Principal's Message

Dear Queenscliff PS school community,

What a fabulous Term 3, full of events, community engagement, and of course, learning! The commitment of the students, staff and community to participate in these events and activities has been a highlight. The fun isn’t over yet – tomorrow we look forward to ‘Footy Day’ with students dressing up in team colours or outfits for the footy or sports team. No doubt there will be lots of Couta colours in the crowd. Thank you to the Grade 3/4 parent volunteers for organising the ‘Sausage Sizzle’. A huge thank you to the Queenscliff Football Netball Club for organising some players to lead some activities throughout the middle of the day. This is certainly impressive given it is Grand Final eve! For parents and carers who would like to watch the ‘Staff v Students (Gr 6)’ Football match, this will be held at from 2pm-2:30pm tomorrow.

Art Show 2026

The Art Show was such a highlight! The effort taken with preparation of Art Works and the creativity and talent of students was so impressive. There was a positive vibe and energy at the Friday night event. An absolute highlight was the Art Auction, with artworks created by Marley (Prep), Sophia (Gr 2), Olive (Gr 3), Eliza (Gr 4), Tarique (Gr 4), and Oli and Xavier (Gr 6). Thank you to the Gr 3/4 parent volunteers for the bake sale and the many families who donated to the stall. Gratitude as well to the families who contributed raffle items.
I’m sure you’d agree, the art works were impressive! We have immense gratitude to Kelly Caldwell who goes above and beyond to create the show. Countless hours, sleepless nice but it is all worth it! On the Saturday and Sunday, many members of the wider community came to view the show and shared many reflections. One visitor was a former art teacher and she expressed admiration for the detail, vibrancy and creativity of the works. She was so impressed that she purchased three art works! Please re-visit all the amazing photos that capture this great celebration of the visual arts. Thank you, Kelly, for your incredible work leading the show!

Wonder Schools Show Case

Wonder Showcase was such an exciting way to finish the term! The costumes were incredible and captured the stories told on stage. Ushers and other schools commented that Queenscliff PS really understand performing arts and our school items were memorable. Hannah Petrie, we are very fortunate to have you lead our Performing Arts program. You’re vision, inclusion, positivity and skills are impressive. Thank you to Ebony Tannouri for capturing the images and staff for the videos to ensure everyone gets to share the joy! A special aspect of the Wonder Showcase is being an audience member and seeing other schools perform. From Marimba bands, string ensembles, choirs, dance groups and singing. It is great to celebrate the talent and effort of others. Barwon Valley Special School performed in the afternoon and sent a heartfelt message, recognising our students for their support. "I just wanted to let you know that your students displayed tremendous encouragement and support towards our students. I was so impressed with their conduct and the way they included and championed our students both during the performance and after. You should be really proud of each and every one of them". (Barwon Valley School)

A shout out to Betty and Eli (Gr 6) who provided great audio and student support in the lead up to the event. They were personal assistants for Ms Petrie and were so capable and impressive in these roles. Thank you to the parent community for coming along to support from the audience. The joy and pride on our parents’ faces were wonderful!

QPS - Starring in The Wonder Schools Showcase

Nature Play Space

Something you’ve all being waiting for…the Nature Play Space works are commencing these school holidays. There will be maintenance works in the school grounds and street while these works commence. Next term, Mr McRae and the staff will communicate the plan for the yard while the works continue. I certainly can’t wait to see the works completed!

Data Celebration

Towards the end of the holidays, I look forward to sending our parent community a Newsfeed that celebrates QPS’s positive school data, captured through NAPLAN, Student Attitudes to School Survey and Parent Opinion Survey. QPS have continued to achieve very strong results in NAPLAN, outperforming many similar and network schools, as well as state data. While there are many highlights, writing achievement was exceptionally strong in Grade 3 and 5, as well as Grammar and Punctuation. In Grade 5 Grammar and Punctuation, every student achieved ‘strong’ or ‘exceeding’, with an overall school score in the 600s…I have never seen a score at that high level before! ‘The Attitudes to School Survey Data’ showed increases in every measurable area. A highlight for me was 97% for ‘Respect for Diversity’, a quality that is certainly observable in our student community. The Parent Opinion Data so far is strong in all areas, with consistent 90%+ achievements. This data is outstanding and something the students, staff and community should really celebrate. Watch out for the upcoming newsfeed with more specific celebrations and future opportunities!

