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St Patrick's Primary School is a Catholic education provider in Kilmore, Victoria where we work collaboratively to maximise student outcomes. Kilmore Parish The Catholic parish of St Patrick’s, Kilmore was established in 1849 and is the oldest inland Catholic parish in Victoria. Kilmore prides itself as “Australia’s first inland town”. Founded by William Rutledge an Irish immigrant in 1841, he named the town after his family home and local Irish diocese. The Gaelic names mean burying place and big church. And so St. Patrick’s became Australia’s first inland Catholic parish in 1849, before the State of Victoria existed. Recollected history is that there was initially a chapel on Brewery Hill, at the north end of the town, built of 6ft paling slabs and a shingle roof. The gold rush meant increases of traffic though the area, and residents were quick to provide for the needs of this growing area and travellers. By 1848 a catholic school had been started and in 1851 three sites in Sutherland street were granted. With the usual government grant and donations, a stone church/school was built on the current site by 1854, but by then the parish priest Timothy O’Rourke, had ideas of a substantial church. Numerous priests, nuns, brothers and laypeople have served the tens of thousands who have come here to worship, to be educated, and to belong as members of this historic parish. The church you see today is a wonderful, visible sign of the faith that inspired those mainly Irish immigrants who flocked here in pioneering days, and was restored in 2012. Our current priest, Father Prakash Cutinha has served in the Parish since September 2020. The Kilmore Parish covers 1500 square kilometres, from Kalkallo to halfway between Broadford and Tallarook and from Strath Creek in the east to Pyalong in the west. Schools in the parish also include Assumption College and the new Our Lady of the Way at Wallan. Mass times are: Saturday - Broadford at 5:00pm - Kilmore at 6:30pm Sunday - Kilmore at 7:45am - Wallan at 9:00am - Kilmore at 10:30am The Parish House (Presbytery) is open Monday, Tuesday and Friday from 9:30am to 4:00pm. Parish secretary Caterina Bosevski is in attendance during these times. The Parish Secretary can be contacted on (03) 5782 1084 during these times or email kilmore@cam.org.au . More information about the Kilmore Parish can be found here .

St Patrick's Primary School is a Catholic education provider in Kilmore, Victoria where we work collaboratively to maximise student outcomes. Request a Prospectus Considering St Patrick's for your child? Request a prospectus to receive an electronic and/or hard copy prospectus. The booklet provides a lot of detailed information about the school to assist you in your school selection. Enrolment Criteria and Process Transition to Prep

