Principal's Post

Principal’s Message 

Schools are busy places, and the past fortnight has certainly been no exception. Alongside the many learning opportunities and celebrations taking place across the school, we have also continued to focus on strengthening the consistency of our practices and ensuring every student is supported to learn in a safe, respectful and inclusive environment. While this work takes time, I appreciate the partnership of our staff and families as we continue building on Wembley's many strengths.

I hope you enjoy reading about some of the great things happening across our school over the past two weeks.

Building the Future of Learning at Wembley Primary School

At Wembley Primary School, we are committed to ensuring every child experiences high-quality teaching every day. Like all great schools, we continually reflect on our practice, celebrate what is working well, and identify opportunities to improve. Over the past six months, we have undertaken a comprehensive review of our current practices, including analysing student achievement and growth data, reviewing student, parent and staff opinion surveys, and participating in an independent school review. This work has provided us with valuable insights into our many strengths, while also identifying key areas that will help shape our improvement journey over the coming years.

One of the first steps in this journey was our recent Curriculum Day, where staff came together to deepen their understanding of the Victorian Department of Education's Victorian Teaching and Learning Model (VTLM 2.0). Over the coming months I will be sharing with our school community information around a number of the Department of Education’s initiatives that are grounded in research and designed to strengthen teaching, learning and student wellbeing.

Term 3 Curriculum Day 31st July 2026

Our recent Curriculum Day provided an exciting opportunity for staff to continue strengthening our teaching practice and deepen our understanding of the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model (VTLM 2.0). (see attached model)

We were fortunate to welcome James Symes from the Department of Education, who guided staff through the key components of the model. Together, we unpacked the Elements of Learning and Elements of Teaching, exploring how these evidence-informed practices support consistent, high-quality instruction and create the conditions for every student to learn, grow and succeed.

As part of the day, staff also began exploring the new Victorian Lesson Plans, which have been designed to support teachers in delivering a high-quality, knowledge-rich curriculum across Victorian schools. These lesson plans provide a strong foundation for explicit teaching while still allowing teachers to respond to the individual needs of their students.

The afternoon concluded with our Assistant Principal for Wellbeing, Melanie, who led staff through our school's approach to responding to minor and major behaviours. Together, we explored the importance of consistency when responding to student behaviour and how a shared approach helps create classrooms that are safe, predictable and supportive. When expectations are clear and all staff respond consistently, students feel secure, understand what is expected of them and are better able to focus on their learning.

This Curriculum Day represents just the beginning of an exciting journey for Wembley Primary School. Over the coming months, staff will continue engaging in professional learning focused on evidence-informed teaching practices, while we work together to strengthen consistency across the school and further improve outcomes for every student.

Come and Meet the Principal

Since joining Wembley Primary School, I have felt incredibly welcomed by our students, staff and wider community. I would like to extend an invitation to all families to join me for a casual Meet and Greet on Tuesday 25 August.

To make it as accessible as possible, I will be hosting four informal sessions throughout the day:

• 9:05 am
• 2:45 pm
• 3:45 pm
• 5:00 pm

There is no formal agenda, simply an opportunity to introduce yourself, have a chat, ask questions and get to know one another over a cup of tea or coffee.

I would also value the opportunity to hear your thoughts about Wembley Primary School. I am keen to learn what you believe we do well, what you value most about our school, and where you see opportunities for us to continue improving. Your feedback is an important part of ensuring we continue to provide the very best learning environment for every student.

I understand that these session times may not suit every family. If you are unable to attend but would still like to share your thoughts or meet with me, please don't hesitate to contact the school office to arrange another time.

Please complete the attached link if you will be attending or would like to share your thoughts. https://forms.gle/t9N92vcGwwMvgtB38

If you are attending on the 25th August please make your way to the front office where I will meet you there.

Finally, I would like to encourage all families to reach out whenever they have questions, concerns or ideas. Strong partnerships between home and school are built on open communication. If we don't know about something, we can't celebrate it, support it or work together to improve it. My door is always open, and I look forward to getting to know many more of you over the coming months.

SAVE THE DATE- Wembley Primary School Monty the Monstar Fun Colour Run!

Families will have received information about our upcoming Fundraiser - Monty the Monstar Fun Run, which is raising funds for our Eating Area Redevelopment.  Please see our flyer or Sentral for more information.

2027 Enrolment Intentions

If your child is currently enrolled in Prep to Year 5 and will not be returning to Wembley Primary School in 2027, please let the school know as soon as possible. This information is essential in supporting our enrolment projections, staffing and class planning for next year.

Please notify the school office via phone or email if your family's circumstances or details have changed.