A notification that Chess for Schools is not continuing for Term 4, 2026 or Term 1, 2027. This will be recommenced in Term 2 next year. Awards for this term’s Chess Club will be awarded at the first assembly next term.

I wish to express my sincere gratitude for a wonderful term and experience at Queenscliff Primary School. The staff, students and parent community have been so welcoming and supportive. I have learnt a lot and gained so many memories that I will always treasure. I hope that I have shared some new learning for the school and students that will be remembered. Queenscliff PS is a school that thrives academically with strong instructional models and experienced, hard-working staff at the helm. But QPS is more than academic, it is a community that connects, thrives and certainly celebrates every opportunity. There is a saying that students may not remember what they learn, but they will remember how someone made them feel. This applies to me as I will never forget the positive feelings and experiences from QPS. I have my own saying that I share with students, ‘Never be too cool to say hello’! If you see me in the community, at the footy/netball or in town, please say hi as, although it has only been a term, I feel a lifelong connection to Queenscliff PS as it was a special time! I look forward to a great footy day tomorrow to celebrate the end of term.

Have a happy and safe holiday period,

Sarah Jeffreys
Acting Principal

Class News - Prep, Science & Music

Prep Restaurant

This term, our prep students have been exploring farms and where our food comes from. We learnt about farm animals and crops, and where our food comes from.

We have also been following the life cycle of our chickens by incubating eggs and keeping chick diaries. After reading The Little Red Hen, we learnt where bread comes from and how it is made.

To celebrate our learning, we walked to the local shops with our buddies to buy ingredients for our cooking. We then opened our very own Prep Restaurant! The children made vegetable soup, lemon cakes, bread and butter, and took on the roles of chefs and waiters. They proudly explained to our guests where the food came from before sitting down together to enjoy a special meal.

It was a wonderful way to celebrate our learning!

Term 3 Science Report

Term 3 has been an exciting term for our science program at QPS. The focus for all year levels has been Chemical Science.

Our Prep, Year 1 and Year 2 students have been exploring how and why materials change. Using spaghetti and playdough they investigated both chemical and physical changes. They inspected different materials and tested whether or not they were absorbent/porous or waterproof. Students experimented with mixing different substances to determine if their mixture (or potion) was a suspension or solution. They also enjoyed making slime and discussing what ‘snot’ does for our bodies.

The Grade 3 to 6's have been focusing on the three main states of matter: solid liquid and gas. The Year 3/4 students explored how temperature can change the state of matter from solid to liquid when making ‘smores’ and also liquid to solid when making ice cream. They also discovered how to make a gas; carbon dioxide using vinegar and bicarb soda, which they used to extinguish a candle.

Grade 5/6 students also created carbon dioxide using vinegar and bicarb soda to make Fizz rockets. While the rockets didn't launch off as high as they would have liked, it was fun watching the fizzy chemical reaction. Last week students enjoyed cooking frittatas with vegetables from our garden and made elephant toothpaste which was another very fizzy chemical reaction to observe.

Our Science Week celebrations were also a highlight of the term where students celebrated the theme of ‘Seeds of Science: Nurturing Knowledge for All’. In mixed age groups, students participated in four different (seed related) activities and learnt more about the importance of seeds in our environment.

Next Term we look forward to our ‘Earth and Space’ STEM learning.

Stay curious!

Mrs Vistarini

Science Play Kids Holiday Programs:

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/scienceplay-kids-holiday-classes-week-1-spinning-around-4-11yo-sep-2026-tickets-1998840837753?aff=oddtdtcreator

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/scienceplay-kids-holiday-classes-week-2-bubbles-4-11yo-oct-2026-tickets-1998849836669?aff=oddtdtcreator

From songwriting to the recording studio! 🎶

Last term in Music, our students took the lead and wrote their very own original songs.

Last week, a couple of our students headed down to the recording studio to record their work! What an exciting opportunity to take their songs from the classroom into the studio and experience the recording process firsthand.

