Search Results

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. Student Leadership At St Patrick's leadership is about motivating, influencing and directing people to work together to achieve goals in accordance with the school's values and beliefs. It is important for students to experience school leadership opportunities in order to learn how to build relationships, define their identity and achieve tasks effectively. It also provides an opportunity to learn to identify and display effective communication and interpersonal skills. St Patrick's Primary School is very proud of our student leaders. These students are ambassadors who embody our school values and motto. The school offers both formal and informal leadership opportunities to our students. We hope that all of our students would think of themselves as leaders through modelling appropriate behaviour to others, helping students that need assistance, and generally exhibiting traits that walk "In the Footsteps of the Lord". However, we also have formal leadership positions, and our Year 6 students have the most significant roles to place in these positions, including School Captains, House Captains and other student leaders. School Captains School Captains are the most significant student leaders in the school. They take an active role in all aspects of the school community and work with others to achieve the best possible outcomes. They are approachable, reliable and trustworthy, and their duties involve communication with staff and students, public speaking at assemblies, school events and other community events. School Captains are positive role models for all students with regards to behaviour and presentation. House Captains A House Captains' role is to encourage all students to participate in House activities. They coordinate House events, such as the Houes points system, House lunches, and leading their respective houses in various whole-school events such as the athletics carnival. House captains are approachable and reliable and demonstrate enthusiasm for their House, thereby encouraging students to get involved in a range of school activities. Student Leaders Student leadership is open to any student in Year 6. Outside of School and House Captains, there are a range of other leadership roles, such as for ICT, Media, French, Science, Art, Library, Academic and more. The leadership group is elected from the Year 5 students during their time in Term 4. Students nominate for two leadership positions and then prepare and present a speech that is given to the Year 5 students, as well as the Year 5 staff and members of the leadership team. Students and staff vote for their preferred candidates and the ultimate decision rests with the School Principal and Deputy Principal.

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 2026 . Applications for Prep 2027 are now. We do not accept applications for more than 12 months in advance, so are not accepting applications for other year levels for 2027. It is important to note that a lot of year levels are already full for 2026 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. Vision, Values and Logo A school's vision and values speak to the core of the school and what it believes in. Our logo is a well-known symbol that represents the school's history and mantra of walking in the footsteps of the Lord. School Vision St Patrick’s Primary school works in partnership with families, the parish and the community both locally and global. Together the whole school community developed its Vision statement in 2017. “St Patrick’s is a Catholic learning community. We commit to being a school where all members have an opportunity to flourish in an inclusive relational environment. We believe in developing active and curious learners. We aspire to be compassionate and responsive to the needs of all.” School Values We value celebrating Catholic traditions, engaging in dialogue and critically reflecting on faith in a contemporary context, and that social justice is an integral part of our Catholic faith. We value and nurture a caring community of staff, students and parents by promoting the values of respect, tolerance and co-operation. We value that every child at St Patrick’s should experience 12 months growth in 12 months. We value that personalised learning is embedded in our curriculum with student engagement, rigorous teaching and purposeful learning in all areas of the curriculum. We value that all students should accept responsibility for their own learning and need to develop a higher level of self-esteem which in turn will lead to resilience and empathy. We value the criteria for St. Patrick’s Primary School to be Child Safe compliant. We value a staff culture that is characterised by a shared vision and a strong sense of team work. We value the involvement of all families and community groups in the life of the school. School Logo The St Patrick's school logo is: In the Footsteps of the Lord The motto was selected after a school-wide competition was run in 1988. The competition was won by a Year 3 class (3J) after one of their families had discussed the competition around the dinner table and spoke about how at times in life Jesus may have helped and how they could live like Him, hence "In the Footsteps of the Lord". The class submitted that motto and won and it has been the school motto ever since.

