Dear Queenscliff Parents and Carers,
Welcome back to a new school year. It has been an exciting and positive start to school this year, with our students settling back into school routines smoothly, getting to know their new teachers and classmates. I hope our QPS families had a relaxing and rejuvenating Christmas and summer holiday and enjoyed quality times with family and loved ones. On Tuesday 3 February, our Prep class had their first day of school with Mrs. Morris and we were impressed with their school readiness, engagement and enthusiasm for learning.
2026 is going to be a brilliant year! Our school’s priorities for this year include:
Improving student literacy and numeracy outcomes
Enriching student wellbeing
Enhancing student voice, agency and parent/community engagement and participation in our school
Term Ahead and Parent Calendar
Parents will receive a Term 1 Term Ahead and Parent Calendar this Friday 6 February. The Term Ahead overviews provide information for families about the curriculum and key learning experiences their child will engage in throughout the term across a range of subjects. Term Aheads can also be accessed via Compass.
Parent Information Evening
Parents are invited to attend a Parent Information Evening on Tuesday 10 February (Week 3) from 5pm to 6pm. The parent information presentations will be delivered by your child’s class teacher in in the following classrooms:
Prep - Prep Classroom
Year 1/2 - Year 1 Classroom
Year 3/4 - 3/4H Classroom
Year 5/6 - 5/6T Classroom
Teachers will deliver presentations on school procedures, practices, curriculum, and events for 2026. We encourage all families to join us for this special evening and to take the opportunity to connect with other families in your child’s class for 2026.
Parent Teacher Meet and Greets
In Week 4, we will host ‘Meet and Greet’ Interviews with parents and teachers on Monday 16 February and Tuesday 17 February from 3:10-5:30pm. This is an opportunity for parents to meet with their child’s teacher and to provide important information about their son or daughter, including their strengths, interests, challenges and goals for 2026. Parents will be required to book an interview time for the ‘Meet and Greet’ with their child’s teacher online using Compass. Bookings for ‘Meet and Greet’ interviews open online on Compass on Monday 9 February 2026. A reminder notification will be sent to families on this day prior to bookings opening. If you are having difficulties booking an interview time, please contact the school office.
A questionnaire will be sent home in Week 3 for parents/carers to fill out about your child outlining key information. We ask for these questionnaires to be returned in your child's diary prior to the interview so that our teachers are prepared for the Meet and Greet Interview.
This year, our Specialist Teachers will be only available to 'Meet and Greet' our new Prep families for 2026 as they are new members to our school community. If other families wish to meet with a Specialist Teacher, please email the Specialist Teacher directly or email queenscliff.ps@education.vic.gov.au to organise a time.
Student Diaries
Each student has been provided with a student diary. Students are to bring the school diary to school every day. The student diaries have important information about the school, including policies, dates and expectations. The school diaries are used to support student organisation, time management and parent/school communication. Parents are encouraged to use the diaries to communicate with teachers or to provide reminders to their child. Students/parents are to record home reading in the diary each night, including the title of the book. Student diaries will be checked and signed by teachers and support staff each day.
Spelling Mastery
Spelling Mastery will commence in Week 3 for Year 3-6 students. The Spelling Mastery program will build dependable spelling skills for students through a highly structured direct instruction method that blends the following approaches:
Phonemic approach - helps beginning spellers learn the relationships between spoken sounds and written letters and then apply them to spelling
Morphemic approach - exposes advanced spellers to prefixes, bases, and suffixes
Whole-word approach - gives spellers at all levels the meaning and root of a word and shows how the word's spelling is influenced.
Spelling Mastery interweaves these three approaches according to students' skill development. Explicit instruction, careful selection of spelling words, and repeated and cumulative practice will help students master each concept and reinforce and retain key information. The Spelling Mastery program is differentiated and students will be working in different groups with different teachers and ES throughout the week. The Spelling Mastery program aligns seamlessly with the Department of Education’s Victorian Teaching and Learning Model 2.0 and their mandate for explicit instruction.
Spelling Mastery will run daily from 9:00-9:25am for students in Year 3-6. It is important for students to arrive at school before 8:50am, so that they do not miss out on participating in the Spelling Mastery program.
