Past issue · Term 4 · Week 2 · 2026

St. Brigid's

Catholic Primary School

Ballan

United in the courage and warmth of Brigid and with Jesus at our heart, we aspire to be an inclusive learning and faith community who nurtures lifelong learners

15 articles

From the Principal

Principal Message

Jayne Bosworth

Principal

Dear Members of our St Brigid’s Community,

Following the launch of our new school newsletter format last week, we look forward to sharing stories that celebrate the learning, achievements and experiences across the school. We want to showcase student work and provide families with a glimpse into the wonderful learning taking place in our classrooms and beyond. Be sure to look out for regular updates from our classroom teachers and specialist programs!

It has certainly been a busy and exciting week, with our Year 5/6 students returning from camp at Angahook, which ran from Monday to Wednesday. The students had a wonderful time taking on new challenges, fostering friendships and making memories. Activities included archery, the giant swing, initiative games, the zip line and the giant wall, just to name a few!

We were incredibly proud of the way all students conducted themselves throughout the camp. They demonstrated exemplary behaviour, encouraged one another and showed great teamwork, resilience and a willingness to give everything a go.

Be sure to check out the camps photos capturing some of the fun and excitement from camp. You might even spot some staff members on the giant swing! Stay tuned for further updates and highlights from our Year 5/6 classrooms in our newsletter next week.

Our Foundation - Year 2 students have also been making a splash this week as part of their swimming program. It has been wonderful to see all students so thoroughly engaged, developing their swimming skills, building confidence in the water and learning important water safety skills.

What a fantastic week of learning, adventure and new experiences for our students!

Kind regards,

Jayne Bosworth

Principal

'Inspire us to act justly and to reverence all God has made.'
Excerpt from St Brigid's Prayer

The Week That Was!

Year 5/6 Camp adventures at Angahook

Year 5/6 Camp adventures at Angahook — photo 3 of 9

Year 5/6 Camp adventures at Angahook — photo 4 of 9

Year 5/6 Camp adventures at Angahook — photo 5 of 9

Year 5/6 Camp adventures at Angahook — photo 6 of 9

Year 5/6 Camp adventures at Angahook — photo 7 of 9

Year 5/6 Camp adventures at Angahook — photo 8 of 9

Year 5/6 Camp adventures at Angahook — photo 9 of 9

School Uniform

This term, we transition from our winter to summer uniform. Please ensure your child is wearing the correct school uniform each day.

Please also remember:

Sports uniform is to be worn each Tuesday and Wednesday.
As a SunSmart school, students are required to wear a navy blue, wide-brimmed school hat during break times and outdoor activities throughout the term.

Punctuality and Attendance

Punctuality is crucial to a productive learning environment. Arriving on time not only supports your child’s learning but also minimises disruption to their peers and fosters a positive classroom climate.

Students are expected to arrive at school before 8.50am.
Unreasonably late arrivals to school, unless unavoidable or with valid reasons, will result in conversations between the school and family to explore ways we can support you and your child/ren.

We ask for your assistance in reinforcing these routines and supporting your child in developing organisation and time management skills. Please ensure they arrive at school on time and provide them with a note or email the front office if they are late.

Every day counts – school attendance

We all want our students to get a great education, and the building blocks for a great education begin with students coming to school each and every day.

Missing school can have a major impact on a child’s future.

There is no safe number of days for missing school – each day a student misses puts them behind and can affect their educational outcomes.

Coming to school every day is vital, but if for any reason your child must miss school, there are things we can do together to ensure they don’t fall behind:

Speak with your classroom teacher and find out what work your child needs to do to keep up.
Develop an absence learning plan with your teacher and ensure your child completes the plan.

Remember, every day counts. If your child must miss school, speak with your classroom teacher as early as possible.

From 1 March 2014, new laws will mean that parents can be fined for not sending students to school without an acceptable reason.

If you’re having attendance issues with your child, please let your classroom teacher know so we can work together to get your child to school every day.

Please see attached DOBCEL and Department of Education policies that underpin this procedure: DOBCEL Attendance Policy Rationale Background Policy Statement Principles, Attendance and missing school | vic.gov.au

1 or 2 days a week doesn’t seem like much but…
If your child misses:	That equals:	Which is:	Over 13 years of school that is:
1 day per fortnight	20 days / year	4 wks / year	Nearly 1.5 years
1 day per week	40 days / year	8 wks / year	Over 2.5 years
2 days per week	80 days / year	16 wks / year	Over 5 years
3 days per week	120 days/year	24 wks / year	Nearly 8 years

A little bit late doesn’t seem like much but…
If your child misses:	That equals:	Which is:	Over 13 years of school that is:
10 mins / day	50 mins / wk	1.5wks / year	Nearly half a year.
20 mins / day	1hr 40mins / wk	2.5wks / year	Nearly 1 full year.
30 mins / day	Half a day / wk	4 wks / year	Nearly 1.5 years.
1 hour / day	1 day / wk	8 wks / year	Over 2.5 years.