Latest News

From the Principal

Dear Waddington Families

Last week we said farewell to Mrs Kylie Jones who has taken a six month placement at Bullsbrook District High School. This is much closer to her home, and is two levels up from her Waddington position. We are sad to see her go and wish her all the best. Ms Kortnee Evans has joined us from Ballajura Community College as our new MCS. She brings with her a deep understanding of school finances and systems. Welcome to Waddington, Kortnee! 

It has been a very busy term so far, with many more exciting events still to come. Thank you so much to our wonderful P&C who ran the Mother’s Day stall so that our students could purchase a special gift to take home. Staff and students showed their gratitude by commemorating P&C WA Day a week early with an afternoon tea and presentations from students on Friday afternoon. 

On Wednesday of this week, at 1:45pm, we invite all families to our Waddington afternoon tea. We have invited Ishar Multicultural Women’s Health Services, WANSLEA, Communicare, Roseworth Child and Parent Centre, along with 12 Buckets and Their Care who are providing some afternoon tea. Interpreters will also be attending. We welcome any dishes that you would also like to bring for us to share. All are welcome, bring your small children to play and meet some new friends. 

The preliminary NAPLAN results have been released to schools. It is clear from the positive trends in the Waddington results that our programs and focus on Explicit Instruction are creating long term change in the outcomes for our students. As always, we will study the data and use this to inform how we can continue to build on this success, and strengthen the support we have in place for students who need more specific instruction. 

On Wednesday morning, all of our students will be participating in National Simultaneous Storytime at 10am. We will be meeting in the library to hop online and read the book  ‘Bowerbird Blues’, along with over two million other children from Australia, New Zealand and around the world.

Please look at our website for the Calendar Events coming up, and follow us on Facebook. 

With warm wishes from us all at Waddington.

Kind regards,

Katherine Chivers 

Principal

From the Administration Team

Term 2 Planner

The term planner is updated regularly and below are some important dates to be aware of for term 2.

Please refer to the Term Planner page under the ‘Community’ tab for the most up-to-date events for the term (but this may be subject to change so please check regularly).

Important Dates

20th May 2024 – Kindness Day

20th May 2024 – Newsletter – Week 6

22nd May 2024 – National Simultaneous Story Time – whole school

22nd May 2024 – Multicultural Afternoon Tea – Staff Room 1.45pm – 2.30pm

27th May 2024 – National Reconciliation Week

30th May 2024 – Science Incursion – Years 3 – 6

31st May 2024 – Staff Development Day – Students do not attend

3rd June 2024 – Public Holiday – WA Day

6th June 2024 – Science Incursion – All About Bees – Years 1 – 2

7th June 2024 – Assembly – Room 5

12th June 2024 – Multicultural Afternoon Tea – Staff Room 1.45pm – 2.30pm

14th June 2024 – Interschool Lightning Carnival

28th June 2024 – Term 2 2024 ends

From the Student Wellbeing Officer

Hi, my name is Aimee, and I am the new Student Wellbeing Officer for Waddington primary school on Mondays and Wednesdays. I am excited to be working the children, families, and staff.

My hobbies are painting, cooking, and taking my dog Sparrow for a walk. The children at Waddington are an amazing bunch and I look forward to getting to know everyone.

If you ever see me around the school come and say “Hi”!

WA Student Assistance Payment (WASAP)

The WA Student Assistance Payment (WASAP) is from the state government. Parents and carers of eligible students can claim the payment to help with the cost of schooling.

The payment for a:

• primary school student, including Kindergarten, is $150
• secondary school student is $250.

Claims are open. The last date to receive claims is 28 June 2024.

Claim process

The preferred method for claims is through the ServiceWA app. If parents and carers are unable to claim through ServiceWA, there are alternative ways to submit a claim.

In order of preference, a claimant can use the:

• WASAP online form
• WASAP printable claim form

Claimants must send the printable claim form to:

Department of Education
Reply Paid 85719
East Perth WA 6892

Everyday counts!

Multicultural Afternoon Tea – 22nd May 2024

Free internet for unconnected families with school-aged students

School Student Broadband Initiative provides free home internet for unconnected families with school-aged students until 31 December 2025. 

The Australian Government School Student Broadband Initiative (SSBI) is offering free home internet for eligible families with school-aged students until 31 December 2025.