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. 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. Physical Education Sport, recreation and play are essential attributes in the physical and social development of our students at St. Patrick’s. Sport also helps to define culture and our PE program includes interschool Summer and Winter Sport Carnivals. Not only does sport develop specific physical skills, it also improves health, fitness, develop social skills, friendships, team work and fair play. At St. Patrick’s Primary School, Physical Education is an important part of the curriculum. Students participate and enjoy a one hour lesson each week of Physical Education (PE) and our aim is to provide ALL students with: Physical activities that encourage maximum participation, are inclusive and fun and cater for all student’s needs. Various challenging activities to engage, maintain interest and increase student enjoyment in physical activity. To develop students Fundamental Motor Skills (FMS) and sporting skills so they can participate confidently in a wide range of physical activities and sport. We are a 'Sporting School' at St Patrick's and each year we provide opportunities for our students to enjoy a range of different sports, delivered by specialist coaches. Click here to find out how this initiative benefits our children. At the end of each year, St. Patrick’s holds its own sports carnival where the focus is on participation and having fun. Students compete for their house, Chisholm, McAuley, Morrison or O’Rourke, earning points throughout the day. Inter-School Sporting Carnivals The Interschool Sport program runs separately to the Physical Education program for students in Grades Three to Six. It incorporates swimming, cross-country and athletics carnivals. It is a voluntary program, where students who wish to participate, are required to trial for different events. Students who are successful in gaining a place in these teams, participate firstly at the Mitchell District level against other local primary schools. From the District level, students who achieve a first or second placing go on to compete at the Whittlesea Division level and from here they may be successful to compete at the Northern Metropolitan Region level. More information about this can be seen below as part of School Sports Victoria. In addition to these carnivals, all Grade Six students participate in Interschool Summer and Winter Sports. These sports include basketball, softball, rounders and modified cricket for the summer and netball, AFL, soccer and tee-ball for the winter carnivals. School Sport Victoria St. Patrick’s has a long and proud history of students from Year 3 to 6 competing in School Sport Victoria (SSV) events. Trials are held at school and students are selected for the District Team based upon their commitment, respect and skill in their chosen sport. If successful at District events students will get the opportunity to compete at Division, Regional and State Championships. The ‘Mitchell District’ competitions are: Swimming, Cross Country and Athletics. NB: Students can also compete at a National level and would have to attend a trial for their respective sport, which is organised through School Sport Victoria (SSV). Parents and Carers, please click here https://www.ssv.vic.edu.au/ for further information on the nomination process and selection for state teams. Participation in School Sport Victoria events are an extremely important part of a child's learning here at St Patrick's Primary School. Have you got a sporting achievement that you are proud of! You can print off your Participation Certificate, by selecting the relevant button and typing in your details. This can be accessed in the School Sports Victoria website link: https://www.ssv.vic.edu.au/Pages/ParticipationCertificates.aspx 2025 Program Pathways to Excellence - Victorian All Schools Track & Field and Cross-Country Championships St. Pat’s students that are interested in representing Victoria in Track & Field and Cross Country at a national level will need to compete in Athletics Victoria (AV) organised events to qualify. Parents and carers please click on the following link for further information: http://athsvic.org.au/events/competitions/avcompetitions/schools/

St Patrick's Primary School is a Catholic education provider in Kilmore, Victoria where we work collaboratively to maximise student outcomes. Anti-bullying Bullying is a global problem that is not confined to schools. It is something that people of all ages, with all backgrounds, and in any social, educational or workplace environment may witness, be subjected to, or participate in, at any time in life. What is bullying? The national definition of bullying for Australian schools was developed by the Safe and Supportive School Communities Working Group . This national group includes all state, territory and federal education departments, as well as national Catholic and independent schooling representatives. The definition of bullying has been developed as part of the National Safe Schools Framework and can be found on the Australian Government's Student Wellbeing Hub. Bullying is an ongoing misuse of power in relationships through repeated verbal, physical and/or social behaviour that causes physical and/or psychological harm. It can involve an individual or a group misusing their power over one or more persons. Bullying can happen in person or online, and it can be obvious (overt) or hidden (covert). Bullying of any form or for any reason can have long-term