Principal's report
Dear Parents & Carers,
As we conclude Term 2 and reach the halfway point of the 2026 school year, it is an opportune time to reflect on the many achievements and important pieces of work that continue to shape Elsternwick Primary School. This term has provided opportunities to celebrate learning through Education Week, support our Year 3 and Year 5 students as they participated in NAPLAN, continue progressing the priorities outlined in our School Strategic Plan and Annual Implementation Plan, and prepare Semester 1 reports that capture each student's growth and achievement. While these milestones are significant in their own right, together they reflect our collective commitment to ensuring every student is known, supported and challenged to achieve their personal best.
Curriculum Day – Monday 13th of July
A reminder that Monday 13 July is a Curriculum Day, with students returning for the commencement of Term 3 on Tuesday 14 July.
This will be our second-last Curriculum Day for the year, with our final Curriculum Day taking place on Monday 5 October.
The focus of our July Curriculum Day will be on strengthening our whole-school reading approach and ensuring our practices continue to align with the Department of Education's evidence-based reading position and the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model 2.0. This work will support consistency of practice across the school and further strengthen the high-quality reading instruction our students receive every day. Victoria's approach to teaching reading is underpinned by explicit teaching and structured literacy practices designed to support all students to become confident and capable readers.
Staff will also continue their work around embedding First Nations perspectives across the curriculum, ensuring these perspectives are meaningfully integrated into teaching and learning experiences across all year levels.
Our final whole-school Curriculum Day will be held on Monday 5 October.
In addition, there will be an extra Professional Practice Day scheduled during Term 4, with the date currently being finalised. I can confirm that this will not be scheduled on the day prior to the Melbourne Cup public holiday.
For families interested in learning more about the Department of Education's reading reforms, please visit:
Victoria's approach to teaching reading F–2
NAPLAN and Student Achievement - Reading
Whilst our Year 3 and Year 5 students recently completed the 2026 NAPLAN assessments, results will not be available until next term. In the meantime, it is worth reflecting on our 2025 NAPLAN results, which demonstrated strong outcomes in reading across both year levels.
In Year 3 Reading, 85% of students achieved in the Strong or Exceeding proficiency levels. This result aligned closely with both our network (85%) and similar schools (86%), while significantly exceeding the state average (69%).
Our Year 5 Reading results were particularly pleasing, with 92% of students achieving in the Strong or Exceeding proficiency levels. This exceeded both similar schools and our network (90%) and was substantially higher than the state average (74%). Furthermore, 40% of Year 5 students achieved in the Exceeding proficiency level, highlighting the strength of student achievement and the impact of the high-quality teaching and learning programs implemented across the school.
When interpreting NAPLAN data, it is also important to consider the size of our cohorts. With approximately 60 students participating in NAPLAN at each year level, even a small percentage movement can represent only one or two students. As a result, year-to-year fluctuations should be interpreted with caution and viewed alongside a range of other assessment measures rather than in isolation.
Whilst these results are certainly worth celebrating, NAPLAN provides only one snapshot of student achievement at a particular point in time. At Elsternwick Primary School, we continue to use a broad range of assessment measures throughout the year to monitor student progress, identify areas for growth and ensure every student is appropriately supported and challenged.
This work is underpinned by the priorities outlined in our 2025–2029 School Strategic Plan and our Annual Implementation Plan, which guide our ongoing efforts to strengthen student learning, engagement and wellbeing outcomes. These documents ensure that our work remains focused, evidence-informed and centred on continuous improvement for every student.
Families interested in learning more about the school's strategic direction can access our 2025–2029 School Strategic Plan here:
School Strategic Plan: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ngTHxX4ORk-mVYzVOpYwqTmcUo8A35jb/view
Individual student NAPLAN reports for the 2026 assessments will be distributed to families at the start of Term 3, once they have been received by the school.
Families interested in learning more about NAPLAN reporting timelines can visit:
ACARA Key Dates: https://www.acara.edu.au/reporting/key-dates
2027 Prep Enrolments Update
One of the highlights of Term 2 has been the significant interest in Foundation (Prep) enrolments for 2027.
Throughout the term, we have been running weekly school tours, all of which have been fully booked. We currently offer 10 bookings per tour; however, as many families attend with partners and children, it is not uncommon to welcome more than 20 prospective family members through our school each week.
Anecdotally, I would estimate that between 70–80% of families attending our tours reside outside our school zone. This reflects the strong reputation that Elsternwick Primary School continues to build, not only within our immediate community but also across surrounding suburbs.
