RPS Chatter October (2) 2026

The year is flying by, and when we stop to think about how much we have already accomplished, it’s pretty impressive. And yet… there is still SO much to come!

We have certainly hit the ground running, and there is no slowing down in sight! With 8 weeks still to go this term, there is a lot to fit in, and we know it is going to be a busy one. There is plenty happening across the school, with lots of exciting opportunities and important milestones still to come.

 

Still to come this term…

 

• Saturday October 24th:  Halloween Fete
• Saturday, November 28th:  State Election — including a BBQ here at school! Stay tuned for more information as the election gets closer (and once Halloween Fest is done and dusted 😊).
• Monday, November 2nd:  Report Writing Day.  Students are not required at school.
• Tuesday November 3rd:  Melbourne Cup Public Holiday
• 2027 Foundation Transition sessions
• Whole-school Swimming Program
• Friday December 4th:  House Sports Carnival
• Year 6 Open Water
• Moving On Up Day
• Statewide Year 6–7 Orientation Day
• Year 6 Graduation
• Year 6 End-of-Year Excursion
• Meet the 2027 Teacher
• End-of-year reports

Not to mention the quality teaching and learning that happens every day, and planned excursions that support what’s happening in the classroom.  With so much happening, it’s very easy for information to get missed, misunderstood or accidentally interpreted through the good old “school rumour mill”!

If you’re ever unsure about something, please don’t rely on what you’ve heard in the playground or through the grapevine. Check Compass, our website, or give the office a call. We are always happy to clarify things and make sure you have the correct information.

 

A little kindness goes a long way

 

As we head into a very busy part of the year, it’s worth taking a moment to remember the importance of kindness, patience and tolerance.

When we are busy, tired or feeling overwhelmed, it can be easy to become frustrated, jump to conclusions or forget that everyone has their own experiences, challenges and perspectives. Sometimes, a small act of kindness or simply giving someone the benefit of the doubt can make a much bigger difference than we realise.

Being tolerant means recognising that we don’t all think, communicate or do things in the same way — and that’s okay. Our differences are part of what makes our community strong, and learning to understand and respect those differences makes us better as individuals and as a community.

At the end of Term 3, Russell, Sarah Devine and I had the privilege of attending a presentation by Dr Gill Hicks. Her story is one of extraordinary resilience, kindness, compassion, connection, survival and forgiveness.

As I sat listening and taking notes, I noticed drops of water landing on the page in front of me. They were my tears. Gill’s story moved me deeply and, more importantly, challenged me to think about how I respond to others and how I can continue to be a better version of myself.

Her message about choosing compassion, even in the most unimaginable circumstances, has stayed with me.  I thought I would share a much shorter version of her story with you. It is well worth taking a few minutes to watch:

Gill Hicks: I survived a terrorist attack. Here’s what I learned | TED Talk

At RPS, we talk a lot about Respect, Resilience and Responsibility, and Term 4 is a great opportunity to put those values into practice.

Choose kindness. Give people the benefit of the doubt. Listen before reacting. Be patient. Be tolerant. Treat others with respect.  We never really know what someone else might be carrying, and a little kindness can go a very long way.

 

One more sleep!

 

Events like this don’t just happen overnight!  They take months and months (and months!) of planning, organising, and behind-the-scenes hard work, along with the generosity of community members who give up their time to make it all happen.

A HUGE thank you to Catherine Bell and her amazing team for their incredible efforts in bringing this spooktacular event to life.

We are so lucky to have such a dedicated community who make these special events possible.  We can’t wait to see everyone there for a fantastic day of Halloween fun!

Important scheduling announcements:

2pm:                     Fete opens 😊

3pm:                     Bar opens

3:30pm:               Halloween Costume Parade

4:30pm:               Ghostbusters Dance Performance

5pm:                     RAGE AGAINST THE CANTEEN

6pm:                     Daft Dads DJ Set

7pm:                     Rides and activity stalls conclude.  Raffle Draw.

