Welcome

Wawa, Wominjika. 

Here at Old Orchard Primary School, we acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land we visit each day, the Wurrunguri and Woiwurrung people of the Kulin nation.  We acknowledge and respect the elders and leaders past and present and the elders and leaders of all of the cultures and nationalities that are part of the Old Orchard Primary School community.  We express our gratitude towards the orchards that were kept in place by the peoples on this land before us.  We thank the traditional owners for sharing this beautiful land that we all love, and for keeping the land, sky, waterways and animals all in great condition for thousands of years, not only for themselves but for all the generations to come.

2026 School Fete

Our School Fete is now only 22 days away and we are all looking forward to a fantastic day. The success of the Fete depends on the contribution of the entire school community. If you are able to help, even in a small way, please make the effort to do so. Keep your eye open for our social media and other communication channels for the latest updates and announcements.

Prep to Year 2 Swimming 

We are nearly halfway through the Prep to Year 2 swimming program. Our students are to be commended on their efforts which includes being organised every day, traveling to and from the pool, being responsible in the change rooms, and of course, doing their very best during the swimming lessons themselves. Keep up the great work students and as always, thanks to our staff and helpers for their wonderful support.

School Review - PRSE & Preparation Day

All Victorian government schools undergo a formal school review every four years. Old Orchard is about to embark on our 2026 school review. This includes the completion of a pre-review school evaluation, which has already been compiled and submitted. On Thursday of next week I will be meeting with our School Reviewer, Charmaine Taylor, as well as Richard Lambert, the senior education improvement leader, to fine tune the parameters of the review. The review itself will take place on November 23rd and 24th. The review panel will include our school leadership team, Charmaine Taylor, Richard Lambert, two practising Principals from other schools who will serve as challenge partners, and our School Council president, Helen Carr. Throughout the two days the panel will observe classroom practice and hear from students, staff and parents in small forums. Recommendations from the school review will inform the development of our new school strategic plan covering 2027 to 2030.

Student Leadership elections

The student leadership elections for 2027 Year 6 students is now underway. Students have the opportunity to apply for a variety of roles, and their application includes a written submission as well as a short speech to their peers.

Trivia Night

Last Saturday’s Old Orchard trivia night was a huge success with a very enthusiastic gathering and some fantastic ‘Bogan’ costumes. A huge thank you to Sarah Freeth for her commitment and hard work in bringing this event together.

World Teachers’ Day

Friday, October 30th is World teachers day. As much as teaching is a job, it is invariably much more than this. At Old Orchard we are incredibly fortunate to have teachers who care deeply about the students in their care and spend many, many hours thinking about how they can best support them with their learning. Education is about academic growth and development, but also about social and emotional growth, building perseverance and resilience,  developing kindness, compassion and a sesnse of social justice. It is also about providing many and varied experiences that enhance the educational experience. Our teachers excel in all of these facets. I acknowledge and appreciate every member of our staff for the role they play in our students’ lives and in making Old Orchard such a wonderful school.

Special mentions

Yesterday, two of our students participated in the Regional Athletics Championships.

Oscar S (Year 5) did a great job in the 11 Year Boys’ Long Jump and is already looking forward to next year when he hopes for a podium finish.

Charlie K (Year 4) competed in two events:

He finished 9th overall in the 9/10 Year Boys’ Hurdles, battling tricky conditions in his heat.

Charlie came to the fore in the High Jump, achieving a Personal Best to finish second and receive a silver medal. Charlie has now qualified to compete in the State Finals next week at Lakeside Athletics Track. 

Congratulations to both Oscar & Charlie, with special best wishes to Charlie for next Friday.

Borthwicks

Last weekend the Borthwick boys (James & Max) boys did a 3km walk for Pancare (Pancreatic Cancer) charity around Princes Park, Carlton. This was in memory of the boys’ grandfather who passed away in January.

Warm regards,

Duncan

A Fantastic Start to Term 4: Every Day Counts!

We've had a wonderful start to Term 4 at Old Orchard, with our whole-school attendance averaging 94.08% across the first two weeks! This is a fantastic result and continues the strong attendance we celebrated throughout Term 3.

Even more encouraging is how our attendance compares with the same time in previous years. Our current attendance of 94.08% is higher than the first two weeks of Term 4 in each of the past four years:

• 2025: 92.74%
• 2024: 91.46%
• 2023: 91.36%
• 2022: 90.38%

That's an improvement of 1.34% from last year and an impressive 3.70% from 2022! It's wonderful to see such positive progress across our school community.

As we settle into another busy term, we encourage families to maintain the routines that support regular attendance. Arriving at school on time is just as important as being here each day. Students should be ready to head into classrooms at 8:50am, with learning beginning at 9:00am.

Thanks to our Old Orchard families for your ongoing commitment to regular attendance and punctuality. Your support makes a real difference, helping students build friendships, develop confidence and make the most of every learning opportunity.

Let's keep this fantastic momentum going as we head towards the end of the school year!

If you have any questions or concerns about your child's attendance, please contact Adam at adam.todd@education.vic.gov.au.