Principal Report

Each year, students across Victorian Government schools participate in the Student Attitude to School Survey. This important survey provides students with an opportunity to share their thoughts and experiences about school life, helping us better understand what we are doing well and where we can continue to improve. The survey explores a wide range of areas, including teacher effectiveness, classroom learning, school connectedness, student wellbeing, resilience and peer relationships. Most importantly, it gives our students a genuine voice in shaping the future direction of our school.

At Berwick Chase Primary School, we value this feedback enormously. While survey results are only one measure of school performance, they provide valuable insights that, when combined with staff observations, parent feedback and student learning data, help us make informed decisions about our future priorities.

There are many areas in this year's results that we are justifiably proud of. Our students continue to recognise the outstanding work of our teaching staff, with 91% of students agreeing that "My teacher helps me do my best." An outstanding 95% of students agreed that "My teacher expects students to pay attention," while 91% agreed that "My teacher sets fair rules in the classroom." These results reflect the strong relationships our teachers build with students, the high expectations we hold for learning, and our commitment to providing safe, structured and engaging classrooms where every child has the opportunity to succeed.

As with any large organisation, however, the survey also highlights areas where further investigation and proactive action are required. One area that warrants particular attention is how students perceive the way they treat one another. Just 52% of students agreed that "Students at this school treat each other with respect," while 64% agreed that "Students at this school treat teachers with respect." These results reinforce the importance of continuing to strengthen our school culture through explicit teaching of respectful relationships, positive behaviour expectations and restorative practices.

The survey also indicates that student perseverance and resilience remain areas 

requiring continued focus. Encouragingly, this is not unique to Berwick Chase, with schools across Victoria continuing to report lower levels in these areas following the significant disruptions experienced during the COVID years. Building resilience, developing a growth mindset and fostering persistence when faced with challenges will continue to be key priorities as we support every child to thrive both academically and personally.

I would like to sincerely thank our students for thoughtfully completing the survey and our families for the ongoing partnership you provide. Together, we have much to celebrate, while also embracing the opportunities to grow even stronger. By continuing to work collaboratively, supporting one another and maintaining high expectations for learning, behaviour and wellbeing, I am confident we will continue to build an even stronger Chaser Community—one where every student feels valued, respected, challenged and inspired to achieve their very best.

Warm regards,

Chris Short

Principal