Dear Waddington Families,
Term 1 has started with great energy across the school and it has been wonderful to see students settling back into routines, reconnecting with friends and engaging in their learning. Our classrooms have been busy building strong foundations for the year ahead, with a focus on belonging, relationships and understanding what helps us learn well together. Students have been exploring our school values through activities such as Yarning Circles, where they share ideas about how they can support their class and contribute positively to our school community. These conversations help students develop empathy, responsibility and a sense of shared ownership of their learning environment.
There has also been plenty happening across the school beyond the classroom. Students have enjoyed special learning experiences including our SciTech incursion exploring hydraulics and engineering, and a vibrant Lion Dance performance which helped celebrate culture and diversity within our community. Later this term we are also looking forward to our Harmony Day picnic on Friday 20th March which coincides with the anticipated celebration of Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan. All families are warmly invited to join us in celebrating the many cultures that make up the Waddington community. We also hope to welcome a group of Aboriginal students from Balga SHS who will be face painting for us this year.
Our staff have been working closely together to ensure strong teaching and learning across the school. This includes using assessment information to guide planning and support student progress, as well as continuing our work with evidence-based teaching practices. Alongside this, we are continuing our focus on student wellbeing through the Berry Street Education Model, helping students develop strategies for managing emotions, building positive relationships and feeling safe and supported at school.
We are also continuing to strengthen our work in Aboriginal cultural responsiveness through our Cultural Standards Committee, working alongside community members and local Elders to guide our journey of reconciliation and ensure that Aboriginal perspectives are meaningfully embedded in learning. This partnership helps our students deepen their understanding of culture, respect and connection to Country.
Finally, it has been wonderful to see renewed energy in our P&C, with several new parents joining and helping to plan upcoming community events such as the Easter Raffle and Easter Hat Parade. We now have a team of 10 parents working together for our school and students. If you would like to join, please pop in to the office, or email p_c.waddy@hotmail.com to express your interest. Opportunities like these help bring our community together and support the many wonderful experiences we provide for students.
Thank you to all families for your continued support. Working together as a connected community helps us create a school where every child feels they belong and is supported to strive to succeed.
Warm wishes,
Ms Katherine Chivers
Principal
From the Administration Team
Term Planner
Please see below important information for Term 1 2026. These are subject to change so please keep up-to-date by checking the school website calendar regularly.
Important Dates
9 March 2026 – Newsletter 2 published
11 March 2026 – NAPLAN commences
11 March 2026 – STEM Club Program 2.40pm – 3.40pm
18 March 2026 – STEM Club Program 2.40pm – 3.40pm
23 March 2026 – NAPLAN ends
25 March 2026 – STEM Club Program 2.40pm – 3.40pm
27 March 2026 – Room 5 Excursion – Perth Observatory
30 March 2026 – Newsletter 3 published
1 April 2026 – STEM Club Program 2.40pm – 3.40pm
2 April 2026 – Term 1 ends
3 April 2026 – Public Holiday – Good Friday
20 April 2026 – TERM 2 COMMENCES – STAFF AND STUDENRS
When should sick children stay home?
To help keep our school community healthy, we ask families to keep children at home if they are unwell. Sending children to school when they’re sick increases the risk of spreading illness to classmates and staff, and often makes it harder for them to learn and recover.
Thank you for helping us keep our school a safe and healthy place for everyone!
Attendance – Everyday counts!
Why It’s Important to Be On Time for School
Being on time is a key skill that helps students succeed both in school and in life.
Why is being on time so important?
- More Learning Time: When students arrive on time, they don’t miss out on important lessons and activities. Every minute counts and being there from the start helps them fully participate in the day’s learning.
- Fewer Disruptions: Late arrivals can interrupt the class. When everyone is on time, the day starts smoothly and everyone benefits.
- Builds Responsibility: Being punctual helps students learn to be responsible and manage their time well. These skills are important for their future.
- Better Academic Performance: Regular attendance and being on time are linked to better grades. Students who are punctual are more likely to be active in class and do well in their studies.
- Shows Respect: Being on time shows respect for teachers, classmates, and the school community. It shows a commitment to learning and the importance of education.
We know mornings can be tough, but with a bit of planning, we can make sure our students start their day right. Let’s make being on time a priority and help our students succeed!
PLEASE NOTE: Students who arrive after 9.55am miss more than half of the morning lessons. This will be marked as an unauthorised absence and will need an explanation.
Schools Clean-up Day
Our annual School Clean‑Up Day was a great success! Well done to all those that contributed on the day.
Please see below the thank you note from Clean up Australia for our hard work.
Room 4 (Year 2 / 3) – Working hard and learning so much!
Room 4 have been working hard this term!
In Mathematics we have been focusing on numbers up to 1000 and beyond, skip counting by 5’s and our addition and subtraction fluency skills.
In Literacy we have been working on our confidence and fluency when reading and writing.
In HASS we have just finished learning about why it is important that we have rules, and we will be starting to look at artifacts and the past.
In technologies we are learning about how to be safe on the internet, and we have been continuing our learning about the Zones of Regulation in Health.
Mondays are our favourite day, we have sport, music with Mr Friis and Noongar!
In this music session, we have been playing songs on the xylophone, which we are getting very good at! Recently we participated in the 2026 Clean Up Australia, each class had a section of the school, we wore gloves and collected all of the rubbish. We also spoke about why it is important not litter, and to recycle the things that can be recycled.
Community Notices
Kids and Anxiety – free parenting program
Please see the flyer below for details of a free program for parents run by Communicare and hosted by Waddington Primary School. Bookings essential and creche services will be provided.
Parent assistance – Early Intervention for families
Please see the flyers below that may be of interest to families.
Parent workshops – March 2026
Please see below for a selection of parent workshops available for Term 1 2026.