St Patrick's Primary School is a Catholic education provider in Kilmore, Victoria where we work collaboratively to maximise student outcomes. Back to School 2026 Whilst school holidays can be a wonderful time of Christmas and New Year celebrations, filled with less routine, maybe a holiday and some relaxation, there is also the necessary job of preparing to get students back to school. At St Patrick's we aim to provide as much information as we can for parents to help in that process. School Uniform All of the school uniform information can be found on our website here . All uniform items that identify the school, such as polo shirts, house polos, backpacks, jumpers, hats and dresses are to be purchased through Academy Uniforms. Their Thomastown store is open over the school holidays and the school uniform shop near the netball courts will reopen on Thursday 29 January from 9:00am to 5:00pm . All other uniform items (except shoes) can also be purchased through the uniform shop, but can be substituted for like items from other department-type stores. School Requisite Items St Patrick's provides a list of items that a student will use throughout the year, broken up into a list of items the school provides and a list of items re quired to be supplied by families. The list was provided at the end of Term 4, but copies of the School Requisite List for 2026 for each year level can be found here: Prep Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 Back to School Reminders Please remember the following: Label everything that is being sent to school; If a 2025 classroom is labelled on an item, such as lunch boxes, please change it to the 2026 class; Do not forget to also change the classroom on the reusable school lunch order bags to avoid lunch orders being lost; Lunch orders recommence on the first day of school - Monday 2 February; Specialist classes will commence on Monday 2 February - check infographic for your class sports uniform days. School Reopening The school office will reopen on Friday 30 January , and our Year 1-6 Get To Know You (GTKY) meetings will also be on Friday 30 January . Families will be emailed after 21 January with information about how to book GTKY meetings. S tudents will return with classes to commence for Prep to Year 6 on Monday 2 February 2026 . Communication A reminder to ensure that your email address is registered with the front office so that you receive the weekly ewsletter. Please email Elise Vlasveld (elise.vlasveld@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au ) to request to be added to the newletter list. We also recommend that all families with Facebook, request access to our parent/carer-only Facebook group. You can find the group at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/stpatskilmorefamilies . You must answer all questions to be admitted to the group. Only parents and carers will be accepted, and all other requests (including other relatives) will be decli ned for privacy reasons. Finally, you must ensure that you setup your PAM account. The Parent Access Module (PAM) is connected the school's SIMON student management system. From this account you can notify absences, access reports, provide and update medical information, nominate emergency contacts, etc. You will be provided with access information if you have not already got access. Other Dates Please refer to the Hours, Dates and Days webpage for further information about school hours, terms dates and other school calendar dates. 2026 Welcome Barbeque To welcome our families to school for 2025, there will be a back-to-school barbeque on the evening of the first Friday of school, Friday 6 February 2026 from 4:45-6:00pm . 2026 School Fees Finally, school fees for 2026 have been set, and information can be found on the webpage here . School fee invoices will be sent out early in Term 1. The school is moving to all payments being made by direct debit (either weekly, fortnightly or monthly). Please contact Deb Amodio, the Finance Officer, to setup your direct debit arrangement . Late in 2021, our head office, MACS, released a new Concessional Fee Policy, which provides reduced fees for: families of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent; families with Health Care or DVA Cards; or those families facing severe financial hardship. In order to be eligible for the Concessional Fee Policy, you must be entitled to the CSEF Payment, with an eligibility cut off date in April. Do not delay in applying for CSEF and Concessional Fee, as we cannot apply the discounts if the CSEF application is not approved. CSEF applications close at the end of Term 2. If you believe that you may be eligible for a concessional fee, please contact Deb Amodio (deb.amodio@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au ) to request the documentation to apply for the concessional fee. The concessional fee must be paid by direct debit and the concessional fee is not retrospective, and any existing debt stands in full. If you face issues in paying the school fees, at any time during the year, please contact Deb Amodio, and discuss what arrangements can be made to assist your situation. It is important that you contact the school early so that we can assist appropriately.

