Upcoming Dates
Principal's Report
Parent/Carer Opinion Survey 2026
Thank you to everyone who completed this year’s Parent/Carer Opinion Survey. Your feedback is very important to us as we reflect on our growth and look for new ways to make our school even better.
Last year’s results told us clearly where families wanted to see change, and this year we acted. We’re delighted that results have improved in all 19 areas the survey measures compared with last year. In fact, our overall results are the strongest in the past five years, which is as far back as our survey data goes. We have achieved five-year highs in 14 of the 19 areas, alongside our highest overall positive response average of 82%.
Examples of key changes from last year’s results:
Fortnightly classroom updates. Every two weeks, each class now sends home a summary of the learning taking place. Positive responses on school communication rose from 53% to 87%, and on teacher communication from 40% to 74%. Both are the best results we’ve recorded in five years, and both are now above the state average.
A cohesive approach to behaviour. We enhanced our school-wide behaviour response plan in line with the SWPBS model, establishing consistent responses to behaviour support. We also introduced the Friendology curriculum, a Prep-6 program that explicitly teaches how to be a good friend, along with practical strategies and shared language for resolving differences. Positive responses on promoting positive behaviour rose from 68% to 86%, and on how we manage bullying from 47% to 83%, our highest result in five years and above both similar schools and the state average. None of the respondents said their child feels unsafe at school.
A refreshed curriculum. This year we began our revised whole-school curriculum plan, including new units in music, drama, dance and media arts. Positive responses on our stimulating learning environment rose from 56% to 82%, our best result in five years and, again, above the state average. 89% of families agree we provide diverse programs for their child’s interests and abilities, and every responding family said our teachers are enthusiastic and positive about teaching.
More to celebrate
Overall satisfaction rose from 53% to 83%, above the state average. 100% of families were positive about our physical environment. 93% were positive about student connectedness, 92% said we build their child’s confidence and resilience, 91% about our respect for diversity, and 89% about supporting transitions, up from 54% last year. Student motivation and support (83%) and school pride and confidence (84%) also reached five-year highs.
Where we’re still working
Families also told us what to focus on next. Some would like a clearer understanding of how their child is assessed and reported on, and more opportunities to be involved in their child’s learning. Our classroom updates are a good start, and we’ll keep building on them. We are seeing encouraging progress in behaviour support, with a 17% improvement this year in family perceptions of how well we are preventing and addressing bullying. With high expectations, we remain committed to building on this progress, working in partnership with students and families to continue to foster a positive, inclusive school culture where every child feels a strong sense of belonging.
Why your feedback matters
Fortnightly updates, a consistent behaviour approach and a richer curriculum all came from listening to our community. Surveys like this directly shape our school improvement planning, so thank you. If you haven’t had your say before, we will encourage you again to take part next year. Alternatively, we are always open to feedback, so please do get in touch in the meantime.
Landcare Grant – Whole School Planting
A huge thank you to Landcare for supporting our school to invest in additional indigenous plant species, helping us establish new garden beds and further enhance our school grounds.
A special thank you to Mr Vaught for working with students across the school this week, giving everyone the opportunity to get hands-on, learn about the planting process and play a part in improving our environment. We’re also incredibly grateful to Louise, one of our parents, for her tremendous efforts in sourcing and delivering the plants and getting hands-on to help with the planting. Thank you also to Bellarine Landcare for their generous assistance!
Our students will now have an important role in helping their new plants thrive, watering and caring for them as they take root and begin to grow around our school. We look forward to watching these new garden beds flourish!
STOMP Performance Video
The link and password to access the STOMP performance recording will be sent to families via Newsfeed very soon. We hope you enjoy watching the performance again and adding this special experience to your family’s digital library!
As a reminder, the recording is provided for the private use of Wallington families only and must not be shared beyond our school community. In particular, please do not upload or share the video on any websites, social media platforms or other public forums. Thank you for respecting the privacy of all students involved and helping us protect this special recording for our families to enjoy.
Strawberry Fair
All Access Passes - ON SALE NOW!
You can now pre-purchase your All-Inclusive Passes for just $35 each – fantastic value for a full day of rides, activities and family fun at this year’s Strawberry Fair!
Each pass gives children unlimited access to this year’s entertainment, including:
The Sizzler
Dodgem Cars
Giant Slide
Chair-o-Plane
Petting Zoo
Soft Play Area (for children aged 0–5 only)
Get in early and secure your passes here: https://compasstix.com/event/2d08ffb0-ebc8-4a63-88d6-0060edc0b83c
Wallington PS families who pre-purchase will receive their passes on the Friday before the Fair, ready for a fun-filled weekend!
Individual tickets will also be available from the Ticket Tent on the day for $10 each.
Volunteer Sign-Ups
With the Strawberry Fair fast approaching, now is the time to jump in and secure a volunteer spot! Our online sign-up portal is starting to fill up (see the link shared on Compass Newsfeed), and we encourage every family to find a way to get involved.