A huge thank you to Nick Huggins for generously giving his time to work alongside our students, supporting them throughout the process, and most importantly, giving them the space and confidence to lead, create and make their own music.

Dreams by Amelia, Nyah and Betty

Finish Line by Eve

TheirCare News

Community News

Hello friends and locals!
Today at 5pm we’re doing an epic human book chain - à la Hill of Content last year.
People are coming from Queenscliff and all over Victoria to help us move our bookshop from its iconic home on the corner of 84 Hesse Street down to a new premises at 58 Hesse Street at 5:30 tonight. Like the legendary Hill of Content did in 2025, and before that radical not-for-profit bookstore October Books in Southampton (they had the idea originally in 2018) and last year Serendipity Books in Michigan.

More info here:
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/community-book-chain-tickets-2001158254208?aff=oddtdtcreator
Hope to see you there! Bring and tell everyone you know!
Jayne Tuttle
The Bookshop at Queenscliff

QPS Newsletter T3 WK10 - 17 Sept 2026

Class News - Prep, Science & Music

QPS Staff

Prep Restaurant

This term, our prep students have been exploring farms and where our food comes from. We learnt about farm animals and crops, and where our food comes from.

We have also been following the life cycle of our chickens by incubating eggs and keeping chick diaries. After reading The Little Red Hen, we learnt where bread comes from and how it is made.

To celebrate our learning, we walked to the local shops with our buddies to buy ingredients for our cooking. We then opened our very own Prep Restaurant! The children made vegetable soup, lemon cakes, bread and butter, and took on the roles of chefs and waiters. They proudly explained to our guests where the food came from before sitting down together to enjoy a special meal.

It was a wonderful way to celebrate our learning!

Term 3 Science Report

Term 3 has been an exciting term for our science program at QPS. The focus for all year levels has been Chemical Science.

Our Prep, Year 1 and Year 2 students have been exploring how and why materials change. Using spaghetti and playdough they investigated both chemical and physical changes. They inspected different materials and tested whether or not they were absorbent/porous or waterproof. Students experimented with mixing different substances to determine if their mixture (or potion) was a suspension or solution. They also enjoyed making slime and discussing what ‘snot’ does for our bodies.

The Grade 3 to 6's have been focusing on the three main states of matter: solid liquid and gas. The Year 3/4 students explored how temperature can change the state of matter from solid to liquid when making ‘smores’ and also liquid to solid when making ice cream. They also discovered how to make a gas; carbon dioxide using vinegar and bicarb soda, which they used to extinguish a candle.

Grade 5/6 students also created carbon dioxide using vinegar and bicarb soda to make Fizz rockets. While the rockets didn't launch off as high as they would have liked, it was fun watching the fizzy chemical reaction. Last week students enjoyed cooking frittatas with vegetables from our garden and made elephant toothpaste which was another very fizzy chemical reaction to observe.

Our Science Week celebrations were also a highlight of the term where students celebrated the theme of ‘Seeds of Science: Nurturing Knowledge for All’. In mixed age groups, students participated in four different (seed related) activities and learnt more about the importance of seeds in our environment.

Next Term we look forward to our ‘Earth and Space’ STEM learning.

Stay curious!

Mrs Vistarini

Science Play Kids Holiday Programs:

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/scienceplay-kids-holiday-classes-week-1-spinning-around-4-11yo-sep-2026-tickets-1998840837753?aff=oddtdtcreator

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/scienceplay-kids-holiday-classes-week-2-bubbles-4-11yo-oct-2026-tickets-1998849836669?aff=oddtdtcreator

From songwriting to the recording studio! 🎶

Last term in Music, our students took the lead and wrote their very own original songs.

Last week, a couple of our students headed down to the recording studio to record their work! What an exciting opportunity to take their songs from the classroom into the studio and experience the recording process firsthand.

A huge thank you to Nick Huggins for generously giving his time to work alongside our students, supporting them throughout the process, and most importantly, giving them the space and confidence to lead, create and make their own music.

Dreams by Amelia, Nyah and Betty

Finish Line by Eve

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