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Forrest Newsletter 2025 Term1 Week 6

Message from the Principal

NAPLAN

This week children in years 3 and 5 have taken some of their NAPLAN (National Assessment Program, Literacy and Numeracy) assessments which will continue next week.

I think it’s important to understand NAPLAN within the broader educational landscape. A lot of children are quite stressed by this before they even come into the room which we obviously do not want. Whilst NAPLAN is important, it rarely gives us a surprise- we already have sophisticated assessment tools at our disposal. As a parent myself, NAPLAN told my partner and I what we already knew about our child: good in reading and writing, fine in language conventions and grammar and punctuation and needing some extra space/time in numeracy. We knew this in kindergarten, and nothing changed significantly in the six years after that, that’s the way her brain was wired. From talking to her every night (every night…) about her learning at school, being actively engaged in her learning journeys, discussing her report at the end of each semester and attending every parent teacher interview through to the end of year twelve there were no surprises.

My reflections on NAPLAN are it captures quantitative data on children at a point of time and this is reported to parents to help them understand the progress of their child, which is all fine. But in my years of talking with parents, the most common aspirations for their children are for them to be safe, happy, have friends, a desire to learn, etc. What NAPLAN doesn’t capture is the richness of a child: how they support and care for their family and friends, how they struggle as English isn’t their first language but they try their hardest every day, how they are resilient in the face of challenge, their skills in sport or the arts, how they have a really tough life with intergenerational disadvantage but still attend school every day, their creativity and imagination, their smile when they succeed. NAPLAN is important but we also need to see it in the broader context of each child. Broadly speaking, skills shown in NAPLAN might get them their chosen job later in life, but these other skills and attributes will help them succeed in it.

Camp

A huge thanks to Penny who coordinated the recent year five camp and who attended along with Belle, Dilli, Erika, James, Jemma, Kay, Maddy and Sarah. The children had a wonderful time, the weather was glorious, and most children got to sleep when they were required to. It was also lovely to hear the children completing my request of thanking the staff who went on camp when they returned, thus enabling the camp to go ahead. Please understand staff volunteer for these enhancements, it’s not a requirement, and they receive no extra pay or time for doing so. One of the things that makes it all worth being away from their homes and families for a few days is seeing the children go out of their comfort zone at camp and thanking them when they return. Thank you for encouraging this in your children when they next go to camp.

Primary Concert Band

A huge congratulations to Hannah C and Sofia M-M who have both been accepted into the ACT Primary Concert Band through the Instrumental Music Program. Hannah will be playing the trumpet while Sofia will play the euphonium. This is similar to being accepted into an ACT representative sporting team.

Please note:

If possible, please arrange appointments so that you do not need to pick up your child during break times as it is often very difficult to find them or for them to hear announcements at those times.
If you need to pick up your child after 2:45pm (but before 3pm) you may be asked to pick them up directly from the classroom.
During learning time, we try to limit using the PA to avoid interruptions in the classroom. There are also times where the front office is staffed by one person. Therefore, we ask that you provide at least an hours' notice of an early pick-up in order to get the communication to your child's teacher.

Harmony Day Parade

FOOSHC Excellence Award

Forrest Out of School Hours Care (FOOSHC) Achieves Excellence for the Third Time Under the National Quality Framework

FOOSHC proudly announces its remarkable achievement of receiving an Excellent Rating under the National Quality Framework (NQF) for the third time. This recognition is the highest possible rating in Australia’s education and care sector, awarded by the Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) to services demonstrating exceptional practice in exceeding the quality standards for children’s learning, safety, and wellbeing.

This achievement places Forrest Out of School Hours Care among a leading group of providers, as it is currently one of only two OSHC services in Australia out of nearly 5000 services to hold this esteemed award. Furthermore, FOOSHC is proudly operated by a volunteer community-based management committee, managed by the Forrest Primary School Parents & Citizens (P&C) Association. This unique governance structure underpins the deep community commitment to delivering high-quality, child-centered care.

The Excellent Rating is awarded to services that go above and beyond the National Quality Standard (NQS) by demonstrating:

Exceptional practice in pedagogy and program delivery
A strong commitment to continuous improvement and innovation
Outstanding engagement with children, families, and the wider community
Significant contributions to the broader education and care sector

FOOSHC’s achievement is a testament to the dedication of its educators, staff, and partnership with Forrest Primary School, who continuously strive to create an inclusive, enriching, and nurturing environment where children can thrive through play-based learning.

This recognition highlights the power of a volunteer-led approach in delivering exceptional outcomes for children and families. The Forrest Primary School P&C Association has played a vital role in ensuring that FOOSHC remains a leader in the sector by:

Championing best practices in child-led learning through risk and play
Cultivating a strong connection with School Principal and School staff
Training and development of future educators
Fostering partnerships with professionals to enhance children’s creative and cultural experiences
Upholding the highest standards in child safety, wellbeing, and inclusive care
Continual partnerships with families

As FOOSHC celebrates this magnificent achievement, the service remains committed to maintaining its exemplary standards and continuing to evolve in response to the needs of children and families. This achievement not only acknowledges past successes but also inspires ongoing innovation in high-quality care and education.

The FOOSHC community extends its gratitude to all children, educators, families, volunteers and Forrest School staff who have contributed to this outstanding accomplishment. Together, we shine bright.

Yours in Forrest

Forrest School P&C Association

Approved Provider