I would also like to acknowledge our School Captains, who have done a fantastic job leading these tours. They consistently receive positive feedback for their knowledge of the school, their confidence and the way they proudly represent Elsternwick Primary School. They are wonderful advocates and role models, and I am incredibly proud of the role they play in welcoming prospective families to our community.
At the time of writing, we have already received close to 100 Foundation enrolment applications and expressions of interest for 2027, with more than a month remaining before applications close on Friday 31 July.
Whilst this level of interest is exciting, it is important to note that our school does not have the capacity to accept all applications. In accordance with the Department of Education's Placement Policy, all in-zone enrolments and sibling enrolments will be prioritised and accepted. We anticipate that a number of out-of-zone enrolments will also be offered places; however, these decisions will be made in line with the Department's policy, with proximity to the school being a key consideration.
Families applying through VicStudents are able to nominate up to three preferred schools, meaning that not all applications received list Elsternwick Primary School as a first preference. Nevertheless, it is incredibly affirming to see such strong interest from both local and broader communities.
Ultimately, this level of demand is a reflection of the outstanding work undertaken every day by our students, staff and families. It is wonderful to know that what we are doing at Elsternwick Primary School is resonating both within and beyond our immediate community, and that so many families see EPS as a school where they would like their children to learn, grow and thrive.
Further information regarding 2027 Foundation (Prep) enrolments can be found on our website: https://elsternwickps.vic.edu.au/how-to-enrol/
Staffing Update
As we conclude Term 2, I would like to acknowledge two valued members of our staff, Olivia Crowe and Jethro (Jed) Kirby, who will both be commencing leave from the end of term two and for the remainder of the year.
Firstly, I would like to acknowledge Olivia. Olivia was one of my first appointments when I commenced as Principal at Elsternwick Primary School almost 10 years ago. During her time at EPS, she has taught across multiple year levels and learning spaces, including on The Deck, in the Portables, within the CAB and in Brickwood Hall.
Throughout her time at our school, Olivia has provided exceptional care and support to countless students and their families. I regularly hear from parents and carers about the positive impact she has had on their children and the genuine relationships she has built within our community.
Olivia has also taken on leadership responsibilities, serving as a Team Leader and mentoring graduate and early career teachers. Her willingness to support colleagues, share her expertise and contribute to the growth of others has been greatly valued.
Whilst her footy tipping prowess may be difficult to replicate (and perhaps one of her greatest achievements!), her contribution to Elsternwick Primary School over the past decade has been significant. We sincerely thank Olivia for her dedication and wish her all the very best during her leave. We look forward to welcoming her back in 2027.
At the time of writing, details regarding Olivia's replacement have not yet been finalised. We anticipate communicating this information to families before the commencement of Term 3.
I would also like to acknowledge Jethro (Jed) Kirby, who will be taking leave for the remainder of the year. Although a more recent addition to the EPS team, Jed quickly established himself as an integral member of our school community in his roles as Inclusion Coordinator and Mental Health in Primary Schools (MHiPS) Coordinator.
Jed has worked tirelessly alongside students, families and staff to provide support through Student Support Group meetings, Disability Inclusion Profile (DIP) meetings and a range of wellbeing initiatives, including the establishment of the Green Zone and lunchtime activities that have provided meaningful opportunities for students to connect and thrive.
Jed has built strong relationships with many families and has always been willing to provide support whenever it has been needed. We sincerely thank him for his commitment to our students and families and wish him every success with his future endeavours.
We are pleased to welcome Wendi Gomizel to the role of Inclusion Coordinator. Wendi will work part-time on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays and has already commenced an extensive handover process with Jed, learning about student histories, Disability Inclusion Profiles and the many important aspects of the role.
We are also pleased that Eliza Solly will step into the role of Mental Health in Primary Schools (MHiPS) Coordinator during Jed's absence. Having worked alongside Jed and participated in the associated training throughout the year, Eliza is well placed to continue this important work.
Whilst we will certainly miss both Olivia and Jed, we are grateful for the strong transition processes already underway and look forward to supporting Wendi and Eliza as they take on these important responsibilities.
As we reach the halfway point of the school year, I would like to take a moment to thank our wonderful community for your continued support, partnership and commitment to Elsternwick Primary School. Whether it is helping at events, engaging in your child's learning or simply staying connected with school life, your contributions help make Elsternwick Primary School the vibrant, inclusive and caring place that it is. Together, we continue to create a school community where students are known, supported and encouraged to thrive.
Have a great weekend and term break,
Michael Portaro
Principal