St Patrick's Primary School is a Catholic education provider in Kilmore, Victoria where we work collaboratively to maximise student outcomes. Transitioning to Prep Starting prep is a very exciting time for the whole family and the beginning of your child's journey through school. At St Patrick's, we aim to provide a welcoming and supportive community filled with opportunities for children to grow in confidence as they begin their first school year. Our Transition to School program is made up of several parts which include: Transition conversations Kindergarten contact Discovery days Additional transition sessions Additional family meetings Transition mornings; and Family information sessions. Once at school, the transition is further assisted through: Wednesday rest days at the beginning of the school year, where Preps do not attend school so they can take a break midweek to help them get used to attending school on a full time basis. These dates will be confirmed towards the end of 2026. the Buddy program where each prep student is "buddied up" with a senior student. More information about the Buddy program can be found on the wellness programs page here . 2026 dates Enrolments Open Families are asked to register an enrolment enquiry through the school office. The Enrolment Officer will be in contact and provide you with further information and move the enquiry to the application stage. Children must turn 5 years of age before 30 April in the year they are commencing school. Monday 2nd March School Tours Families wishing to become familiar with our school are invited to attend a school tour with staff and student leaders present. To book a school tour, please go to the Book a Tour webpage under the Enrolment tab. 24 February @ 2:00, 5 March @ 9:15am, 18 March @ 9:15am, 24 March @ 2:00pm, 31 March @ 2:00pm, 2 April @ 9:15am, 24 April @ 9:15am, 28 April @ 9:15am Prep Information Evening This is an opportunity to welcome all parents and carers who are applying for a Prep position at St Patrick’s in 2026 . Important and up to date Information about our school and the enrolment process will be shared during this session. This session is compulsory for all families wishing to apply and will be held in the school stadium as a face to face event. Tuesday 28 April 6:00pm - 7:00pm Enrolments Close Families are asked to complete their online applications by Friday 2 May 2025 to ensure that the enrolment application is given consideration. The school can take up to 105 prep students in 2026 and in the event that more applications are received than places available, a waiting list will be created. Friday 1 May Application Meetings Application meetings are an opportunity for us to begin to get to know the child and parent/carer. They are a time for parents to ask any questions you may have and to explore how to best support their child as they make the transition from kinder to school. Please note, these meetings do not aim to determine if your child is ‘school ready’. If you have any questions regarding school readiness, it is best to have a conversation with your child’s kindergarten teacher. These are compulsory for all families. Throughout May and June Letters of Offer sent out Once places are determined, letters of offer will be sent out to families at the start of Term 3. An acceptance form must be completed and returned to the school to secure the enrolment offer. Start of Term 3 Kindergarten visits Throughout Term Three and Four, our staff will contact each child's kindergarten and/or visit the children at their kindergarten to understand their education journey so far and to put things in place to support their transition. Terms Three and Four Discovery Days Mondays in Term Three (dates to be confired) , our library will be open for you to visit and start discovering what school is like. It will be a chance to share a favourite story and meet some new friends. These sessions are not compulsory. Information on how to book online will be sent with your Letter of Offer. By invitation, as required Additional transition sessions Held during Term Four, on Tuesdays to be confirmed , these small group sessions focus on supporting those children and families who may be new to the school or who would like to build their confidence at St Patrick's in a smaller setting. These sessions are by request from the family or invitation from the school. To be advised Additional family meetings Between now and when the child begins, parents/carers may want to meet and discuss any further concerns or ideas they may have to provide their child with the best possibly start to school. Meetings can be initiated by parents or the school as needed. As needed Transition mornings Three mornings filled with fun and forming new friendships. All children are required to attend to learn about school and meet their new peers and teachers. Your child’s 2026 class and teacher will be announced at the final session. All three sessions are compulsory for all students. Term Four Tuesday 10 November Wednesday 18 November Thursday 26 November 9:15am - 10:45am (compulsory) Family information sessions Whilst the children attend their transition mornings, parents/carers will attend these compulsory family information sessions. They are an opportunity for the school to pass on information. It is also an opportunity to meet other parents and ask questions. These are compulsory. As per transition mornings Held in the school stadium (compulsory)

