Principal Team Message

2024 ANNUAL REPORT HIGHLIGHTS  RIPPONLEA PRIMARY SCHOOL

Reflecting on Growth, Celebrating Success, and Looking Ahead

Each year, Victorian government schools prepare an Annual Report to share with families, staff, and the broader community. The 2024 Ripponlea Primary School Annual Report offers a comprehensive overview of our school’s progress, achievements, and areas for continued growth. It reflects the collective efforts of our staff, students, and families in creating a thriving learning community. 

This report was endorsed by the School Council and will be formally presented to the community in Term 3, alongside our priorities for 2025.

The Annual Report provides insight into:

• Our school context, values, programs, and student enrolment
• Progress against our School Strategic Plan (SSP) and Annual Implementation Plan (AIP)
• Student outcomes in learning, wellbeing, and engagement
• Parent and staff feedback via Department surveys
• Financial performance and fundraising efforts
• Key events and community highlights from the year

KEY HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2024

Student Learning

• Teacher Judgements showed that:
  • 91.7% of students achieved age-expected levels in English
  • 97.3% of students achieved age-expected levels in Mathematics
• NAPLAN Results (Strong/Exceeding Proficiency):
  • Year 5 Reading: 87.1% (above state and close to similar schools)
  • Year 5 Numeracy: 90% (well above both state and similar schools)
  • Year 3 Numeracy: 75% (strong but slightly below similar schools)

These outcomes reflect our investment in professional learning, data-informed teaching, and consistent school-wide practices, including our revised Instructional Model, explicit teaching strategies, and use of goal-setting and student rubrics.

Wellbeing

• Significant improvements in student well-being were reported:
  • Sense of Connectedness: 78.3%
  • Management of Bullying: 81.0%
  • Both measures exceeded similar school and state averages.

Key programs included:

• Implementation of the Zones of Regulation and Social Stencil Program
• Expanded structured play areas and a dedicated Inclusive Deck
• Ongoing staff training in trauma-informed practice and classroom management

Engagement

• Attendance: Average student absence days (18.3) were lower than both state (21.8) and similar schools (19.1).
• Continued student leadership through Plastic Free July, RUOK Day, the Junior SRC, and engagement in local sustainability initiatives.

For further details about the 2024 Annual Report, please see the school's website.

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING OUR STUDENT, PARENT & TEACHER CONFERENCES

We extend our heartfelt thanks to all families who made the time to attend our Student, Parent, and Teacher Conferences this week. These meetings are an important opportunity for students to share their learning journey and for parents and teachers to engage in meaningful conversations about student progress as we conclude the first semester of the 2025 school year.

We hope the conferences provided a valuable space to reflect on your child’s academic, social, and emotional development over the past six months. Our aim is to ensure that families feel well-informed and supported through detailed discussions around learning achievements, areas for continued growth, and the skills and competencies being developed.

It is important to remember that learning is not always a linear path. Progress can take many forms — from steady growth, to periods of plateau, and even moments of struggle, followed by significant leaps forward. These natural fluctuations are a normal and expected part of the learning process. 

Deep understanding often requires students to activate prior knowledge, connect it to new ideas, and build conceptual layers over time. True, long-term learning is built through persistence, repetition, and cognitive challenge; it is not always meant to be easy, but it is always worth the effort.

For students requiring additional support in particular areas, we provide Individual Education Plans (IEPs) that outline specific goals tailored to their learning needs. Many families are already actively engaged in ongoing conversations with our teachers about their child’s progress, and we thank you for your collaboration and trust in these partnerships.

We are proud of the commitment shown by our students, the dedication of our staff, and the genuine interest of our families in working together to support every learner’s potential. Thank you again for prioritising your child’s learning and for being an integral part of our school community.

PROMOTING RESPECTFUL COMMUNICATION IN OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY 

At Ripponlea Primary School, we are proud of the positive and supportive relationships we have with our families and wider school community. We know that the vast majority of interactions between staff and parents/carers are respectful and focused on working together to support each child’s learning and wellbeing.

However, as part of our ongoing commitment to ensuring a safe, respectful, and inclusive learning and working environment, we remind all families that school staff have the right to feel safe and respected in their workplace.

The Department of Education has recently released updated resources to support respectful behaviour in schools. These will soon be displayed across key areas of the school and reinforce important messages about acceptable behaviour towards staff.

We ask that all families please be mindful of the following expectations when communicating with any member of our staff:

• Respect professional boundaries: It is inappropriate to ask staff confidential or personal questions, such as those related to their employment history, leave entitlements or experience.
• Make reasonable requests: Staff are not expected to respond to demands outside of their roles or responsibilities. Please direct all concerns or requests to the appropriate contact person.
• Use respectful language: Aggressive, rude, or offensive comments whether in person, in writing, or online will not be tolerated.
• Collaborate constructively: We welcome feedback and discussion, but this must occur calmly and respectfully, which promotes problem-solving and partnership.
• Responsible Social Media Use: Using social media platforms to criticise or shame staff, especially regarding confidential matters or decisions made by the school.

