Principal's Report

It is now only about 4 weeks until the Chatham Grand Fair and we are all getting excited about the wonderment before us. On Tuesday 21st October Ms Bree Knight and Ms Aimee McFarlane imbued this enthusiasm into the minds of my staff at a Staff Meeting. We are so looking forward to being involved and sharing this event with the multitude of community members who revel in the day, and those families who come back again to visit and enjoy the camaraderie of the experience. 

It is such a fantastic time!

Working Bee – 2:00pm Sunday 26th October 2025

The purpose of this working bee is to prepare our school for Saturday 22nd November. We have a good deal of mulch to move and prepare in our Kitchen Garden area. If you are able to give us a couple of hours on Sunday your participation would be most welcome. Again, if you are able to provide a wheelbarrow and such items as rakes and shovels, that would be marvellous.

Changes to student digital device use in Primary Schools

Currently at Chatham Primary School we have digital devices for all students across the school. At the Foundation to Year 2 area we have iPad, for our students and at Years 3-6 we enjoy laptops. 

The communication from the Department of Education on Thursday 16th October 2025 was of little surprise to many Principals. From 2027 schools with students in Foundation to Year 6:

• Must not invite families to purchase or bring their own student digital devices to use at school from Preparatory/Foundation to Year 6.

• Should follow new recommended digital device times, including minimal device time for Preparatory/Foundation to Year 2 and a maximum of 90 minutes per day for Years 3-6.

   

This is an extraordinary development which will create significant challenges for many schools. I am grateful that we had the prescience to ensure we never had ‘Bring your own device’ arrangements. This policy will come with significant costs however and we look with some interest as to how this might be adequately resourced into the future. In June 2025 we paid out our laptop lease arrangements, which prior to that time, were costing us approximately $7,500 per quarter.

Additionally, the usage time for students in Foundation to Year 2 is I believe utterly sensible. Increasingly, the time spent by students on devices at this level does need to be closely monitored and should always be for defined educational purposes and for short periods of time.

The payout of these lease arrangements was possible because of the magnificent fundraising efforts of our parents who assisted by paying half of the payout in July 2025. Nevertheless, our current stock of laptops and iPads have a finite life. When we paid out the lease, we were advised that these units would be reliable for perhaps another two years. As a School Council we will need to consider what this means for us as a school going forward. 

I would hope that in early 2026 we obtain support from the Department of Education regarding the replacement of these items.

Performing Arts and Music

The focus and energy that has been created in this area over the last few years has been infectious. We now hope to be selected again for the State Schools' Spectacular in 2026 and Ms Kirwan has submitted our recent application. We also have a number of students who are preparing for performances at the School Fair and Mr Yanai Morris has enthused us all with his two new bands for our students. The first band is called ‘Chatham Voices’, which is our singing group of 16 students. The second band is referred to as ‘Chatham Beat’, which is predominantly comprising percussion and involves 15 students. This is in addition to our rock and pop bands entitled, ‘Acorn Rush’ and the ‘Late Midnights’. All bands are working towards performances at the Grand Fair and the Surrey Hills Music Festival to be held on 28th February 2026.

To top this off today, we received a donated drum kit from Rob and Christine Martinelli. Rob and Christine had Freddie and Elizabeth here at Chatham and these students have moved on to secondary school. Rob continues to contribute to our school as a coopted member of our School Council. 

Division Athletics – Kelly Athletics Track – East Doncaster                                           

This was a fabulous day with an all-time high of having 18 students involved in a range of events on Tuesday 14th October. Our students were highly competitive, and it was marvellous to see a number of our parents in attendance.  Again, I convey our appreciation for the dedication and inspiration shown by Mr Walter Boulton to enthuse and support these students, and the many parents who attended on the day to cheer our students on. 

At the time of writing two of our students have just competed in the Regional finals with Mabel performing a throw over 7.6 metres and achieving a second place, and Jack Coulthard achieving a jump of1.33 metres in the high jump. These are exceptional achievements.  Mabel will now progress to the State finals to be held on the 6th November and we wish her all the best.                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Literacy Support and First Aid

Please be advised that Ms Shaina Webb continues to operate in the First Aid area each day at our school. This is possible as a result of contributions from our families through their yearly contributions. The Student Resource Package and its limitations do not provide resources for this purpose. Ms Webb is on duty from 10:30am to 3:00pm.

Nevertheless, through some review of resources Ms Webb, in addition to First Aid duties, is providing literacy support to a number of students in Year 2 at this stage and is involved with these students for eight hours per week. Together with our Literacy Leader Ms Kirstie Briggs and our class teachers Ms Lucy Bray and Ms Sue Minshull, Ms Webb is following an important support program for these students in reading, writing and spelling. In recent days parents of those students involved have been advised of the arrangements.

Child Safe and Their Care 

Recently Ms Georgina Kirwan and I met with Mr Michael Abela and others from Their Care. Their Care is our Out of School Hours Care provider. Together with Principals and Assistant Principals from other schools we are highly assured by the level of child safety practices occurring in the implementation of their programs and their diligence and clear expectations. This of course is partly in response to the new legislative requirements for Child Care centres in view of some tragic circumstances reported earlier this year. Again, I encourage our parents to make use of this wonderful Before School and After School program. Please email chatham@theircare.com.au if you would like to learn more about the program or seek enrolment.

SunSmart and Hat Policy

As of the beginning of Term 4 all students are required to wear a hat for protection. Whilst it is customary for us to commence in Term 4 and continue until the end of Term 1 the following year, I would like us to rethink this a little in 2026. Whilst the heat from the sun may not be necessarily apparent outside these times, the ultraviolet damage is potentially there at other times. In the meantime, I would ask that all students are encouraged by parents to wear their hats to and from the school, in addition to their time at school. We will be guided further by recommendations from the Department of Education and such organisations as the Cancer Council of Victoria.

Christopher Cotching

Principal