St Patrick's Primary School is a Catholic education provider in Kilmore, Victoria where we work collaboratively to maximise student outcomes. Transition to Secondary School Transitioning from primary school to secondary school can be a time of great emotion. Whilst some students transition to other local secondary colleges, and participate in their transition days, the majority of our students transition across to Assumption College. St Patrick's likes to ensure that its students are ready for that move by implementing a range of transition sessions and programs to assist St Patrick's Primary School prides itself on its relationship with Assumption College (ACK). That deep bond between the schools extends to our Year 6 to Year 7 transition program. Our transition program is a year-long program that includes key staff from Assumption College attending St Patrick's throughout the year, as well as regular tours and invitations to participate in Assumption College events. In 2021, the transition program was extended for Terms 3 and 4 to include a fully immersive experience where the Year 6 St Patrick's students select one of Assumption College's Year 7 subjects that interests them and attend that subject onsite at Assumption College three times per week with the Year 7 students. All Year 6 students participate in this transition program regardless of which secondary school they attend for Year 7. The program is about providing our Year 6 students with a secondary experience such as attending different classrooms for different subjects, having different teachers and participating in a different style of learning. These experiences are transferable to any secondary school setting. Assumption College provides all Year 6 students with an Assumption email address and access to the Assumption SIMON Learning Management System (LMS) at the start of the program and are emailed a booklet of subject alternatives. Students electronically select a number of subject preferences and, depending on timetabling, the student will be allocated one of their preferences. As students could be allocated any one of their preferences, families are encouraged to work with their child to ensure that the subjects that are selected are reflective of the child's interests. Our Year 6 students fully participate in whichever class they attend. The class is conducted for 75 minutes, three times a week. Students are required to complete all work set both for in the class, and outside if required. Students also participate in all class assessments. Where students are required to have a laptop, St Patrick's provides the students with those laptops. As the Year 6 students are at Assumption College for almost four hours per week, there is an adjustment to the learning expectations at St Patrick's. Students continue to participate in their regular Literacy, Maths, RE and specialist subjects. Whilst students do not participate in formal SEL or Inquiry lessons, these subjects are incorporated into the other areas of their learning. As such, SEL and Inquiry are not reported on in the Semester 2 report, however their Assumption College subject will be. The content of this part of the report depends on the subject that the student participates in. Students at St Patrick's Primary School receive a unique transition experience that we believe is not replicated anywhere else. By giving our Year 6 students six months of genuine transition in a secondary school environment, the students learn how to move around a large campus, how to find and get to and from classrooms. In addition, they receive the benefits of the experience of having different teachers each day as well as engaging with current Year 7 students, from whom they can learn from their transition experiences, which helps to reduce transition anxiety in students. At St Patrick's we pride ourselves on developing the whole child, not just their academics, and this program is another way that St Patrick's sets up our students for success into the future, regardless of the secondary school they attend in Year 7. For those students who do attend Assumption College in Year 7, the Year 7 coordinator keeps in touch with the classroom teacher and throughout the year will occasionally attend the Year 6 classrooms so that the children have the chance to ask any questions they may have and it also gives them the opportunity to get to know them. For students with need, during the Parent Support Group (PSG) sessions in Terms 2, 3 and 4 there are ACK staff participating in the meeting so parents have the opportunity to voice any concerns they may have. Class teachers also fill in a personal transition form on each child in Year 6, including information about them so that their secondary school teachers have up-to-date and relevant information about the student before they get to their secondary school.

St Patrick's Primary School is a Catholic education provider in Kilmore, Victoria where we work collaboratively to maximise student outcomes. School Planning School planning is a continuous process that involves looking at the immediate, short, medium and long term needs of the school. It also involves numerous documents and processes, including an external four-yearly school review. Annual Action Plan The annual action plan is developed from the school improvement plan. The annual action plan drives the improvement agenda for the year. Goals, key improvement strategies, and intended outcomes and drawn from the five spheres within the school improvement framework. During Term Four the Annual Action Plan is reviewed. The evidence collected determines if the goals have been met or require adjusting for the following year. School Improvement Plan The ultimate goal of school improvement is to improve outcomes for students including levels of achievement and wellbeing. The school improvement framework promotes a four year cycle of school improvement and recognises the distinctive nature of catholic school. The catholic school vision developed by the school community provides the motivating force for all school improvement planning within that specific catholic school community. The vision is embedded in five interdependent spheres of school: Education in faith, Learning and Teaching, Student Wellbeing, School Community and Leadership and Management. The framework seeks to support schools in establishing the organisational conditions to support continuous improvement. It aims to ensure that the unique features of each school situation are recognised and that the analysis of the schools particular context is used to inform the development and subsequent implementation of school improvement strategies. The framework promotes an evidence- based inquiry approach to planning within the school. It requires schools to incorporate ongoing monitoring and evaluation of student outcomes to ensure continuous school improvement is made. St Patrick’s is currently in the first year of the school improvement cycle. A copy of the school's current School Improvement Plan can be found here .

