Dear Burwood East PS Community,

Our Sister School Tour to China is going extremely well, with our students and staff currently enjoying their time at our sister school and immersing themselves in the Chinese education system and culture.

Our school has developed an extremely strong and valued relationship with the Jiangsu-Victoria Centre for International Exchange, the agency coordinating this program. This partnership has provided BEPS students and staff with a wonderful opportunity to experience China beyond the classroom, including significant historical and cultural sites, while developing a deeper understanding of the people, culture and education system.

A particularly important part of the visit has been our time at our sister school Zhongshan Road Primary School, where our students have had the opportunity to experience school life, interact with students and gain valuable insight into teaching and learning in a different educational context.

The group will travel to Shanghai on Thursday, before returning to Melbourne on Sunday 20th September.

We are incredibly proud of the way our students have represented Burwood East Primary School throughout the tour. Opportunities such as this provide experiences, memories and learning that extend well beyond the classroom and highlight the value of our international sister-school partnerships.

We look forward to welcoming our students and staff home and hearing more about their experiences when they return.

Last week, our Year 5 students headed off to Golden Valley Adventure Resort for three days of adventure, exploration and learning outside the classroom.

Students participated in a range of adventure activities, team-building challenges and personal development programs. Most importantly, they had a fantastic time enjoying the experience, sharing meals, spending time with friends and enjoying a welcome change of pace from the typical classroom program.

Camps are such a valuable part of our school program, providing students with opportunities to build confidence, develop independence, strengthen friendships and challenge themselves in new ways.

A huge thank you to our dedicated staff for the time, energy and care they put into making these experiences possible for our students. We would also like to thank our families for supporting the camping program and helping make these wonderful opportunities possible.

It was wonderful to see so many Year 1 parents and families at school last Thursday to celebrate our students and their ‘I Am an Engineer’ learning.

Having students share their work and explain their learning to their families is an important part of developing confidence, communication and the ability to articulate their thinking. These opportunities encourage students to take pride in their learning and reflect on the knowledge and skills they have developed throughout the term.

Being able to confidently explain what they have learned, how they approached a task and why they made particular choices is an essential skill that students will continue to develop throughout their schooling and into the future.

Thank you to our Year 1 teachers for creating such a meaningful learning experience and to our families for taking the time to come along and celebrate the students' achievements. It was fantastic to see our young learners so proud of their work!

Congratulations to George in Year 6K, who has achieved outstanding results in two Year 7 academic competitions. George was awarded a High Distinction in the Year 7 Australian Geography Competition and a Distinction in the Year 7 Big Science Competition. What an impressive achievement!

We would also like to congratulate Rainer in Year 6I, who has been achieving wonderful results in chess tournaments at Haileybury and Caulfield Grammar. Rainer has consistently placed among the top-performing students, demonstrating excellent strategic thinking, concentration and perseverance.

We are incredibly proud of both students and the way they continue to challenge themselves, pursue their interests and strive for excellence.

Parent Requests for 2027

Each year I am contacted by some families regarding their child’s class for the next year. Families request a variety of things; I have listed below what we accept as requests. I trust the following information helps you understand how we design classes, the processes and thinking that goes into making each cohort; it is complex and takes a lot of time.

Can parents choose teachers?

• The short answer is ‘no’.

What can parents request?

• That their child might be with (or not with) another student based on education needs, or if there may have been a past incident or negative history with another student. Parents may request something like, having your child separated from a good friend to help them focus or have the opportunity to make new friends.

Who do I send my request to?

Email to Darren: darren.mcdonald@education.vic.gov.au

No later than 5pm Friday October 9th, 2026

Student Friend Requests

Although we seek to have students with at least one ‘friend’ request, we can’t promise this. We have found that mixing classes up and providing the opportunity for new friends, is a great way to broaden friendships and build resilience.

How do we make classes for 2027?

We start by asking students to identify ‘friends’ they might like to have in their class for the next year. When we say ‘friend’, we mean someone who they would work well with, not always their best friend. Students have ample time and opportunity to be with their best friend, outside of school and classroom hours.

Importantly, we don’t guarantee all ‘friend’ requests, usually students will get one or two of their ‘friend’ requests. Sometimes not getting requests upsets students and their families. Invariably however, we find that students meet new friends (in their year level) that they wouldn’t have met if we hadn’t encouraged mixing students, across their years at school. So, this is a deliberate strategy that supports students building their friendship groups across the years.

Who makes the class?

Classroom teaching staff and specialist teachers all contribute to making a class. The Principal Class Team will review all classes before they are published.

What factors do we consider when we make a class?

When we make a class, we consider things like academic capabilities / friendships / students’ behaviour. We also ensure that grades have an even spread of gender– we do not stream grades.

I trust this explains how we do this process; this is consistent with most schools.

Planning for 2027 – Are you leaving BEPS?

We ask that you let us know if you are moving or have enrolled to another school in 2027. We require this information as soon as possible to establish grade structures for the start of the new school year. If your child is currently in Foundation-5 and will not be at BEPS in 2027, please notify the school office in writing/email as soon as possible.

Thank you once again for another fantastic term. I hope you and your families enjoy a safe and restful break. I look forward to seeing everyone refreshed and ready for an exciting Term 4!

Yours in Partnership,

Darren

Specialist Fair