Principal's Report 

We acknowledge the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Owners of the land on which we work, learn and play. We pay respect to Wurundjeri elders past, present and emerging and extend our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and families of Bimbadeen Heights Primary School.

As we near the end of Term 2, we wanted to extend a big thank you to our school community for your contributions to our classrooms and learning programs throughout the term. Our staff greatly appreciate the assistance and support our classroom helpers provide through this assistance in our classrooms, and our volunteers who have supported the Year 5 Camp, our swimming programs, along with our many excursions and activities. Many of the opportunities we provide our children outside their classroom programs would not be possible without the generous support of our parents and carers and community members. Thank you for all you do to support these programs and experiences for our students.

 

Active Travel Initiative – Bimbadeen Primary School

We know that traffic congestion and drivers not following parking restrictions have been ongoing concerns for our community. We’re really pleased to share that the council has partnered with us to develop a proactive solution.

As part of the Yarra Ranges Council’s Active Travel Initiative, we’ve been working closely with council to improve traffic flow and enhance pedestrian safety around our school.

 

To support this initiative, a no parking zone will be introduced in front of Bimbadeen Primary School on Hayrick Lane between 8am-9am and 3pm-4pm. This will prevent vehicles from stopping for more than three minutes, allowing for quicker vehicle turnover and making it easier and safer for parents and carers to drop off and pick up students. Additionally, the areas to the north and south of the school frontage will be designated no stopping zones during school hours to improve road safety around the school crossings.

The new signage will be installed over the upcoming school holiday period. 

 

Students who are waiting to be collected by parents and carers after school will be directed to wait in the Yarning Circle or along the inside of the fence near our flagpoles. This will allow them to keep an eye out for their family’s vehicle and walk directly to it when it arrives.

 

To help support this change in routine, we’ll be increasing after-school yard duty supervision at the front of the school, ensuring that our students are safe and guided throughout the process.

 

Below is further information from the Yarra Ranges Council about this initiative:

Why are Council making these changes? 

Congestion during school pick up and drop off times has led to parking in unsafe locations, such as no stopping areas or intersections. These locations are restricted due to factors including poor pedestrian visibility, limited sightlines for drivers, and narrowing of the roadway. 

 

How will these changes be enforced? 

Yarra Ranges Council uses vehicle-mounted cameras on their branded vehicles to assist with parking enforcement. This technology helps enforcement officers patrol a large region more efficiently and effectively, detecting the location of vehicles and the parking signs that apply to them. The cameras are used to monitor and document parking violations, which can then be used as evidence for issuing infringements. 

 

Are these the only changes Council is making? 

Council will be collaborating with Bimbadeen Heights Primary School and allied health services in the coming months to provide and encourage active travel routes around the school. Stay tuned for more information, and ways to provide your input for safer and healthier travel to and from school!

 

Thank you for your cooperation with the new no parking zones. Your support is greatly appreciated and will help improve traffic flow and pedestrian safety around our school.

Refugee Week

Refugee Week is an annual celebration to recognise and showcase the contributions of refugees in enriching our communities and culture. 

Our multicultural society is a unique feature of Australia and it wonderful to see many cultures represented at Bimbadeen Heights.

 

Refugee Week provides a platform where positive images of refugees can be promoted in order to create a culture of welcome throughout the country. The ultimate aim of the celebration is to create better understanding between different communities and to encourage successful integration enabling refugees to live in safety and to continue making a valuable contribution to Australia.

 

During this week, our classes acknowledged and celebrated refugees and their impact on our society. These learning experiences provide a rich opportunity for our students to reflect and build their understanding around the Ethical Capability in the Victorian Curriculum. It would be wonderful if you could take some time at home over this weekend and explore refugee contributions with your children. For further information about Refugee Week, please see https://www.refugeeweek.org.au/

2026 Foundation Enrolments – applications close on Friday 25 July

Enrolments are open for Foundation in 2026. We encourage prospective parents to complete an online tour via the school website where you can learn about our wonderful school and meet our staff and students. Prospective families can also attend an in-person tour where we can show you our wonderful school and answer any questions you might have or discuss your child’s individual needs. 