To be eligible, families must:

• have no active broadband service
• have a device capable of accessing the internet
• live in premises where they can access a standard NBN service
• have a child living at home who is enrolled in an Australian school.

The free broadband starts from the day the service is activated with a participating internet provider. Families will not be placed on a paid service by the internet provider at the end of the free service without consent.

For more information and a list of participating internet providers, visit NBN Co School Student Broadband Initiative or call 1800 626 269.

If you think you are eligible and want to self-nominate for the free broadband offer:

• call the National Referral Centre on 1800 954 610 (Monday to Friday, 10 am to 6 pm Australian Eastern Daylight-saving Time)
• visit the School Student Broadband Initiative website.

For technical support in more than 100 regional and remote communities throughout Western Australia, contact your local Community Resource Centre.

Breakfast Club – Thank you Woolworths Mirrabooka!

We would like to acknowledge with thanks Woolworths Mirrabooka for supporting our schools breakfast club, our students appreciate your support!

From the School Nurse

Anxiety – How To Help Your Child

All children experience anxious feelings as part of their normal childhood development. Some anxious feelings include fear, agitation, nervousness, worry and apprehension. Some children find it harder to get these feelings under control and may experience anxiety more intensely and more often than others.

Anxiety is when the level of fear or worry about something is out of proportion to the level of risk or danger. Thinking about the situation makes them more worried and tense.

If your child is experiencing anxiety try to:

• Acknowledge your child’s fear – don’t dismiss or ignore it.
• Gently encourage them to do things they’re anxious about, but don’t push them to face situations they’re not yet ready to face.
• Wait until they actually get anxious before you step in to help
• Praise him for doing something they’re anxious about, rather than criticising them for being afraid.
• Avoid labelling your child as ‘shy’ or ‘anxious’.

Your child might need some extra support if their anxiety stops them from doing the things they want to do or interferes with their friendships, school work or family life.

If you are worried about your child, contact your local Community Health Nurse, School Psychologist or General Practitioner. For more information about anxiety in children go to www.raisingchildren.net.au or https://www.beyondblue.org.au/mental-health/parenting#{2B2A2035-717C-4536-B6DF-BE5D9EFA3AF5}

Room 8 – Our busy Year 3’s and 4’s

Wow! Halfway through Term 2 already!

I hope everyone had a fantastic Mother’s Day the other week and managed to spend some time with their loved ones. Room 8 have spent a few weeks preparing for this, making pop stick trinket boxes with flowers on them, as well as waterfall heart cards, potato print wrapping paper and yummy Honey Joys. Making the Honey Joys helped students learn about capacity and measuring, as well as sharing tasks and helping each other. The students loved working on these amazing gifts and from all accounts, they were really appreciated.

We have been learning about capacity in Mathematics this term and had the chance to experiment with different shaped containers, estimating how big the puddle would be when we emptied them. Some students are very good at this- not sure if that’s because they spill a lot or if they are really thinking about how much water a container can hold. This unseasonal warm weather made this a great activity.

In literacy, we are continuing with our novel study of Matilda by Roald Dahl. The students have been very excited to have Mr Josh in our class some days, as he uses the voices when he reads which is very entertaining. We are writing our own narratives and improving our sentences as well as learning how to punctuate speech properly. The students use of difficult vocabulary continues to amaze me. Every time I introduce new words, the class immediately experiment with using them in both their writing and their conversations. I would love anyone in the school to let me know if they are bamboozled by some precocious 8-year-olds (the room 8 students know what this means!).

We have just completed our HASS unit on the First Fleet, and the students where very engaged researching some convicts who arrived in Australia back in 1788. We have also identified different types of data in Digital Technologies and students had fun sending messages to each other in morse code (dots and dashes), semaphore (flags) and Braille (raised bumps that blind people use to read).

We are looking forward to continuing this learning journey.

Community Notices

Dianella Secondary College – Girls in STEM Day (Years 4 – 6)

Dianella Secondary College is proud to announce our Girls In STEM Day, scheduled for Thursday, 20^th June (Week 10) from 9:00am to 2:30pm.

Parents will be required to arrange transport for their child to and from Dianella Secondary College.

If you have any questions or require further information about the Girls In STEM Day, please do not hesitate to contact Kat Salisbury at (08) 9345 9200.

