From the Principal

Amped Up and Ready to Play – The Gig Is On!

It's finally here.....  

Much anticipated!   

Hightlight of the Year! 

Live & Loud: Our Students Take the Stage!

Our 2025 Battle of the Bands concert was an absolute showstopper! Seven incredible student bands took to the stage, each one competing for the title of Battle of the Bands Champion. With so much talent on display, choosing a winner is no easy task!

From thrilling guitar solos and tight drum grooves to energetic dance routines and powerhouse vocals, every performance brought something unique and exciting to the stage. The atmosphere was electric, with the audience – made up of cheering students, teachers, and many proud parents – completely swept up in the energy of the gig.

Students in the audience were buzzing with excitement, clapping along, dancing in their seats, and cheering for their friends. The hall felt like a real concert venue, and the support for each band was heartwarming. Parents were just as amazed, often remarking on the confidence, creativity, and musical skill of the performers.

In the end, it is up to the students in the audience to decide the winner – and what a tough decision it will be! With all seven bands bringing their best to the stage, the vote will be incredibly close, showing just how high the standard was across the board.

A huge congratulations to all of our talented performers – you rocked the stage and gave us a performance to remember! Thank you to Mr O'Brien, families, and everyone who helped make this unforgettable event such a success.!

You'll just have to wait until next Monday's assembly to find out which band will be crowned the 2025 Battle of the Bands Champion!

If you didn't get chance to attend, have a quick look at a selection of videos and photos from the spectacular event!

Spotlight on our Students

Why Student Voice and Agency Matter

At our school, we believe that learning is most powerful when students are active participants, not just passive recipients. That’s why we place strong value on student voice and agency.

When students are given the opportunity to express their ideas, make choices, and take ownership of their learning, they become more engaged, motivated, and confident. They’re not just learning what to think—they’re learning how to think, collaborate, and problem-solve.

Student agency also builds independence and resilience, helping children develop the skills they’ll need beyond the classroom: leadership, decision-making, and a strong sense of responsibility. Whether it’s through classroom discussions, student-led initiatives, or input into school events, our students are encouraged to speak up, take initiative, and know that their voice matters.

By fostering student voice and agency, we’re not only supporting academic growth—we’re nurturing empowered young people who are ready to make a difference.

Student-led Lunchtime Club

At the beginning of the term, a group of year 6 students developed a propostion to facilitate a lunchtime club for younger students.  They proposed that the club would be organised and run by year 6 students (under Mr Pearce's supervision) and students could come along in their lunchtime to get help with reading or perhaps a bit of homework.

Just take a look at how successful, this iniative has been.  The club is extremely well attended, our young students are completely focussed and our year 6 students are teaching some great exemplar engagement norms whilst putting their leadership skills into practice.  What a resounding success!

Read Write Inc Group's Anti Bullying posters

This group of students have been reading about about characters who were being mean to each other.  After reflecting on the book and it's message, they decided to create some wonderful posters that will be displayed around school as a pre-cursor to the Bully No Way! program happening next term. What great iniative!

Darling Dance Performance

Monday's assembly kicked off with a dazzling performance by the Darling Dance Troup. Students attend Darling Dance each Monday lunchtime led by Miss Jade.  They have been practising hard and were very proud

School Council News

School Council met on 25 June with a short and succinct agenda.

Council approved the curriculum and professional practice days for 2026. These are days when students will not attend school.   In line with Department guidelines, there are four curriculum days and one teacher professsional practice day in total in 2026 and these are set for:

• Tuesday 27th January, 
• Wednesday 28th January, 
• Friday 5th June, 
• Wednesday 5th August and
• Monday 2nd November.  

These are important days to support our teachers to participate in professional development, assessment and reporting tasks.  School council noted and thanked the school for trying to minimise the impact on working families by squeezing these days around existing public holidays.

Our Leadership team provided an overview of recent NAPLAN results with a focus on Writing outcomes.  While the School's results are consistently strong, the Leadership team has structured plans to consolidate or improve the results of all children across the year levels.

Each of the Council’s subcommittees has found a rhythm and is providing positive support to the School.  We are particularly grateful for the effort put into the planning for the Fair which is building in a structured and professional manner. 

School council agreed this year, to invite student representatives from the Junior School Council to present at each meeting.  Providing them with a regular item on the agenda.  School council members are always keen to hear the views and voice of our student representatives and are always impressed with their confidence and knowledge.  JSC representatives;  Isobel and Amelia presented via video to school council due to high numbers of illness in year 6.  

Watch their presentation below to see how student voice is enacted at IPS.

As we look ahead to term three there will be plenty of opportunities to get involved with the Fair, Working Bees, Camps and Swimming to name a few.  We had a great start to the year with support from the community and look forward to that continuing in Term 3. 

(School Council President: Hamish Wood)

Do you have a business? Partner with Us: 

2025 Ivanhoe Fair Sponsorship Packages

This is an important call out parents of IPS who may have their own business and interested in becoming a valued sponsor of the 2025 Ivanhoe Primary School Fair! 

A much-loved community event that draws hundreds of families, friends, and locals together for a joyful day of food, fun, and connection. This is your chance to showcase your brand in a meaningful way while helping raise vital funds for student wellbeing and educational resources at Ivanhoe Primary School.

A range of sponsorship opportunities are available, including Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze tiers, with stalls starting from $1,500 to $5,000. 

Every contribution directly supports the success of the school and offers fantastic community exposure, brand visibility, and the chance to be part of something truly special.