We’ve reviewed and refined the volunteer roles based on the valuable feedback received last year, with a continued focus on making the experience as positive, manageable and rewarding as possible for everyone. Whether you can spare a couple of hours or help across the weekend, every contribution makes a difference. The more who sign up, the better we can spread the load and ensure we have all the hands we need for a fantastic fair!
P&F Special Lunch & Mango Fundraiser
A big thank you to our wonderful P&F volunteers for helping make this afternoon that little bit more special with a delicious treat for our students! These extra little touches add so much to the school experience and create those moments of excitement that our students look forward to. We’re incredibly grateful for your ongoing generosity and support!
Thank you also to everyone who supported our mango fundraiser, with a whopping 128 sold! What a fantastic effort! The mangoes will be delivered later this term, and we’re sure there will be plenty of happy families looking forward to enjoying them. Thank you for getting behind this fundraiser and supporting our school community!
Happy World Teacher’s Day
To our brilliant and amazing teachers, Happy World Teachers’ Day for tomorrow!
We are so incredibly fortunate to have such a dedicated, passionate and caring team of teachers at Wallington. Every day, you make a difference in the lives of our students through the relationships you build, the learning you inspire and the care you show each and every child.
Teaching is about so much more than what happens in the classroom, and we see and appreciate the countless ways you go above and beyond to help our students grow, thrive and feel that they belong.
On behalf of our entire school community, thank you! Thank you for the energy, heart and commitment you bring to your work and for everything you do to make Wallington such a special place to learn and grow. We hope you feel celebrated and appreciated tomorrow and every day!
And Finally… Reminder: Loud Shirt Day – Tomorrow!
Get ready to brighten up the school with your loudest, brightest and most colourful shirt tomorrow! Our Junior School Council is proudly getting behind Loud Shirt Day, helping raise awareness and support for children with hearing loss. Students are encouraged to wear their loudest shirt and bring along a gold coin donation to support this great cause.
A big well done to our JSC for showing initiative and helping our school community make a difference! Check out the details below, and we look forward to seeing plenty of colourful shirts around the school tomorrow!
SWPBS Awards
Being Resilient
Prep - Isaac
For demonstrating wonderful resilience during writing. You always try your best, keep going when things get tricky, and never give up! Your determination and positive attitude towards learning are fantastic. Keep up the amazing work!
Year 1 -Iliana L
For always challenging yourself to try new or hard things. Your enthusiasm for learning is a joy to see. Keep up the great work Iliana!
Year 2- Lottie M
For always giving everything your best go and showing great resilience by not giving up. Well done, Lottie!
Year 3 - Chloe
For being very resilient with so many changes for the week. You Rock!
Year 4/5 - Fletcher
For demonstrating great resilience in class. You challenge yourself and look for solutions and are always sharing your ideas with the class.
Keep up the excellent work Fletch! Well done!
Year 6 - Chayse
For your resilience in Maths. You are giving your best effort each and every time and showing the rewards for not giving up. Keep up the great work, Chayse!
Principal’s Award: Year 6- Ayden
Always showing resilience and never giving up!
Parents and Friends
WHATS HAPPENING WITH PARENTS & FRIENDS?
Important Dates:
THE NEXT P&F MEETING
New date for our next meeting is 17th November 6pm, in the school hall.
New members are always welcome.
Second Hand Uniforms
We have lots of uniforms available. Most sizes available.
Just a Gold Coin Donation. Be sure to check it out.
Wallington P.S.
Gardening Club
Garden Club will be on every Friday at second lunch at 1.40pm.
Do you love nature, gardening, or just want to help our school bloom?
The Wallington P.S. Gardening Club is always looking for volunteers!
Ask at the office to learn more.
Please enjoy our latest video.
Lavender
Did you know?
Lavender isn’t just a pretty flower that smells amazing! Bees absolutely love it, and its lovely scent can help us feel calm and relaxed.
Why did the lavender get invited to every party?
Because it always made scents of the situation!
Something spooky is brewing in the garden!
Join us at Garden Club this Friday 30th for some bubbling, fizzing, spooky potion fun! Bring your imagination and get ready to mix up some magical garden creations!
Art & Music
Watch our Year 4/5 musicians bring the rhythm to life on the djembes!
In this video, students showcase their skills exploring bass and tone techniques. Watch how closely they follow the conductor—mirroring every arm movement to change their tempo and volume. The class even split into two groups, each tracking a different arm to create a fantastic, layered rhythm.
PE and Dance
PE and Dance Snapshot
This week, our prep students have been enthusiastically developing their movement skills through both Dance and Physical Education activities.
In Dance, students explored movement and rhythm through the much-loved song "Old MacDonald Had a Farm." They created simple dance movements to match the lyrics, practised coordinating their actions with the music, and worked together to develop a group dance routine that brought the story of the song to life. It was wonderful to see students building confidence, creativity, and teamwork as they expressed themselves through movement.
In Physical Education, students continued developing their flying disc (frisbee) skills through a range of fun and engaging modified games. The focus was on improving throwing and catching skills, demonstrating effort and persistence, and beginning to apply simple game strategies such as guarding space and putting pressure on an opponent.
