Newsletter 22 October 2025

Principal's Message

Special Days

Thank Your Cleaner Day

Officially, this was on the 15^th of October. However, we will celebrate this day on the same day as World Teachers’ Day.  It gives us a chance to thank our hard-working cleaning staff that cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time.  We want our cleaners to know that they are valued and appreciated.  During our Classroom Open Night, if you get an opportunity to see them, please thank them for their dedication and service.

World Teachers’ Day

Let’s celebrate Australia’s teachers for their skilled work in educating, inspiring and supporting our students.

Hats off to teachers on World Teachers’ Day!

On Friday the 24^th of October, we will be celebrating World Teachers’ Day. The Bahai community will be providing lunch for the staff earlier in the week.  You can show your appreciation by posting a “hats off” selfie on social media either on your own or with family or friends. Grab a hat – beret, beanie, bucket, bowler – and remember to tag #WorldTeachersDay2025 and tag @aitsl

NB AITSL is the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership.

Congratulations, Sophie!

Sophie, from S2, is the winning Book Builder and now has a published book! It will be available for purchase at our Classroom Open Night, and Sophie will be there to sign it. It is a lovely story about making your dreams come true. Congratulations to all the students who completed the challenge to write a book. Thanks also to our wonderful teachers for supporting them and to the author and founder, Kristy Nita Brown, for organising the Book Builders Challenge. Below is an article published in Education HQ if you wish to know more about the program.

The book building program that's getting busy nurturing budding young authors

By Grant Quarry (Education HQ)

An inventive new WA book building program empowering children to write, illustrate, design and showcase their own picture books, graphic novels and chapter books, has proved a big success. Storytelling plays a vital role for primary school-age children by fostering their imagination, promoting creativity, enhancing language development, and building their emotional intelligence, and this was all front of mind for award-winning junior fiction author Kristy Nita Brown when she began piecing the program together several years ago. The Book Builders Challenge takes students on a journey from 'idea to bookshelf'.

Classroom Open Night – 29^th October 5-6:30pm

Our classroom open night is next Wednesday evening, which gives your child an opportunity to show you what they have been learning and doing in class this year. While this is not an opportunity to have a meeting with their classroom teacher, it is a lovely way to discuss your child’s schooling with your child. We also have the Art Exhibition where all students have a piece of work displayed in the art room in the Senior Block. The art teachers, Mrs Bennett and Mrs LeFebvre, are opening their doors at 4:30pm. All other classroom doors will not open until 5pm and all doors will close at 6:30pm. The P&C have a sausage sizzle in the quadrangle, so you can pop down for some dinner there.  Thanks to the DUCKs for organising this.

National Online School Opinion Survey (NSOS) – Parents

A heartfelt thank you to all parents who participated in last term’s National Online School Opinion Survey. Your feedback is invaluable in helping us refine our practices and better understand what matters most to our school community.

We are now extending the survey to our Year 5 and 6 students and will also be gathering input from staff to ensure a well-rounded perspective.

Positive Highlights

We’re pleased to share that the overall feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Parents consistently praised:

• The school’s strong sense of community
• The dedication and professionalism of our teaching staff
• The welcoming and inclusive environment

Many families expressed satisfaction with their children’s academic progress and emotional wellbeing, noting that students feel safe and genuinely enjoy coming to school. Programs such as music and maths enrichment were particularly appreciated, and new families felt warmly embraced by the school community.

Areas for Clarification and Development

Leadership Visibility
Some parents noted reduced visibility of school leadership. This year, the deputies and I have taken long service leave—unfortunately, we were required to use it within a two-year window. As a result, I’ve been away for about a third of the year and missed several school events I would normally attend. With most of our leave now taken, we expect this to be less noticeable moving forward.

Communication Platforms
The use of multiple communication platforms was identified as a challenge. We’re pleased to share that the Department of Education will be rolling out a new solution over the coming year. This should streamline communication and provide a more unified, user-friendly experience for families.

Safety Outside School Grounds
Concerns were raised about safety around the school perimeter. While we share these concerns, external areas fall under council jurisdiction. We’ve raised these issues with the local council, but unfortunately, we’re unable to install signage or manage traffic outside school grounds.