7:30pm:               Silent Auction closes

8pm:                     Fete concludes

 

Rumour has it…

 

Word on the grapevine is that we still have some members of our community who have not yet enrolled their child for the 2027 school year, or who are intending to leave the RPS community but haven’t yet officially let us know.

If this is you (or you know someone who may be in this position), could you please contact the office as soon as possible?

Knowing our enrolment numbers helps us make sure we have the right staffing, classes and resources in place to give our students the best possible start to 2027.

We know things can change, plans can change and families can change schools for all sorts of reasons. We simply ask that you keep us informed so we can plan accordingly.

That’s all from me this week.

I look forward to seeing you around the school ground.

Stay safe.  Stay healthy.  Stay happy and remember to be kind to yourself and others.

Megan

 

Child safety and wellbeing at Richmond Primary School

Richmond Primary School is committed to providing an environment where students are safe and feel safe.

Our child safety framework includes policies, codes and procedures that explain how we support and maintain the safety and wellbeing of our students and protect them from harm. These documents are available on our website

We are also committed to continuous improvement of our child safety framework. We are currently reviewing our child safety policies and practices to ensure they are up-to-date and effective.

• Child Safe Standards: Child abuse and grooming
• Child Safe Standards: Code of Conduct
• Child Safe Standards: Induction Pack
• Child Safe Standards: Child Safety and Wellbeing
• Bullying Prevention Policy
• Student Wellbeing and Engagement
• Student Dress Code Policy
• Complaints Policy

Our students and families are important partners in this process. We welcome your feedback or ideas on ways we can improve our approach to child safety and wellbeing.

If you have any suggestions or comments, please contact Assistant Principal Russell Sivewright on 9428 1909 or at Russell.sivewright@education.vic.gov.au

Other Polices

As part of our regular policy review cycle we have also reviewed the following school policies which can be found on our website:

• Attendance Policy
• Health Care Needs Policy
• Student Medication Policy
• Volunteer Policy
• Yard Duty Policy
• Curriculum Framework (Teaching and Learning) Policy

 

RPS Instructional Model Review

 

Throughout the last two years, we have been refining our School Instructional Model to reflect the implementation of the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model 2.0 (VTLM 2.0), our ongoing work with educational consultant Ryan Dunn, a review of our curriculum documentation, and current educational research.

These updates build on our existing approach to teaching and learning, ensuring our model reflects evidence-informed practice and provides a shared framework for high-quality, consistent and engaging learning experiences across the school. Our updated model will help guide teaching practice and support every student to achieve their best.

 

The RPS Instructional Model

 

The RPS Instructional Model provides a consistent framework for high-quality teaching and learning across Richmond Primary School. It is organised around three phases: The Launch, The Learning and Reflect.

 

 

The Launch

 

The Launch prepares students for new learning by connecting the lesson to what they already know and establishing a clear purpose by:

• using retrieval and review to access prior learning
• activating and connecting with students’ existing knowledge
• building student confidence and readiness to learn
• establishing and communicating clear Learning Intentions and Success Criteria
• explaining the purpose and relevance of the learning
• identifying and responding to students’ prior knowledge and misconceptions.

 

The Learning

 

The Learning phase is where new knowledge, skills and understandings are explicitly taught, practised and applied.

The Gradual Release of Responsibility Model supports students to move from teacher modelling to guided practice and increasingly independent application.

 

 

 

The release of responsibility is responsive rather than necessarily linear. Teachers adjust the level of support according to evidence of student understanding. This includes:

• checks for understanding regularly
• the use of responsive teaching to address misconceptions and learning needs
• providing timely and purposeful feedback
• incorporating flexible groupings where appropriate
• providing opportunities for collaboration
• providing additional support, intervention or extension as required
• gradually reducing scaffolding as students develop confidence and independence.

