From Mrs Waugh

Dear Families,

It is hard to believe we are already at the end of Week 3! It has been another busy and successful week at Cheltenham East Primary School, with students settling beautifully into their Term 4 routines and enjoying the warmer weather. It has been lovely to see so many happy faces around the school and students making the most of their time outdoors with friends.

I would also like to share that I have taken on the responsibility of leading Disability Inclusion and Whole School Wellbeing. This is an area I am particularly passionate about, and I look forward to continuing to work closely with our wonderful students, staff and families. Please feel free to come and see me; my door is always open.

At Cheltenham East, we want every child to feel that they belong, that they are valued and that they have the support they need to succeed. We recognise and celebrate the different strengths, personalities and needs that make our school community so special. A strong sense of belonging, positive friendships and feeling safe and supported at school are all important parts of helping our students learn, grow and thrive.

With the warmer weather upon us, a friendly reminder that hats are required for all outdoor activities during Term 4. Please ensure your child has a clearly named school hat each day so they can enjoy their time outside while staying sun safe.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support. Wishing all our families a relaxing and enjoyable weekend!

Celebrating Our Achievements

We are pleased to share some very positive results from our 2026 Parent/Carer Opinion Survey and School Performance Report.

Parent/Carer Opinion Survey

Thank you to all families who completed the survey. Overall school satisfaction increased from 64% in 2025 to 85% in 2026, while school pride and confidence rose to 80%. Communication continues to be a strength, with 87% positive feedback. Pleasingly, 94% of families reported that their child feels safe at school.

Student Learning and Achievement

We are proud to share that Cheltenham East Primary School has returned to the Department of Education's HIGH overall performance rating for 2026, with our learning results continuing to be rated HIGH.

Our NAPLAN results were particularly pleasing, with:

• 91% of Year 3 and 94% of Year 5 students achieved Strong or Exceeding in Reading.
• 83% of Year 3 and 96% of Year 5 students achieved Strong or Exceeding in Numeracy.
• 96% of Year 5 students achieved Strong or Exceeding in Writing.
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Student learning growth was also strong, with 85% of students achieving Medium or High relative growth in Reading and 91% in Numeracy between Years 3 and 5.

Student Wellbeing and Our Next Steps

Our student survey results showed improvements in school connectedness, emotional regulation and students' perceptions of how bullying is managed. We also recognise areas for continued improvement, particularly student voice, wellbeing and creating engaging learning environments.

These results reflect the dedication of our staff, the hard work of our students and the ongoing support of our families. We look forward to building on these achievements as we continue to strengthen teaching, learning and wellbeing across our school.

Working with Children Changes

Dear Volunteers/parents and carers, 

I’m writing to let you know about upcoming changes to the Working with Children Check (WWCC) system which will strengthen safeguards for children.  

Details 

From 19 October 2026, schools must notify the Social Services Regulator (SSR) of the details of all the workers or volunteers that they engage to do child-related work through a new online system called WWC Connect. This system will help the Social Services Regulator to see where people with WWC Clearances are working and volunteering. It will also let them act faster if someone’s WWC Clearance stops being valid. 

The SSR will also require all WWCC cardholders to complete a mandatory online child safety training module when their WWCC is next due for renewal (once every 5 years). It takes about 30 minutes and is separate (and different) from the school’s child safety training for staff and volunteers. 

What this means for you 

At Cheltenham East Primary School, we require all volunteers to have a valid WWCC under our volunteers policy. We are very grateful to the many volunteer parents and carers who help us with many student activities – in the classroom, on excursions, camps, at concerts and sports days.

If you help at our school in a volunteer role with direct contact with children, we will enter your details into the new WWC Connect system. We will do this when you start and finish volunteering, and at any time your details change. Only the school can enter this information. You cannot do it yourself. 

What we need from you 

If you volunteer at Cheltenham East Primary School in a role that works directly with children, please complete the below attachment and return it to the office or email it to cheltenham.east.ps@education.vic.gov.au by Friday 30 October 2026.

Privacy notice: The department is collecting your personal information to meet requirements under the Worker Screening Act 2020. We will share this information with the Social Services Regulator, and with others where the law allows it. You can ask to see or correct your personal information by contacting the school office via email. 

To learn more, please read the privacy policy at vic.gov.au/schools-privacy-policy. 

Thank you for your help with these changes to support our culture of child safety, and for all the support you give our school as a volunteer. 

If you have any questions about the changes, visit Working with Children (WWC) Connect | vic.gov.au or contact us on 9583 5746. 

Poppy Appeal

Poppy Appeal items are now available for purchase at the school office. Students and families are welcome to make a donation to support our veterans and wear a poppy with pride in the lead-up to Remembrance Day.

We will be holding a whole school Remembrance Day Ceremony on Wednesday, 11 November at 10.30am. The ceremony will take place at the ANZAC Stage, weather permitting.

Save the Date

• Curriculum Day - Monday 2nd November and Monday 14th December

   

• 70th Year Carnival - Thursday 12 November

• Our end-of-year Community Concert and Picnic has been scheduled for Friday, 5 December from 2.00-3.30pm. More information to come.

Samantha Waugh