Please click the website for Sponsorship prospectus information and/or speak to Mark Kent (Principal) or Elena asap!

Stay Home if You’re Unwell

Let’s Keep Our Community Healthy

As we move through the winter months, it’s especially important that we all work together to keep our school community healthy and safe. If your child is feeling unwell — even with mild symptoms such as a sore throat, runny nose, cough, or fever — please keep them at home until they are well again.

Coming to school sick not only makes it harder for children to learn and recover, but also increases the risk of spreading illness to classmates, teachers, and staff.

We know that juggling work and home responsibilities can be tricky, and we appreciate your support in helping us maintain a safe and healthy environment for all.

If you're ever unsure whether your child should attend school, feel free to contact the office or your local GP for guidance.

Thank you for helping us take care of one another.

Lunchtime Concert: our singing cellist

For several years, Alice Hurwood has been teaching cello at IPS. Last week she moved to Germany to further her studies and performing. We asked if she would give a lunchtime concert before she left so the IPS children could hear the very special thing she does with her singing combined with her cello playing.

The Collaboration Space was packed for the performance! Alice talked about her loop pedal and demonstrated how it means there can be multiple “Alice’s” heard at once. She performed several of her own songs including one in which the audience joined in the chorus. There was even a group clammering for autographs at the end. It was a very fun and memorable gig!

Alice Hurwood is an amazing cellist, her albums “Can We Talk Sometime”, and “Retrospect” is simply exquisite. I love how her songs are about her past experiences and personality. She was good with the students and offered some autographs to people who asked.  She is an amazing artist, and I would love for you to listen to her music!

Stevie 4O

Alice Hurwood is a singer-songwriter who has been a cello teacher at Ivanhoe Primary School for several years. Her talent and enthusiasm has inspired countless students to pursue music as a hobby. I have been Alice’s student for the last year and a half and during this time she has introduced me to Classical music which now I really enjoy. Alice has guided students from Start Up Strings to Corelli Stings, and then up to Orchestra.

Last Thursday, Alice performed some of her songs to students in the collaboration space. She played her cello and sang some of her most famous songs such as “Too Much on My Mind” and “Can We Talk Sometime?” (make sure to check them out on Spotify or YouTube).

Alice has decided to leave for Germany to pursue her own development as a cellist and musician. As we bid farewell to Alice, her passion and heart for music will continue to influence her students and we will miss Alice dearly.

Thank you, Alice for everything — and we wish you all the best on your next adventure in Germany.

Kane 5T

Here are 2 video snippets of the performance:

IPS Student Disco - Friday July 25th

Time to dust off those dancing shoes because the much-anticipated 2025 student disco is coming up in July and this year’s theme is Space Explorers: Journey to the Stars!  

CHECK THE DISCO PAGE IN THIS EDITION OF 'INSIDE iVANHOE' 😊.

Keeping Our Kids Safe 

The Importance of Traffic Safety Around Schools.

As the school community continues to grow, so too does the volume of traffic around our school during drop-off and pick-up times. 

Ensuring the safety of our students, families, and staff is a shared responsibility—and it begins with awareness and action in the school zone.

Why It Matters

Children are among the most vulnerable road users. Their smaller size, developing judgment, and unpredictable behaviour make them especially at risk in high-traffic areas. According to road safety experts, school zones are one of the most critical areas to maintain low speeds and high vigilance.

Even a small lapse in attention—texting while driving, failing to stop at crossings, or parking illegally—can have serious consequences. These moments can be life-changing not just for the student involved, but for the driver, their family, and the wider school community.

Simple Actions, Big Impact

To help keep our school zone safe, we encourage everyone to follow these key guidelines:

• Observe the speed limit: Most school zones have a reduced speed limit during key hours. Slowing down gives you more time to react.
• Use designated drop-off zones: These areas are designed for quick, safe access to the school. Avoid stopping in no-parking zones or across driveways. Don't leave your vehicle in Kiss n Go Zones!
• Follow the directions of crossing supervisors: They are there to protect children—please respect their role and stop when asked.
• Put phones away: Distraction is a leading cause of accidents. Eyes up, hands on the wheel, and full attention on the road.
• Model safe behaviour: Children learn from what they see. Use crossings, walk bikes across roads, and always follow traffic signals.

Working Together

Our school is committed to student safety, but we can’t do it alone. Whether you're walking, riding, or driving, we ask all families to be mindful of their actions and the example they set. If you're running late or in a hurry, remember: no appointment or meeting is more important than a child’s life. It's as simple as that.

Let’s continue to make our school a safe place to learn and grow—starting with the way we move around it.

School Tour Dates

Are you looking to join us for Foundation in 2026?  

Bookings are now being taken for school tours with a Principal in Terms 2 and 3:

All tour times are from 12pm to 12.45pm. Bookings are essential and can be made by phoning the office on 9499 1880.

LeapKids Holiday Program

LeapKids is the holiday program provider operating from Ivanhoe Primary School. They offer a wonderful program of activities. Don't leave booking a place too late to avoid disappointment. For more information about the https://leapkids.com.au/index.php/holiday-program-information-ivanhoe-primary 

Finally

Next week is the last week of Term 2.  Please remember that school ends at 2.30pm on Friday 4th July.  Our OSHC program will still operate their usual hours on that day.

Thank you for your continued support.

Pam Wright

Co Principal

http://www.ivanhoeps.vic.edu.au/ 

We respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Victoria and pay respect to the ongoing living cultures of First Peoples.