Principal Team Message

SPOTLIGHT ON STUDENT LEARNING 

It has been incredibly rewarding to observe our students fully engaged in their learning throughout the school. Every morning, across the entire school, we are delivering explicit teaching through the Phonics of Reading and Spelling (PhOrMeS) systematic, structured and explicit phonics approach. 

While this approach is designed specifically for students in Foundation to Year 4, we recognise the importance of reinforcing key concepts for all learners, including those in Years 5 and 6. The retrieval process, revisiting foundational knowledge, is a powerful way to solidify students' understanding and ensure long-term retention of crucial skills.

PhOrMeS incorporates a comprehensive approach to literacy, focusing on key areas such as:

• Phonology through Phonics: This is the foundation of phonics instruction, enabling students to connect sounds with letters and letter combinations, laying the groundwork for successful reading and writing.
• Orthography (Correct Spelling): The program emphasises accurate spelling patterns, ensuring students are able to recognise and spell words correctly, which is crucial for writing development.
• Morphology and Etymology: By understanding the structure of words, students gain insight into word meanings and origins, enhancing their vocabulary and overall literacy.
• Semantics and Vocabulary: The program also supports the development of students’ vocabulary, ensuring they can comprehend and use words in context to deepen their reading and writing abilities.

PhOrMeS utilises the Science of Reading (SoR) and the Science of Learning (SoL) to ensure that every aspect of literacy is grounded in evidence-based practices. This systematic, structured approach helps our students connect sounds, letters, word parts, and meanings, providing them with the tools to become confident and capable readers and writers.

We have also introduced more consistent routines, using mini whiteboards as a tool to check for student understanding actively. This quick and effective method allows us to assess and address any misconceptions in real-time, ensuring that every student is on track. 

These strategies have been a direct result of the professional learning we have undertaken with Nathaniel Swain. We are thrilled that Nathaniel will be working with our whole staff again next term, helping us continue to refine our approach and further develop our teaching practices.

Here is a small video for families, if you want to know more about these approaches. 

SOCIAL & EMOTIONAL WELLBEING 

As part of our school's commitment to Social and Emotional Wellbeing and the School Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS), we are constantly evaluating ways to help our students be ready to learn, organised, and responsible. One key aspect of this is the focus on explicit teaching of expected behaviours through routines. 

Routines are an essential part of everyday life, both at home and at school, and they play a critical role in helping students feel prepared, secure, and ready to engage in learning.

Research consistently shows that routines are especially important for young learners. 

They provide structure and predictability, which are fundamental to creating a positive learning environment. Routines help reduce anxiety, build self-regulation skills, and increase students' confidence in their ability to navigate their day. They also foster a sense of responsibility, as students learn what is expected of them and the steps they need to take to be successful. When students understand what comes next and how to approach tasks, they are more likely to engage and perform well academically and socially.

At Ripponlea Primary School, we are always looking for ways to improve both the learning environment and the broader school experience for our students. We are committed to making sure every child feels safe, calm, and supported to succeed. Consistency across the entire school is key to achieving this, and every teacher at RPS is fully invested in this approach. 

In fact, it is a primary goal of our school, outlined in both the school's strategic plan and its rolling annual plans. 

This year, our plan includes the following:

Wellbeing Goal:

Establish school-wide consistent and predictable learning expectations, routines, and procedures (preconditions for learning) that support increased student learning growth and personal development.

Teacher Responsibilities:

• Explicitly teach PBS expectations within all learning spaces and consistently acknowledge students with a revised token system.

• Introduce routines that support the implementation of effective reading routines, such as paired reading, predictable partners, seating, and other collaborative opportunities.

• Explicitly teach and build consistency in school-wide routines to enable effective learning.

• Develop a deeper understanding of the learning needs of students, including learning difficulties, and create effective Individual Education Plans (IEPs) to support learning and social-emotional development, such as self-regulation skills.

Student Responsibilities:

• Collaboratively develop classroom engagement norms and report improved emotional awareness and resilience.

• Develop appropriate organisational skills to enable greater learning opportunities.• Increase self-confidence and motivation to persevere in more challenging tasks.

• Seek greater assistance from peers and teachers, activating self-help and personalised emotional regulation strategies.

By working together, we will continue to build a consistent and predictable learning environment where students can thrive, academically and personally. In the next newsletter, we will share some routines we will be implementing this term. 

EXCITING NEWS: BABY BLAKE IS ON THE WAY!

It’s an exciting time as we await the arrival of several "Ripper babies" for both our current and past staff members! 

The stork will be very busy this year, and we couldn’t be happier for our growing families. 

