Today - the 11th of November we pay our respects to the fallen soldiers who bravely faced the unknown to give us our freedom.

Lest We Forget

Yesterday our school captains Liam, Madi, Maddi and Aarav lead the whole school in a fitting and respectful assembly, as a mark of the day, on the armistice stage.

Thank you to Mrs Digby for arranging the Last Post to be played. Our thanks to the Year 6 House Captains for taking on the responsibility of the flags during the ceremony.

Importantly, thank you to all students and staff for demonstrating our values of respect, co-operation, responsibility and courtesy, very publicly, as the leaders carried out the event. Such occasions bring us together and lift us to all feel proud.

Staff on Curriculum Day

Staff worked diligently on Friday 11th Nov, Curriculum Day. Teachers collaborated working in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) to review and finalise the work of 2022. The PLCs, English, Maths, Wellbeing & Humanities confirmed the work of 2022 targets and commenced building their action plans for 2023. This collaborative process to ensures the curriculum is being delivered in a considered, planned and rigorous way. Our PLC team leaders do remarkable work in building teacher expertise and providing professional learning sessions for staff. This work requires ongoing considerations, today’s achievements will ensure the transition into 2023, links our current achievement within the 2022 Annual Implementation Plan has momentum leading into our 2023 goals and targets.

Teachers also worked on Semester 2 Assessment and Reporting requirements. The Semester 2 student reports will be distributed to families at the end of the school day, Thursday 15 December.

Parents Committee

The school was a fun hive of activity on Thursday as the dedicated Parents Association ran a most successful Colour Fun Run. Every child had a smile from ear to ear and wore coloured powder head to toe! Although how some stayed quite clean amazed me! My experience was with students taking advantage of some serious bombarding (all in fun) to change the colour of my entire outfit! It was a terrific event with the perfect warm weather. The bright inflatables helped create the party atmosphere and the encouragement from parents who visited added to the excitement on the day.

Special thanks goes to Tamsin N and Mr Bourke for co-ordinating the day. What a fabulous job you both did! We look forward to learning about how much money we have raised online. Thank you to the whole community for getting behind the initiative which helps accrue funds for the purchasing of new playground equipment.

Your child can accept donations online by creating a cybersafe fundraising profile at www.australianfundraising.com.au

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank another group of helpers in the Parents Association who spend time at school arranging the Special Food days. We have another one next week and thank the many helpers who collaborate and arrange the food and deliveries across the school. I know the students LOVE the days when they have Special Food.

Bike Ed

The Bike Ed program for 2023 continues to ‘cycle’ 😉 through the school with years 3 and 4 riding this week. Learning safe riding skills really is a most important goal for all students. Any opportunity to have to accompany your children on the bike would be valuable in impressing safety and road awareness. Thank you to the teachers and classroom volunteers who have enabled the program to run.

Gymnastics

Mrs Robinson has been working with the gymnastic coaches this week in the hall, along with the Foundation and year 1 students. The children are loving the opportunity to stretch, roll, jump and balance. Gross motor skill development is an extremely important part of a child’s milestone achievements. Physical activities such as this are fun and we appreciate the initiative Mrs Robinson has tapped into for our junior students.

How can I help?

We often have parents asking, how can I help out at school? If you have a Working With Children Check (available here: https://www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au/individuals/applicants/how-to-apply-1) you can come onsite and assist at school. You should contact the teacher to see what help is required in the class. Other options include Library Book covering and Vegetable Garden toil! The class teacher will let you know if/when their class is working in the garden. We also have a team of students who attend to the garden, so if you would like to assist, let the office know and we can share a timetable with you.

All help is welcome! If you have a special skill you would like to share – we would welcome your help. Carpenters, sewers, painters, gardeners, readers, writers, artists, mathematicians and magicians are all welcome!

Class Structures 2023

While we are still finalising some staffing positions for next year, after careful consideration of the learning and wellbeing needs of our children and teaching staff across all year levels, I confirm our 2023 class structures to be:

Foundation - 3 classes

Year 1 - 2 classes

Year 2 - 3 classes

Year 3/4 - 5 classes

Year 5 - 2 classes

Year 6 - 3 classes

What is a composite class?

Composite, or multi-age, classes occur in schools for a number of reasons. Composite classes provide schools with more flexibility and options to ensure even class sizes and a balance of student social and academic needs within and across year levels. As our student enrolments grow and change, it is likely that we will have several composite classes across the school. Research demonstrates that there are many benefits to students being in a composite class; and through teamwork and positive communication we can support all our children to successfully transition to their new class.

Why do we create composite classes?

As our enrolments fluctuate and grow there will be a need to run composite classrooms at our school to meet industrial requirements. This is because funding in public schools is allocated on a per student basis, with our overall budget being assigned according to the total number of students enrolled on the census date, in early Term 1 each year.

How does the school decide the classes each year?

The principal and the staff work together to form classes that consider overall student numbers, individual student needs, the recommended class sizes and the total number of staff employed by the school. Multiple scenarios are projected and considered based on needs throughout the whole school. The final decision is made by the principal.

How do teachers cater academically for more than one year level in a class?

All classes, whether a single year level or composite class group, have children with diverse learning needs and abilities. When planning for student learning, teachers take into consideration the strengths, prior knowledge and needs of every student. They use this as a starting point to design the learning and work from where each child is currently at.

Teachers are trained in differentiating the curriculum to meet the varying abilities of their students. We have a very clear understanding of the curriculum requirements and expectations for each year level. Effective assessments of student learning ensure we know students’ needs, strengths and future learning points. Here are some strategies that we use:

Planning open-ended tasks that cater for a range of different abilities and allow learning to be demonstrated in different ways
Planning tasks that allow for different entry points and provide opportunities for extension and problem solving
Providing targeted small group and individual instruction based on learning needs and specific teaching points
Setting individual goals, challenges and projects which encourage children to demonstrate independence and responsibility in their learning
At times students will separate into year level groups for instruction; this may include linking with another composite class or working in smaller groups within the classroom.

Research by Professor John Hattie indicates that teacher quality, as opposed to whether a class is a straight year level or composite, makes a positive difference to the academic outcomes of students.

What about socially?

Children benefit tremendously from having friends outside of their year group, just as they do outside of school. Developing a wider group of friends gives students greater connections across the school and can benefit them within the wider community. It also helps students build social skills, which has long term positive effects for building resiliency. Most children quickly adapt to new classes and form friendships that remain lasting in future years. All students share the same recess and lunch times, which will further widen social and play opportunities.

What are the benefits of a composite class?

Children in a composite class have the opportunity to mix socially and academically with a wide range of students. Children are able to work at their own rate within a community of learners and are able to learn from, and with, each other. Younger students have the opportunity to learn alongside older peers, and older students can show leadership and demonstrate high level understandings and complex thinking skills to model and explain their learning at designated times.

An excellent link for more information

https://www.kidspot.com.au/school/primary/starting-school/the-parents-guide-to-composite-classes/news-story/31a65e6c0fb57afc8cd242dddb2e88d1

Do you still have concerns?

If you still have concerns, please talk to your child’s teacher about how they will cater for the individual needs of your child.

Kind regards

Leisel Ward

Acting Principal