Please see the flyer below with information on how to register for this event.

Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) information

Please click on the link below for information about the AEDC. You can obtain more information by visiting http://www.aedc.gov.au or contact Ms Chivers or Mrs Fairhead.

Naala Djookan Healing Centre – Wellness activities May – August 2024

Please see the link below to obtain more information about the wellness activities on offer by the Naala Djookan Centre

Free online parent workshops – Term 2 2024

Please click on the download button below for further information about various workshops that are being facilitated by school psychologist consultants with Triple P and Child and Parent Centre teams.

Roseworth Child and Parent Centre – Free Parent workshops May/June 2024

From the Principal

Dear Waddington families,

Thank you so much for your ongoing support for our wonderful school.

We recently commemorated ANZAC day, welcoming special guests Ms Helen Burgess from the Roseworth Child and Parent Centre, Councillor James Rowe (Chair of the School Board), Caitlyn with Bailey (the Waddington Story Dog), and Dott and Terry from the Girrawheen Lions Club. The event was dignified and respectful, with all of our students showing exemplary behaviour. It is very important to me as an educator and  leader that we really live our school values. It is not enough that we know them by name and repeat them, we must live them in our words, thoughts and actions.

I encourage the students to use them as navigational tools. Ask ourselves the question “Am I operating outside of my values? Is this action showing kindness, do these words convey respect, am I taking responsibility for my behaviour, my forgotten library book, my lost jumper?”.

At Waddington, we have high expectations of all our students and strive to build their characters in order that they grow into young people and adults who continue to hold high the values of Respect, Responsibility, Courage, Kindness and Persistence. The high expectations continue in our work with delivering the best possible educational programs and having a culture of best practice.

Also a timely reminder regarding our dress code, especially as we are heading into winter and the mornings are starting to get cold, please remember we require students to wear the school uniform jumpers only to school (no hoodies). Additionally, students should not attend school with dyed hair.

I recently applied for our school to participate in the Quality Teaching Strategy (QTS) partnerships initiative. The QTS is the Department of Education’s position on excellence in teaching practice. I am happy to inform you that our application was successful. This means that Waddington Primary is now one of the partnership schools working closely with lead schools to build the capacity of our staff and improving teaching practice.

It is without doubt, we are on an exciting journey and with our number of students on role now topping 103, we are moving from strength to strength. It is my privilege to be leading Waddington into the future, building on the strong foundations and Striving to Succeed in all that we do. 

Kind regards,

Katherine Chivers 

Principal

From the Administration Team

Term 2 Planner

The term planner is updated regularly and below are some important dates to be aware of for term 2.

Please refer to the Term Planner page under the ‘Community’ tab for the most up-to-date events for the term (but this may be subject to change so please check regularly).

Important Dates

2nd May 2024 – P&C Meeting – 2pm

7th May 2024 – P&C Mother’s Day Stall – Kindy students

10th May 2024 – P&C Mother’s Day Stall – Pre-Primary – Year 6 students

20th May 2024 – Kindness Day

20th May 2024 – Newsletter – Week 6

22nd May 2024 – National Simultaneous Story Time – whole school

24th May 2024 – Assembly – Room 5

27th May 2024 – National Reconciliation Week

30th May 2024 – Science Incursion – Year 3 – 6

31st May 2024 – Staff Development Day – Students do not attend

3rd June 2024 – Public Holiday – WA Day

6th June 2024 – Science Incursion – All About Bees – Year 1 – 2 students

14th June 2024 – Interschool Lightning Carnival

28th June 2024 – Term 2 2024 ends

WA Student Assistance Payment (WASAP)

The WA Student Assistance Payment (WASAP) is from the state government. Parents and carers of eligible students can claim the payment to help with the cost of schooling.

The payment for a:

• primary school student, including Kindergarten, is $150
• secondary school student is $250.

Claims are open. The last date to receive claims is 28 June 2024.

Claim process

The preferred method for claims is through the ServiceWA app. If parents and carers are unable to claim through ServiceWA, there are alternative ways to submit a claim.

In order of preference, a claimant can use the:

• WASAP online form
• WASAP printable claim form

Claimants must send the printable claim form to:

Department of Education
Reply Paid 85719
East Perth WA 6892

Everyday counts!

