School News & Events

Welcome to our 2026 Parents 

Welcome to our new 2026 families who will be receiving our school newsletter for the first time!

Our LEAP program commenced last week, it was lovely to welcome students beginning Foundation at Pilgrim in the new year. Lisa Newbury, our Early Years Coordinator, has been busy visiting students at their preschools, early learning and childcare centres and we held a Foundation 2026 Information Night during Week 1. 

We look forward to welcoming students from other year levels that will be visiting us later this term. 

School Values Awards 

Each week we present School Values Awards for students who have upheld or demonstrated one of our Pilgrim values: Belong, Explore, Flourish, Serve. The students are presented with their award at our weekly Worship.

Term 4, Week 2            

Belong: Sophie

Explore: Koda

Flourish: Ella

Serve: Hannah

Term 4, Week 3          

Belong: Sofia

Explore: Conor 

Flourish: Josiah

Serve: Mackenzie

Every Generation Onkaparinga Award 

Congratulations to our Grandbuddies program which recently won an Every Generation Onkaparinga Award. Each year the City of Onkaparinga presents awards to celebrate contributions to positive ageing and making an impact in the community. This year, Grandbuddies won the intergenerational category for groups or individuals who bring the generations together and reduce ageism.

Our Grandbuddies has been running for 3 years now and our Foundation students love their interactions with the seniors from Seeds Church. Connections are made three times each term with our students playing games, doing crafts and reading books with their senior buddies.

Grandbuddies is a very special program for us and we love seeing the joy of both generations as they connect. We acknowledge the time and effort put in by our Early Years staff team and the Foundation students, Mrs Fallon and our Year 6 students, also Mrs Buxton and Mrs Perkins from Seeds with the senior buddies to ensure its success.

Considering High School Options for Your Child

Our Year 6 students will be heading to a variety of 13 different high schools at the end of this year. We frequently receive feedback that our students are well prepared and always highly valued members of the secondary schools they attend.

Recent communication from Emmaus Christian College has announced a change in their business model giving guaranteed high school enrolment only to students enrolled in their Brooklyn Park or South Plympton junior schools.

If you are in the process of considering your child's secondary education, please feel free to speak to one of our Leadership Team who would be happy to discuss some of the many secondary pathways available to our graduates.

Canteen 

Just a reminder that all recess and lunch orders can only be made using the Qkr! app. Cash sales are not available.

World Teachers Day

Friday 31st October was World Teachers Day and we celebrated our amazing group of teachers with a breakfast, some reflections from students and a display of comments from families and other staff about what we value about our teachers.

Thank you to everyone who contributed words of appreciation for our teachers. It was a beautiful surprise for our teachers to arrive at school and see these words displayed in our Nature Play area Friday morning. 

Here are a few of your comments (there were so many more beautiful comments too!):

We value our teachers because every teacher at Pilgrim is focused on doing their best to see each individual student achieve success.

We value our teachers because they inspire, guide, and shape the future through their dedication and care for our children.  We are blessed.

We value our teachers because they are part of our village, caring for our children as individuals, bringing patience, kindness and passion everyday.

We value our teachers because they inspire, guide, and nurture students with dedication, patience, and heart, leaving a lasting impact on their growth and future. 

We value our teachers because they lead by example and genuinely care about the wellbeing of the students.

We value our teachers because they are all amazing at what they do. We thank you for every day and everything you do for us. Your hard work definitely doesn't go unnoticed.

We value our teachers because their kindness writes a story in the kids’ heads that says you belong here. 

School Uniform Checks 

Over the coming weeks, our staff will be checking whether students are wearing correct uniform. Please ensure your child is wearing the correct items as per our uniform policy when they come to school. Please note the following:

As we are now in spring, either full winter formal or summer uniform is to be worn. Please ensure that the 'summer' and 'winter' uniform items are not 'mixed' together. From the 1st December only summer uniform can be worn. 

Jewellery

• A watch with functionality of telling the time and step counting only may be worn (no smart watches).
• Earrings – single plain round metal stud or plain sleeper in both ear lobes. 

• No jewellery or body piercing.

   

Hair

• Longer than shoulders must be tied back from face (entirely up).
• Hair accessories should be uniform colours.

• Haircuts should be no less than ‘Number 2’.

   

Shoes

• Conventional black school shoes (not black sneakers that are sometimes marketed as school shoes) need to be worn.

• Only students in Foundations - Year 2 may wear black school shoes with Velcro.

   

Additional items

• No clothing such as singlets, T-shirts or leggings should be visible under the uniform.
• Coats and gloves in maroon, blue or grey are optional and for outside wear only and are worn over the school jumper or the Campus sports jacket.

• Oodies are not to be worn. 

   

If you have questions about uniform, please contact Kristen Heath or the Front Office staff. Teachers will send parents an email if they notice there are components of the uniform your family needs to address.

Application for Concessional Fees for 2026

To support our school community we have increased the thresholds at which our concessional fees will be available in 2026.

If you meet the criteria and would like to apply for a fee concession, please submit an application form by Sunday 23rd November.

Our 2026 Fee Schedule is available our our website here.

Loud Shirt Day 

Thank you for getting 'loud' for kids with hearing loss.

