Dear Parents/Carers,

WARRNAMBOOL PRIMARY SCHOOL 1876-2026 - 150 years

Warrnambool Primary School is proud to celebrate an extraordinary milestone in 2026 — 150 years of education, community, and connection. Since opening in 1876, our school has been known by several names, including Warrnambool School, Warrnambool State School, and Jamieson Street State School. While the name has evolved over time, our commitment to providing a high-quality education for every student has remained constant.

For a century and a half, generations of students, families, and staff have walked through our gates, each contributing to the rich history and strong sense of community that defines our school today. We are incredibly proud of this legacy and the role Warrnambool Primary School continues to play in shaping young lives.

To mark this significant occasion, we will formally celebrate our 150-year anniversary during the week of 12th–17th October 2026. A range of exciting activities are being planned, including a “Back to” celebration and open school, providing a wonderful opportunity for past and present students, families, and staff to reconnect, reflect, and celebrate together.

We encourage all members of our community to mark this special week in their calendars. More details will be shared as plans are finalised — we look forward to celebrating this remarkable milestone with you all.

ANZAC CEREMONIES

ANZAC Day is a significant national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand that commemorates all Australians and New Zealanders who served and died in wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping missions.

It specifically honours those who served in the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) during World War I.

ANZAC Day is observed annually on April 25th, the anniversary of the landing of ANZAC troops at Gallipoli in 1915 during World War I.

It is marked by ceremonies such as dawn services, marches, and memorial services, as well as by wearing red poppies, a symbol of remembrance.

ANZAC Day holds great significance in the national consciousness of both Australia and New Zealand, and it is a time for reflection, gratitude, and honouring the sacrifice of those who served their countries.

Today we commemorated ANZAC Day at school with our own ceremony.

It was led by our student leaders who practised their roles during the past week.

We are very fortunate to have capable and confident leaders such as Archer, Nyree, Wenze and Frankie.

We are also well represented at the mid-morning march and wreath laying ceremony by our student leaders on day.

Our students proudly recall the sacrifices that those who served and currently serve have made on our behalf.

Anzac Cove - Poem by Leon Gellert

There’s a lonely stretch of hillocks:

There’s a beach asleep and drear:

There’s a battered broken fort beside the sea.

There are sunken trampled graves:

And a little rotting pier:

And winding paths that wind unceasingly.

There’s a torn and silent valley:

There’s a tiny rivulet

With some blood upon the stones beside its mouth.

There are lines of buried bones:

There’s an unpaid waiting debt :

There’s a sound of gentle sobbing in the South.

DISTRICT ATHLETICS

Well Done to Cherine Owen, Jasmine Cunningham and Emily Threlfall (student teacher) who attended the District Athletics with our wonderful student athletes.

From all reports Warrnambool Primary School did a great job participating and conducting themselves in an exemplary manner. Our school placed 3rd overall for the day which is an outstanding result.

There are some great pictures on our Facebook page if you would like to take a look.

I would like to congratulate all students who made the team and those who were able to proceed to the next level of championships.

THANKYOU - Aaron Hammersley Plumbing

A huge thankyou to Aaron Hammersley who donated his time to the completion of the sandpit expansion near the Science Room. This was no simple task and very time consuming. The area now is so widely used by our students across most year levels. There is so much space for them to play together enthusiastically. Thank you Aaron and I encourage all WPS community members to support Aaron Hammersley Plumbing when considering trade options.

BUILDINGS/ GROUNDS UPDATE 2026

It has been a busy and productive year so far for Buildings and Grounds at Warrnambool Primary School, with a number of exciting improvements already completed and more underway.

Our new sandpit has been a fantastic addition to the school, providing a valuable and engaging play space for students. A sincere thank you to Aaron Hammersley for his work in bringing this to life.

The Year 1–2 sandpit area has been built along with a bench seat and mud kitchen expertly completed by Zac Norris Carpentry.

Significant progress has also been made on other key infrastructure projects.

The toilet block and outdoor quiet learning space are complete, adding both functionality and flexibility to our learning environments.

The main building exterior and roofing works have now been completed, with internal restoration about to commence. This will include painting, new carpet, and a full refresh of the interior spaces.

The library has also seen important upgrades, with the roof replaced and internal repairs and painting completed.

New carpets in the junior school have lifted the presentation of classrooms, and new fencing around the school has improved both safety and aesthetics.

We have also seen a reviatalisation of our Koorie Garden led by Anthea Rafferty and Chantal Dridan, from GreenPrint Projects who worked with Koorie students from Years 2 to 6. Students participated in gardening and artmaking sessions as part of the program

There is certainly a lot happening across the school, and there is more to come. We thank our Buildings and Grounds Sub-Committee, along with Brandan Wilkinson and Sharyn Fary, for their ongoing organisation, commitment, and dedication to improving our school environment.

We also invite all members of our community to join us for our upcoming Working Bee on Saturday 23rd May 2026. It’s a great opportunity to come together and help beautify our school. We look forward to seeing you there

FOUNDATION INFORMATION NIGHT/ WHOLE SCHOOL OPEN NIGHT

Tuesday 12th May 2025 5:00pm - 7:00pm

We would love to see as many prospective parents as possible at our Foundation Information Night on Tuesday 12th May 2025 at 5pm at school.

If you already have children at the school or if you know someone who has a child about to commence Foundation in 2027 please come along and encourage them to also.

We will share information about the first year of school, a day in the life of a Foundation child at Warrnambool Primary School and outline the great programs we offer.

We are also holding our whole School Open Night on the same evening. The students love seeing their parents at school so it would be great to see many parents, grandparents and friends as possible.

PUBLIC HOLIDAY - THURSDAY 7TH MAY 2026

Warrnambool Cup Day

Students are not required to attend school on this day. As it is a Public Holiday, TheirCare is not operating.

NB:In the state of Victoria, there is no public Holiday on Monday 27th Apr 2026 in lieu of ANZAC Day.

INDUSTRIAL ACTION UPDATE – AEU Victoria Branch

The Australian Education Union has advised that industrial action will continue, as negotiations with the Victorian State Government remain unresolved. Discussions have stalled regarding funding for government schools and the current enterprise bargaining agreement.

As part of this action, AEU members have been directed to implement a series of work bans. This includes a half-day stop work on Tuesday 12th May 2026 from 8:50am to 12:38pm, along with other disruptions. In addition, if the impasse continues, teachers have been instructed to provide half-yearly student reports without written comments.

Unfortunately, these actions are likely to impact both students and families should an agreement not be reached prior to the scheduled industrial action. We will continue to keep our community informed and appreciate your understanding during this time.

Have a great weekend.

Peter Lee

Principal

Student Birthdays