Teaching and Learning

Semester 1 reports

Hello families,

Our Semester 1 student reports will be published live on Wednesday afternoon (2nd July) via XUNO with two supporting documents that help parents/guardians in reading the report and understanding the expectations around work habits (see attachments below). Just a reminder that reports need to be viewed on the full XUNO platform (not the app). If anything remains unclear, or if you have further questions, you will have the opportunity to follow up with your child’s teacher at Parent/Teacher 3-Way Interviews on Friday 1st August (Term 3, Week 2). Booking times via XUNO for the Parent/Teacher 3-Way Interviews will be available in the first week of Term 3. We look forward to celebrating your child’s progress and achievements with you at that time and setting goals for their future learning.

This year there have been some changes to student reporting for mathematics in Victorian government schools. The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) published its revised mathematics curriculum (Mathematics Curriculum 2.0) last year. All Victorian government schools will start using the Mathematics Curriculum 2.0 in 2025. At Ballan Primary School, we are using the revised mathematics curriculum for school reporting from Semester 1, 2025. 

On your child's previous report (Semester 2, 2024), the teacher reported against the 3 strands of the achievement standard for mathematics (Number and Algebra, Measurement and Geometry, and Statistics and Probability). Under the Mathematics Curriculum 2.0, your child’s teacher will report against the achievement standard as a whole, providing a single, aggregated score. 

As the achievement standards reported on have changed, the first time you receive a report under the Mathematics 2.0 curriculum, it will only show achievement and not progress. For all reports after this, progress will be shown against the single achievement standard.

Our student reports start with a cover page and following this, academic results that demonstrate achievement against the Victorian Curriculum are displayed as well as classroom teachers assessing students against our work habits using a five point scale.

Each student will receive a personalised general comment from their classroom teacher with a generic description of the English and Mathematics content covered in class this semester. Specialist teachers have provided individualised student comments at this time, along with your child’s classroom teachers’ general comment. Specialist subjects include work habits for student effort and class behaviour.

If your child has been involved in any other additional programs throughout the school this semester, a general comment has been provided on their progress and participation at the end of the report. These report comments include intervention (MiniLit), tutoring and extension with Mr Reynolds and SAKGP for our Grade 2/3-4s.

Farewell and Thank You

As you may be aware, this week marks my final days working at Ballan PS for 2025 as the Assistant Principal. I have been offered the opportunity to take on the role of Acting Principal at Bungaree Primary School for Semester 2.

While I am excited about this new chapter, it is certainly bittersweet. Ballan Primary School has been such an important part of my professional journey, and I have greatly valued my time here. I feel incredibly fortunate to have worked alongside such dedicated staff, supportive families, and wonderful students.

I want to sincerely thank the Ballan community for your support over the years. I will deeply miss the connections and sense of community that make this school so special. This new role is a fantastic opportunity for me to grow as a leader, and I look forward to continuing to support public education in our region.

Thank you again for the many memorable years at Ballan. I hope to stay in touch and wish you all continued success. See you next year!

Victorian Premier's Reading Challenge

The 2025 Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge (PRC) is now well and truly open with 67 days left to finish. 

Students and teachers have made an excellent start with reading books in class to work towards meeting and exceeding the challenge targets. If you’d like to participate in the challenge at home during the school holidays and log books via the website, please request your child’s login from your classroom teacher.

Children from Prep to Year 2 are encouraged to read or ‘experience’ 30 books with their parents and teachers. Children from Year 3 to Year 10 are challenged to read 15 books.

All children who meet the Challenge will receive a certificate of achievement signed by the Victorian Premier and former Premiers.

There are 67 days to go in the challenge!

Daily Literacy and Maths challenges over the holidays

Get your brain buzzing every day with our Wordle and Numble Challenge of the Day - fun, quick puzzles to sharpen your vocabulary and number skills!

Wordle - https://www.nytimes.com/games/wordle/index.html

Numble - https://numble.wtf/

Book Club - Issues 5 & 6 in Term 3

Scholastic Book Club is a service offered to students, parents and teachers. Brochures advertising a variety of books and computer software are sent home with each student, approximately twice a term.

Purchase of the books is not compulsory and there is no obligation. If you do wish to purchase any goods simply log into the Book Club site www.scholastic.com.au/LOOP and follow the prompts. All Book Club orders must be ordered and paid for via LOOP. Do not send order forms and cash to school. When the order arrives at school, books are sent home with students.

The School earns “Bonus Points” for each order which can be used to purchase new resources for classroom libraries and the school library.

Click here for the Scholastic Book Club Parent Log in page or to register for new users.

How to order 

Click on ORDER in the top menu or REGISTER first to save your details for the first time.  Select Ballan PS and your child’s class.  Add your child’s name and last initial. Enter the item number from the brochure.

You can order for multiple children at once. All orders are linked directly to the school.  

Our school receives bonus points, which are redeemed for a variety of books for the children therefore we thank you for your continued support.

If parents wish to collect orders personally from the office, please let the school know.

Please go to www.scholastic.com.au/LOOP and find Ballan Primary School to order or alternatively you can download the LOOP app via the App Store or Google Play.

Happy learning and enjoy the holidays break!

Mr Baker