St Patrick's Primary School is a Catholic education provider in Kilmore, Victoria where we work collaboratively to maximise student outcomes. Enrolment Enquiry St Patrick's is currently taking applications for 2027. It is important to note that most year levels are already full for 2027 and applications for those year levels will be placed on the waiting list. PREP 2028 application open 1 March 2027.

St Patrick's Primary School is a Catholic education provider in Kilmore, Victoria where we work collaboratively to maximise student outcomes. Learning Diversity Catholic schools, in their endeavours to support all students to flourish, intervene as early as possible to meet the individual needs and abilities of each student. ‘Catholic schools are committed to fostering inclusive practices which respond to learning diversity so that all students are actively engaged in learning and experience success .’ Horizons of Hope: Learning Diversity in a Catholic School, 2017. What is Learning Diversity? Diversity encompasses all learners across cultural, academic, social emotional and physical attributes noting these are not mutually exclusive. ‘Learning diversity’ refers to the infinite variety of life experiences and attributes a child brings to their formal learning at school. Educators seek to meet the needs of all learners, so that every student experiences success. While all educators have this goal, Catholic educators see each student as a sacred creation – ‘made in the image of God’ (Genesis 1:27). It is the understanding that all students should be fully active members of their school community and that all professionals in a school share responsibility for their learning. Learning diversity in Catholic schools is enacted through an inclusive pedagogy and a commitment to uphold the rights of all to be: welcomed; valued; acknowledged; actively engaged in education. Catholic schools in their endeavours to support all students to flourish, intervene as early as possible to meet the individual needs and abilities of each student. "All students regardless of race, age or gender, by virtue of their dignity as human persons, have a right to an education that is suited to their particular needs and adapted to their ability. (Pope Paul VI 1965)." *Horizons of Hope: Foundation Statement: Learning Diversity in a Catholic School How does St Patrick's embrace Learning Diversity? St Patrick's Primary School has two Learning Diversity Leaders, who oversee the school's learning diversity program. The program involves the full spectrum of a child's time at the school, from assistance in transitioning to school, assisting with referrals for assessments, additional classroom support, regular parent meetings, learning intervention programs, personalised learning plans, NDIS support, additional support during recess and lunchtimes, providing break out space from the classroom, speech therapy, occupational therapy and psychological help, through to transitioning into secondary school. The school maintains detailed, continuous records of a student and their progress, and through those records can obtain additional funding which is utilised to provide this school-wide program. This includes additional support resources, additional classroom support through Learning Support Officers (teacher's aides) and specific programs. In addition, the school is one of few that have a dedicated support space, known as the Engine Room. The Engine Room provides a break out space for students to leave the classroom, regulate themselves through sensory or physical activities, and then rejoin the classroom ready to engage in the learning. The school also engages an occupational therapist on a part time basis to assist students in these areas.

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 home reading journal 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 .

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 5 and 6. The camps are used to extend the students knowledge in a setting outside of school, and helps to develop skills and confidence in the students. Grade 4 To prepare Year 4 students for Year 5 camp, we will have an extended school day where students go on an excursion and return to school for dinner and a late collection. Grade 5 Our Year 5 students participate in a one-night camp. The 2027 location is yet to be decided. Grade 6 Our Year 6 students participate in a two-night camp at Lord Somers Camp. The students stay in Somers and participate in a number of experiences, such as; canoeing, raft building, screen printing, pizza making, etc.

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!

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 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. Your child is required to attend a testing session with their teacher on one of these days. the Buddy program where each Prep student is "buddied up" with a senior student. 2027 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 1st 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. 23 February @ 9:15 and 2:00pm 2 March @ 9:15 and 2:00pm 9 March @ 9:15 and 2:00pm 16 March @ 9:15 and 2:00pm 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 20 April 6:00pm - 7:00pm Enrolments Close Families are asked to complete their online applications by Friday 3 May 2027 to ensure that the enrolment application is given consideration. In the event that more applications are received than places available, a waiting list will be created. Monday 3 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 April, 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 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. Term 4 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 2028 class and teacher will be announced at the final session. All three sessions are compulsory for all students. Term Four Tuesday 9 November Wednesday 17 November Tuesday 23 November 9:15am - 10:15am (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. Apply Now St Patrick's is currently taking applications for 2027 . Applications for Prep 2028 will open on 1 March 2027. We do not accept applications for more than 12 months in advance, so we are not accepting applications for other year levels for 2028. It is important to note that a lot of year levels are already full for 2027 and applications for those year levels will be placed on the waiting list.