Free internet for unconnected families with school-aged students

School Student Broadband Initiative provides free home internet for unconnected families with school-aged students until 31 December 2025. 

The Australian Government School Student Broadband Initiative (SSBI) is offering free home internet for eligible families with school-aged students until 31 December 2025.

To be eligible, families must:

• have no active broadband service
• have a device capable of accessing the internet
• live in premises where they can access a standard NBN service
• have a child living at home who is enrolled in an Australian school.

The free broadband starts from the day the service is activated with a participating internet provider. Families will not be placed on a paid service by the internet provider at the end of the free service without consent.

For more information and a list of participating internet providers, visit NBN Co School Student Broadband Initiative or call 1800 626 269.

If you think you are eligible and want to self-nominate for the free broadband offer:

• call the National Referral Centre on 1800 954 610 (Monday to Friday, 10 am to 6 pm Australian Eastern Daylight-saving Time)
• visit the School Student Broadband Initiative website.

For technical support in more than 100 regional and remote communities throughout Western Australia, contact your local Community Resource Centre.

From the P&C

With Mother’s Day only 2 weeks away the P&C are busy preparing for the annual Mother’s day stall and raffle.

The stall will be held in week 4, on Tuesday 7th May for our Kindy students and on Friday 10th May for Pre Primary to Year 6 students.

Please look out for further details coming home this week.

Breakfast Club – Thank you Woolworths Mirrabooka!

We would like to acknowledge with thanks Woolworths Mirrabooka for supporting our schools breakfast club, our students appreciate your support!

From the School Nurse

Anaphylaxis – What Is It?

Anaphylaxis is the most severe form of allergic reaction and can be life threatening. For people at risk, anaphylaxis occurs quickly after contact to the food, insect’s or medicine to which the person is allergic.

It is very important that people at risk of anaphylaxis avoid any contact with the trigger (allergen). This is especially important with food allergy – a severe reaction can occur if the allergic person comes into contact with even a tiny amount of the food.

Anaphylaxis must always be treated as a medical emergency.  Adrenaline autoinjectors (EpiPen®) contain a single, fixed dose of adrenaline which must be given to the person as soon as possible. Immediate administration of adrenaline is the only treatment that works for anaphylaxis.

Emergency first aid for anaphylaxis

• Lay the person flat, do not stand or walk. If breathing is difficult, allow to sit.
• Give the adrenaline autoinjector without delay. (Make a note of the time it was given.)
• Ring an ambulance – 000.
• Stay with and reassure the person. Do not allow the person to walk at any time.
• Give another adrenaline autoinjector if no improvement after 5 minutes
• If the person loses consciousness and there are no signs of breathing, begin CPR.
• Monitoring in a hospital is required for 4-6 hours, even if symptoms improve.

Anaphylaxis – Recognising A Severe Allergic Reaction

Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction which can be life-threatening. It can cause constriction of the airway and/or a dangerous drop in blood pressure. Look for one or more of the following:

• Difficult or noisy breathing
• Swelling of the tongue
• Swelling or tightness of the throat
• Wheezing or a persistent cough
• Difficult talking and/or a hoarse voice
• Persistent dizziness or collapse
• Pale and floppy (especially in young children)
• Abdominal pain or vomiting (if following an insect bite or sting)

It is important to lie the person flat and get help fast.

Some allergic reactions are mild or moderate. These reactions may involve hives, welts, tingling mouth, and/or swelling of the lips, face and eyes.  Mild reactions to food can involve abdominal pain and vomiting. Anaphylaxis (severe reaction) may or may not involve these signs and symptoms.

Food intolerances are not life-threatening and should not be confused with food allergies.

For further information contact:

• Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy www.allergy.org.au
• Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia www.allergyfacts.org.au
• Western Australian Department of Health www.health.wa.gov.au/anaphylaxis

Anaphylaxis – Checklist For Parents Of Students At Risk  

• Tell the school administration if your child has been prescribed an adrenaline autoinjector (i.e. EpiPen), has experienced anaphylaxis, has any changes in allergies, and/or any other health care needs that may affect anaphylaxis management.
• Make sure you give the school an adrenaline autoinjector, which is clearly labelled for your child.
• If old enough, make sure your child carries an adrenaline autoinjector and knows how to use it. Show his or her friends, brothers and sisters if they are old enough to understand.
• Provide an ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis completed and signed by your child’s doctor. Update the plan (including a photo of your child) when the adrenaline autoinjectors are renewed (usually every 12-18 months). Action Plans are available from www.allergy.org.au
• Help the school to develop an Individual Health Care and Risk Minimisation Plan for your child.
• Educate your child about how to avoid known allergens (triggers).

