Principal's Report
Dear Members of the Burwood East Primary School Community,
Thank you to parents for supporting us with our student-free day last Friday. These days are important as they allow school staff to engage in professional learning, curriculum development, school planning and administration, all of which have an impact on student learning and well-being.
Over the last few weeks, teachers have been busy discussing assessment practices and data measures in order to provide an accurate and comprehensive evaluation of student achievement and progress this semester.
Your child’s report will be available in Compass on Friday 4th July.
Parent-Teacher Interviews are scheduled for the second week of Term 3, on Tuesday 29th and Wednesday 30th July.
These interviews provide an important opportunity for you to discuss your child’s progress and to build communication between parents and the school.
State Principals Conference Leading for Excellence
Last week, I attended the Government Schools Principals Conference, which focused on the theme “Excellence in Every Classroom.”
The day provided a valuable opportunity for school leaders to strengthen collaborative practices across networks, with a shared goal of driving school improvement and enhancing student outcomes.
The keynotes and workshops aligned with several statewide priorities, including:
Teaching and learning (with a focus on the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model 2.0)
Wellbeing and engagement
Cultural inclusion
Network collaboration
Leadership
Engaging and working with community
We heard from speakers, including the Minister for Education Ben Carroll, North Melbourne Football Club President Dr. Sonja Hood, and Deputy Secretary Dr. David Howes, alongside a variety of educators and system leaders.
A particular highlight was the emphasis on phonics and the updated Victorian Teaching & Learning Model 2.0. At BEPS, we are already actively implementing these approaches. Our school has been delivering structured phonics instruction for several years, and we continue to build on that strong foundation.
The conference also reaffirmed the power of collaboration between schools, encouraging us to form new partnerships that will ultimately benefit our students. The opportunity to learn from others and reflect on our own practice is invaluable in shaping the next phase of our improvement journey.
Throughout the day, several messages stood out: the importance of leading with purpose, embracing continuous improvement, and ensuring that student voice remains central to everything we do. This aligns strongly with our work at BEPS.
With our Year 4–6 students currently completing the Student Attitudes to School Survey, we are again reminded how vital it is to listen to our learners. Their insights not only validate our direction, but they also help shape it.
Classroom Fruit
Every fortnight Foodbank have been providing students at BEPS with fresh fruit and vegetables. Our collaboration with Foodbank has enabled us to extend this support, ensuring every child has access to fresh fruit and vegetables through the school. This fruit is not intended to replace the fresh fruit and vegetables that parents already provide for their child's lunch, rather it will supplement and provide access to additional fruit/veg, if needed.
Production 2025
Congratulations to Anika 6KL, Adrian 6KL. Sienna 6KL, Josh 6L, Amy 6R, Inaya 6L, Silvia 6R, Felicia 6KL, Jemma 6L and Sathvik 6KL who have been involved in writing the 2025 production script.
These students were selected based on their successful expression of interest and the original poem they composed, which powerfully supported and reflected the central ideas of our school inquiry topics and the mentor text Uno’s Garden.
Their work showcased a deep understanding of the story’s message about environmental responsibility, balance, and the impact of human choices on nature.
School Concert - Save the Date
This year, our school will be hosting its whole school concert on Tuesday 14th of October at Crossway Baptist Church.
Please note the event will run during school hours. More details will be provided in the near future.
Parking Inspectors are out and about
Just a friendly reminder to parents to think about the parking and pick up restrictions on Highbury Road when you are dropping off and picking up your child from school.
The Whitehorse Council Parking Inspectors are often out and about at our school, taking photos of cars that are parked in the Kiss and Go zone for too long. This behaviour will result in a fine.
ICAS
Once again, BEPS is pleased to offer external assessments conducted by International Competition and Assessments for Schools (ICAS) in the full suite of options. Parents are invited to take a look at what is available and register online at ICAS.
ICAS is a historic academic competition that has been sat by over 10 million school students from 16,000 schools across 41 countries since 1981.
It recognises academic performance in a way similar to sports or the arts, with engaging, fun questions designed by psychometricians, education measurement experts and experienced teachers to test students’ higher-order thinking skills.
ICAS also provides rich insights into students’ strengths and weaknesses, helping teachers to accelerate learning outcomes and unlock student potential.
BEPS will set aside the days and times to have students sit the assessments at school in the near future.
If you have any questions please contact our coordinator Nadia in Year 1 for further information.
Yours in Partnership,
Darren