St Patrick's Primary School is a Catholic education provider in Kilmore, Victoria where we work collaboratively to maximise student outcomes. Religious Education Parents, students and staff work together as witnesses to the Good News (Gospel) in the way they shape the school community and enact a vision of the Kingdom of God. Here students are supported to grow, enlightened by faith, animated by love and leading to hope. "Learning as encounter is a dialogical, relational and optimistic pedagogy, one that opens up horizons of hope for the future for the individual learner, their school, the Church and the wider community." "Religious Education as a particular curriculum area is critical to education in a Catholic school. It deliberately attends to the spiritual development of each person, acknowledging and celebrating the Holy Spirit at work, inviting relationship with God and a Christ-like stance towards others. At the same time it is a disciplined process of ‘faith seeking understanding’, where the questions of God, beliefs and life are articulated and explored in dialogue with the Catholic Tradition to develop students’ faith lives and stimulate a search for meaning and truth. It is interpretative by nature and deepens learning when students are invited to explore cross-curricular connections." Here at St Patrick's we integrate RE and Inquiry to facilitate students making these connections. Teachers implement learning activities informed by the Religious Education Curriculum Framework – www.resourcemelb.catholic.edu.au , and learning progression is guided by achievement standards the following areas: ● Scripture and Jesus ● Church and Community ● God, Religion and Life ● Sacrament, Prayer and Liturgy ● Morality and Justice This information is taken from the MACS publication "Religious Dimension", which can be found here .

Excursions, Incursions and Camps Camps, excursions and incursions are an important aspect of the educational program at St Patrick's. These programs offer students the opportunity to expand their learning, life and social skills in an alternative setting or using a different approach. These programs have an academic, interperson or environmental emphasis. Excursions St Patrick's offer excursions to students in all year levels. The excursions are curriculum based and are linked to the learning at the time. Excursions can be both local, like historical town walks, and more further afield such as Bendigo Discovery Centre, Melbourne Zoo, etc. Incursions Incursions are activities presented to students by external presenters within the school. Incursions are also curriculum based and linked to the learning at the time. Incursions may include presentations on animals, history, investigating, etc. Camps St Patrick's Primary School hold school camps each year for students in Years 4, 5 and 6. The camps are used to extend the stduents knowledge in a setting outside of school, and helps to develop skills and confidence in the students. St Patrick's Primary School has a policy on school camps, which can be found here . Grade 4 Our Year 4 students will go on an overnight camp to Camp Weekaway in Benlock (near Lancefield). The students participate in a range of activities over the two days. For more information about Weekaway Camp click here . Grade 5 Our Year 5 students participate in a two-night camp to Sovereign Hill in Ballarat. The students participate in a range of activities over the three days to learn about the goldrush of the 1850s. The students also participate in the costume school where the students and teachers dress in 1850s clothes and participate in a day in an 1850s school. For more information about excursions at Sovereign Hill, click here . Grade 6 Our Year 6 students participate in a two-night camp to the Melbourne CBD. The students stay at City CYC and participate in a number of mini excursions throughout the city, including visiting the MCG, The Shrine of Remembrance, St Patrick's Cathedral, a river cruise, the Museum and more.