School Grounds and Facilities
Improving our facilities remains a shared priority. Recent upgrades include:

• Early childhood area improvements
• P&C-led bike shed upgrade
• Government-funded re-roofing and reverse-cycle air-conditioning in Rooms 1–10
• Resurfaced basketball courts with improved drainage

Over the Christmas holidays, the senior block will also receive reverse-cycle air-conditioning. The P&C is now focusing fundraising efforts on renovating the nature play area, which was damaged due to timber rot. While drainage improvements have helped, heavy rain can still cause blockages, which our gardener actively manages.

Class Sizes
Class size was another area of concern. While we strive to keep numbers below recommended limits, our ability to do so is constrained by funding models and industrial agreements. Below is a guide to the maximum class sizes we aim not to exceed. These are an indication of how each year level is funded by the government:

Please note: We must accept all students residing within our catchment area, even if they enrol after the Term 1 census, which does not attract additional funding.

We are deeply grateful for the ongoing support of our P&C, whose fundraising efforts help us enhance the school experience for all students. Most of our budget is directed toward staffing to provide targeted support where it’s needed most. While we’d love to do more, we work within the constraints of our funding and remain hopeful for increased support from state and federal governments in the future.

Thank you again for your thoughtful feedback and continued partnership.

Gifted and Talented programs 2027 intake

Students are encouraged to apply for the 2027 intake of Gifted and Talented programs. These exceptional academic, arts and languages programs are available at select public secondary schools. Options include:

• a fully selective academic school, Perth Modern School
• an arts college, John Curtin College of the Arts
• 2 regional schools, Albany Senior High School and Bunbury Senior High School
• boarding at City Beach Residential College while studying in Perth
• boarding at Albany Residential College while studying at Albany Senior High School
• the online program for regional WA students living outside of Albany or Bunbury, where students continue to study at their local regional public school.

Applications are open until 6:00 pm Friday 6 February 2026. Applications are open to Year 5 students in 2025 who will be in Year 6 in 2026 and want to enter a Gifted and Talented program starting in Year 7 in 2027.

OSH Club News Families starting school in 2026: 

New IT System Coming – Compass

The school has moved to the new Department IT system - Compass.  It replaces our old database.  As part of this, we will be using a different source for our SMS attendance messages.  Please expect SMS messages from 'Kensington' from now on. These messages will provide you with a link to respond and provide a reason for an absence.  Do not reply to the SMS - click on the link in the SMS.

We aim to reduce the number of apps parents need to access as we progress with transferring to the new Compass system next year.

Reminder for Kindy Families: Enrol for Pre-primary Now!

If your child is currently attending Kindergarten at our school, it's time to take the next important step in their learning journey - enrolment for Pre-primary!

In Western Australia, Pre-primary is the first year of compulsory schooling, and all children who turn five by 30 June 2026 (born between 1st July 2020 and 30th June 2021) must be enrolled to start in Term 1 next year. Even if your child is already attending Kindy here, a separate enrolment form is required to secure their place in Pre-primary.

Why enrol now? Early enrolment helps us plan class sizes, staffing and resources to ensure a smooth transition and the best possible start for your child. You will also ensure you receive any preparatory information required for the start of Pre-primary.

What to do:

• Visit the front office to collect an enrolment pack
• Return completed forms as soon as possible
• Include all supporting documents, as listed on our website

Let’s work together to make sure every child is ready for a confident start to school life in 2026. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact the school office.

Planning for 2026 Survey

It's that time of year again when we start to look at how many students we will have in 2026 and plan to staff the school to meet those needs.  We have created a Microsoft Form to enable you to inform us about whether or not your child is returning in 2026 (current PP – Year 5 students only). You may complete one form (see the link below) for your family. However, if you have differing plans for each of your children currently attending our school (excluding the Year 6s), please complete separate forms for each.   

Class Placement 2026

We are currently working on classes for 2026.  Parents who wish to raise particular student needs are invited to write to the principal expressing their request. It should be noted that this expression must focus on legitimate educational reasons and that there are no guarantees that requests will be met. It does, however, allow for consideration of parent views regarding class placement. Parents are asked to present written requests no later than Friday 28 November 2025 (Week 7, Term 4).  If requests are not in writing, they will not be taken into account when placing students.

Responsibility for the placement of students rests with the principal.

