PUPIL FREE DAYS (TheirCare School Holiday Program will be available on pupil-free days)
- Friday, 6 June, 2025
2025 TERM DATES
- TERM 2: 22 April - 4 July
- TERM 3: 21 July - 19 September
- TERM 4: 6 October - 19 December
2025 CAMP DATES
- Year 3 Phillip Island Camp - 27 October - 29 October
- Year 5 Lady Northcote Camp - 08 October to 10 October
- Year 6 Urban Camp - 15 September to 17 September
ATTITUDES TO SCHOOL SURVEY The 2025 Student Attitudes to School Survey (AtoSS), which all government school students in Years 4 to 12 will be invited to complete, will be completed at our school from May 12 to June 13.
The AtoSS is a voluntary student survey offered by the Department of Education every year to help schools and the department understand students' experiences of school. It asks your child about their thoughts and feelings about their school, their learning, relationships with other students, resilience, bullying, health and wellbeing, physical activity, and life in general.
This survey has been running for nearly 20 years and helps schools plan programs and activities to improve your child's engagement with school, their wellbeing and their learning. The survey data also helps the Department of Education understand how to improve student learning.
What if I don’t want my child to do the survey?
This survey is voluntary. If you do not want your child to do the survey, please opt out by emailing us at viewbank.ps@education.vic.gov.au before the survey starts on May 19. The survey is administered to students in Grades 4 to 6 at our school.
Student personal information will be shared with ORIMA Research to facilitate survey preparations prior to this opt out process. If you opt your child out of participating, then your school will ensure that your child is not provided with access to the survey. Student details will be deleted by ORIMA Research at the conclusion of the survey.
If your school does not receive a “Refusal of Consent” email from you before the survey begins, we will assume that you agree for your child to take part in the 2025 Attitudes to School Survey. Please remember, as noted above, the survey is voluntary: even with your consent, your child can choose to skip questions or stop doing the survey at any time.
WORKING BEE AND OPEN MORNING A reminder that we have our Term 2 working bee this Saturday morning from 9am.
GRADE 4 ANGLESEA CAMP As you read this our Grade 4 students are continuing to have fun down at the YMCA camp in Anglesea. I had the pleasure of spending yesterday and this morning at the camp site – I possibly first attended (at a different school) way back in 1998 if my memory serves me correctly. I’m happy not to be fact-checked. It’s a terrific camp venue with lots of onsite activities, views of the ocean and the capacity to continue to run activities if the weather turns a little wet or ‘inclement’. Students return tomorrow around 3pm, and we will keep everyone informed of the ‘e.t.a.’ via Compass.
PUPIL FREE DAY On Tuesday evening, School Council approved a pupil-free day for Friday, June 6 – the Friday preceding the King’s Birthday weekend. Staff will join with three other schools at our venue to work collaboratively in unpacking and exploring the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model version 2.0, focussing on explicit teaching https://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/teachingresources/practice/improve/Pages/Victorianteachingandlearningmodel.aspx
All day care will be offered by Their Care but PLEASE NOTE that the program will run from the music room on that day.
EDUCATION SUPPORT STAFF APPRECIATION DAY Friday, May 16 is the day where we celebrate the significant contributions to our school of our Education Support staff. Our education support team comprises all of our ‘non-teaching’ staff – Lucy Addati, Sue Wright and Georgeina Fisher in the office, Fiona Crowe in First Aid, Heather Gulliford as our psychologist, Chris Andreou and Trevor Ruddock in general maintenance, with Chris also in the SAKGP. We also have Sarina Sherlock, Louise Buissink, Jodi Lanyon, Kelli Walker, Bree Buszard, Melissa Enticott, Thelma Rigoni and Kirtley Searies in classroom support roles. The work that all of these ladies do is invaluable, often ‘in the background’, without fuss or fanfare yet without the crucial roles they play we would struggle greatly as an organisation. Thank you for everything you do every day and I hope that our community goes out of their way to say thank you not only tomorrow but often to show that we truly do ‘appreciate’ you all.
Have a great weekend and I hope to see you Saturday at the working bee.
