To our Chelsea Primary School Community,

As we move into the final stretch of the 2025 school year, I would like to pause and sincerely thank our entire community for what has been another outstanding year at Chelsea Primary School.

While we still have a busy and exciting final week ahead, it already feels like a natural moment to reflect on everything our students, staff and families have achieved together this year.

A Year to Be Proud Of

2025 has been filled with growth, learning, challenge and celebration. Our students have continued to demonstrate resilience, kindness and commitment to their learning, and our staff have once again shown extraordinary dedication to providing a safe, structured and high-quality learning environment for every child.

Some of the many highlights across the year include:

• School camps that built confidence, independence and lifelong memories
• Whole-school sporting events and carnivals
• Assemblies that celebrated student voice, leadership and achievement
• Incursions, excursions and enrichment programs across every year level
• Step Into Prep and transition programs preparing our youngest learners
• The Colour Fun Run and community fundraising events
• Cultural, wellbeing and awareness days celebrated across the year
• The continued strengthening of our explicit teaching and learning model

And still to come next week:

• Chelsea PS Christmas Carols
• Lifesaving programs
• Year 6 Graduation, Big Day Out and Picnic
• Final whole-school assembly
• End-of-year dismissal and celebrations

These final events are always deeply special moments in the life of a school.

Our Community Makes the Difference

Chelsea Primary School is strong because of its people. Our families continue to be incredible partners in learning — supporting classrooms, attending events, volunteering, supporting fundraising efforts and working alongside us in the best interests of children.

Your trust, support and engagement make a real difference every single day.

Farewells

As always at this time of year, we farewell families who are completing their journey with us, particularly our Year 6 families, and those who are moving on to new chapters elsewhere. We thank you for being part of the Chelsea community and wish you every success in the years ahead.

To our graduating Year 6 students — we are so proud of you. You leave Chelsea carrying our values of:

• Respect
• Responsibility
• Resilience
• Relationships

We know you will take these with you into secondary school and beyond. Please remember, you will always be part of the Chelsea family.

Looking Ahead to 2026

We are already deep into planning for a strong and successful start to 2026. Next year will bring:

• Increased enrolments
• New learning spaces and staffing structures
• 20 grade classes and over 400 students
• Continued focus on explicit teaching, structured intervention and wellbeing
• Ongoing growth in student support and inclusion

Families will continue to receive updates as we move through transition and preparation.

A Final Thank You

On behalf of the entire Chelsea Primary School staff, thank you for an outstanding year. The partnerships between home and school are what allow our students to thrive, and we are incredibly grateful for your support.

We look forward to sharing the final special moments of 2025 with you across next week’s celebrations.

Wishing all families a safe, restful and joyful holiday season ahead.

Warm regards,
Taylor Irish
Principal
Chelsea Primary School

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Important dates to remember:

Monday 15th December
Lifesaving - Grades 3&4 11am-1pm
Lifesaving - Grades 5&6 1-3pm

Tuesday 16th December
Grade 5 Big Day In
Lifesaving - Foundation 9:30-10:30am
Lifesaving - Grade 1 10:30am-12pm
Lifesaving - Grade 2 12-1:30pm
Grade 6 Graduation at Patterson River Golf Club

Wednesday 17th December
Grade 6 Big Day Out at Luna Park

Thursday 18th December - Last day of school for students
Grade 6 Picnic 11:30am-12:30pm
Final Assembly 12:30-1:15pm
Students Dismissed at 1:30pm
Happy holidays!

Friday 19th December
Curriculum Day - No students at school

Tuesday 27th January 2026
Curriculum Day - No students at school

Wednesday 28th January
Students return to school at 9am
Foundation half day - finish at 1:30pm

Thursday 29th January
Foundation half day - finish at 1:30pm

Friday 30th January
Foundation half day - finish at 1:30pm

Monday 2nd February
First Assembly - Welcome Foundation students and Grade 6 Leaders

Wednesday 4th February
No Foundation students at school

Thursday 5th February
Grade 5/6 Aspire Higher Program 9am-3:30pm

Wednesday 11th February
No Foundation students at school

Wednesday 18th February
No Foundation students at school

Wednesday 25th February
No Foundation students at school

Friday 27th February
District Swimming

Wednesday 4th March
No Foundation students at school

Monday 9th March
LABOUR DAY PUBLIC HOLIDAY

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A friendly reminder that book packs are now available for families to purchase through Winc.

To help every child start the year feeling confident and ready, all students will need a 2026 Book Pack (their stationery and textbooks for the year). We strongly encourage ordering through Winc — it’s simple to use, well-priced, and ensures every child has the same resources as their peers on Day 1.

Order here:
https://www.wincschools.com.au/VIC/Chelsea/Chelsea-Primary-School

Access Key: 5NR4E

Please order by Tuesday 6 January 2026 for free delivery to the school so your child’s pack is ready and waiting for the first day of Term 1.

Textbooks Used from Day One
Please note that several key learning programs begin immediately in Week 1. These textbooks are included in the book pack and must be ordered:
Spelling Mastery
PRIME Maths
New Wave Mental Maths

These programs form a core part of our structured literacy and numeracy approach, so having the correct books on Day 1 is essential.