 

Reflect

 

Reflection provides students and teachers with opportunities to consider the learning that has occurred. Students reflect on what they have learned, what went well, areas for improvement and the strategies they used. Teachers use evidence gathered during the lesson to inform subsequent planning and teaching.

Keep an eye out in the classroom and around the school for our updated visuals!

 

DIGITAL DEVICES AND BYOD REMINDER FOR 2027

 

A reminder that from 2027, the Victorian Government is introducing changes to the use of digital devices for students from Prep to Grade 6.

Under the new guidelines, schools:

• will no longer invite families to purchase or bring their own digital devices to use at school for Prep to Grade 6
• will follow new recommended digital device times, including minimal device time for Prep to Grade 2; and a maximum of 90 minutes per day for grades 3 to 6.

These changes are intended to support families by reducing cost-of-living pressures. They will also support students by reducing screen-time which can reduce the risk of eye strain, sedentary behaviour, and reduced peer interaction. These reforms complement Victoria’s nation-leading mobile phone restrictions, ensuring an integrated approach to addressing digital distraction and the inappropriate use of technology.

What this means for our school

This means we will be ceasing our current BYOD program for Grades 3-6 from 2027 on. Instead, we will provide class sets of digital devices for use by students.

Students with disability who use a digital device as a reasonable adjustment are exempt from these changes.

These changes are intended to support families with cost-of-living pressures and reduce student screen time.

You can read more about the changes on the department’s website: Digital Learning: Policy.

As a school we are currently undertaking the process of procuring devices to support our digital learning moving forward. Funds raised from this week’s Halloween Fete will be put towards this program.

Please see the following whole school assemblies for Term 4

 

• 30th of October – 3:00 pm – 3:30 pm
• 13th of November – 3:00 pm – 3:30 pm
• 27th of November – 3:00 pm – 3:30 pm
• 11th of December – 3:00 pm – 3:30 pm
• 18th of Decemebr – 9:10am – 10:00am

Foundation:

• Matilda H – For your incredible progress with your reading! You are working hard! Well done, Matilda!
• Bodhi F – For consistently showing respect and always trying his best. Well done!
• Theo D – For using his excellent manners, showing kindness to others and trying his best in everything he does.
• Leo M – For the wonderful effort he’s been putting into his work and for helping out around the classroom!
• Gigi G – For a wonderful term in Foundation! Thank you for bringing such positive energy, kindness and enthusiasm to our classroom!
• Cian C – For an awesome week in Foundation!

 

Year 1/2

 

• Max C – For writing a fantastic information report about capybaras. Well done superstar!
• Luka B – For always working hard, showing respect and being kind. Bravo Luka, you’re a star!!!

 

Year 3/4

 

• Fergus M – For leading by example and being an inspiring role-model
• Parker S – For your persistence and dedication towards your expert information report about basketball. Well done, Parker!
• Sheriff S – For your enthusiasm and persistence during Maths this week. It is great to see you consistently extend your learning! Well done, Sheriff!
• Rudy T – For your dedication to learning. Well done for working so hard on your information reports!
• London L – For demonstrating persistence during maths! Well done for always doing your best!
• Josh J – For always sharing great ideas, listening and showing respect, and giving 100% to all your learning tasks.
• Marcus T – For the wonderful effort you put into brainstorming your compound words.

 

Year 5/6

 

• Samika A – Congratulations Samika, you should be very proud of the extra effort you have been putting into your work and learning goals. Your willingness to challenge yourself has not gone unnoticed.
• Emilio D – For your hard work and commitment to your maths learning this week. Keep up the good work!
• Clem C – For an unbelievable start to Term 3. You have been working so diligently, and you take great care of your classmates AND our space. You Rock!

 

Specialist Subjects

 

Performing Arts

 

• Zelie R – For her indepth explanation and demonstration of the elements of dance
• Jack C – For his stellar “dad Joke” telling during our PA session – keeping it joyful!
• Josephine B – For always demonstrating respect while participating with a smile and a positive attitude in every PE lesson.