Such actions can significantly impact staff wellbeing and breach both privacy and departmental policies. 

We appreciate your cooperation in upholding these standards, and we thank you for your ongoing support in making Ripponlea Primary School a positive, safe place to work and learn.

If you have any concerns, please contact the school leadership team directly. Let’s continue working together to ensure a respectful and caring school culture for all.

📚JOIN OUR READING HELPER'S PROGRAM - PARENT TRAINING INVITATION📚

We warmly invite families to participate in our Reading Helper Program, a valuable opportunity to support students across the school while gaining practical skills to help your own child’s reading at home.

In the first week of Term 3, we are offering two training sessions for all interested volunteers:

📅 Tuesday 22nd July

📅 Friday 25th July

🕘 9:15 am

📍 Staff Room

These sessions will be co-facilitated by Ms Luca Dicksin and Mrs Rose, and will include:

• The key stages of the reading process for young learners
• Strategies for supporting decoding, fluency, and reading comprehension
• Tips and tools to get your child hooked on reading at home
• An outline of the volunteer’s role in the classroom
• A Child Safety Induction (compulsory for all volunteers)

All participants must hold a current Working with Children Check (WWCC) to join the program.

We know that many families find it challenging to fit in nightly reading routines. That’s why having trained reading helpers at school is so powerful, offering students more chances to revise and consolidate their skills through daily practice.

👉 Please register your attendance via this Google Form: https://forms.gle/Lrk8G8Wx2zboq41S7

We hope you’ll join us to make a real difference in our students’ learning.

STRUCTURED INDOOR PLAY: SUPPORTING STUDENT WELLBEING THROUGH ENGAGING ALTERNATIVES

As the winter months settle in, we know that outdoor play can sometimes become a soggy and uncomfortable experience, especially with our inclusive deck and play areas becoming too wet and slippery to safely enjoy. In response to the changing weather, we are shifting many of our structured play opportunities indoors, ensuring that students continue to have meaningful and enjoyable options during their break times.

Why Structured Play Matters

Structured play is an important contributor to student wellbeing. 

It provides:

• A sense of routine and predictability, especially valuable for students who find unstructured play overwhelming.
• Social connection through shared activities that encourage cooperation and communication.
• Creative outlets for students to express themselves and explore new interests.
• Calm, low-sensory alternatives to the busy and unpredictable yard.

By offering guided, purposeful activities, we create inclusive and supportive environments that foster confidence, reduce playground stress, and give every child the chance to participate and belong.

Student Voice Leading the Way

We recently consulted with students from the older year levels to gather ideas on what games and activities would best suit their interests. Their feedback has helped shape a varied and exciting program of indoor options designed to meet a wide range of needs and preferences.

What’s On Offer

Throughout the term, students can look forward to a rotating menu of fun and engaging activities, including:

• Board games and puzzles
• Colouring and guided drawing
• Origami creations
• Table tennis & foosball
• Connect 4 and Jenga
• Lego building 
• Arts and crafts
• Trivia challenges

These activities are not only fun, but also support a range of important skills such as problem-solving, teamwork, resilience, and emotional regulation.

We’re proud to offer spaces where students can explore new interests, connect with peers, and enjoy playtime that is meaningful and inclusive, rain, hail, or shine.

Thank you to our students for their brilliant ideas and enthusiasm. We look forward to seeing these sessions become a vibrant part of our winter school days!

FAREWELL TO SEMESTER ONE - THANK YOU FOR A WONDERFUL START TO 2025

As we wrap up the first half of the school year, we would like to take a moment to express our heartfelt thanks to the incredible staff at Ripponlea Primary School. Our dedicated staff have spent the past semester nurturing, challenging, and inspiring our students—facilitating rich learning experiences, collaborating across teams, engaging in professional learning, and continuing to build their own capacity as educators. Many have also taken on new roles across the school, demonstrating their commitment not only to their own growth but to the collective success of our entire community.

To our wonderful students, thank you for your growing sense of responsibility, motivation, and enthusiasm for learning. From our youngest learners through to our Year 6 leaders, we have witnessed significant growth across all areas of the curriculum. Many students have achieved their learning goals and have shown great pride in their progress. Our senior students, in particular, are beginning to understand that success comes from dedication, effort, and perseverance. Across the board, our students have shown that with strong routines, organisation, and momentum, anything is possible.

This term has been filled with memorable events that have helped build strong connections within our school community. From excursions and special learning days to student-led initiatives and celebrations, there has been no shortage of joy and engagement. The sense of belonging and pride in our school has never been stronger.

To our families, thank you. Your partnership and trust in us to educate and support your child is something we deeply value. Together, we continue to build a thriving community of learners who are confident, compassionate, and capable.

As we head into the winter break, we wish everyone a safe, warm, and restful holiday. We encourage you to take time to recharge, ready to embrace the excitement of Term 3. With highlights such as the school production, athletics carnival, Book Week, and more on the horizon, we know the term will be short, fast-paced, and full of energy.

Happy holidays from all of us at RPS!

Until next term!

Natalie Rose             &                        Marta Campbell 

      Principal                                         Assistant Principal