Student Leadership
At Ripponlea Primary School, we believe leadership is not a title, it is action, service and voice in motion.
Our 2026 Year 6 Student Leaders have already begun meeting, planning and dreaming big for the year ahead. From our School Captains and House Captains to our Sustainability Leaders, Wellbeing Leaders and Student Representative Council (SRC), this year’s team is energised and ready to make a meaningful impact across our school and wider community.
Aligned to our motto Care, Create, Connect our leadership program empowers students to:
- Care for others through service and inclusion
- Create positive change through initiative and innovation
- Connect with our community locally and globally
Leadership in Action
Throughout 2026, our student leaders will coordinate and lead a range of exciting initiatives, including:
Community Service & Fundraising
Our leaders are passionate about contributing beyond the school gates. Across the year, they will:
- Organise fundraising events to support wider community projects
- Lead awareness campaigns for important causes
- Partner with local and global organisations
- Encourage acts of service and generosity within our student body
These projects allow our students to develop empathy, civic responsibility and global citizenship key pillars of an RPS education.
Cultural & Global Celebrations
Our leaders are also planning opportunities to celebrate the rich diversity within our community and recognise significant global events. From cultural celebrations to environmental awareness days, students will:
- Educate peers about global perspectives
- Lead assemblies and special themed days
- Facilitate inclusive activities that celebrate difference
- Promote understanding, respect and open-mindedness
This reflects our deep commitment to fostering intercultural understanding and student voice.
House & Whole-School Spirit
Our House Captains are already collaborating on ways to build school spirit through:
- House competitions and special events
- Cross-age activities
- Community-building initiatives
- Whole-school celebrations
Their goal is simple: ensure every student feels connected, proud and part of something bigger than themselves.
Sustainability & Wellbeing Initiatives
Our Sustainability and Wellbeing Leaders will continue strengthening our focus on:
- Environmental responsibility
- Waste reduction and sustainable practices
- Student mental health awareness
- Positive peer interactions and inclusion
These student-led actions complement our whole-school wellbeing framework and commitment to nurturing confident, capable and compassionate young people.
Termly Events & Initiatives
Each term, our Student Leaders will introduce new projects and events for the community to engage with. Some will be small acts of kindness within classrooms; others will be larger community events requiring family support.
We warmly invite our RPS families to:
- Participate in fundraising activities
- Attend student-led events
- Encourage conversations at home about leadership and service
- Celebrate the efforts of our Year 6 leaders
When families partner with us, the impact multiplies.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS - STUDENT LEADERSHIP EVENTS - TERM 1
We are delighted to announce the leadership initiatives for the upcoming term as decided by our student leaders. These initiatives have been crafted by representatives from various student bodies, including the House Captains. Representatives of Student Wellbeing, the Sustainability Team, and the Student Representative Council.
Student Wellbeing Team
| Date | Event | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| Friday 27th March | Give a Gift of Happiness Day
Our Student Wellbeing Leaders are excited to introduce a beautiful new initiative designed to spread kindness and connection across our school community Give a Gift of Happiness Day.
On Friday 27th March, students are invited to bring along something that has brought them happiness in the past something they are ready to pass on so it can bring joy to someone else.
This initiative is grounded in a simple but powerful idea:
Students are encouraged to think creatively and reflect on what they are ready to let go of so someone else can experience joy. It might feel small but small acts of kindness ripple in big ways. | Students might choose to bring:
Anything that is still in good condition and given with a genuine spirit of generosity is welcome.
This is not about value or cost — it’s about meaning.
Once items are collected, we will lay them out in the Barbunnin and host a special lunchtime swap session.
Students will have the opportunity to:
We hope every Ripper contributes and takes part in this special moment of shared happiness. |
House Captains
| Date | Event | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | We are excited to share that our House Captains will be working in partnership with Glen Eira City Council on the Active Paths Project an initiative designed to promote safe, active travel to and from school.
This project places student voice at the centre of planning, empowering our leaders to help shape how we move safely through our local community.
The program designates safe active travel routes to school through a student-led workshop facilitated by Bicycle Network, in collaboration with Council and our students.
Together, students will:
This is real-world problem solving in action.
| The final project will include:
A Community Map A visual map outlining 3–4 key neighbourhood routes within our catchment area that are considered safe and accessible for active travel.
Special Pavment Markings Special pavement markings reflecting the mapped routes will be installed to:
These visible cues will support both safety and confidence for families choosing active transport. |
Student Representative Council
| Date | Event | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| Friday 13th March | Crazy Hair Day! Our SRC is excited to announce that next Friday we will be holding a whole-school Crazy Hair Day!
It’s time to get creative, go bold and design the most spectacular hairstyle you can imagine. The crazier, taller, brighter or more imaginative the better!
Think:
Prizes and plenty of fun! There will be:
Our SRC leaders can’t wait to see the creativity across the school!
Let’s fill Ripponlea with colour, kindness and community spirit this Friday. | Supporting a great cause! We are asking students to bring a gold coin donation to support the Cancer Council – Kids with Cancer Project.
Through this initiative, our students are showing what it means to Care, Create and Connect:
Every gold coin makes a difference.
|
Student Sustainability Team
| Date | Event | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday 4th March | World Engineering Day
This week at Ripponlea Primary School we are celebrating World Engineering Day a global opportunity to recognise how engineering shapes our world and improves lives.
From the bridges we cross to the technology we use every day, engineering is all about solving problems, thinking creatively and designing solutions that make a difference.
What is engineering? In simple terms, engineers are people who:
Sound familiar? It’s exactly what our students do every day in their learning!
Engineering connects beautifully with our focus on:
| Engineering in action at RPS Across the school, students will be engaging in hands-on challenges such as:
These experiences build resilience, teamwork and a growth mindset — encouraging students to learn from trial and error.
Connecting to the bigger picture
World Engineering Day also highlights how engineers help achieve global goals such as:
At RPS, we want our students to see themselves as future innovators young people who can think critically about the world around them and design positive change. |
| Friday 27th March | Our Student Leaders are taking action for the planet!
To acknowledge Earth Hour, they have requested that Ripponlea Primary School participate in a special two-hour power down on: Friday 27th March⏰ 11:30am – 1:30pm
During this time, we will switch off:
Why Earth Hour Earth Hour is a global movement that encourages individuals, communities and organisations to turn off electricity for one hour to raise awareness about climate change and environmental responsibility.
Our student leaders have chosen to extend this to two hours as a bold statement of commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship.
This initiative reflects our values of:
| Don’t worry — learning will continue!
In fact, this will be a wonderful opportunity to:
Students will experience how much we rely on energy and how we can thoughtfully reduce our usage. |