Exciting News: $348,373 for a New P-2 Playground!
Today we were delighted to welcome our local Member of Parliament, Ms Bronwyn Halfpenny, State Member for Thomastown, to our assembly. It was wonderful news she shared with our school community...

Thomastown West Primary School has secured $348,373 to replace our P-2 playground through the Victorian Government’s Capital Works Fund 2026–27 Open Round.

Playgrounds provide valuable opportunities for children to be active, build friendships, develop confidence and enjoy learning through play. This funding will help us improve these important spaces for our students.

The Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA) will manage the project in consultation with our school. Through site visits and design work, we will work together to finalise the details within the funding available.

The VSBA will assess the project and introduce our project officer between December 2026 and the end of January 2027. A construction timeframe has not yet been confirmed, and we will keep families informed as planning progresses.

We look forward to sharing more about this exciting project with our community.

A Wonderful Welcome to Our 2027 Preps
Today we welcomed our 2027 Prep children for their first transition session at TWPS. It was lovely to see familiar faces from school tours and younger siblings of our current students, alongside children joining our school community for the first time.

Our newest learners enjoyed singing and craft activities inspired by Five Little Ducks, with opportunities to get to know one another and explore their new learning environment. Looking wonderful in their TWPS T-shirts, they are already beginning to feel part of our school!

These sessions help children build connections, become familiar with school routines and feel more confident about starting Prep. We look forward to welcoming them back over the next two Fridays for more learning, laughter and fun.

Wacky Hair Day
A big thank you to all the families who joined in the fun and supported our Wacky Hair Day! It was wonderful to see so many creative and colourful hairstyles across the school, all while supporting a great cause. Together, we raised $370.00, thank you for your generosity!

Congratulations to our winners of the colouring competition - Mila from Room 6 and Xander from Room 15!

Our SRC Captains and student leadership team did a fantastic job organising and running fun lunchtime activities in the courtyard. Students enjoyed skipping, hula hooping and dancing along to music, creating a lively and fun atmosphere for everyone.

Well done to our SRC Captains for showing initiative and leadership, and thank you again to our families and students for making Wacky Hair Day such a success! Enjoy our photos of some of our wacky hair styles, as well as our impressive colouring competition entries - they made it quite challenging for us to pick winners!

Thank You to Our Swimming Volunteers
A huge thank you to all the parents and family members who have volunteered their time to support our swimming program. Your help makes a real difference and allows our students to participate in these valuable learning experiences. We really appreciate your time, enthusiasm and support!

As a reminder, when volunteering at swimming, we ask that parents help and encourage all students in their group, not just their own child. By supporting everyone, you help create a positive, inclusive and fair experience where all students feel encouraged and supported to develop their swimming skills and confidence.

Thank you again for being such an important part of our school community and for helping make swimming a positive experience for all our students!

Stand Up Project Evaluation Success
We are incredibly proud of our 2026 Stand Up Project (SUP) Leaders and the leadership they have demonstrated throughout the year! Our Grade 5/6 student leaders recently taught our Grade 3/4 students about what it means to stand up to bullying, including understanding the difference between being a bystander and an upstander, and how we can all play a role in creating a safe, respectful and inclusive school community.

Dr Zach Greig was very impressed by the positive impact our Grade 5/6 SUP Leaders have had on the younger students. It was wonderful to see our student leaders sharing their knowledge, building confidence and encouraging others to take action when they see bullying.

A huge shout-out to Mrs Santiglia and Mrs Colakovski for their hard work, guidance and commitment to supporting our Stand Up Leaders throughout the year. Thank you for helping our students develop the confidence and skills to be positive role models and make a difference at TWPS!

Prep 2027 transition sessions for parents and students

Prep 2027 students have started attending transition sessions on Fridays, with information sessions being held for parents whilst the students are in the Room 3 classroom, getting ready to start school.

Grade 5/6 Excursion to the Victorian Space Science Education Centre
Our Grade 5/6 students had an out-of-this-world experience on their excursion to the Victorian Space Science Education Centre at Strathmore Secondary College! Students explored the challenges of how humans could survive a mission to Mars, stepping into the role of astronauts as they worked through their mission.

Dressed as astronauts, students received a mission briefing from an astronaut on a cinema screen before entering the Mars laboratory. There, they conducted experiments to investigate whether plants could grow on Mars and provide food for future human explorers.

It was a fantastic hands-on learning experience that encouraged students to think scientifically, solve problems and imagine the possibilities of future space exploration. Well done to our Grade 5/6 students for their curiosity, teamwork and enthusiasm!

Classroom Transitions for 2027
Safely navigating transition from year to year is crucial to a child’s healthy development and wellbeing. This can lay the foundation for a future of learning and better outcomes. Likewise, children are able to grow, develop and learn best when they are feeling safe with a sense of belonging. At TWPS we pride ourselves on the purposeful and carefully planned transition sessions we facilitate at the end of each year. Students have been making responsible choices with their current teachers about possible classmates for next year, choosing friends wisely that they could learn successfully with next year. We are looking forward to seeing a boost in their confidence and preparedness for a new year and a new teacher in 2027!

Students do not attend school on Monday 2/11/26 and Tuesday 3/11/26
With the Melbourne Cup public holiday on Tuesday and teachers undertaking their Professional Practice Day on Monday to write Semester 2 reports, students will enjoy a four-day weekend.

We look forward to welcoming everyone back to school on Wednesday 4th November. Wishing all our families a safe, happy and relaxing break!

Education is Powerful,  Student Agency Matters, TWPS Staff Make a Difference &  Every Minute of Learning Counts!

