Principal's Message
Upwey South Primary School
Please take the time to read each page of our newsletter, as we provide you with information updates across our school.
TERM THREE EVENTS:
Please be aware that all upcoming Term Three events are now viewable within our Compass Calendar. We advise all families to add these events to your schedules.
On behalf of our staff, a huge thank you...
One of the enduring features of Upwey South Primary School is that we are a community of learners. In particular, as we reflect upon the achievements of Term Two it is obvious that our learning community is built upon a foundation of strong relationships; which we are able to foster, develop, and rely upon to provide a rich and engaging learning environment for our students.
As the Principal, I feel it is suitable that I take a moment to acknowledge the following
'Three Pillars of our Learning Community', being:
- Students - our students are at the centre of everything we do
- Staff - building staff capacity to achieve our guiding principles is paramount
- Community Partnerships - our positive school-wide culture for learning is supported through effective partnerships with our families, allied health professionals, world leading tertiary institutions, and reputable community organisations.
Building a 'place to belong' for each of these three pillars is the underpinning of what we strive to achieve.
Whilst you can view previous newsletters/Compass posts for additional details on our school's achievements, below is a summary of highlights from Term Two:
Students:
- outstanding 2025 Summary NAPLAN results in Year Three and Year Five, once again placing our school above similar school and state mean scores.
- amazing extra-curricular achievements in the area of physical education and the arts, such as interschool sporting, cross country, aerobics, community art projects, and state schools spectacular
- a commitment to creating a sense of belonging for students across year levels, through engaging initiatives such as buddies programs, lunchtime clubs, and peer-peer learning
Staff:
- coaching/mentoring of external school leadership teams in evidence-based teaching approaches
- active involvement in the facilitation of leadership development at a regional level
- a focussed commitment to increasing individual learning plans for students
- reach-out initiatives to support families with wellbeing and community connections
Community Partnerships:
- outstanding events facilitated by our Parent Association, such as the highly attended Paint 'n' Sip evening, special lunches, and sustained efforts to increase engagement for the benefit of all families
- an ongoing commitment to strategic planning for our school, inclusive of securing DE funded facilities upgrades such as the breezeway bathrooms, and upgrading of existing classroom layouts
- outreach sessions for parents/carers to provide information on new areas of the curriculum, such as Rights and Respectful Relationships
- expansion of student agency electives in Year Three-Six to reflect student voice in subject areas newly on offer.
As we enter the Winter break, we wish all of our students and families a safe and happy holidays, and we look forward to an exciting Term Three.
Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships Parent Information Session - Recording Now Available
As part of the statewide rollout of the Respectful Relationships Curriculum, our school community recently had the opportunity to attend a parent/carer information session facilitated by Department of Education Regional Staff.
For those parents/carers seeking additional information beyond the above session, we encourage you to:
- speak with your child's classroom teacher regarding any wellbeing matters which are relevant for your child/ren
- visit the link 'Teach Respectful Relationships' to view publicly accessible resources to support the implementation of the Respectful Relationships initiative, including the delivery of respectful relationships education
- visit the link 'Respectful Relationships' to view FAQs, myths/facts, and the research behind the Victorian Government's approach to educating children.
Please see attached below the link to a recording of the parent information session which was held on Monday 16th June 2025.
This recording will remain available for viewing until Friday 15th August 2025.
Link: Respectful Relationships Recording
Policy Focus: Mobile Phones/Devices in Schools
In August 2025, our mobile phone policy is due to for review by School Council and our School Leadership.
Whilst this policy is a statewide enforceable policy, set and mandated by the Victorian Government, it is timely that we bring this policy to the attention of our school community. Following the upcoming policy review period, we will again publish an updated version for our community.
The below is a summary of how our school is acting to provide students with a safe learning environment, whilst also being mindful of the necessity for many families to provide their child with a mobile phone/smart watch.
Please note, that the conditions of the Mobile Phone policy are mandated for all Victorian schools; with little room for localised interpretation.
- For the purpose of the policy, the term mobile device encompasses all devices with electronic communication systems which are personally owned by a student (eg: mobile phones and smart watches).
- At Upwey South Primary School, students who choose to bring mobile phones to school must have them switched off and securely stored during school hours. Students from Foundation- Year Four should hand their mobile phones into the school office upon arrival to school, and may collect these devices at the end of the school day. Students in Year Five-Six should hand their mobile phones into the school office upon arrival to school, and may collect these devices at the end of the school day. Smart watches may continue to be worn whilst at school, but should be switched to non-communication mode during school hours.
- Exceptions to this policy may be applied if certain conditions are met (such as individual medical needs).
- When emergencies occur, parents or carers should communicate with their child by calling the school’s office. Parents/Carers should not be contacting their child via the child’s mobile device during school hours.
- Students who bring a mobile device to school, do so at the owner’s risk.
- Students who use their mobile device during school hours will have the device confiscated by staff. Should this occur, the device is then returned to the student in consultation with a parent/carer.
For extensive information regarding the above policy, please access the resources below:
Upwey South Primary School Policy
Foundation Enrolments 2026 - Action Required
The Department of Education has now released the statewide Foundation (Prep) enrolment timeline for the 2026 school year.
The timeline advises families when and how to enrol their child into Foundation (Prep) at a Victorian government primary school, including Upwey South Primary School.
All government primary schools will follow the timeline in 2025 to support Foundation (Prep) enrolments for the 2026 school year. You can find information and resources about the timeline, including factsheets and a poster at:
Enrolling in Foundation (Prep).
Important Foundation 2026 Enrolment Dates
- Tuesday 22nd April 2025: Online enrolments open for Foundation (Prep) 2026 at Upwey South Primary School and all government primary schools.
- Friday 25th July 2025: All 2026 Foundation (Prep) applications must be actioned through the online portal by this date.
- Monday 28th July - Friday 8th August 2025: Enrolment Outcomes - You will be notified of the outcome of your application between Monday 28 July and Friday 8 August 2025. The letter from the school will include the next steps.
- Friday 22nd August 2025: Enrolment Responses Due - If you receive an enrolment offer, you should respond to the offer by Friday 22 August 2025.
Sibling Enrolments Require Action - DO NOT DELAY
Please be aware that whilst all siblings of current students are guaranteed an enrolment at Upwey South Primary School, these enrolments still need to be actioned through the DE Enrolment Portal as outlined above.
Communicating with the Principal
We look forward to partnering with you in 2025, and welcome your input:
Damien Kitch
Principal
m: 0459 864 712