effects on those involved, including bystanders. Single incidents and conflict or fights between equals, whether in person or online, are not defined as bullying. What is NOT bullying? Behaviours that do not constitute bullying include: mutual arguments and disagreements (where there is no power imbalance ) not liking someone or a single act of social rejection one-off acts of meanness or spite isolated incidents of aggression, intimidation or violence. However, these conflicts still need to be addressed and resolved. Types of bullying. There are three types of bullying behaviour: Verbal bullying which includes name calling or insulting someone about physical characteristics such as their weight or height, or other attributes including race, sexuality, culture, or religion Physical bullying which includes hitting or otherwise hurting someone, shoving or intimidating another person, or damaging or stealing their belongings Social bullying which includes consistently excluding another person or sharing information or images that will have a harmful effect on the other person. If any of these behaviours occur only once, or are part of a conflict between equals (no matter how inappropriate) they are not bullying. The behaviours alone don't define bullying. Verbal, physical and social bullying can occur in person or online, directly or indirectly, overtly or covertly. Setting – in person and online Bullying can happen in person or online settings. Online bullying is sometimes called cyberbullying. Verbal, physical and social bullying can happen in person . Verbal and social bullying can happen online , as can threats of physical bullying. Specific features of online settings create additional concern for students, parents and carers, and teachers. For example, bullying someone online can potentially have an enormous audience. Research shows that children who are bullied online are often also bullied in person. This means that effectively dealing with online bullying means looking at other situations as well. Means – direct and indirect Bullying can be by direct or indirect means. Direct bullying occurs between the people involved, whereas indirect actions involve others, for example passing on insults or spreading rumours. Indirect bullying mostly inflicts harm by damaging another's social reputation, peer relationships and self-esteem. Visibility – overt and covert Bullying can be easy to see, called overt, or hidden from those not directly involved, called covert. Overt bullying involves physical actions such as punching or kicking or observable verbal actions such as name-calling and insulting. Overt, direct, physical bullying is a common depiction of bullying. (This is sometimes called 'traditional bullying'). But overt physical bullying may not be the most common type of bullying. Covert bullying can be almost impossible for people outside the interpersonal interaction to identify. Covert bullying can include repeatedly using hand gestures and weird or threatening looks, whispering, excluding or turning your back on a person, restricting where a person can sit and who they can talk with. Covert social or verbal bullying can be subtle and even sometimes denied by a person who claims they were joking or 'just having fun'. Some bullying is both covert and indirect, such as subtle social bullying, usually intentionally hidden, and very hard for others to see. This type of bullying is often unacknowledged at school, and can include spreading rumours, threatening, blackmailing, stealing friends, breaking secrets, gossiping and criticising clothes and personalities. Indirect covert bullying mostly inflicts harm by damaging another's social reputation, peer relationships and self-esteem, that is, through psychological harm rather than physical harm. Harm – physical and psychological Bullying has the potential to cause harm (although not all unwanted actions necessarily cause harm). The physical harm caused by some types of bullying is well recognised. More recently, research has confirmed that short and long term psychological harm can result from bullying. This includes the harm to a person's social standing or reducing a person's willingness to socialise through bullying (particularly covert social bullying). In fact, just the fear of bullying happening can create distress and harm. The ongoing nature of bullying can lead to the person being bullied feeling powerless and unable to stop it from happening. The effects of bullying, particularly on the mental health and wellbeing of those involved, including bystanders, can continue even after the situation is resolved. Roles in bullying The roles within bullying are: as the person being bullied as the person bullying someone else as a person who witnesses bullying happening or knows about someone being bullied. A student who is bullied in one context may do the bullying in another, and a student who sees bullying in one context may be bullied in another, as individual students may take on different roles in bullying on different days, in different circumstances or with different peers. Being bullied Bullying is not a harmless part of growing up. The most obvious and immediate effect is reducing students' participation, learning and enjoyment of school. Other impacts include physical health complaints and fatigue, mental health impacts such as depression and anxiety, and social implications including self-doubt and reluctance to participate in group activities. Many students who are bullied online are also bullied in person. Just as bullying in person