one or more persons who feel unable to stop it from happening. Bullying can happen in person or online, via various digital platforms and devices and it can be obvious (overt) or hidden (covert).
Bullying behaviour is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time (for example, through sharing of digital records). Bullying of any form or for any reason can have immediate, medium and long-term effects on those involved, including bystanders. Single incidents and conflict or fights between equals, whether in person or online, are not defined as bullying.
A shared and accurate language for defining and discussing bullying is important.
Sometimes, things that are called 'bullying' are not really bullying at all. If there is no power imbalance, we don't call it bullying, we call it 'conflict'.
3 main features of bullying:
- Misuse of power in a relationship
- Ongoing and repeated
- Contains behaviours that can cause harm
If you are concerned that your child, or another child in our school is being bullied, please contact your child's class teacher as soon as you can, or contact Liz Harley (Leading Teacher for Wellbeing & Disability Inclusion)
Here is a 4-part series to support families to discuss bullying with their children:
What is bullying? - national definition of bullying (2 minutes 29 seconds)
What is bullying? - misuse of power in relationships (2 minutes 15 seconds)
What is bullying? - ongoing and repeated (2 minutes 15 seconds)
What is bullying? - behaviours that can cause harm (3 minutes 21 seconds)
SCHOOL POLICY
As a component of the School Review 2025, Minimum Standards for School Registration, the school’s policy subcommittee has been busy reviewing existing policies.
The following policies have been reviewed and are available via our school website:
With thanks,
Karen Roberts
Principal
I wish to acknowledge the traditional owners of
the lands on which this is being read and pay my respects to elders past present and emerging. I wish to acknowledge our First Nations people and pay respects to them. I note further that these lands were never ceded and are, and always will be, Aboriginal Lands.
Respect, Resilience,
Curiosity, Integrity