Some of the students' favourite activities included:
Keep the Disc – Working in teams to complete a set number of passes while defenders attempted to intercept the disc. Students enjoyed the challenge of finding space and working cooperatively with their teammates.
Hit the Target – Students practised their throwing accuracy by aiming at a variety of targets, building confidence and control with each attempt.
Mini Tee-Ball – A fast-paced and exciting game where students threw a disc into the field before running around bases while fielders worked together to retrieve the disc.
It has been fantastic to see students showing resilience, encouraging their peers, and celebrating their progress as they continue to build their fundamental movement skills in a fun and supportive environment. We look forward to seeing their confidence and abilities continue to grow throughout the term.
Important Reminder: Prep - Grade 3 Swimming Program
Our Prep to Grade 3 Swimming Program will commence next week. We are looking forward to providing students with the opportunity to further develop their water confidence, swimming technique, and water safety skills.
Swimming Program Dates:
Week 1
Monday 2 November - Friday 6 November 2026
Week 2
Monday 9 November - Wednesday 11 November 2026
Please note that there will be no swimming session on Thursday 12 November 2026 due to the District Swimming Carnival for some Grade 3-6 students.
We kindly ask you to ensure students wear their swimming bathers under their uniform and to make sure they have named gear, towel and googles as well as a bag for wet gear. We are excited for students to participate in this valuable learning opportunity and know they will have a fantastic time building their skills in and around the water.
District Swimming (Grades 3-6)
Students in Grades 3-6 have recently been invited to express their interest in attending the Peninsula District Swimming Trials, to be held at the North Bellarine Aquatic Centre, Drysdale, on Thursday 12 November, from 10:00am - 12:00pm.
Students are encouraged to attend if they can confidently swim at least 25 metres continuously in one or more strokes, including freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke or butterfly. Students may enter 25m and/or 50m events, with the trials being used to select the Bellarine Division Team. Students who place first or second in the 50m events will progress to the next level of competition.
Further information, including consent and event details, will be provided to participating families shortly. We look forward to supporting our students as they challenge themselves and represent our school at this exciting event.
Champion of the Week award
Luke in 4/5.
"Luke demonstrated excellent leadership and teamwork during our Keep the Disc frisbee game. He worked cooperatively with his teammates, communicated effectively and showed great initiative in finding space and creating opportunities for successful passes. Well done, Luke!"
Mrs Ractliffe
Physical Education & Dance Teacher
Wellbeing at Wallington
THIS FRIDAY 30TH WEAR YOUR LOUDEST SHIRT TO SCHOOL!!
Wear It Loud Day
Get ready to add a splash of colour and make some noise for a great cause! The JSC are hosting Wear It Loud Day on Friday 30th October to raise money and awareness for children with hearing impairments.
Students are encouraged to wear their brightest, boldest and loudest shirts to show their support! A gold coin donation is welcomed from students to help raise funds for this important cause.
Wallington PS Sponsors
Thank you to our PLATINUM Sponsor
Thank you to our GOLD Sponsors
Thank you to our SILVER Sponsors
Thank you to our BRONZE Sponsors
Notice Board
Unexplained absences
Please check Compass for any unexplained absences for your child/s for 2026, if you could put an explanation for each one before the end of term.
An unexplained absence in compass us a record indicating that a student was marked “not present” (absent or late) without a reason entered by a parent/guardian. It means that school is aware the student is missing but not why.
How to Fix: Under the "Attendance" tab, the "Unexplained" tab lists these absences. Parents can select the relevant dates and click "Explain with Note/Approval" to provide a reason.
Why It Matters: Schools are required to ensure they know the safety of students and keep attendance records, requiring a reason for every day a student is absent/late.
If you need any assistance please contact the Admin team.
Compass notifications
Are you receiving notifications of Campass?
Compass has recommended that you try the following:
1) Ensure that your app is updated to the most recent version.
2) Check in settings to ensure that you have all the notifications settings on.
3) Confirm that your mobile number and email address is correct in Parent Portal -> Update My Details. Changes are sent to school administrators for confirmation.
4) Confirm affected recipients are not marked Do Not Contact.
The Admin team are here to help should you need further assistance.
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
SAVER PLUS
What it is:
Financial Education and Savings:
Saver Plus is a 10-month online program designed to help participants learn about financial management, set savings goals, and develop regular saving habits.
Matched Savings:
Participants who complete the program have their savings matched by ANZ, up to a maximum of $500, which can be used for education-related costs.
Online Delivery:
The program is delivered online, making it accessible to participants across Australia.
Saver Plus is a partnership between ANZ, the Brotherhood of St. Laurence, The Smith Family and Berry Street.
Eligibility: To be eligible, participants need to have a current Health Care or Pensioner Concession Card and an eligible Centrelink payment, have other regular income, be studying themselves or have a child in school, be 18+ years old, and agree to join in free online financial education workshops.