School Council Nominations 2026
This term we will be hosting an election for 1 Parent Member to join our School Council for the next two years. I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to Heidi Boyd and Lisa Golightly (Community Member) for their significant contributions to our School Council over many years. They have been valued members of our School Council.
The School Council is made up of elected parent members, staff and community members. The School Council meets twice a term to discuss the School's strategic direction, Annual Implementation Plan, financial and school operations.
From Monday 16 February 2026, nominations for Parent Members to join our School Council will open. Parents can collect nomination forms from our School Office. Parents may wish to self-nominate themselves for the position or have another member of our community nominate them for the position. Nominations will close on Monday 2 March 2026. All signed nomination forms are to be returned to the School Office or emailed to queenscliff.ps@education.vic.gov.au by the closing date to be considered.
Depending on the number of nominations, a ballot will be formed for the community to vote for our parent members to join the School Council. Ballots forms can be collected from the School Office and forms will be emailed to all families. All completed ballot forms must be submitted in person at the School Office or sent via post.
The Ballot process will open on Wednesday 4 March 2026 and close on Wednesday 18 March 2026.
If you require any further information on the School Council nominations and ballot process, please contact our School Office or connect with one of our current School Council members.
Congratulations Jude Spencer
Congratulations to Jude Spencer, our School Leader, who has been successful in his application to participate in the BRIDGE Summer Camp - Asian Pacific Children’s Convention in Fukuoka, Japan. Jude underwent a process of writing an application, interviews and participating in meets and greets to be 1 of 4 selected to represent Victoria at the convention. Jude will travel to Japan for 2 weeks later this year, and live with Japanese families, visiting schools and participating in cultural experiences. Congratulations Jude! You will be a terrific ambassador for our school and nation.
Pick Up and Drop Off
School commences at 8:50am and concludes at 3pm. Students can arrive on school grounds from 8:30am onwards. We encourage students to arrive between 8:30-8:50am so that they have time to put their bag outside their classroom and to have an opportunity to play and hang out with their friends prior to school commencing.
In the event parents/carers need to collect their child early from school for an appointment, you are required to go to the school office to sign out your child. Our staff will collect your child from their classroom. We encourage parents/carers to email their child’s teacher or phone the office prior to picking up their child, so that we are aware of the appointment and can make necessary arrangements.
Entering and Exiting School Grounds
Parents/carers are encouraged to pick their child up at the end of a school day on school grounds or at a designated location in the surrounding streets. If students and families are crossing the street, they are required to use the children’s crossing out the front of the school located on Stevens Street. Kylie, our Children’s Crossing Supervisor, enjoys seeing our students cross the road safely and relishes the opportunity to have a chat before and after school with our families. Be sure to say “hello” and “thank you” when you see her next.
Students riding bikes and scooters to and from school are required to store their bikes and scooters next to the vegetable garden using the bike racks. Students are to enter and exit the school grounds on their bikes from the back gate and use the Bellarine Rail Trail to ride/scoot home. Students are not permitted to ride or scoot around the school grounds using their bikes or scooters before or after school.
The Importance of Attendance
School attendance is vital for all students. If your child is unwell or unable to attend school, parents are required to provide a reason using the Compass app. According to the Department of Education Attendance Policy, parents/carers are legally required to ensure their child attends school every day, and if an absence is required, you must provide an explanation. Explanations can be provided to the school using the Compass App or contacting the school office directly via email or phone.
Going to school every day is an important part of your child’s education. Children and young people learn new things at school every day, connect with friends, have fun and develop good habits that help them to succeed after school. Attending and participating in school will help your child:
develop important skills and knowledge to help them learn
develop social and emotional skills such as good communication, resilience and teamwork
establish friendships with peers which help develop self-esteem and a sense of belonging.
There is no safe number of days for missing school. Being away from school for 1 day a fortnight adds up to missing 4 whole weeks of school a year. Where possible, you should avoid your child missing school, for example, make appointments for your child outside of school hours and keep family holidays to outside term time.