Class Structures:

While some schools have made it school policy to have all classes as split classes (for educational and philosophical reasons), this is not the case at Kensington PS. The reasoning behind the split classes here is due to student numbers and the need for the school to work within industrial and financial constraints.

Research, data on student performance and the experiences of teachers and school administrators suggests that there is no significant difference when it comes to analysing the outcomes of student learning between being placed in a ‘straight’ class or a split class. Whichever way a school is organised, the most important factor in ensuring successful learning is effective teaching and a focus on identifying and addressing the needs of students.

The school must cater for any student within the school boundaries who wishes to enrol. Because the school numbers and cohort sizes vary from year to year, class structures will also vary to meet those needs. The school will do its best for all students while working within the realities of population variance, finances and industrial agreements.

Some years, we have very few split classes; other years, we have more. In some years we even need to form more than one split class with the same grades (e.g., two Year 1/2 classes) in order to ensure a reasonable number of students in each grade within the class.

Class Placements:

Creating equitable classes where students requiring specialised academic, social, emotional and/or behavioural plans are distributed fairly is a priority. This enables staff to best cater for classroom and individual student needs in the most manageable and effective manner.

School Uniforms: 

Beat the rush in January 2026 and visit Uniform Concepts now to take advantage of the appointment system and Layby facility.

Free Travel with a Student Smartrider: 

Students with a valid Student SmartRider can enjoy free travel on Transperth services for any journey from Monday to Friday, until the end of the 2025 school year.

After School Supervision

We’d like to remind families that while the school maintains a duty of care for students during school hours, this responsibility shifts once children have been collected by their parents or guardians after school.

It’s essential that parents actively supervise their children while on school grounds after dismissal. This helps prevent accidents and disruptions, ensuring a safe and respectful environment for everyone.

Recently, we’ve noticed a number of children playing near the senior block and entering school buildings after hours, even while in the care of their parents. This has unfortunately disrupted staff who are still working in these areas.

To support a calm and productive environment for staff and students alike, we kindly ask that:

• Children remain with their parent or guardian once collected
• School buildings are not entered unless for a scheduled activity or with staff permission
• Play is kept to designated outdoor areas (not on the oval or encroaching on OSHClub licenced areas) and is supervised
• All students leave the school grounds by 4pm

We appreciate your cooperation in helping us maintain a safe and respectful school environment for all.

This week's Value

Achievements

Certificates - Week 2

Foyer Display - Room 9

Our Year 4 students in Room 9 have been studying water sustainability in science lessons. We created posters on topics like rainwater harvesting, water recycling, water conservation at home, protection of wetlands and waterways, and efficient irrigation techniques to highlight the importance of conserving water in Australia. This task aims to educate and inspire our community to take action towards a sustainable future, addressing water scarcity through practical solutions presented by our students. We invite you to view their informative posters displayed in the foyer.

Upcoming Events...

Cyber Safety Parent Workshop with Paul Litherland (2022 WA Australian of the Year)

Tuesday 18^th November 7-8:30pm

We have Paul Litherland from Surf Online Safe visiting the school on Tuesday 18^th November.  He will run a workshop with the Year 5/6 students during the afternoon (keep an eye out for this Consent2Go notification) and a parent workshop between 7-8:30pm in the Music Room.  Thanks to the P&C for continuing to fund this event.  For parents, it is important to arm yourself with this knowledge to protect your children. Please join us for this vital and eye-opening presentation. If you attended this event last time (two years ago), please note that the information is ever changing, and you will receive new and updated information. You can book your seat through our SZapp calendar events by clicking on this event.

Student Council Competition

The Student Council have decided to run a competition for the Year 1-6 students encouraging students to use their creativity to come up with ways to address or promote the Sustainable Development Goals to create a better world.  A winner from each year level will be chosen and they will win a $50 Big W voucher. There will also be a grand prize - $200 gift voucher from Big W.  Students are asked to submit their work digitally via the following email address – Kensington.PS.IT@education.wa.edu.au, along with their entry form (see below). 

So, what are the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals? 

Year 2 Stationery Recycling Drive - Weeks 3 & 4

Our enthusiastic Year 2 students are leading a Stationery Recycling Drive during Weeks 3 and 4 of this term!

Keep an eye out for their colourful posters displayed around the school.

Each classroom has a designated recycling box where students can drop off old or unwanted stationery items.