Kind regards,
Bill Kersing
School Council Update School Council met on Tuesday evening, and among other things, approved the next pupil free day on Friday 6th June. This day precedes the King’s Birthday long weekend. TheirCare will be available on the day, however it will operate out of the music room.
On June 6th, staff from Rosanna Primary, Watsonia North Primary, Ivanhoe Primary and Viewbank Primary will meet in the Viewbank gym for a shared Curriculum Day, engaging in professional learning focusing on the new Victorian Teaching and Learning Model 2.0, with a focus on explicit teaching as well as the Gradual Release of Responsibility instructional model and the high impact teaching strategies.
Council also discussed a number of future projects across the school including the Indigenous mural project which will hopefully begin at the start of June, the development of a new school carpark to begin in the second half of the year, the completion of the new tiger turf surrounds to take place in the July school holidays and the repainting and recarpeting of the Foundation classrooms to take place in the second half of the year. All these projects will certainly contribute to the ongoing improvements and enhancement of the school environment and benefit the entire school community.
The Parents and Friends group have a very busy fundraising calendar for 2025 and their next major event is an adults Trivia Night set for the 20th June, in the school gym. Planning is well underway and it promises to be a fun filled night. We thank everyone for their continued support of these fundraising efforts and of course the volunteers who work so hard to make them happen.
The tender process for our out of school care program will begin shortly. Interested companies will be invited to submit an application and speak at a school council meeting in Term 3 before a decision is made in readiness for the 2026 school year.
This Saturday morning we will hold our Term 2 working bee. Working bees are a great opportunity to contribute to our school. There are always lots of different tasks and all skill sets are welcomed. You are welcome to come for whatever time period you have available, whether it be 30 minutes or 3 hours.
As the saying goes ‘many hands make light work.’
I look forward to seeing you there and remember the grade with the most students attending will be enjoying a hot chip lunch next week.
Thank You to our Education Support Staff This month we would like to recognise and thank our Education Support Staff (ESS), who are an essential part of our Viewbank Primary School community. Education Support Day is officially the 16th May and allows us to honour and recognise the extraordinary contribution Education Support Staff make to public education. We will be celebrating our amazing ESS team with a morning tea on Wednesday 21st May.
Please join with us to celebrate and thank Lucy, Sue, Georgeina, Louise, Fiona, Thelma, Sarina, Bree, Kelli, Melissa, Kirtley, Jodi, Heather, Chris and Trev for their extraordinary contributions, hard work and dedication they bring every day! These talented people help to keep our school running smoothly and everything on track. They look after the school finances, business operations, enrolments, administration and the health and welfare of everyone. They support our students to learn and our teachers to teach, they provide additional programs, manage our library and look after our school grounds.
Our ES staff are essential in educating the ‘whole student’ – their contributions ensure that our school is a welcoming and safe environment where students’ academic, health, socio-emotional and practical needs are met, fostering equitable and inclusive education.
Our school simply could not function without our wonderful ES staff. Your contributions are truly appreciated.
Finally, I’m having the pleasure of spending today and tomorrow at Anglesea with the Year 4 campers, staff and parent volunteers. Everyone is having a great camp. Energy levels are high, the students are immersing themselves fully in all the experiences, the food is awesome and most campers are getting some sleep. I’m sure there will be many stories to tell when the students return home. A huge thank you to Ben, Hayden, Ash and Rhiannan for giving up their time to assist at camp as well as our amazing school staff who have attended.
Have a great week,
Gill
Play-Based Inquiry in Foundation Have you ever noticed how many questions a child asks in a single day?
“Why is the sky blue?”, “What happens if I mix this?”, “How does that work?”
At Viewbank Primary School, we don’t just welcome these questions—we use them! We celebrate children’s natural curiosity and see it as the spark for meaningful exploration, rich conversations, and joyful discovery. We believe the early years of school should be filled with wonder, curiosity, and meaningful connections. That’s why Play-Based Inquiry (PBI) is a key part of our Foundation learning program.
At the start of the school year, PBI helps children settle into school in a way that feels familiar and safe—much like the play and learning structure they experienced in kindergarten. As the year progresses and routines become more established, dedicated PBI sessions take place two afternoons a week. During these sessions, teachers and Education Support Staff observe and participate—asking questions, offering support, and gently guiding children toward deeper thinking.