A heartfelt thanks to the Pilgrim School community for supporting our Term 3 casual day fundraiser - Loud Shirt Day.

Sienna B in Year 5 initiated the fundraiser, with all proceeds furthering the work of Can:Do 4Kids supporting children and young people with hearing loss in South Australia. A total of $1401 was raised, smashing the $1000 goal.

I believe that every child deserves the chance to reach their full potential no matter what challenges they face. Thank you to everyone who supported Can:Do 4Kids through this fundraiser, thank you to my family, Mrs Chesterfield and the school community. I hope that next year is just as special and we can help even more children with hearing loss.

from Sienna B, Year 5 

It was fun seeing everyone wearing their brightest shirts possible, and the fundraiser was for an awesome cause.

Joshua W, Year 5  

Yiota Chesterfield

Inclusive Education Coordinator

Recent FTL and Year 1/2 Assembly Video

Our students have really been enjoying Dan Warlow's music following his visit earlier this year. Here is a video created by the FTL and Year 1/2O classes for their recent assembly which we think you will enjoy! 

Dan Warlow's music is available on Spotify and through his website: https://danwarlow.com

Christmas Celebration 

Due to seating restrictions, this year our Christmas Celebration will focus on the Early Years classes and our school choir. Our Foundation students will present the Nativity story and our Year 1 and 2 students and choir will also be sharing Christmas items.

Please join us at Seeds Church on Tuesday 25th November, 6.00pm - 6.45pm.

Foundation families have received information about what their child needs to wear for the Nativity play. The choir and all Year 1 and 2 students are asked to please wear red, white or green t-shirts and black/dark pants/leggins/jeans or a Christmas dress. No tinsel please. 

To ensure we have enough seating, free tickets will need to be booked using the link below. Tickets are general admission and are initially limited to 3 seats per family (you do not need to book a ticket for F-2 or choir students). We will release further tickets once all families have had a chance to book, so please book your tickets promptly.

There is no dinner before the Christmas Celebration this year, but we encourage families to attend the P&F Family Picnic on Friday 14th November to connect with other families (see details on our Community page).

We would love to see you at both events!

Year 6 Farewell Assembly

This year, the Year 6 Farewell Assembly will be held on Tuesday 9th December, at the usual time of 9am in the Performing Arts Centre (PAC). Please note, this replaces the Wednesday morning Worship for Week 9. 

Discussing Your Child's Progress

At any time, parents are able to chat with their child's class teacher about their child's progress. Parents can email teachers directly to arrange a time to get together.  

Reminder - Fergus is here to help 

We have added a chatbot to our website named Fergus. (Fergus is a LEAP Frog 😊) Fergus can answer a range of questions in relation to school life, such as when hats are required, details of upcoming term dates/student-free dates, sun protection information and fee information – and he can even tell you a (bad) joke!

Fergus can also answer questions about recent newsletter information - useful if you recall something being mentioned but can't remember which newsletter it was in.

We love the personal connection we have with our community and Fergus is not intended to take away from that, but simply to provide another source of information that is available 24/7 to assist with basic queries. Please rest assured we will still look forward to seeing you at the Front Office or speaking with you on the phone!

Give Fergus a try, and if he can’t help you please let us know so we can continue to build his knowledge.

2027 Foundation Enrolments 

We are currently interviewing for Foundation 2027. If you have a child due to start school in 2027, please click on the Application for Enrolment button and complete the enrolment process. If your child will be 5 years old by 1st May 2027, they can commence in Foundation at the beginning of that year. If your child turns 5 years old between 1st May and 31st October you may wish to consider midyear entry. This has always been an option and now that preschools are able to enrol children from midyear to midyear, it may be an excellent opportunity for your child. Please contact Kristen Heath on 8270 3033 or at heathk@pilgrim.sa.edu.au if you would like to discuss your family's situation.

School Tours 

A Twilight Principal's Tour will be held on Wednesday 12th November at 4pm, other tours are available upon request. If you have friends, family or neighbours interested in seeing Pilgrim School, please encourage them to register for our school tour online, using the link below, or contact the school on 8270 3033.

SunSmart Information 

The Cancer Council provides information to families about what it means to be SunSmart. Here is their explanation of how UV is different from heat.

Many people mistakenly believe that they only need sun protection on hot, sunny days. It is UV, not heat, that causes sunburn, skin damage and skin cancer. 

UV is not like the sun’s light which we see, or the sun’s warmth (infrared radiation) which we feel. Our senses cannot detect UV so it can be damaging our skin without us knowing, even on cool or cloudy days.

In Term 4, all students are required to wear a hat when they go outside each day, in line with The Cancer Council of SA recommendations. Please refer to the Campus Skin Protection Policy for further details.

Belong and Blossom Playgroup 

Belong and Blossom is for children 0 - 5 years old and their parents and/or carers. It takes place on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9.00am - 10.45am during the school term in the Tween room. Please contact the Front Office, so you can receive our weekly emails letting you know about the week ahead. Registration takes place during your first playgroup session. 

This is a time to connect with other parents and for your child to begin their connection with Pilgrim and some of the teachers in the Early Years team. We have story, craft and play times. We share fruit together and end our session with a story and some songs.

Term 4 Playgroup Session Dates