 

This year our school is using an online system for 2026 Foundation enrolments called VicStudents. VicStudents is available for students who are enrolling in a Victorian Government School for the first time. This includes Foundation (Prep) enrolments for 2026. 

 

Key dates for 2026 Foundation enrolment applications are:

  • Enrolment applications opened on Tuesday 22 April
  • Enrolment applications close on Friday 25 July
  • Written confirmation of enrolment outcome is provided between Monday 28 July and Friday 8 August.
  • Enrolment offer must be accepted by Friday 22 August. 

For more information about enrolling your child into a Victorian government primary school, visit Enrolling in Foundation (Prep).

 

Please contact our school office on 9726 9989 or via email to Bimbadeen.Heights.PS@education.vic.gov.au should you need any further information or help to complete your child’s enrolment application. 

Uniform Expectations and Support

Throughout this term we have seen a decline in the standard of uniform across the school, with more and more students wearing items of clothing that are not part of the official school uniform. We seek the support of families to ensure their children attend school each day, wearing full school uniform. 

We understand that families across our community may require support with uniform items through either the second-hand uniform supplies and/or State Schools Relief. Bimbadeen families who are experiencing financial difficulties may be eligible for support with uniform through State Schools Relief. Please contact Sabrina George for a confidential discussion if your family is currently experiencing financial difficulties and would like support with school uniform. 

A copy of our school uniform policy is available on our school website. 

Child Safety and Wellbeing at Bimbadeen Heights Primary School: information for families and the school community

Bimbadeen Heights PS is committed to providing an environment where students are safe and feel safe.

Our child safety https://www.bimbadeenheightsps.vic.edu.au/child-safe-standards/ explains how we support and maintain child safety and wellbeing at Bimbadeen. It includes our:

  • Child Safe - Safety and Wellbeing Policy
  • Child Safety Responding and Reporting Policy, and
  • Child Safety Code of Conduct, which outlines acceptable and unacceptable behaviours for all staff and volunteers at our school.

Our students and families are important partners in providing a child safe environment. These regular newsletter reminders are one of the ways we ensure our school community is aware of:

  • our commitment to child safety, and 
  • how to provide feedback or raise child safety concerns.

If you have any concerns about child safety at any time, please contact a member of the school’s leadership team on 9726-9989. Any child safety concerns are treated seriously. For more information about our school’s complaints process, see our Complaints Policy https://www.bimbadeenheightsps.vic.edu.au/policies-documents/

 

We also welcome your ideas on ways we can improve our approach to child safety and wellbeing. If you have any suggestions or comments, please contact please contact a member of the school’s leadership team on 9726-9989 or at Bimbadeen.heights.ps@education.vic.gov.au 

 

Policy Updates Now Available on Our Website

Our Student Learning Sub-Committee, a branch of School Council, has been working diligently to review and update a range of school policies. This dedicated group plays a key role in shaping our school’s curriculum and policy development. The latest updated policies are now available to read on our school website. The updated policies are:

 

  • Anaphylaxis
  • Asthma
  • First Aid
  • Statement of Values
  • Bullying Prevention
  • Complaints
  • Student Engagement and Wellbeing
  • Respect for School Staff
  • Child Safe - Safety and Wellbeing
  • Child Safe Code of Conduct
  • Child Safe Responding and Reporting
  • Action Plan for Aboriginal Learners

 

We’ll continue to share more updates with you as they become available throughout the year.

Pupil Free Day – Monday 21 July

A friendly reminder that Monday 21 July is a pupil free day. 

TheirCare is running a full day care program. 

If you require care for your child on this day, please contact TheirCare directly via the details on our website.

 

 

 

We hope you all enjoy a safe and happy school holiday period, and we look forward to seeing you all back for the first day of Term 3 on Tuesday 22 July. 

 

Kind regards,

Adele Gregson, Sabrina George and Marty Gill