St Patrick's Primary School is a Catholic education provider in Kilmore, Victoria where we work collaboratively to maximise student outcomes. Wellness Programs St Patrick's Primary School have a range of different wellness programs that are aimed at providing students with a diverse range of activities and programs to address their specific needs. Seasons for Growth Seasons for Growth is a small group grief and loss education program. It is based on the belief that change and loss are part of life and grief is a normal response to these losses. The Seasons for Growth program provides an opportunity for children to learn the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to understand and respond well to grief and loss experiences (e.g. death, separation, divorce). More information on the Seasons for Growth program can be found on the KidsMatter website here . Prep?Year 6 Buddy Program Each Prep student is matched with a Grade 6 buddy. Together, they participate in regular shared learning activities throughout the year, including literacy, inquiry, maths games, cooking and craft. It helps the Preps feel safe at school and promotes leadership and responsibility in the Grade 6's, who do an amazing job nurturing and guiding the preps through their first year. It is a rewarding and positive program for all involved! Imagination Club St Patrick's work with the I-CAN Network and together we embrace Autism. Through the Imagination Club we also recognise that many students don’t have a diagnosis, or their diagnosis has not been disclosed. Our school's mentoring program is called ‘Imagination Club – for students with big imaginations’. More information on Imagination Clubs can be found on the I CAN Network website here .

St Patrick's Primary School is a Catholic education provider in Kilmore, Victoria where we work collaboratively to maximise student outcomes. Prep 2026 Testing Bookings For Prep 2026 students, each Wednesday in February is a rest day. During these rest days, the teachers meet with their students to conduct testing. Please book this compulsory testing session using the link below. St Patrick's Primary School Kilmore asks that each new Prep 2026 student attend a one-hour testing session during one of the four rest days in February 2026. At least one parent/carer and the 2026 prep student are required to attend. The testing will take approximately 60 minutes and we ask that you arrive 5 minutes early. If your child wears glasses, please bring them along to the appointment. Please click on the link below, and use code r8jhf . Then select a meeting time that suits you and your child. If you are booking meetings for more than one child, please complete separate meeting event bookings for each child. Book Testing Session

St Patrick's Primary School is a Catholic education provider in Kilmore, Victoria where we work collaboratively to maximise student outcomes. Homework At St Patrick’s Primary School, we recognise that learning takes place wherever a child is, whether it is at school, at home, or out in the community. We also recognise that parents are the first teachers of children and what an important ongoing role that is for a child. We believe that homework complements classroom learning, fosters good study habits and provides an opportunity for students to be responsible for their own learning outside of the classroom. The amount of time spent on homework varies, and will increase as a child progresses through school, starting with at least 40 minutes a week for Prep classes, through to two hours a week for Year 6. The homework will include reading, and may also include maths and other tasks as set by the classroom teacher from time to time. Parents will be expected to sign their child’s diary to confirm that their child is undertaking the necessary homework tasks. St Patrick’s Primary School has a policy with respect to homework, and that can be found here .

St Patrick's Primary School is a Catholic education provider in Kilmore, Victoria where we work collaboratively to maximise student outcomes. Classroom Subjects St Patrick's Primary School breaks up the Victorian Curriculum into subjects taught both in the classroom and in specialised environments within the school. The information provided here is with respect to those subjects taught in the classroom. Literacy Our literacy program reflects the various elements of the Victorian Curriculum which includes reading and viewing, writing and spelling and speaking and listening. Each class studies English for 10 hours a week. For more information on the Literacy program, click here . Mathematics Mathematics is taught under the 3 strands outlined in the Victorian Curriculum - Number and Algebra, Measurement and Geometry, and Statistics and Probability. Students study Mathematics for 5 hours per week in every level of the school. For more information on the Maths program, click here . Integrated Inquiry The inquiry process develops skills for lifelong learning in areas such as history, environment, science and citizenship. Each class studies Inquiry for two hours a week. For more information on the Inquiry program, click here . Religion The Religious Education Curriculum attends to the spiritual development of each person to appreciating the value of Catholic faith. Each class studies RE for 2 hours per week. For more information on the RE program, click here . Social & Emotional SEL assists students in relationships, decision-making, learning how to handle challenging situations and develop leadership skills across the curriculum to nurture their wellbeing and assist their learning. Each class studies SEL for at least 45 minutes a week. For more information on the SEL program, click here . Technologies Whilst technolgoies is not a separate subject within the curriculum, it is incorporated across all parts of the curriculum. For more information on the Technologies program, click here .