Principal's

Message

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STUDENT LEARNING GROWTH

We have recently been advised that South Melbourne Park Primary School students who transitioned to government secondary schools in 2026 demonstrated the highest NAPLAN growth in Reading across our network, while also achieving an impressive 7th place for Numeracy growth.

We are incredibly proud of these outstanding results. They are a testament to the expertise and commitment of our staff and the hard work and dedication of our students. Together, we strive to foster a culture of high expectations, evidence-based teaching and continuous improvement, ensuring that every student is supported to achieve their personal best.

These results reinforce the positive impact of the work taking place across our school and provide confidence that our students are well prepared for success as they transition into secondary education.

2027 CLASS STRUCTURES AND INTENTIONS – ARE YOU LEAVING?

Our projected enrolment numbers for 2027 are currently tracking well and indicate the possibility of having two classes at each year level. We will continue to monitor enrolments closely over the coming months.

If your child will be leaving South Melbourne Park at the end of this year, we would greatly appreciate being notified as soon as possible via email at south.melbourne.park.ps@education.vic.gov.au. Having an accurate understanding of student numbers is essential in helping us plan staffing, class structures and resources for 2027.

CLASS PLACEMENTS FOR 2027

We are currently in the early stages of planning classes for next year. As always, class groups will be developed thoughtfully and with great care.

Next week, students will be invited to nominate five students they work well with, including some students from outside their current class. These names will not be ranked. While we cannot guarantee all requests can be accommodated, we will endeavour to ensure that every student is placed in a class with at least one student from their preference list. You may wish to discuss some possible options with your child at home in preparation.

When creating classes, staff carefully consider a range of factors to ensure balanced and successful learning environments for all students. Parents and carers who believe there are extenuating circumstances that should be considered as part of the class placement process are invited to email the school with the subject line 'Classes for 2027' by Friday 6th November.

If you have submitted a request in previous years and the circumstances remain relevant, we ask that you provide updated correspondence each year.

Please note that, based on current enrolment projections, we are planning for two classes at each year level in 2027. This structure significantly limits our ability to separate particular students. We are unable to consider requests for students to be placed with specific peers, allocated particular teachers, or assigned to particular classrooms.

Thank you for your understanding and support as we work to create the best possible class groupings for all students.

TUTORING AND EXTENDED FAMILY HOLIDAYS

A reminder to families that students are expected to attend school for the full school day, every day. To minimise disruption to learning, any external tutoring should be arranged outside of school hours. Requests for students to attend tutoring during the school day will only be approved in exceptional circumstances.

Similarly, any extended absence from school, including family holidays taken during term time, requires approval from the Principal. If you are planning an extended absence and wish to seek approval, please contact the school at south.melbourne.park.ps@education.vic.gov.au as early as possible.

Thank you for your support in ensuring students are able to maximise their learning opportunities at school.

PREP, YEAR 7 & WITHIN SCHOOL TRANSITION

This term, we will commence our transition program for our incoming Prep students. If you have not yet enrolled your child for Prep in 2027, we encourage you to do so as soon as possible to ensure you receive all communication regarding orientation sessions and transition activities.

Our current Year 6 students will participate in their Year 7 Orientation Day on Tuesday, 8 December. On the same day, we will also hold our whole-school Transition Day, providing students with the opportunity to meet their 2027 teacher, spend time with their new classmates, and become familiar with their learning environment for next year. This is always an exciting and valuable step in preparing students for a successful start to the new school year.

YEAR 4 CAMP

What a fantastic time our Year 4 students had at Camp Weekaway last week! A huge thank you to our staff, Ms Fulton, Ms Xanthos, Ms Harrison, Ms Garge and Mr Sandison for generously giving up their personal time to provide our students with their very first camp experience.

The excitement was still evident when the students returned to school, enthusiastically sharing stories of rogaining, laser tag, trivia challenges, delicious meals, birthday celebrations, and plenty of laughter along the way. More importantly, they returned with stronger friendships, increased confidence, and wonderful memories that will stay with them for years to come.

I am incredibly grateful to our staff for making this special experience possible.

ARTROOM UPDATE

Unfortunately, there has been a delay in the restoration of our art room. We are hopeful that works will commence within the coming weeks and that the space will be ready for students to return to in 2027.

We appreciate the patience and understanding of our students, our wonderful Ms Michael, and families, while these works are completed, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back into a refreshed and revitalised learning space next year.

Nicole