TWPS CURRICULM DAYS 2026
*Students do NOT attend school on these days*

*Whole School Professional Practice Day for Staff. Students do not attend school.

TERM DATES 2026

Supporting the Under-16 Social Media Ban: A Positive Step for Our Kids

As you may know, the under-16 social media ban is officially active across Australia. This landmark law requires major platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook to block accounts for younger children, creating a much safer digital space for our kids to grow up in.

Because all of our students are still in primary school, none of them need to face the complex pressures of social media just yet. This law gives us a fantastic opportunity to unite as a team of parents and teachers and support our children's wellbeing. Recent insights show why this collective action is more important than ever.

What the research shows

Data highlights exactly why delaying social media access is so vital for primary-aged children:

• Widespread Exposure: A study by the eSafety Commissioner revealed that 84% of Australian children aged 8 to 12 were using social media or messaging services, meaning our kids are entering these spaces much too early.
• Real Digital Risks: According to eSafety Commissioner data, 70% of children aged 10 to 15 encounter harmful content online, including cyberbullying, online hate, and violent videos.
• Brain Development: Experts at Kids Helpline point out that social media is designed around addictive dopamine loops like endless scrolling, which lead to sleep loss, heightened stress, and cognitive overwhelm in developing brains.

Why continuing this support matters

By keeping our children off these platforms, we unlock clear benefits for their physical and mental growth:

• Breaking the "Hook" Cycle: Removing features like "streaks" and constant notifications takes away the daily pressure on children to stay logged in.
• Blocking Algorithmic Pressures: It stops automated feeds from serving up upsetting or manipulative content to young minds.
• Restoring Balance: Trading screen time for sleep, outdoor play, and face-to-face friendships directly improves classroom focus and reduces anxiety.

Actionable steps you can take at home

While tech companies face massive fines for failing to block underage users, parental guidance remains the ultimate shield. You can support the ban by:

• Auditing Devices: Check your child’s phone, tablet, or gaming console to ensure restricted social media apps are not installed.
• Initiating Open Conversations: Talk to your child about why the law exists. Frame it as a protective shield for their safety, rather than a punishment.
• Creating Tech-Free Habits: Establish clear boundaries, like keeping all devices out of the bedroom overnight to protect their sleep cycle.

Where to find support

Navigating digital boundaries can be challenging, but you don't have to do it alone. If your child needs someone to talk to, or if you need parenting guidance, free support is always available:

• Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 (Free, confidential 24/7 support for young people aged 5 to 25) https://www.kidshelpline.com.au/ 

• eSafety Commissioner: Visit their Parents Page for step-by-step guides on setting up parental controls and talking to your kids about online safety.

https://www.esafety.gov.au/key-topics 

Thank you for your dedication to protecting our kids' wellbeing and supporting a healthy school environment.

Wellbeing Team

Thank You!

Thank you to all the children who entered our colouring competition, wore their hair in wonderfully wacky ways and ordered a hot lunch to celebrate Wacky Hair Day!

A special thank you to our SRC leaders and Student Leadership Team, who successfully organised and led playtime activities for all students. Your leadership helped bring students together, strengthening friendships and their sense of belonging and connection to our school.

We also warmly thank Sakina and our wonderful parent volunteers for generously giving their time to organise, prepare and serve the hot lunch, and all the families who supported this fundraiser.

Days like these show the value of our school community coming together: Together Working on Pathways to Success.

Please scroll to the bottom of the page to view and celebrate all of the colouring-in-competition enteries. Great work everyone!

WINNER P-2

WINNER 3-4

WACKY HAIR DAY 2026: SRC COLOURING IN COMPETITION!

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TERM 4 WEEK 3

CUP OF LIFE

Term 4 Week 3 & 4 Student Attendance Report

As part of the Department of Education Every Day Counts initiative, schools report attendance in percentages. The Government regard 95% as the minimum satisfactory attendance for a school student.

The percentages in the table below indicates the average attendance for each class for this week.

The shaded boxes  below indicate which classroom has the highest level of attendance for their year level.

Every day of learning really does count!

At TWPS we want every child to achieve their full potential and we know that parents share this goal. There is a clear link between good attendance and educational achievement. If your child is not in school, on time, as often as possible they will be missing out on many important parts of their
education.                      

Why is regular attendance at school important?

Regular school attendance will mean that your child has a better chance in life. Your child will achieve better when they go to school all day, every school day...

*they learn better   
*they make friends      
*they are happier   
*they have a brighter future

If your child is sick, of course it is appropriate to keep your child at home but

other ‘days off’ school add up to lost learning.  See below:

CUP OF LIFE

Well done to all the boys and girls who are attending school every day. 

Congratulations! 
The rooms that had the BEST ATTENDANCE for Week 3 is Room 15 
and for Week 4 Term 4 is Room 15.

TERM 2

TERM 1

TNH Activities available for you and your family:

SPECIAL NOTES

• All TNH activities are free and everyone is welcome to attend.
• Children must be accompanied by an adult.
• TNH is a child safe organisation.
• No bookings are needed, simply come and try and register on arrival.
• Gold Coin Donations are welcome and every bit of support helps us to support our community.
• TNH activities only take place during School Term

Need Help or Have Questions?

You are always welcome to visit us.

Thomastown Neighbourhood Hours

Open: Monday – Friday, 9am – 3pm

Here's to warmer days, brighter mornings and plenty more opportunities to connect. 

Stay warm, keep connected, and we'll see you at the House soon. 

Warm regards,

The Team at TNH