can cause harm, being bullied online can lead to social, psychological and educational issues. Some research into the impacts later in life has suggested that online bullying leads to more significant negative impacts, but research asking students directly what they think at the time found the majority considered bullying in person to be more harmful. The most significant negative impacts have been reported in students who have been subject to direct and relational forms of bullying. Bullying can create high levels of social anxiety and a sense of loss of dignity and 'agency'. Agency is the sense of control a person has over what happens to them and their life, and their ability to make choices. Feeling powerless and unable to stop the bullying can lead to lasting harm. Feelings of anxiety, fear and distress about being excluded and being treated with contempt can continue away from the school setting for students who experience bullying in person or online. Bullying others The impact for students who bully others depends on whether the bullying is short-term or persists over years. Some students engage in bullying for a short time only and then stop either because they realise it is inappropriate or the school supports them to learn more appropriate behaviour . A small group of students continue to bully others over many years. Students who persistently bully others have been found to have later issues in mental health and educational outcomes, as well as showing criminal and anti-social behaviour . These outcomes do not necessarily mean their bullying behaviour results in the later outcomes and the criminal behaviour. It is possible something else in the child's attributes, environment or experience contributes to both. However, these later outcomes suggest that persistent bullying is an important warning sign of ongoing problems. Schools and parents/carers need to support those who bully others to learn more appropriate ways to get on with others and deal with conflict and social challenges. Being a bystander Students who see bullying happening can also experience negative impacts. Many students who are bystanders to bullying feel distress and anxiety about seeing something they consider to be wrong. Students can also feel distress about not knowing what to do. Students may be concerned about their own safety or potential loss of social status. They may be afraid of being bullied themselves if they say something. Students who see bullying happening to others may also doubt whether they are generally safe at school. Research shows that frequent bullying and reports by students of feeling unsafe at school are closely linked. Feeling unsafe can have a negative impact on learning and participating for all students. Some researchers suggest that bystanders are key to stopping bullying, but these students are also part of the peer group and there may well be issues for them if they speak up. Students weigh up a number of factors to decide if they should intervene, including their relationship with those involved, the apparent seriousness and impact, whether they think someone else should intervene, and their opinion of the person being bullied. More information The information provided here has come from the "Bullying, No Way!" website. For more information on bullying, please head to their website, which can be found here . St Patrick's Positive Relationships Policy can be found here , and our Cyber Safety Policy can be found here . St Patrick's have also run a number of forums on bullying and cyber safety and they can be found here: BULLYING CYBERSAFETY

St Patrick's Primary School is a Catholic education provider in Kilmore, Victoria where we work collaboratively to maximise student outcomes. First Aid St Patrick's Primary School values students' safety and as such employ a first aid officer during school hours, being 8:30 to 3:30pm, who present to the first aid office/sick bay. Our First Aid Officer holds certificates in First Aid (Level 2), CPR, Anaphylaxis, Asthma management, as well as participating in ongoing professional development in areas such as diabetes, haemophilia and epilepsy, but should students attend with a specific health need, additional training will be provided. For all first aid queries, provision of documentation, etc, please email: firstaid@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au Asthma For students that suffer from Asthma, the school requires an Asthma Management Plan to be completed by the student's medical practitioner and returned to school by the start of Term 1 via the SIMON Everywhere and the Parent Access Module (PAM) or in hard copy to the office. Copies of the Asthma Management Plan document can be found here . Anaphylaxis For students that suffer from anaphylaxis, the school requires an Anaphylaxis Management Plan to be completed by the student's medical practitioner and returned to school by the start of Term 1 via the SIMON Everywhere and the Parent Access Module (PAM) or in hard copy to the office. Copies of the Anaphylaxis Management Plan document can be found here . Some of the risk management strategies we ask all families to remember are; No food is to be shared at school. When celebrating a birthday, food cannot be shared or handed out. Alternatively children may like to bring some stickers, stamps or pencils to share. Although the school does not ban any particular foods, we do ask all parents to be mindful of other students allergies when packing lunchboxes, particularly if there is a child with an allergy in the same class.

