Whole School News

UNIFORM – New Girls' tailored shorts

We are excited to announce that we have introduced girls’ black tailored shorts for Prep – Year 12. The shorts will provide another option to the summer dress, tartan skirt and black skirt (senior girls). The shorts are to be worn with the white shirt (and woollen jumper), plain white socks, and school shoes.

Sample sets are available at the office at both campuses for parents to view and students to try on for size; orders (with payment) can be placed. We will be placing our first order on Friday 8 March, and it will take approximately 1 – 2 weeks to arrive.

Primary

Shorts have an elasticized waist.

Sizes 4 – 16 ($33)

Secondary

Sizes 8 – 20 ($35)

A reminder that girls are also able to wear black trousers, as available at our uniform shop:

Primary: sizes 6-14 ($40).

Secondary: sizes 8C - 22A ($60).

If you have any questions, please contact our friendly admin team who will be only too willing to help.

NAPLAN Information: Years 3, 5, 7 and 9

NAPLAN tests which will take place this year between 13 – 25 March. NAPLAN tests assess Literacy and Numeracy skills that students are learning throughout the year and are for all students who are in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9.

NAPLAN will be held in March to enable school systems to have access to results earlier in the school year, so they can be used to inform teaching and learning plans for the remainder of the year.

We would like to provide you with some information about these tests and what to expect.

NAPLAN are tests held across Australia which allow us to track and revise our students’ learning from an external agency separate to our classroom teaching. The tests cover skills in reading, writing, spelling, grammar and punctuation, and numeracy.

Each child will complete the test online with laptops, except for the Year 3 writing tests which will still be on paper. We will present students with the opportunity to engage with some of the practice tests in preparation for the tests. Students are not expected to study for NAPLAN, rather it is to be considered part of a normal school program where children are encouraged to do their best.

The tests which students complete automatically adapt to their responses, presenting them with questions which are less or more difficult, therefore catering for a wide range of student abilities. Where applicable, student adjustments can be made to reflect a student’s usual classroom support.

The school will use the data gained from these tests to analyse how students are learning against others of the same age range across the state and Australia. This is particularly helpful information that highlights areas where our students are developing their skills, but also the areas of learning in which we can better support and grow our students’ individual capacities.

As mentioned, these tests are important for gathering data about our students’ progress and the teaching and learning happening in our schools. However, it is important to note that these tests are only a ‘snapshot’ of a student’s progress and not of their learning ‘as a whole’. We believe each child is wonderfully made by God with individual skills and talents which are to be celebrated.

On the morning of NAPLAN testing, a breakfast will be provided for students.

Should a parent intend to withdraw their child from this test, they must contact the school by Monday 4 March 2024 to complete the necessary paperwork required to support this choice.

All students will complete the written component on Wednesday 13 March. Where a student is absent, a catch-up time slot will be arranged.

Should you have any questions, please speak to your child’s class teacher, or

Mrs Miles (Ulverstone Primary) or Mrs de Deuge (Ulverstone Secondary).

Kinder 2025

Enrolments for Kinder 2025 are open! Thank you to those families who have already expressed their interest or commenced the enrolment process. We ask that any current families who have little ones for Kindy next year, to please reach out as siblings are not automatically enrolled, and enrolment forms are required to be completed for every child. This will secure your child’s spot and greatly assist our Principals to establish vacancies for new families.

Please contact:

Burnie Campus: Nicole Gillam (PA to Burnie Principal): 6430 9000 or n.gillam@leighland.tas.edu.au

Ulverstone Campus: Lindy Mott (Registrar): 6425 0999 or l.mott@leighland.tas.edu.au

If you know of anyone considering their options for Kinder next year - or any year group, please encourage them to make contact with Nicole or Lindy so that we can set them up with a tour and provide an information pack. Information packs are also available from the office, if you would like to collect one to pass on.

Nicole and Lindy look forward to hearing from you!