Remind your child to immediately tell someone if she/he feels sick.

Room 1 – learning all about deserts!

What an exhilarating and eventful year it’s been for Room One so far! And we’ve only just started Term Two, with plenty more excitement ahead and countless learning opportunities awaiting us.

Our new theme this term is The Desert. Students have taken a great interest in learning about this harsh but amazing environment. Together, we are building up a great vocabulary to help describe and understand what the desert is really like. Did you know the largest desert on Earth is Antarctica?

Students’ literacy learning has revolved around the Desert theme. They are currently gearing up to write an informational text about a desert animal as part of our Talk For Writing Program. A notable aspect of this will be the creation of a diorama to showcase their work.

Students are working diligently in their Literacy and Numeracy groups, striving hard to achieve their individual goals. A definite highlight of Numeracy is completing Mental Maths tasks on the iPads. Students are also making such pleasing progress in their oral reading fluency, which continues to strengthen and improve through our daily Two-Minute Fluency reading activity.

Being such a creative class, Art and Music are always a highlight of the week. Mr Longman along with our Artist in Residence, Jodie, have helped in nurturing the students’ creative abilities.

A very special part of this Term’s History unit has been the exploration of Anzac Day and what it means to us. Room One showed profound respect and kindness during our Anzac Service last Friday. It was truly heart-warming to witness each student honouring this significant event in history.

Room One students should feel very proud of how hard they have worked so far this year and of the progress they have made so far….Keep it up Room One, You are Stars!

Community Notices

Junior Basketball – Stirling Leisure Centres

Dianella Secondary College Opening Evening – 6th May 2024

If your child is in Year 4, 5 or 6, you are invited to attend the Dianella Secondary College Open Evening, happening Monday, 6 May 2024 from 3:30pm – 6:30pm.

The Dianella Secondary College Open Evening is a great opportunity to tour the award-winning school and its facilities as and get to know our staff.

Come and see the school’s interactive displays which showcase student work from a variety of learning areas, tour our state-of-the-art Hospitality Trade Training Centre, Mila Kaadadjiny STEM Centre, and our fantastic Dandjoo Performing Arts Centre.

Interested in STEM or Soccer? Then why not apply for our STEM or Soccer Academy.

Applications for 2025 close in Term 3 so get in early and apply now!

RSVP now via https://bit.ly/dscopen

For more information, please visit our Facebook page

Triple P Free online courses

Free Positive Parenting Courses

This week, Triple P International have released another program to their suite of FREE online evidence-based parenting programs. The new addition is Family Transitions Triple P Online for parents going through separation or divorce. 

Here is an overview of the content:

• Support your child to manage their emotions and develop good coping skills

• Based on proven psychology principles and research
• Learn ways to minimise negative impacts and help your child to feel supported and secure
• Handle difficult moments more calmly and confidently
• Improve communication and reduce conflict with your former partner
• Take better care of your own emotional and social wellbeing
• Adapt and evolve in your new family dynamic

Other FREE Triple P Online programs include:

• Baby Triple P (for parents and carers to be or with a baby under 12 months old)

• Triple P Online (for parents of young children under 12 years)
• Fear-Less Triple P Online (for parents of children with anxiety age 6+)
• Family Transitions Triple P Online (for parents going through separation or divorce)
• Coming soon! Stepping Stones Triple P Online (for parents of a child with a disability)

Teen Triple P Online is also available (for parents of pre-teens and teens, 10-16 years) at a cost of $89.40. Families enrolled in government schools can apply for a FREE funded code to access this program through their school psychologist or the Triple P team at Statewide Services.

To register, please visit this website: Positive parenting in Western Australia | Triple P programs near you | Triple P (triplep-parenting.net.au) or follow the QR code –

Free online parent workshops – Term 2 2024

Please click on the download button below for further information about various workshops that are being facilitated by school psychologist consultants with Triple P and Child and Parent Centre teams.

Roseworth Child and Parent Centre – Free Parent workshops May/June 2024