Principal's Update

NSW Public Schools Student Survey 

In weeks 8, 9 and 10 of Term 2, we are offering our students in Years 3-6 the opportunity to participate in the NSW Public Schools Student Survey. The NSW Public Schools Student Survey has replaced the previous Tell Them From Me Survey.  

The survey gives students the chance to share their thoughts and feelings about life at school, including questions about their engagement, learning experiences and wellbeing at school. 

Hearing directly from our students will help us understand what's working well and where improvements can be made to our school. The survey is confidential, takes around 10 to 15 minutes to complete, and will be conducted online during school hours.

Participation is voluntary. If you prefer your child not to participate, please complete the opt-out consent form, which was shared via the Sentral Parents app earlier in the week, and return it to the school by Friday, 13th June 2025.   

Further information about the survey is available at https://education.nsw.gov.au/npss 

School Infrastructure – Build update 

You can find more information about the project at edu.nsw.link/DundasPS. If you have any questions about this project, you can contact School Infrastructure during business hours on the contact details below. 

Email: schoolinfrastructure@det.nsw.edu.au  

Phone: 1300 482 651  

Artist’s impression can be seen below. 

Kindergarten enrolments for 2026 

DPS is now accepting Kindergarten enrolments for 2026. Every child is entitled to be enrolled at the government school that is designated for the  intake area  within which the child's home is situated and that the child is eligible to attend.  

Kindergarten 

• All children must be in compulsory schooling by their 6th birthday. 
• Children can start kindergarten at the beginning of the school year if they turn 5 on or before 31 July that year. 
• Students should start school at the beginning of the school year. 

If you live in our intake area and would like to apply to enrol at our school, start by submitting an online enrolment application. Online enrolment is currently only available for Australian or New Zealand citizens and permanent residents. 

If you are not able to apply online or you prefer not to, download the paper application to enrol (PDF 768.4KB) form. Please complete the form in English. A translated application to enrol may help you do this. 

Online enrolment can also be used for out-of-area enrolment. Please note that out-of-area enrolment procedures are subject to the department’s enrolment policy. 

Enrolment applications are finalised at the school. 

Book for a school tour 

School tours are offered twice a term in Terms 2 and 3 and one tour in Term 4.  Prospective parents must register for a tour to assist with planning. To register, please ring the school office on (02) 9638 2813. 

2025 school tour dates are: 

• Friday, 4th July at 2pm. 
• Friday, 22nd August at 2pm. 
• Friday, 26th September at 2pm. 
• Friday, 14th November at 2pm. 

Our school can help with enrolment queries throughout the year. 

Virtual school tour 

There is a virtual school tour that you can see anytime, just by visiting the home page on our school website. 

A link to the virtual tour is below. 

Dundas Primary School 

 MultiLit reinforced reading session for parents 

As part of our commitment to encourage reading at home, we would like to invite parents/carers to attend our information session on how to effectively support your child's home reading through the Reinforced Reading approach. Reading with your child at home using the Reinforced Reading approach is a great way to help them practise the reading skills they are learning. This will benefit all students through Kindergarten to Year 6 and is aimed at assisting you with helping your child consolidate their skills and become confident readers. If you are interested in attending the Reinforced Reading information session, please use the QR code or link below to register by Monday 9th June - thank you in advance! Date: Tuesday, 10th June 2025 Time: 9:00 to 9:45am Venue: School Library 

https://forms.office.com/r/zSJ... 

 Raising Healthy Minds app 

The Raising Healthy Minds app is a free, personalised, pocket resource to help parents and carers raise confident, resilient children. Co-designed with parents and experts and funded by the Australian Government, Raising Healthy Minds aims to support children’s social and emotional wellbeing with evidence-based information. 

You’ll find information on topics like dealing with worries and making friends, as well as ideas for day-to-day life, like creating family routines, looking after yourself as a parent, and building strong relationships.   

The app offers a mix of quick-read articles, videos and animations aimed at parents and carers of children aged 0-12 years. You can tailor information to the age of your child and opt-in to receive helpful tips.   

Raising Healthy Minds provides simple-to-use information at your fingertips with clear actions you can start today.   

Download from Google Play or the App Store or go to raisingchildren.net.au/rhm to learn more and raise a healthy mind 🧠 😊   

 School attendance – staying home if you are sick 

We are in the first week of winter which is traditionally cold and flu season. It is very important that sick children do not come to school where they will feel miserable and could pass on germs resulting in other children becoming unwell.  