Our approach to PBI is inspired by the Walker Learning Approach, developed by Australian educator Kathy Walker.
What is Play-Based Inquiry? Play-Based Inquiry is more than just having fun—it is a powerful way for children to explore, discover, and learn. It combines open-ended play with carefully planned teacher-led activities. This means children can follow their interests while building skills in all areas of learning: Literacy, Numeracy, Inquiry, Social and Emotional Development, and Fine and Gross Motor Skills.
Why Play Matters We know that children learn best when they are engaged in what they are doing. Play supports their development in so many ways. Through play, children build:
- Language and communication skills
- Creativity and problem-solving abilities
- Social and emotional awareness
- Strong early literacy and numeracy foundations
Whether they are building with blocks, role-playing, drawing, or exploring natural materials, children are constantly thinking, experimenting, and learning.
For example, recently the Foundation students were fascinated by the leaves falling in our courtyard. The Foundation teachers used this interest as inspiration for a PBI activity where students created characters from leaves and wrote about their creations.
The Teacher’s Role During PBI In a Play-Based Inquiry session, the teacher plays a key role—carefully planning the learning stations, observing closely, and making thoughtful connections between children’s play and the curriculum.
They introduce stations based on the children’s interests, helping guide their thinking while still following the child’s lead.
Here are just a few examples from our Foundation classrooms:
- During a painting activity, one child noticed that mixing blue and yellow made green. Miss Deeth encouraged this discovery by asking, “Have you tried mixing other colours?”—gently extending their thinking without interrupting the flow of play.
- Foundation M were excitedly talking about a recent birthday party, so Ms McDonald added balloon catching to their PBI stations.
- Foundation G love playing shops, so Miss Grant added a shop setup with play money for the children to explore.
- Many students in Foundation E are fascinated by dinosaurs, so Mrs Elliott placed dinosaur figures in the sandpit to spark their imaginations.
PBI at Home Families play an important role in supporting play-based learning. You can help at home by asking curious questions like “What are you building?” or “What happens next?”, and by celebrating the learning that comes from everyday activities.
At Viewbank, we are proud to encourage our student’s natural curiosity and build a strong foundation for a lifelong love of learning.
Kind regards
Amanda Elliott
Students To Bring Their Own Cutlery This is a friendly reminder that students are required to bring their own cutlery from home if needed for their packed lunch. The school does not supply cutlery, so it's important that students come prepared with any utensils they may need. Please ensure your child has the appropriate items packed each day. We also recommend labelling reusable cutlery to help prevent it from getting lost. Thank you for your continued support.
Enrolments For Foundation/Prep 2026 Are Now Open Enrolments for the 2026 intake of Foundation/Prep students is now open. In line with the Department of Education’s Placement Policy and timeline, we will contact you in early August to advise the outcome of your child’s Foundation/Prep enrolment application.
School Saving Bonus reminder and allocation to school activities The Victorian Government is delivering the School Saving Bonus (SSB) – a one-off support of $400 for eligible government school students from Prep to Year 12 in 2025.
The SSB can be used for uniforms and textbooks until Monday 30 June 2025.
Any funds remaining after 30 June 2025, including online voucher amounts that have not been redeemed, will become a credit to use on school activities. However, the credit will not be available on your family account at our school until late July.
To use any remaining SSB funds to cover the cost of school activities in July, please refer to the SSB online system and allocate the funds to school activities before 30 June 2025.
To learn more about the SSB online system, download the step-by-step System guide for parents and carers (DOCX, 945KB) or watch this School Saving Bonus video. System guide translations are also available in 14 languages.
The Department of Education’s SSB contact centre will remain available until 30 June 2025. The contact centre can be reached by:
- completing the School Saving Bonus enquiry form
- calling 1800 338 663, between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm on weekdays.
After this date, please contact our administration team for any SSB related questions.
Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) helps eligible families to cover the costs of school trips, camps and sporting activities.
If you have a valid means-tested concession card, or are a temporary foster parent, you may be eligible. A special consideration category also exists for asylum seeker and refugee families. Means-tested concession cards must be valid on the first day of Term 1, 2025 (Tuesday 28 January 2025) or Term 2, 2025 (Tuesday 22 April 2025).
