Primary News
Year 6 Excursion!
Students from our school have recently undertaken an educational tour of the national capital. Students will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of educational programs focused on Australia’s history, culture, heritage, and democracy.
The Australian Government recognises the importance of all young Australians being able to visit the national capital as part of their Civics and Citizenship education. To assist families in meeting the cost of the excursion, the Australian Government is contributing funding to our school in the amount of $135 per student under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate program towards those costs. The rebate is paid directly to the school upon completion of the excursion.
Year 6 Canberra Excursion! By Rory Moylan
Two weeks ago, Year 6 loaded onto the bus at 7:00 AM, trading Moree for a 10-hour trip to the national capital! We arrived just in time for dinner on Day 1, kicking off an action-packed week full of hands-on learning, adventure, and exciting discoveries.
Day 2: Landmarks & High-Tech Sights
We had an early start on Day 2, heading up to Mount Ainslie to admire the Canberra skyline before visiting Parliament House. We met Jamie Chaffey to talk about the three levels of government and our electorate, and viewed the Senate and House of Representatives from the platform. Next, we respectfully observed the Roll of Honour and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Australian War Memorial, followed by lunch and animal sightings at the National Zoo and Aquarium. The highlight of the day was the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), where we watched elite athletes train, saw an underground pool viewing tunnel, and tried the simulators at Sportex!
Day 3: Treasures, Thrills & Neon Golf
Day 3 began at the National Library exploring old technologies and treasures, followed by a trip to Questacon where brave students (and teachers!) conquered the 2-story, 7-metre free-fall slide! Afterward, we headed to Old Parliament House to learn about voting with the Electoral Commission and had a go at voting ourselves. We then saw how money is made at the Royal Australian Mint before wrapping up the night playing glow-in-the-dark mini-golf at Jungle Golf.
Day 4 & 5: Snow Angels & The Journey Home
On Day 4, we geared up for Corin Forest, spending two hours having snowball fights, making snowmen, and carving out snow angels. After lunch, we visited the Museum of Australian Democracy to sit in the Old Senate and learn about former Prime Ministers, finishing the day with afternoon tea at Ridgeline Playground.
By Day 5, it was time for the 10-hour drive back home. It was a long journey, but worth every minute for a trip full of great memories and new experiences!
Brain Olympia
On the 26th August, 16 students from Years 4, 5 and 6 travelled to Walgett to participate in the Diocesan Brain Olympia competition. Brain Olympia is an academic initiative which began at St. Francis Xavier’s, Narrabri in 1996. The day consists of general knowledge trivia, mathematical problem solving, drama and public speaking. St Philomena’s students were split into two teams of 8 and competed against teams from the Western region of the Diocese.
Both teams represented St Philomena’s with pride, enthusiasm and determination and should be proud of their efforts across all categories. One of the teams placed second at the heat and will now have the opportunity to participate in the Brain Olympia Final to be held in Tamworth on the 15th September. They will be competing against the 7 other winning teams from across the diocese. Good luck to Lincoln, Grace, Rory, Isabelle R, Kree, Caden, Charlotte G and Arnold.
Year 1 Classroom Visit & Assembly
Year 1 had a fabulous time showing their families how to sign different things in AUSLAN using the online signbook. We also loved teaching the whole school how to sign the sentence ‘The pink dragon flew over the big city.’ during our assembly!
Year 3 Learning Spotlight
In Science, Year 3 students are investigating the suitability of natural and processed materials for a range of purposes. To demonstrate their understanding, students are collaborating in design teams to construct a toy using carefully selected materials based on their physical properties. To wrap up the unit, our young innovators will present their designs to their peers in a fun "Shark Tank" style pitch, explaining why their chosen materials make their toy a success!
Sprouting Curiosity: Monday Ag Club Updates
Monday recess has quickly become a highlight of the week as students gather for Ag Club to dig into hands-on science and soil!
What’s Happening in Primary Ag Club: Our Primary students have been exploring the fascinating world of mushrooms with a Mushroom Australia mini mushroom kit. They’ve been investigating the key differences between plants and fungi—learning how fungi feed, grow, and reproduce differently from photosynthetic plants.
To bring this lesson to life, students planted corn seeds this past Monday. Over the coming weeks, they will observe and compare how their corn grows alongside fungi, giving them a front-row seat to how different organisms thrive in nature.
Year 6 Parents
Award Winners - Week 6
Term 3 - Primary Sport Uniform Days
2026 K-6 Concert
Concert tickets are now available to purchase through the Compass portal. Please ONLY PURCHASE 6 tickets in total in first round offers. Any remaining tickets will be available from 9 September.