St Patrick's Primary School is a Catholic education provider in Kilmore, Victoria where we work collaboratively to maximise student outcomes. School Fees Assistance The Catholic Church's preferential option for the poor obligates Catholic schools to ensure that no Baptised student is denied a Catholic education because of an inability to pay (MACS website). We provide a number of ways for families to obtain assistance where there is an issue with payment of fees. As part of your school search, cost can be a significant factor, but at St Patrick's be believe that the most influential factor in choosing a school should be whether it is the “right fit” for the student. St Patrick's focuses on ensuring that students thrive by meeting their academic, social and emotional needs. As a result we are a school that embraces students from all types of backgrounds. We do this by embodying our Catholic value of ensuring Baptised students are not denied a Catholic education because of an inability to pay. As such, St Patrick's ensures that cost is not a barrier to joining our school community. We encourage any family that is facing a financial challenge to contact us early to have a discussion. We understand that these conversations can be uncomfortable but we treat all information with the strictest confidence, with the least number of people involved as possible, and do whatever we can to assist families in need. This assistance can be in the form of Government assistance, concessional fees, payment plans and hardship fee-assistance. We encourage families to reach out to our Finance Officer, Debbie Amodio, as early as possible via email (finance@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au ) or call on (03) 5782 1579 (option 2). Conveyance Allowance The State Government has a Conveyance Allowance program that provides families with financial support with the cost of transporting children to school in regional areas. If your family lives more than 4.8km from St Patrick's and our school is your closest Catholic primary school, then you may be eligible for this program. The assistance is paid to the school against school fees for car travel and paid to Assumption College against bus fees for bus travel. Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) The CSEF provides eligible families with a payment towards school fees to offset the cost of camps and excursions. If the parents/carers/guardians of a student hold a Health Card Card, Aged Pension Card, DVA Gold Card, etc, then we encourage those families to apply for the CSEF to help reduce school fees. The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) Application Form can be found here . Concessional Fees Late in 2021, St Patrick's head office, MACS, released a 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 If you believe that you may be eligible for a concessional fee, please contact Debbie Amodio (finance@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. The concessional fee does not apply to camp fees and the sacramental levy, and these fees and levies are to be paid in addition to your concessional fee. If you do not apply for the CSEF for the current school year, then you will not be eligible for the Concessional Fee support. Please ensure that if you are eligible, that you apply as soon as possible to avoid missing out. The Concessional Fee Program Procedure can be found on the School Policies page . The Concessional Fee Application Form 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 .

St Patrick's Primary School is a Catholic education provider in Kilmore, Victoria where we work collaboratively to maximise student outcomes. School Canteen St Patrick’s values healthy eating practices for students, staff and the wider school community, and aim to provide an effective canteen service that provides choices of healthy food in a manner that complies with all health regulations and requirements When? St Patrick's provides a school canteen service to its students Tuesday to Friday, through a lunch order system and over-the-counter sales at recess and lunch. How? Lunch orders are now ordered by parents through the Flexischools app. Parents can create an account for each child and order and pay online. It also makes reordering the same weekly lunch order very simple. Once ordered, if you have a reusable lunch bag (highly recommended to keep food warm), the children places the lunch bag into the lunch order tub. That tub is then delivered to the canteen at the start of each school day. The lunch orders are then fulfilled and returned to the classes in the same lunch order tubs. Menu? The canteen menu is reviewed by the canteen manager regularly and can be found in the FlexiSchools app. Over-the-counter items are not available for purchase through the lunch order system. Lunch bags? Reusable lunch order bags can be purchased from the Parents and Friends Association through the finance office for $15.00. The reusable lunch order bags are insulated and come in a range of colours, They have a dedicated space for the name and class details, to help ensure orders go to the right classroom. More information about the lunch bags can be found here . Other information? The school canteen is operated by an independent operator under an access agreement, pursuant to the school's Canteen Policy. A copy of the Canteen Policy can be found here . The canteen is operated in line with the Victorian Department of Education's 'Go for your life’ Healthy Canteen Kit – Food planner guidelines. A copy of the guidelines can be found here . For more information, or to contact the canteen, you can email: canteen@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au Like the St Patrick's Canteen Facebook page here:

St Patrick's Primary School is a Catholic education provider in Kilmore, Victoria where we work collaboratively to maximise student outcomes. Principal's Welcome Welcome to St Patrick’s Primary Kilmore, a coeducational primary school situated 65km north of Melbourne’s CBD. St Patrick's is a member school of Marist Schools Australia and governed by Melbourne Archidiocese Catholic Schools Ltd (MACS). As principal, I can say it is a privilege to work alongside and serve the community of St Patrick’s Primary in Kilmore. Our school has a rich history and the parish, which was established in 1849, has shown a commitment to provide Catholic education to the families in the district for well over 120 years. St Patrick’s in an invitational community that is driven by the mission of the church. The school provides a safe, caring and supportive learning environment that is centred on the child. Situated alongside Assumption College, a college established by the Marist brothers in 1894, the two schools are committed to providing a space where students have the opportunity to thrive and to realise their potential. Like most schools, St Patrick’s is a busy, productive and inspiring place to be. The school highly values Family School Partnerships where home and school actively work together to engage our families in a shared conversation about learning. The vision for our staff as professionals is outlined in the Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership (A.I.T.S.L) standards and we believe in a culture of constant feedback and improvement. The AITSL standards can be found here . If you are new to our community I extend a warm welcome and thank you for trusting your child to our care. To our existing families I thank you for your generous support and ongoing understanding. I do not tire in reminding myself and our community “That it takes a village to raise a child”. Michael Bourne, Principal

St Patrick's Primary School is a Catholic education provider in Kilmore, Victoria where we work collaboratively to maximise student outcomes. Science Science provides students with opportunities to investigate, predict, experiment, observe and become aware of things in our world. Science is a Specialist subject for all of our students. Each week, classes participate in one hour of Science. Students will have the opportunity to explore the ever changing world around them in many ways through our hands-on Science Program. Biology, Chemistry, Physical Sciences and Earth and Space are all on the calendar ready to spark our students’ curiosity.