Grade Placements for 2024

At this time of year we start to move our thinking and planning to 2024. For the school staff this includes planning curriculum, appointing staff and forming the classes.

The formation of classes is a complex process, where the current year’s teachers use their extensive knowledge of your children to develop the most positive environment they can for all children for the following year.

The teachers will ensure your child has at least one friend in their grade. This child is not always going to be your child’s best friend but will be someone your child has demonstrated a positive working relationship with. The staff develop grades that are well balanced and take into account the needs of all students.

When making requests this year parents are asked not to simply provide a list of names that your child wants to be with, staff know this information already. They also know who your child works well with and who they don’t work well with. The classes are formed to support your child’s learning- the friendships are supported both with class activities and activities across the level.

This year parents will again be invited to submit an online form with their input. Parents are asked only to submit a form if they have information to share with the teachers. If you return a response on the form, we are asking that you give context to the requests you are making. That you provide the current teachers with information they may not have about the social or emotional needs of your child that will assist them in developing the classes, please do not provide a list of names as this is not helpful to the teachers.

Your children may be anxious about a new class or the new school year and raise concerns with you about how they feel. We ask that you listen to your child and understand their concerns and fears, sharing these with the teacher early in the new school year. The support and strategies you can provide your child in managing these feelings will be valuable as they move through school.

One of the most important qualities we can develop in our children is resilience, it is essential for them as they navigate through every stage of life. Beyond Blue has some easy to read articles you may like to read: Building resilience in children (beyondblue.org.au). I raise this as a way of starting parents thinking about all the other supports your child has at school as they navigate a new class group. If we set our children up to think they can’t do it by themselves or that their best friend must be with them all the time, we are not encouraging them to develop the independence they need or to develop a broader support base.

Forms are to be submitted by 4pm, Friday 10th November.

Please use this link to submit your requests.

Year 6 Northern Territory Trip

We had a group of 17 of our Year 6 students travel to the Northern Territory in the second week of this term. Our main focus was to visit and work with the students at the Yipirinya School (an indigenous school in Alice Springs), with a broader focus of increasing our understanding and appreciation of indigenous culture.

Our students were wonderful ambassadors for our school, making the most of this amazing experience.

It was a highly successful trip, one that we plan to continue into the future. The Year 6 students have presented at assembly and will have an article in the next newsletter.

Robyn James

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