A student aged 16 years and over who is considered a mature minor and holds a valid concession card is also eligible to apply.
Eligible families will receive a payment of $154 per year for primary school students. The funds will be paid directly to the school to be used towards camps, sports and excursion costs for the benefit of your child.
If you applied for CSEF through our school last year, you do not need to complete an application form this year, unless there has been a change in your family circumstances.
If you would like to apply for the first time, complete the application form and return to the school office as soon as possible.
Kind regards,
Lucy Addati
Lower Plenty Bakehouse proudly partners with our school to provide fundraising lunch orders every Thursday.
This initiative, organised by our Parents and Friends Committee, serves as one of our school’s major fundraising efforts. All proceeds will go towards our significant school upgrade project.
Term 2 Fundraising Lunch Order Dates:
- Thursday 22nd May (Orders close: Monday 19th May, 3:00 PM)
- Thursday 29th May (Orders close: Monday 26th May, 3:00 PM)
- Thursday 5th June (Orders close: Monday 2nd June, 3:00 PM)
- Thursday 12th June (Orders close: Monday 9th June, 3:00 PM)
- Thursday 19th June (Orders close: Monday 16th June, 3:00 PM)
- Thursday 26th June (Orders close: Monday 23rd June, 3:00 PM)
Ordering Instructions: Orders must be placed in advance via Compass Canteen. Ordering will close at 3:00 PM on the Monday before each lunch date.
You can now place orders for all Term 2 lunch dates in advance if preferred.
A Parent User Guide on how to order through Compass Canteen is below for your convenience. Please note, a $0.35 transaction fee will apply at checkout.
All food is Halal.
Thank you for supporting our school community!
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ICY POLE FRIDAY Students can purchase icy poles over the counter every Friday at lunchtime for $1.00 each. We offer an assortment of different icy poles each week, but always have Zooper Doopers available.This serves as a school fundraiser.
If you're interested in volunteering as a parent helper to sell icy poles, please contact the school's general office.
Entertainment Book 20% of the membership goes directly to support our fundraising at Viewbank Primary School. https://www.entertainment.com.au/current-promotion
Lunches must be ordered online using the CLASSROOM CUISINE website.
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WEEKLY SECOND HAND UNIFORM SALE - Every Friday 3:00pm to 3:30pm, next to the music room. Jumpers with the school logo, long and short sleeve school polo tops and school dresses will be $2.00. We are currently asking for donations of any unwanted reusable school uniform items to sell at our stall.
SINGING WITH GABRIELLA - Gabriella
- Email: favrettogab@gmail.com
- Phone: 0413 676 733
STRINGS – Jack Cai
- Email: jack3bld@gmail.com
- Phone: 0426 665 044
STRINGS - MR CAI
- Email: cai66@optusnet.com.au
- Phone: 0403 490 078
PIANO/KEYBOARD/DRUMS - Daniel Tucceri
- Email: info@banyulemusicandtutoring.com
- Phone: 0405 667 908
GUITAR - Dimi Holborow
- Email: dimiholborow@outlook.com
- Phone: 0409 629 612
Our school has partnered with an independent provider called TheirCare to provide exceptional Outside School Hours Care services for our school community.
The program is available for all children at Viewbank Primary School from 6:30am until 9:00am in the morning and from 3:30pm until 6:15pm each school day.
During School Holidays & Pupil Free Days the service will operate from 6:30am until 6:15pm.
Families wishing to use this service can visit the TheirCare website: www.theircare.com.au
Families are eligible for a Government Rebate called the Child Care Subsidy which can reduce the cost per session by up to 85%.
More information can be obtained by contacting the school or ringing TheirCare Support Team on 1300 072 410.
TheirCare provides a stimulating and safe environment for all children. During sessions, children develop life-skills, friendships, confidence and creativity through play-based programs.
A PLUS SCHOOLWEAR
Shop Details:
- Unit 3/30 Heaths Court, Mill Park
- T: 9436 4005
- E: info@northernregionaluniforms.com.au
Opening Hours:
- Monday to Thursday 9am to 5pm
- Friday 9am to 3pm
Online Ordering Please Visit: www.aplusschoolwear.com.au