St Patrick's Primary School is a Catholic education provider in Kilmore, Victoria where we work collaboratively to maximise student outcomes. School Facilities St Patrick's prides itself on the beautiful facilities that it provides to its students. Despite having such great facilities on offer to the students, the school is continuously striving to update and improve these resources to ensure that the students have the necessary spaces and resources to maximise their learning outcomes. Art Room The school has a dedicated art room which is used as part of the school's specialist class program. In addition to all of the usual equipment for painting, printing, modelling, textiles and construction, St Patrick's is one of few schools in the area that also have a kiln to allow the school to offer clay modelling as well. Stadium Health and physical education is a core component of the curriculum and the school has a very well-equipped indoor sports stadium. The facilities include a full-sized basketball/netball court, stadium seating along one side with a performance stage on the other side. There are also office and classroom spaces, as well as the canteen to one end of the building. Library The school has a very well-resourced library which is accessible to all students on a number of occasions during a school week. In addition to the usual book borrowing and changing of weekly readers, the library also maintains a store of laptops for student use. The library space is also used during recess and lunchtime for various specialist programs and extra-curricular clubs. More information about some of the school programs can be found here and extra-curricular clubs here . Science The school values science as part of the Victorian curriculum. The specialist science room is resourced with a variety of equipment such as microscopes, environmental and other equipment, and has a large open space floor plan to allow students to be creative during experiments. Netball Courts The school netball area has three plexipave-surfaced courts, along with two mobile basketball rings. This area is open to students to use during recess and lunchtime, as well as being opened to the senior students before school. The netball courts are also utilised by the St Patrick's Netball Club for games on Saturday mornings during the season, along with training after school during the week. Sports Oval A school day can be long for some students, so the ability to run around at recess and lunchtime is very important. The school oval is a large grassed space for students to engage is ball sports such as football (with padded goal posts at each end) and a soccer goal net. The school oval is irrigated through an onsite bore and sprinkler system to ensure that the surface is well-grassed year-round to make it as safe as possible. Playground Play is a vital element to a student's time at school, not only for the physical activity aspect, but the social interaction and learnings that a student gains as well. The school "adventure playground" provides students with a range of activities including a sandpit, monkey bars, climbing frames, flying foxes and slide. Community Garden The school has a number of garden areas at the school to help teach students about the environment and healthy eating. The school community garden near the netball courts is a great opportunity for students to learn about things like recycling, composting and exactly where our food comes from. Parents are welcomed and encouraged to come and assist with the ongoing work in the community garden. School Canteen The school has a large canteen space that is utilised for providing a school lunch order service four days a week, as well as being used to cater for various activities that take place in the sports stadium such as movie nights, discos and parent forums. For more information about the school canteen service, please go to the canteen webpage here .