2027 Class Placement Process

Planning for the 2027 school year is now underway, and families are invited to submit a class placement request if there are educational considerations they would like the school to take into account. Requests should focus on your child's learning, wellbeing or social needs that may support their success at school. 

Our staff spend considerable time developing class groupings that ensure every student is placed in a learning environment where they can thrive academically, socially and emotionally. This process draws on the professional knowledge of teachers and leaders, taking into account students' learning needs, wellbeing, peer relationships and friendships to create balanced classes that support the success of all students.

For this reason, requests for specific teachers or friendship placements will not be considered.

Families may submit a request where there is a significant educational or wellbeing reason for their child not to be placed with another student. A clear explanation must be provided to support the request.

While every request will be carefully considered by the leadership team, we are unable to guarantee that all requests can be accommodated. Further information, including the submission process and closing date, will be communicated to families shortly.

You can make a 2027 class placement request here: https://forms.gle/1WDG6DpfoxTkDJvJ9

Placement requests close on Wednesday October 21st 2026

And just a reminder if you have not enrolled your child for Prep next year please do this asap.

Thank you for your understanding and support as we work to create the best possible learning environments for every student in 2027.

Working Together to Support Our School Community

Over the past few weeks, I have really enjoyed spending time in classrooms and out in the yard, talking with our students about what it means to live our school values of Respect, Resilience, Empathy and Inclusion. It has been wonderful to hear students sharing what these values look like in action and discussing how they can contribute to making Wembley Primary School a place where everyone feels safe, valued and ready to learn.

As we continue to build a strong learning culture, we will maintain a clear and consistent focus on our expectations for behaviour. Like all schools, there will be times when we need to work with students to help them reflect on their choices, repair relationships and learn from their mistakes. Our goal is always to support students to develop the skills they need to be respectful, responsible and successful members of our school community.

Working closely with families is an important part of this work. If you have any questions or concerns about your child, I encourage you to contact your child's classroom teacher in the first instance. If further support is required, a member of our leadership team is always available to assist. By working together with open and respectful communication, we can achieve the best outcomes for every child.

To ensure families know their concerns have been received, the school will acknowledge emails or requests for contact within two school days, in line with our Complaints Policy. While we will always do our very best to respond to general enquiries as quickly as possible, some matters require time to gather information and ensure that everyone involved has been heard.

I would also like to remind families that schools operate under the Right to Disconnect legislation. Our staff are not expected to monitor or respond to emails or phone calls outside of their working hours. We appreciate your understanding and support as we balance being responsive to our community while also protecting the wellbeing of our staff.

Thank you for your ongoing support. Together, by modelling kindness, respect and understanding, we continue to build the positive and inclusive school culture that our students deserve. This reflects the shared commitment outlined in our Statement of Values and School Philosophy, where students, families and staff work together to create a safe, respectful and supportive learning environment for everyone. 

100 Days of PREP!!!

Celebrating 100 Days of Learning

What an incredible milestone for our Prep students as they celebrated 100 Days of School! The day was filled with excitement, laughter and plenty of creative activities as students reflected on everything they have learnt and achieved during their first 100 days of primary school.From developing their reading, writing and mathematics skills to building friendships, growing in confidence and becoming valued members of our school community, our Prep students have made remarkable progress. It has been wonderful to see how much they have grown, not only as learners but also as kind, resilient and respectful members of Wembley Primary School.

Acknowledgements 

I would like to acknowledge all of our Year 1 and Year 2 students who have been participating in the swimming program at BayFit Aquatic Centre over the past three weeks. I have heard so many wonderful stories about the enthusiasm, resilience and determination our students have shown as they developed their confidence and skills in the water. Learning to swim is an important life skill, and this program provides our students with valuable opportunities to build water safety knowledge while growing in confidence. A big thank you to all the teachers who have supported this opportunity for our students. 

And finally, following a recent assembly with our Year 5 and Year 6 students, I spoke with them about what makes Wembley Primary School such a great place to learn and the important role each of us plays in maintaining a positive school culture. We revisited our school's mission statement and values, and I challenged students to explain what these mean to them and how they connect to their everyday actions.

I was incredibly impressed by the thoughtful responses shared by our students and I wanted to acknowledge Charlie from 6A, Eric from 5B, Phoebe and Tegan from 6. These students wrote about the qualities of being respectful, responsible and resilient learners, while also recognising the importance of kindness, inclusion and supporting one another. It was wonderful to hear students articulate how their individual choices contribute to a safe, welcoming and positive learning environment where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

These conversations reinforced that our students understand that creating a great school is a shared responsibility, and I look forward to continuing these discussions across all year levels throughout the term.

Have a great weekend 

Sharon🙂

Key Events (5-6)