Dear Parents and Carers,
Welcome back to Term 3! I hope our families enjoyed a happy and restful holiday break and had the opportunity to spend some valuable time together.
It has been wonderful to see our students return with such enthusiasm. The school has quickly come alive again with busy classrooms, happy conversations and students reconnecting with their friends and teachers. There is always something special about the beginning of a new term—a renewed sense of purpose, fresh opportunities and the anticipation of all that lies ahead. We are looking forward to another exciting term of learning, growth and achievement at Subiaco Primary School.
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NAPLAN Reports
NAPLAN reports for our Year 3 and Year 5 students were sent home yesterday. These reports provide information about your child’s achievement in reading, writing, conventions of language and numeracy against the four national proficiency levels: Exceeding, Strong, Developing and Needs additional support.
When discussing the report with your child, I encourage families to choose a calm time, begin by asking how they felt about the assessments and focus first on their strengths and effort. Celebrate what they have achieved and reassure them that the report is one source of information—it does not define them as a learner or capture all their talents, qualities and progress.
NAPLAN reflects a student’s performance on the days the assessments were completed. It is only one part of our broader assessment and reporting processes and does not replace the ongoing observations, assessments and professional judgement of your child’s teacher. Teachers use NAPLAN alongside classroom work and other school-based assessments to build a much fuller understanding of each student’s progress and learning needs.
Please contact your child’s teacher if you have any questions or concerns about the report. Teachers are available for brief conversations in the morning before classroom doors open at 8.45am. Appointments can also be arranged during their designated DOTT time throughout the school day if a longer discussion is required.
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Subiaco Primary School Selected for Mathematics Pilot
We are very proud to share that Subiaco Primary School has been selected as one of only ten Centre for Excellence alumni schools to participate in the Dyslexia–SPELD Foundation’s Improving Maths Outcomes Series (IMOS) Pilot.
This is a significant achievement and an exciting opportunity to deepen our expertise in high-quality, evidence-informed mathematics instruction. IMOS has been designed specifically for primary schools to bridge the gap between research and classroom practice, translating evidence into clear and practical teaching strategies that can be implemented across a school.
Our participating team will be Mrs Laura Ellement, Year 1 teacher and Mathematics Committee Leader; Mr Jeff Cornez, Year 5 teacher; and me, through the accompanying leadership program.
Across the nine workshops, our team will explore:
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effective, explicit and well-structured mathematics instruction;
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purposeful planning and programming;
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mathematical vocabulary and worded problem-solving;
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deep conceptual understanding and reasoning;
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numeracy screening and assessment;
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fluency and proficiency;
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targeted Tier 2 and Tier 3 intervention; and the impact of working memory and mathematics anxiety on student confidence and achievement.
The program will provide our staff with practical strategies and tools to strengthen classroom instruction, use assessment more responsively, address misconceptions and provide effective support when students require additional assistance. Most importantly, it will help us develop an increasingly consistent and coherent whole-school approach so that every student can build strong mathematical foundations, confidence and success.
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Every Minute of Learning Matters
At our whole-school welcome assembly on Monday, I spoke with students and staff about several important expectations for the term. One of these was arriving at school on time.
Our doors open at 8.45am, and lessons commence promptly at 8.50am. By this time, students need to be in their classrooms, organised, settled and ready to learn.
We completely understand that unexpected situations arise and that any family may occasionally be late. Our concern is for students who are arriving late on a regular basis. The opening minutes of the school day often include important instructions, explicit teaching, lesson explanations and the routines that help students feel prepared and connected. Arriving after learning has begun means students miss this valuable instruction and must try to catch up while the rest of the class has already started. Entering a classroom late can also feel uncomfortable or embarrassing for a child and can disrupt their confidence at the beginning of the day.
The Western Australian Department of Education highlights that regular attendance supports stronger educational, health, social and future employment outcomes, with each day’s learning building upon what students already know. It recommends establishing consistent morning routines to help children arrive at school on time and ready to learn.
Thank you for helping your child arrive before the classroom doors open so they can begin the day calmly, confidently and successfully.
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Student Voice in Action
Last term, students completed an important survey led by our Student Representative Council and Ms Louise Turner. The survey covered a range of topics and provided students with an opportunity to share their thoughts, experiences and ideas about our school.
Since then, our SRC representatives have been busy gathering and analysing the responses and preparing a presentation of their findings. On Wednesday, 29 July, they will present directly to our staff and administration team during lunchtime.
This will be the first time our SRC students have presented formally to staff, so it is a very significant occasion for them. They are excited—and perhaps a little nervous—to represent their peers and ensure that student voice contributes meaningfully to our school’s ongoing improvement.
We are very much looking forward to hearing from these impressive young leaders. Stay tuned for further information about their findings and the actions that may grow from their work.
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Before-School Athletics Training
Before-school sport is one of my favourite Term 3 activities, and it has been wonderful to see so many students out on the oval participating enthusiastically in Athletics Training with Mr Clancy. It is a fantastic way to begin the day—being active, developing skills and enjoying time with friends.
Training will continue until Week 6, just before our school Athletics Carnivals:
Tuesdays – Years 1 to 3
Thursdays – Years 4 to 6
Thank you to Mr Clancy for providing this wonderful opportunity and to our students for embracing it with such enthusiasm.
There is so much to look forward to in the weeks ahead. I know Term 3 will be filled with exciting learning, new opportunities and many moments in which our students demonstrate Our Best.
Warm regards,
Heather McNeil
