Principal's Report

Over the last fortnight we have been immersed with so much in our school. Not the least has been our ongoing success with Interschool Sport; the Japanese Taiko Drumming for Years 3-6; the Year 5 Living and Growing program and the planning and organisation involved in preparing for the Year 1 & 2 excursion to Como House; Education Week; Music Week and Grandparents'  and Special Friends Day, amongst many other matters of interest.

Education Week 13th May – 17th May 2024

We look forward to our parents and families joining with us for this marvelous opportunity. Importantly, we are hopeful that our parents will be able to juggle other commitments to visit classrooms and specialist areas at the times below. Please join with us at the following times:

      Tuesday 14th May                9:30am – 11:00am

      Wednesday 15th May         3:30pm – 4:30pm

      Thursday 17th May              9:30am – 11:00am

In order to ensure school security and arrangements, we ask that all parents enter the school through the main entrance from the path leading up from Weybridge Street.

NAPLAN Testing and Results

On Monday we were able to access the preliminary results of the NAPLAN testing that was undertaken by our students in Years 3 and 5 earlier this year. The final results which will be available to parents of Years 3 and 5 students will occur in the week commencing Monday 15th July. The results of our Years 3 and 5 students were provided in the areas of spelling, reading, numeracy, grammar and punctuation at this stage and were very positive. The writing results will be made available to schools later this term. In each of these areas students will obtain a classification in one of four levels of proficiency: Needs Additional Support, Developing, Strong or Exceeding. This is consistent with the information parents will receive in the Individual Student Reports next term.

Together with my teaching staff, earlier this week we analysed the results of every student across these areas. This experience enables us to carefully monitor how the NAPLAN results for every student correlate with the expansive testing undertaken in English and Mathematics at Years 3 and 5 each term. Importantly, an analysis of the results also enables us to provide timely instruction and revision in places, and also extends students in areas that takes them beyond exceeding or into the next year of proficiency.

Professional Learning and Development of Teaching Staff

The ongoing development of our teaching staff is crucial at all levels. Each Tuesday afternoon our teachers engage in Professional Learning Communities with a focus upon student achievement data in English and Mathematics. I continue to work closely with our Foundation to Year 2 staff whilst our Assistant Principal Ms Georgina Kirwan does likewise with our Year 3 & 4 Professional Learning Community. In the Foundation to Year 2 area, we have seen the very successful implementation of the new phonics program Little Learners Love Literacy and therein the progressions our students are making to Year 2. The development we are witnessing in this area is fabulous and we look forward to significant growth in the coming term as we progress matters under the leadership and coordination of our English coordinator, Ms Kirstie Briggs.

Throughout this process my teaching staff are also immersed in reviewing the new Mathematics and English Curriculum for Victorian Schools as established by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority. The new Mathematics Curriculum 2.0 is to be implemented in all schools from 2025 and we are well ahead in our preparations.

Student Engagement and Enrichment

Again, we are delighted that our Assistant Principal, Ms Georgina Kirwan, together with fifteen enthusiastic students from Year 6 are extending their performing arts skills through their active involvement in the 2024 State Schools' Spectacular. We are delighted that we have been selected to participate and look forward to our students learning in order of eight dance routines, as their part in the performance in September. Thank you, again to Ms Reggie King and Ms Lucy Scott, who together with Ms Kirwan transported our students to rehearsals on Tuesday this week. We wish the students all the very best as they dedicate their focus and time out of hours to this wonderful and uplifting pursuit.

District Cross-Country – Monday 6th May 2024

As part of our involvement in the Kooyong District of Schools, Chatham Primary School will be participating in the Annual District Cross-Country Event. We look forward to 55 of our students participating at Anderson Park, Hawthorn East. This group comprises students from Years 3–6 in events from 9/10  year old girls and boys, to  12/13 years old girls and boys. Again, parents are welcome to attend with students performing at the following times:

10:00am                9/10 year old boys

10:20am                9/10 year old girls

10:40am                11 year old boys

11:00am                11 year old girls

11:20am                12/13 year old boys

11:40am                12/13 year old girls

We wish our students well for this marvellous experience on Monday. Please be advised that parental assistance is required at this event. Please email Mr Walter Boulton at walter.boulton@education.vic.gov.au if you are able to assist.

ANZAC Day – Dawn Service – Surrey Gardens – 5:30am

Once again, I wish to convey the magnificent example that our School Captains and Vice Captains demonstrated on this most important day and event. Well done to William Small, and Mira Hunt who provided a speech about two brothers Walter and Ted Corin, residents of Canterbury who both served in the First World War and to Callaghan Lynch and Jacqueline Tseng who laid the wreath at the cenotaph. This is a long tradition at our school and is always done with confidence, poise, exceptional preparation and reflective thinking.  Thank you also to Mr Zac Barry who thoroughly prepared the students, and who accompanied them on this public holiday at such an early hour.

Student Enrolments for 2025

At this stage, we continue to provide school tours for a number of interested families for 2025 and beyond. Parents are now encouraged to formally commence the enrolment process from this term and use our website to make the application. At this stage we have made it clear to our feeder pre-schools and childcare centres that we will be taking enrolments beyond our current enrolment zone. This zone was created some years ago to greatly reduce the demand on the school, given limited resources. With our new Capital Upgrade that situation has now changed.

As part of the enrolment process, we look forward to conducting a highly detailed Foundation Information Session at 7:00pm on Thursday 9th May. We encourage parents of students enrolling for 2025 to attend. On this occasion we will be providing details in relation to the Foundation Program, but also the Specialist area of Visual Arts, Performing Arts and Music, Physical Education and Sport and Japanese along with some exciting undertakings for 2025 and beyond.

Road Safety and Traffic Reminders – Scooters and Helmets

Please continue to ensure your child’s safety by ensuring that they wear a helmet to school if using a scooter. The accidents caused by head injuries from falling off a scooter are sometimes serious and can leave lifelong consequences. Please be advised that at the very least it will be incumbent on us to be in contact with parents if any student arrives at school with a scooter and no helmet.

Christopher Cotching

Principal