Matilda Jr. – A Celebration of Talent, Creativity and Community

What an incredible two nights it has been as our students brought Matilda Jr. to life on stage!

Our students entertained and inspired audiences with their talent, confidence and enthusiasm. Whether performing in lead roles, as part of the ensemble, or supporting behind the scenes, every student played an important role in the success of the production.

This year, we introduced two casts for our production. While all students have always performed, this approach reduced the number of students on stage at any one time, allowing every performer greater stage presence and giving families an even better opportunity to see and celebrate their children in action.

Productions such as Matilda Jr. are about so much more than the final performance. Throughout the process, students developed confidence, resilience, teamwork, creativity and courage—skills that will stay with them well beyond their time at Orchard Park.

A production of this scale is only possible through the support of many people. Thank you to our Performing Arts teachers, Nicola Downie and Cassie Mather, for their outstanding leadership, creativity and dedication. We also extend our sincere thanks to Brock Downie, our Performing Arts Working Party, staff volunteers and everyone who contributed behind the scenes to bring this production to life.

Finally, thank you to our families and wider school community for your ongoing support and for celebrating our students and their achievements. Your encouragement helps create opportunities like these and makes them truly special.

To every student involved in Matilda Jr., congratulations. You should be incredibly proud of what you achieved. Thank you for the passion, effort and joy you brought to this unforgettable production.

Regional Cross Country Success

Congratulations to Remy (Year 6) and Emma (Year 4), who proudly represented Orchard Park Primary School at the Regional Cross Country Championships this week at Hastings Foreshore.

Competing against some of the strongest runners in the region, both students delivered outstanding performances and demonstrated tremendous determination, resilience and sportsmanship.

Emma flew around the course, finishing an impressive 20th out of 78 runners in her age group. Remy also ran brilliantly, finishing 48th out of 73 runners in a highly competitive field.

Beyond their excellent results, both students represented our school with absolute pride, showcasing our school values throughout the day. They were incredibly supportive of one another before, during and after their races, and their positive attitude and encouragement of others did not go unnoticed.

We are extremely proud of Emma and Remy for their achievements and for the way they represented themselves, their families and our school. Well done on a fantastic effort!

Reminder: Parent Information Sessions – Term 3

We would like to remind families about two upcoming Parent Information Sessions that will provide valuable insight into the teaching and learning approaches used across Orchard Park Primary School.

These sessions are designed for families of students across all year levels and offer a wonderful opportunity to strengthen the partnership between home and school by developing a deeper understanding of how we support student growth and achievement.

Numeracy Approaches & Parent Helper Information Session

Friday 17th July (Week 1) 1:30pm – 2:30pm

Learn more about our whole-school approach to Numeracy, including the strategies, practices and learning experiences that help students develop strong mathematical understanding and confidence.

Social Emotional Learning & Parent Helper Information Session

Friday 31 July (Week 3) 1:30pm – 2:30pm

Discover more about our Social Emotional Learning framework and how we explicitly teach the skills, dispositions and behaviours that support student wellbeing, resilience, relationships and success at school.

Families interested in supporting classroom programs, excursions and other school activities are also invited to attend the Parent Helper Induction, which will run from 1:15pm–1:30pm prior to each session. This induction is mandated for anyone interested in helping with any school events or within the classroom as part of our Child Safe Standards.

We welcome and encourage all families to attend. These sessions provide an excellent opportunity to gain a greater understanding of the learning experiences we provide at Orchard Park and how you can support your child's learning journey at home.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Orchard Park News

Going Further Together

Issue 10 · 19 Jun 2026

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