Principal's Message
Principal Conference
On Tuesday 3rd and Wednesday 4th June, I had the opportunity to attend the Victorian Principal’s Conference at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre. This annual event brings together school leaders from across the state to connect, reflect, and learn from one another—and as always, it didn’t disappoint.
This year marks my 13th year as a school principal, and while I’ve honestly lost count of how many conferences I’ve attended over the years, I can confidently say that I always walk away feeling both inspired and better equipped to support our school community.
The conference featured a wide range of speakers, including experienced school leaders and education experts who shared insights on leadership, student wellbeing, and innovative teaching practices. It was a valuable opportunity to reflect on what we’re doing well here at Launching Place, and also to gather new ideas and approaches to strengthen our work even further.
Celebrating Our Cross Country Champions!
On Tuesday, a team of determined Launching Place Primary School students braved the chilly and I heard a bit wet, conditions to compete in the Division Cross Country at Yarra Glen — and what a day it was!
We are incredibly proud of every student who took part. Cross country is a true test of persistence, resilience, and mental toughness, and each of our runners showed great determination from start to finish. More importantly, they represented our school with pride, showing excellent sportsmanship, teamwork, and support for one another throughout the morning.
Congratulations to the following students for their fantastic efforts: Evie R (4), Henry, Harley, Skye, Logan M, Jackson S, Molly K, Norah, Bianca and Archie.
A special shout-out goes to Henry who performed exceptionally and has qualified for the Regional Cross Country event – a fantastic achievement. Well done Henry!
We wish Henry all the best as he continues his cross country journey at the next level!
Thank you to Naomi who attended on behalf of our school and our families for your support on the day. It was a great reminder of the strength and spirit of our school community.
Go Launch!
Learning from Others: Our Momentum Schools Project Journey
As part of our ongoing commitment to school improvement and evidence-based teaching practices, Launching Place Primary School is proud to be participating in the Momentum Schools Project, a professional learning initiative led by La Trobe University.
This week, five of our dedicated staff members had the opportunity to visit Chelsea Primary School, one of the lead schools in the project, to observe first-hand the high-impact teaching and learning strategies they have embedded over the past few years.
Throughout the day, our team observed classroom practice, spoke with staff, and explored how structured, evidence-informed approaches have led to improved student outcomes. It was an inspiring experience that left our teachers feeling energised and motivated to bring new ideas back to our own classrooms.
We’re excited to be part of a project that places explicit instruction, teacher collaboration, and high expectations at its core—elements that strongly align with our goals at Launching Place. The visit has sparked valuable conversations among our staff, and we look forward to exploring and trialling some of these approaches in the coming months.
A huge thank you to Chelsea Primary School for welcoming us so openly, and to La Trobe University for their continued guidance and leadership in this space. We are proud to be part of a network of schools working together to strengthen student learning through proven, impactful practice.
Curriculum Day – Friday 6th June
Focused on Strengthening Writing Instruction
A reminder to all families that Friday 6th June is a Curriculum Day. Students will not be required to attend school on this day, as our teaching staff will be engaging in professional learning focused on embedding effective instructional practices in Writing.
As part of our ongoing commitment to further strengthening student outcomes in literacy, we are working closely with Susie from DSF (Dyslexia-SPELD Foundation). Last week, Susie visited several classrooms to observe our current writing lessons and provide feedback on the strengths of our practice, as well as opportunities for further growth.
This Friday, we look forward to welcoming Susie back to continue these important conversations. Together, we will be reviewing our next steps to ensure our students are not only confident writers but also powerful communicators who can express their ideas with clarity and impact.
We appreciate your support as we invest this time into building consistent, evidence-informed teaching practices across the school.
Victorian Curriculum 2.0 – Changes in Mathematics Teaching and Reporting
At Launching Place Primary School, we are committed to delivering high-quality, up-to-date learning experiences for our students. As part of this, our teachers have now begun implementing the Victorian Curriculum 2.0 for Mathematics, which is the newly updated version of the state-wide curriculum.
This updated curriculum brings several important changes to what and how we teach in Mathematics. The key differences between the original curriculum and Version 2.0 include:
A stronger focus on problem-solving and mathematical reasoning, not just number facts and procedures.
A clearer, more structured progression of skills and knowledge from year to year.
New content areas and learning expectations, particularly in areas like data, probability, and spatial reasoning.
As teachers adjust to this revised curriculum, it’s important to note that families may notice some changes in their child’s Mathematics progression point in the upcoming mid-year reports. This is not a reflection of a student doing less or not making progress, but rather a result of a shift in the goalposts—the expectations and content have changed.
For students in Years 4 to 6, in particular, there may be some temporary gaps in content knowledge as we transition. Teachers are working hard to identify and address these gaps while ensuring our assessment judgements remain accurate and fair.
Our goal is to make this transition as smooth as possible, while continuing to build strong mathematical understanding across all year levels. As always, if you have questions about your child’s progress or report, please don’t hesitate to reach out to their teacher.
Virtual Tour
See you around our place,
Laura Caddy
Principal