A special congratulations to Mr. Matt Blake and his partner Elyse on the impending arrival of their baby, due in October. 

We wish them all the best as they prepare for the adjustment to life with their precious little one.

NDIS THERAPY ON-SITE:  POLICIES AND PROCESSES

In seeking and encouraging close partnerships with families and carers, the school often receives parent requests for NDIS funded providers to: 

• deliver funded therapy on school grounds
• undertake observations
• participate in planning and support group meetings

Ripponlea Primary School strives to support these requests whenever practical and safe to do so, with the decision ultimately resting with the school Principal. 

The DET NDIS Funded Therapy in Schools Policy provides guidance on this process. 

Families and carers wishing to organise on-site therapy to take place during the school day are asked to follow the 4 step process as outlined below. 

1. Parents, in collaboration with the chosen provider, submit information about the proposed therapy and provide consent, allowing the Principal to make transparent, consistent, and informed decisions. This is done using the NDIS Funded Therapy Request and Consent form. 

2. The Principal considers the request in light of all relevant factors and makes a decision as to whether the therapy can be provided on school grounds. The decision is communicated to the therapist and the family. Key considerations include: 

3. If approved, appropriate arrangements are put in place. This includes ensuring relevant forms and agreements are completed, and that scheduled therapy times fit within the Specialist timetable and availability of appropriate spaces. 

4. A licence agreement is signed by school council, containing important provisions that:

- require the therapist to hold appropriate insurances

- require the therapist to comply with reasonable instructions and requests

- allow the principal to put in place appropriate supervision and information sharing arrangements.

Parents and carers who would like more information regarding an on-site therapy arrangement, or further support with any part of the process, are encouraged to contact Marta Campell directly. 

EXCITING LIGHTING UPGRADE AT RPS 

We are thrilled to announce a significant upgrade to the lighting across our school, thanks to a government-funded LED grant. The transformation will not only improve the energy efficiency of our school but also enhance the learning environment for our students and staff.

Over the coming weeks, you may notice the team from O'Brien Electrical working across the school, installing brand-new LED lighting. This upgrade is part of our ongoing commitment to creating a comfortable, modern, and sustainable space for our school community.

The new LED fittings will provide excellent light output and distribution, delivering 126 lumens per watt with 15-watt bulbs and a 120-degree beam angle. These fixtures have been chosen for their superior anti-glare diffuser technology, ensuring a comfortable visual experience, even in areas like sensory rooms where dimmable options are essential.

The color temperature of the new LEDs will be 5000K, which is recommended by the Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA) to maintain an optimal learning atmosphere. The high color rendering index (CRI) of greater than 80 guarantees that colours will appear as true and vibrant as possible, further supporting a visually enriched environment.

Our school’s lighting upgrade is part of a larger initiative that has seen over 50,000 LED lights installed in more than 300 schools across Victoria, both in metro and regional areas. These carefully selected lights meet all VSBA requirements and ensure our school remains a hub of energy-efficient activity while fostering a positive atmosphere for both teaching and learning.

We look forward to seeing the completed project and are excited about the benefits it will bring to our school community. Thank you for your support as we continue to improve our school environment for the benefit of our students. Keep an eye out for the changes as they unfold!

MATHEMATICS CURRICULUM 2.0 REPORTING

This term is a busy one for our staff as they are not only focusing on the delivery of core curriculum but also working hard to assess each student's learning growth over the past year, as well as over the last six months. 

As part of this process, we are preparing for some important updates related to how we report on your child’s progress, especially in mathematics.

We would like to explain these changes in further detail to ensure you are informed and understand how this will impact your child’s report.

The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) has updated the mathematics curriculum to its new version, known as Mathematics Curriculum 2.0. 

These changes are designed to give teachers more flexibility in their planning and support, allowing them to link mathematical concepts with other areas of learning. At our school, we will begin using this updated curriculum for reporting purposes starting this term.

Previously, mathematics was reported across three distinct strands: Number and Algebra, Measurement and Geometry, and Statistics and Probability. With the updated curriculum, teachers will now report on mathematics as a whole, providing a single, aggregated score that reflects your child’s overall achievement in the subject.

When you receive your child's first report under the new curriculum, it will only show achievement (not progress), as the way progress is reported has also changed. For future reports, you will be able to see both achievement and progress against the updated standards.

These changes aim to help teachers better plan for each child’s learning and make connections between mathematical concepts and other subjects.

If you have any questions or would like more information about how this affects your child's report, please don’t hesitate to contact Mr Leech or Stef, our mathematics leaders.

Until next fortnight!

Natalie Rose             &                        Marta Campbell 

      Principal                                         Assistant Principal