International Baccalaureate 

Prep Fairytale Fiasco Incursion

On Friday 24 April, our Prep students stepped into a world of imagination with the Fairytale Fiasco! incursion. 

Fairytale Land was turned upside down, and our students took on the role of storybook characters to help restore order. Through drama, role-play and improvisation, they brought fractured fairytales back to life while building confidence and creativity along the way. It was wonderful to see the magic unfold!

This experience was a wonderful provocation for our new unit of inquiry into How We Express Ourselves. The Prep students will continue to explore how stories can help us share and express ideas. 

Year 2 Community and Events Assistant Visit

Our Year 2 students have started their How We Organise Ourselves unit. Over the past week, we have invited guest speakers to share information about their role in our community. 

On Monday 27 April, our Year 2 students had a special visit from our Community and Events Assistant, Effie, who shared her experience working in the local basketball community. 

Effie spoke about her role supporting both the Hoppers Crossing Basketball Club and the Wyndham Basketball Association, giving students a glimpse into how sport brings people together behind the scenes. With over 12 years of involvement, she highlighted the many ways these organisations support young players — such as Hoppers Crossing Basketball Club running initiatives like shoe drives and financial assistance to help ensure all children have the opportunity to play.

Our students were highly engaged, asking thoughtful questions and showing great curiosity about how they can get involved in their own communities.

Year 2 Paramedic Visit

On Monday 5 May, our Year 2 students had a very special visit from paramedic Tarun, who arrived with his ambulance! Students were engaged from start to finish, asking thoughtful questions and listening to Tarun share real-life stories from his work. They also watched educational videos and learned important information about what to do in an emergency, including what to say when calling 000, such as their address and what is happening.

Tarun introduced students to CPR and explained how an AED works, helping them understand how they can help in critical situations. Students also enjoyed watching their teachers hop onto the stretcher and saw a demonstration of how it is safely loaded into the ambulance. The highlight of the visit was exploring the inside of the ambulance and hearing the siren up close, an exciting and memorable experience for all!

Year 2 Police Officer Visit

Recently, our Year 2 students enjoyed a special visit from a training police officer, who shared valuable insights into the role of policing and how officers support and protect the community. Students showed great curiosity throughout the session, asking thoughtful questions. They also had the exciting opportunity to see some of the equipment officers use, including handcuffs, a holster, a vest, and protective inserts.

A highlight of the visit was a fascinating demonstration showing how fingerprints can be revealed under a special light, giving students a glimpse into real investigative techniques.

A memorable and hands-on learning experience that brought real-world connections into the classroom!

Year 3 Mad About Science Incursion

On Thursday 30 April, our Year 3 students dived into the fascinating world of states of matter and heat transfer during an exciting incursion. Through hands-on experiments and demonstrations, they explored how matter changes under different conditions, investigating solids, liquids and gases in action. 

Students observed changes of state, experimented with gases, and classified different types of matter while discovering how heat and force can influence behaviour — including some surprising non-Newtonian substances and even the formation of plasma. Highlights included dry ice reactions and bubbling fountains, where students identified gases produced during physical and chemical changes. 

This was a great opportunity for our students to explore their current central idea; Understanding energy and matter can help solve everyday problems. 

Year 4 Biodiversity Incursion

On Tuesday , our Year 4 students took part in an engaging Biodiversity incursion, exploring the complex and interconnected systems that make up our planet. 

This was planned as part of their Sharing the Planet unit where we are investigating how coexistence in nature can succeed with balance, wise choices and actions. 

Through a series of hands-on activities, students learned how to classify natural objects, investigated the biodiversity around our school, and discovered how food webs rely on delicate relationships between living things. They also explored the impact humans have on the environment and discussed simple, positive actions they can take at home and at school to help create healthy, thriving communities.

Year 5 Incursion with Maxine Beneba Clarke

On Thursday 30 April, our Year 5 students had the privilege of learning from award-winning author and illustrator Maxine Beneba Clarke. As part of their exploration into the power of artistic language, students engaged in an inspiring and interactive session that unpacked how writing styles, language choices and literary devices can shape emotion and meaning. 

Drawing on her works such as several poems from It’s the Sound of the Thing: 100 New Poems for Young People, her chapter book Meet Taj at the Lighthouse, and children's picture book Fashionista, Maxine encouraged students to think deeply about how they can craft their own creative and persuasive pieces.

We were so thrilled to learn alongside Maxine. This has been a great provocation for our new unit of inquiry where our students will explore how artistic use of language can help us to help express ideas. 

Year 6 Immigration Museum Excursion 

Year 6 students recently visited the Immigration Museum as part of their inquiry unit, Where We Are in Place and Time. During the excursion, they explored powerful migrant and refugee stories spanning from 1850 to the present day. Through these experiences, students developed a deeper understanding of the challenges many people have faced when arriving and settling in Australia, gaining valuable insight into the nation’s diverse history and identity. 

Angela Santopoli

Year 6 Teacher