Let’s work together to reduce waste and give these supplies a second life! Officeworks will accept our full recycling boxes, and we will be entered into a competition to win an Officeworks gift card for the school!  Please bring any of the following items to Rooms 3, 4 or 5! Thank you!

What's Been Happening...

Faction Names

Last term, the students and staff voted on the two options that the Student Council selected from the feedback from the Student Voice Forum.  These options were approved by the staff and School Board. The staff and students each preferred the Four Elements, although it was a close call.

Winning Option: Four Elements

Reason: All these elements co-exist, which represents “together we achieve” as they work together to make our world.  The colours of the factions match well with the elements. 

Year 6 School Camp

Last week, the Year 6s embarked on a three-day camp at the Swan Valley Adventure Centre. The students had a lot of opportunities to get out of their comfort zone by tackling activities such as abseiling, high ropes, crate stacks, raft building and archery. These activities challenged the students by helping them to grow in their perseverance and courage, as well as providing a lot of fun. This was a great way to start their last ever term at Kensington, creating lasting memories with their friends before they all head off to different high schools next year.

Sport News

Squash WA

Some students played squash using inflatable squash courts in their PE lesson this week. Thanks to Squash WA for sponsoring this free event.

Running Club is back

Tuesday 8.00 – 8.30am on the running track.

Friday 8.00 – 8.30am on the oval.

There will be no running club on Friday Week 5 - 14^th November. Our last session for the term will be on Tuesday Week 8 - 2nd December. New runners are welcome. 

School Board

School Board Meeting

The school board will meet next Monday in the staffroom at 5:30pm.  On the agenda is reviewing the Board Code of Conduct and Terms of Reference as well as the revised Homework and Mobile Devices policies. Contributions and Charges for 2026 will also be reviewed and finalised.  The NSOS Parent Survey results and the Wellbeing and Engagement Census (Years 4-6) for students' results will also be presented.

Community News

Cricket Blast Program 

The Cricket Blast program kicks off soon and welcomes kids in Pre-Primary to Year 2 to the great game of cricket with this fun program.

P & C News

Movie Stars Disco - Friday 24 October

Dads & Kids Camp and Silent Disco - Friday 7 November 

Hi, amazing KPS Dads. There is 3 Weeks to go until our annual DUCKs Dads and Kids Campout and Silent Disco on Friday 7 November 2025.

The event starts from 4:30 p.m. onwards on the school oval and finishes at 8 a.m. Saturday 8 November. 

This annual DUCKs Dads and Kids campout started with humble beginnings as an initiative of The Fathering Project, and we have watched it improve and keep giving back to the dads and kids of our school. 

There are a lot of excited dads ready to set up their tents and make this a great fathering event again for them and their children, so we would love to see you there. 

We have a range of afternoon games and activities planned, so please make your booking and get your camping gear ready. Dinner will be our famous campout barbecue, followed by marshmallow roasting, and breakfast in the morning includes eggs, bacon, toast and juice prepared by the DUCKs team, plus morning coffees from the Little Banksia cafe brought to us on the oval. We also have milo and tea available and cater for vegetarian and gluten free dietary needs. We look forward to seeing you there.

The DUCKs Campout also includes a Silent Disco on the Friday Night from about 7:30pm to 9:00 p.m., so if for some reason you are not able to stay the whole night, please sign up and join the BBQ dinner and Silent Disco. DJ Geoff is ready to get these kids dancing!

We will have a designated quieter area on the oval for Kindy to Year 1 kids to camp together (behind the S4 building of the Senior Area) to make it an enjoyable experience for all dads and kids. 

Please get your bookings in ASAP by the TryBooking link below and get your fellow dads involved from your child's classes.  We need your booking confirmations as soon as possible to help with us calculating the numbers for catering.

Click here to book for the DUCKs Dads and Kids Campout: https://www.trybooking.com/DGUWS 

No camping gear? - No problem. There are several companies that hire out camping equipment in Perth, or camping stores in surrounding areas that you can choose from.

Please email us at DUCKS.KPS@gmail.com to join and for further information or questions. Further information is available via the booking link and other information will be sent to attendees prior to the event. For any dads interested in helping with preparation or on the night, please email DUCKs on the address above, or get in touch via the DUCKs WhatsApp Group. Thanks, Conrad Slee DUCKs - Dads United for the Children of Kensington.