Teaching and Learning
Ms Nicholls
Michaela Settle MP
It was wonderful to welcome Michaela Settle MP to our school as she visited to hand out Prep bags to our students. We hope our Preps enjoy these bags, which are filled with engaging learning items and helpful information for parents and carers to support families in having a great start to the school year.
This year’s theme, “Reach for the stars,” encourages our Prep students to dream big, believe in themselves, and aim high in everything they do. We’re so excited to see them begin their learning journey with confidence and curiosity!
A message from Michaela:
"A lovely visit to Ballan Primary School meeting our newest school students and handing out Prep bags. There is something really special about seeing children at the very start of their learning journey. It was such a joy to spend time with the preps, share stories, and help send them off with a bag full of books and school essentials as they begin this exciting new chapter. Wishing all our Ballan preps a happy year of learning, friendships and discovery. Reading opens doors to imagination, confidence and curiosity, and it is one of the most powerful ways we can support a lifelong love of learning."
Athletics Day
This coming Monday, March 2, is our 3-6 Athletics Day! It will be held in Bacchus Marsh at Masons Lane. If you are available and willing to support on the day - with scoring, measuring, and facilitating - please contact your child's classroom teacher.
Students are welcomed to wear their house colours/free dress on the day.
Go Wombats!
3-Way Conferences
Thank you to all the families that came to 3-Way Conferences on Wednesday. It was a wonderful opportunity to meet, reconnect, share early successes, discuss goals, and share pertinant information.
Progress Rerpots
On Thursday, February 19, Settling In Progress Reports were published.
We will have Reading and Mathematics Progress Reports this term also.
How to access Progress Reports
Using the Xuno website:
https://docs.xuno.com.au/portal-how-to-view-and-download-your-reports
- Click on the Learning menu and then click on the Reports item. If you're using a mobile device, you'll need to tap on the menu icon in the top left first, before you can tap on the Learning menu.
- Parents can select a specific child by clicking on the button labelled with their child's name. If you are logged in as a student you will only be able to view or download your own reports.
- Find the desired report by scrolling through the list and then clicking on it to view or download it. In the XUNO Portal, you can download reports by clicking on the relevant report name. Reports are ordered chronologically by year with the most recent report at the top of the page. The reports you see are those that your school has chosen to share with you through your XUNO Portal.
Using the Xuno app:
https://docs.xuno.com.au/accessing-student-academic-reports-in-the-xuno-family-app
- Please follow the steps below to access student reports on the XUNO Family app.
- Tap on the three horizontal lines in the top left to open the left hand menu.
- Scroll down until you find the Reports heading and tap on it.
- Select the student you’d like to view reports for by tapping on their photograph, then tap on the arrow shown to view the applicable report.
NAPLAN
The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is a literacy and numeracy assessment that our students in Years 3 and 5 will sit this year. Students will complete the 2026 NAPLAN tests between the 11th and 23rd of March. All testing will be completed online except for Year 3 students who will continue to complete the writing assessment on paper.
The dates for testing at our school are as follows:
- Wednesday, March 11 - Writing
- Thursday, March 12 - Reading
- Friday, March 13 - Convensions of Language
- Monday, March 16 - catch up testing
- Tuesday, March 17 - Numeracy
- Wednesday, March 18 - catch up testing
- Thursday, March 19- catch up testing
- Friday, March 20 - catch up testing
- Monday, March 23 - catch up testing
Please view the NAPLAN Information for Parents & Carers brochures attached below, and see here for translated versions <https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/for-parents-carers>. For more information on NAPLAN, visit www.nap.edu.au.
If you have any questions or would like more information about NAPLAN, please get in contact with your child's classroom teacher or myself.
Book Club
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.
Click here for the Scholastic Book Club Parent Log in page or to register for new users.
You can have a look at the online catalogue here: https://scholastic.com.au/book-club/book-club-parents/issue-preview/.
Issue 1 will arrive and be provided to students next week.
Issue 2 orders are due by 19/03/2026.
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, 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.
Connect with BPS
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BallanPrimarySchool
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ballanprimaryschool/
Happy learning,
Madison Nicholls
Acting Learning Specialist
Madison.Nicholls2@education.vic.gov.au
Ph: 5368 1072