Late Arrival Process
If your child arrives at school after 8:50am, they are required to enter through the School Office to sign in. Your child will be provided with a sign in slip to hand to their class teacher when they arrive at their classroom. Parents and students are not permitted to enter into the classroom directly if arriving after 8:50am. We require all students to be signed in and their attendance recorded. This process is completed through the School Office. Thank you for your support with our school wide processes for managing student attendance.
Technology User Agreements
All students and families are required to read the Technology User Agreements located in your child’s school diary. The Technology User Agreement outlines how students are to keep themselves and others safe when online and how to respect school technology devices. We ask that all families that take time to review the User Agreement with their child and sign at the bottom of the page.
French Program
Unfortunately, Ms. Tessa Sheridan has gained another position at a school in Geelong and will be unable to deliver the planned French program as previously advertised in 2025.
Our school hopes to implement this program later in the year, once we finalise the appointment of a suitable teacher. We wish Tessa all the best for her new teaching appointment this year.
Grounds and Gardens
Over the holiday break, our school had capital works undertaken to construct new internal walls in the main building, separating classrooms. The new walls look fantastic and are having a significant impact on reducing noise transfer between classrooms, and supporting our students’ ability to focus on their learning. We encourage families when you visit the school for the Parent Information Evening and the Meet and Greets, to check out the new walls. They look and feel amazing!
Our school is currently in the process of finalising contracts and plans for the Nature Play Space and the hardcourt area redevelopment. This year, we will be creating a Nature Play Space around the outside of the Outdoor Classroom, and improving the surface and slope of the hardcourt area outside the Year 5/6 classrooms.
Riding to School
A reminder to those students who ride to school and pass the Marine Discovery Centre, they are to ensure they remain on the bike path at all times and pay close attention to their surroundings, including traffic entering and exiting the Marine Discovery Centre car park. We have had reports from staff at the Marine Discovery Centre that some of our students have been riding through the car park and on pathways/areas that are not designated for bikes.
Curriculum Days in 2026
This year our school will have the following days as Curriculum Days whereby staff will be engaging in professional development in alignment with our school’s Annual Implementation Plan, as well as planning, assessment and reporting practices.
Curriculum Days (student free days) for 2026 include:
Monday 20 April (Term 2)
Tuesday 9 June (King's Birthday Long Weekend)
Monday 13 July (Term 3)
Monday 2 November (Melbourne Cup Public Holiday on Tuesday 3 November)
Friday 18 December (Term 4)
TheirCare will be offering OSHC services for our students on all Curriculum Days this year.
Parent Class Representatives
We are seeking 2 parents to be Class Representatives for each class in 2026. Parent Representatives aim to increase the communication between the school and parent community. Class Representatives will meet with the School Leadership Team termly for a coffee catchup, assist in setting up Class Group Whatsapp chats, and may facilitate communication in organising class/grade level events outside of school hours. Class Representatives may also assist in organising parent volunteers for school events, functions and fundraisers.
Parents and carers who are interested in being a Class Representative for their child’s class in 2026, please complete the Expression of Interest form below.
Class Representative Expression of Interest Form
Assembly
Our first school assembly for 2026 will be held on Friday 13 February. We will have 5/6T, 3/4H and Year 2 showcasing their learning at the assembly and we will have our new School Leaders hosting for the first time. We encourage all parents, friends and community members to come along to join us for this occasion. Assembly will commence at 9am on the hardcourt area outside the main building. We hope to see you there!
School Council
Our first School Council meeting for 2026 will be held on Monday 9 February 2026. I am excited to meet with our School Council and to commence working together to achieve our school’s goals for this year. Our School Council’s AGM will be held on Monday 16 March 2026, whereby our new members to the School Council will be announced following the nomination and ballot process.
I look forward to seeing parents and carers next Tuesday 10 February at our Parent Information Evening from 5pm.
As we look ahead, there is a real sense of excitement and optimism across our school community. 2026 is shaping up to be a brilliant year, filled with rich learning, fresh challenges, meaningful connections and countless opportunities for every student to grow and thrive. Together, we will continue to build on our strengths, support one another, and embrace new possibilities with curiosity and confidence. Thank you for being part of our journey—I look forward to sharing an inspiring and rewarding year ahead with you all.
Nyatne baa Gobata
(Thank you and take care)
Mat McRae
Principal