St Patrick's Primary School is a Catholic education provider in Kilmore, Victoria where we work collaboratively to maximise student outcomes. Prayer Prayer is a personal response to God’s presence and is a form of communicating with God. It fosters a personal and living relationship with God and nourishes the spiritual growth of all members of the school community. Each class takes time out of the day to pray. There are many ways of communicating with God. Students are encouraged to participate and lead prayers at assemblies, in classrooms during liturgical celebrations and at Mass. All students have opportunities to experience prayer situations, which are: • FORMAL - to learn words, songs and gestures that will help students to pray. • PUBLIC - to share aloud a prayer or prayer intention. • PRIVATE - to listen as well as speak to God personally. • SILENT - to engage in reflection, meditation or times of silence. Classes begin the day with either Christian Meditation or Prayer. All members of the school community are invited to participate in Christian Meditation and Prayer at the beginning of the day. Prayer commences with The Sign of the Cross and a scripture reading. Prayer concludes with St Patrick pray for us and we always remember to pray for one another. The staff, Parents and Friends Committee and School Advisory Council commence their meetings with prayer. Sacred Space/Prayer Table A prominent place in learning spaces is provided as a focus for prayer and a constant reminder of the presence and closeness of God. A different colour cloth is displayed for each of the liturgical seasons. The following is placed on every prayer table: a Bible, Crucifix, Candle to represent the light of Christ present during class prayer time and Resources – prayer book, biblical pictures, children’s Bible stories. Various religious icons and artefacts brought in by students can be placed on prayer tables. Morning Prayer Morning Prayer occurs on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Students pray before lunch and at the end of the school day. Prayer may also occur at other times throughout the day. At the beginning of every school year, each class creates their own class prayer to start their morning prayer. Christian Meditation On Monday, Wednesday and Friday we commence the day with Christian Meditation that is a form of Contemplative Prayer. The whole school sits in quietness and stillness. This allows all to continue to build a relationship with God while slowing down one’s breathing. The purpose is to clear one’s mind of outside concerns so that God’s voice may be more easily heard. Meal time prayer Year Prep and Year One students are encouraged to pray a simple prayer before the lunch time meal. Students in Year Two to Year 6 say grace using a traditional prayer. End of school day prayer Classes are encouraged to pray the traditional prayer of Hail Mary or Our Father to conclude the day. School prayer St Patrick's has a school prayer which is part of the daily prayers undertaken in the school. It is as follows: Let us remember we are in the Holy presence of God and each other. Au nom du père, du fils et du Saint-Esprit. Amen Upon this ancient land of the Taungurung people, we pray together: Loving God, Inspire us to learn with each other in the community. Give us strength to show love and compassion like the Mercy Sisters and Marist Brothers. We honour all those who have come before us. Help us flourish in all that we do. In the way of Mary, help us to be strong and true. St Patrick and St Marcellin, Priez pour nous. Mary our good mother, pray for us. And may we always remember to... pray for one another. In the name of the father, the son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

St Patrick's Primary School is a Catholic education provider in Kilmore, Victoria where we work collaboratively to maximise student outcomes. NAPLAN St Patrick's participates in the annual NAPLAN testing for Years 3 and 5. NAPLAN is conducted online during May each year. It tests a variety of literacy and numeracy skills and is just one of many assessments that St Patrick's uses throughout the year to judge a student's academic progress. NAPLAN (National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy), is an annual assessment for all students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. It tests the types of skills that are essential for every child to progress through school and life. The tests cover skills in reading, writing, spelling, grammar and punctuation, and numeracy. The assessments are undertaken every year in the second full week in May. The test is administered by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), which is the independent statutory authority responsible for the overall management of the Australian National Assessment Program, in collaboration with representatives from all states and territories and non-government school sectors. NAPLAN is made up of tests in four areas: reading writing language conventions (spelling, grammar and punctuation); and numeracy. NAPLAN test results provide information on how students are performing in the areas of literacy and numeracy and support improvements in teaching and learning. The data from NAPLAN test results gives schools and systems the ability to measure their students’ achievements against national minimum standards and student performance in other states and territories. Reports on individual student performance are provided to all students and parents/carers by the states and territories. NAPLAN results are also reported nationally through summary results released in August and a full national report released in December. Whilst St Patrick's Primary School actively participate in the NAPLAN testing, it is not seen by the school as a be-all-end-all test, as it is just part of an ongoing testing regime that the school does to keep close check of student's performances. Parents and students should be aware that an unexpected result in a NAPLAN test is unusual, but should it occur, the school will work with the student and family to identify what may have contributed to the results. For more information on NAPLAN, go to the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority website here or the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority website here . *Source: www.nap.edu.au