NSW Health website says if your child has flu symptoms such as a fever, cough, noisy breathing, sore throat, runny nose, muscle aches, fatigue or nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea, keep them at home and avoid close contact with other people to prevent others from also becoming sick. 

Keep your child at home until they are well, and their fever is gone without the use of fever-reducing medicine, like paracetamol.  

If your child has a confirmed diagnosis of influenza from a doctor, your child may remain infectious for at least 10 days. This is especially important if you visit people who are at higher risk of severe illness from influenza - including pregnant women, young infants, older people or people in hospital or residential care facilities. 

Please submit all absences via the Sentral Parent Portal. Students who are absent for 3 or more days will require a medical certificate.

 Regular school attendance 

Every day matters for your child’s learning, as regular attendance helps students to:  

• develop a sense of belonging  
• develop and maintain friendships  
• be more engaged at school  
• progress with their learning  

Parents/Carers play an important role in ensuring students get to school and stay in school every day. Regular attendance at school is essential for students to achieve quality life outcomes. Schools, in partnership with parents/carers, are responsible for promoting the regular attendance of students.  Please refer to the below link to access the information brochure for parents/carers outlining attendance requirements for school-aged students which is available translated into different languages:  

Compulsory School Attendance – Information for parents  

School attendance – unexplained absences 

We are committed to working with you to offer support and remove any barriers that may be preventing your child from regularly attending school. 

The NSW Education Act requires that all student absences must be explained within 7 days of the first day of them being away from school. Please contact us promptly whenever your child is absent and let us know the reason for them being away. This allows us to provide the right support and make sure your child's absences are correctly recorded. 

In the event that your child has repeated or ongoing unexplained absences, we will continue to try to contact you about each absence to provide appropriate support for you and your family. 

Consistently going to school has countless benefits – from learning, to creating social connections and improving wellbeing through access to support and quality education. I understand that regular attendance can present challenges, but please know that our school staff and I are here to support you and your family. 

School attendance – Every minute counts! 

Being late for school has a negative impact on your child’s learning. Being just 10 minutes late every day adds up to an hour a week of lost learning. Over a year this adds up to one week of school missed in a year! Being late for class often means important instructions are missed and the class is interrupted. Your child may feel uncomfortable and on the outer with peers.  

Children need to arrive on time ready to settle into their schoolwork. Arriving at least 5 minutes before the first bell allows your child to interact with their peers and teacher and get themselves ready for their busy day. Attending school regularly and arriving on time helps prepare children for the real world, where it is expected that they turn up to work every day and on time. 

Financial assistance 

We understand that financial hardship can impact families in various ways, and we want to assure you that if you are unable to pay for school contributions such as excursions, events, and camps, you may be eligible for assistance from the school.  

Our school is committed to ensuring that no student or family experiences discrimination or embarrassment due to their financial situation. We encourage you to reach out and discuss your circumstances openly. Please contact the school office to make an appointment with the principal Lee Shipley, who will work with you to find a suitable solution.  

Your child's education and well-being are our top priorities, and we are here to support you during challenging times. 

School events on our website 

This week, I have shown several of our parents how to locate the upcoming school events found on our website. When events are booked, we diligently share that information on our website to help our families plan ahead.  

It is very easy to find. Open the ‘Events’ tab on the home page.  

Once you select ‘Events’, you will see the following events. 

P&C Fete – Saturday 28th June 

The DPS P&C is looking for volunteers to help out at the school fete on Saturday 28 June 2025. The Fete can only be a success with your generous help on the day. To sign up, follow the link https://forms.gle/qWjumShPkVfVkvtL7 or email pandc.dundas@gmail.com 

What can you help with at the Fete? 

• Set up and pack away 

• BBQ 

• Cake and lolly stall 

• Craft corner 

• Raffle and Silent Auction 

• Selling tickets for rides 

• Flower stall 

What are we Fundraising for? 

Our Fete is the biggest fundraiser of the year and every dollar we make is going back to the school and students, to make their school years the best possible. We thank you in advance for your support in this year's fundraising activity. 

 From the P&C Fete Committee 

DPS P&C 

Please note that the next P&C meeting scheduled for next week on the 12th June, has been cancelled.