If voluntary contributions feel overwhelming right now, please don’t worry — families are welcome to pay those gradually across the year. The most important thing at this stage is securing the Book Pack. Winc also offers Zip Pay, and our office team is always here to support families confidentially if finances are tight.

Please contact our office for any assistance or queries.

Thank you for helping us set your child up for a smooth, positive start to 2026.

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During Term 4, our Year 4, 5 and 6 students immersed themselves in a rich and meaningful exploration of Korean language and culture. One of the highlights of the semester was our special partnerships with several schools in Daegu, South Korea, where students were paired with a Korean buddy through a virtual cultural-exchange program.

Throughout the term, students developed their Hangeul reading and writing skills and applied them in a purposeful and authentic way by writing letters in Korean to their buddies. These letters were thoughtfully crafted and shared alongside small gifts that represented aspects of Australian culture. In return, our students excitedly received letters and gifts from Korea, building a genuine sense of connection and curiosity about life in another country.

This exchange not only supported language development but also fostered global awareness, empathy and intercultural understanding. Students gained insights into Korean school life, traditions and daily routines, while proudly sharing their own Australian experiences.

We are incredibly proud of the enthusiasm, creativity and respect our students demonstrated throughout this cultural-exchange journey. It has been a memorable semester of learning, friendship and meaningful international connection.

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What an amazing Term 4 of PE at Chelsea!

It has been a pleasure teaching all the students and seeing their growth and development. During the term, we had a cricket incursion from Bonbeach Cricket Club which saw the Foundation and Grade 1 students practice their batting, bowling and fielding. Grades 2-6 participated in tennis and cricket and had the opportunity to practice their skills and play as a team, encouraging and supporting each other.

I want to congratulate our Grade 6 students on completing their primary school PE journey, and I hope you all continue to stay active through secondary school and beyond.

To all our students, Merry Christmas, happy New Year and I hope you enjoy the holiday season with your family and friends. For those students returning in 2026, can't wait to see you all back and to a fun and instructive year of PE in 2026.

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What an incredible Term 4 we’ve had in Foundation!

We are so proud of everything our students have achieved. It’s hard to believe we only have a few days left with this amazing group. While we know they are absolutely ready for the adventure of Grade 1, we’re feeling a little sentimental about saying goodbye to such a bright, enthusiastic cohort.

Throughout the term, our Foundation learners have continued to grow in confidence and skill across all areas of their learning. In Phonics, we stretched ourselves by exploring some Grade 1 sounds and diving deeper into tricky words and spelling patterns. It has been wonderful to see students applying this knowledge so independently in their reading and writing.

In English, our weekly Dare to Write sessions have been a real highlight. Students used picture prompts to inspire imaginative narratives, and we have been blown away by their ability to include a clear beginning, middle, and end. Their creativity and storytelling voices have truly blossomed.

In Maths, we explored place value and worked with numbers beyond 20. Students enjoyed using hands-on materials to build, compare, and represent numbers in different ways, strengthening their understanding of number relationships.

Our Integrated Studies unit on farm animals was a hit! We learned about animal families, their features, and how farms work. Of course, our excursion to The Big Goose was a standout moment — the excitement, curiosity, and joy on the day made it unforgettable for students and teachers alike.

We asked our Foundation students what their favourite moments of Term 4 were, and the top answers were: The Big Goose excursion, the Colour Fun Run, and Korean Day. When asked what they’re most excited about as they move into Grade 1, many shared that they can’t wait to make new friends and meet their new teacher.

It has been a privilege watching our students grow this year — socially, academically, and as confident young learners. We are incredibly proud of them and can’t wait to see all they achieve in Grade 1!

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The Junior Years have had a busy Term 4!

We have had a huge focus on student wellbeing, collecting data for reports and upholding our Schoolwide Positive Behaviours. It has been awesome to witness the student’s discussions and understandings and see all the incredible growth they have made.

The students have enjoyed so many activities that celebrate their wonderful year together and provided opportunities to socialise with other students within the year levels. We have had Korean day, where our Year 1’s learnt Taekwondo and our Year 2’s did some Korean Art. Our School Colour Fun run, crazy hair and socks day, and our STEM incursion with Cosmodome – learning all about space!

In addition to all that fun, the Grade 1’s also had their excursion to Dinosaur World! Where they used their new knowledge of Dinosaurs, digging for fossils and going on a dinosaur walk. It was a fantastic day.

Our Year 2 students have been learning about inventions, persuasive writing, grammar concepts and reading skills that help go deeper into comprehension, looking past the surface level of a text. In Maths, we have looked at time, measurement and had some fun using directional language in mapping.

Both year levels also enjoyed presenting all their learning at our Junior School Assemblies.

We have had such a wonderful year and are so proud of all our students have achieved this year.

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Wow, what a wonderful Term 4 we have had in the Middle Years!

This term has been jam-packed with so many events for the students to enjoy, such as Wear it Red Day, Crazy Hair and Sock Day (thank you so much for your incredibly generous donations), Korean Day, Colour Fun Run (another thank you for your generous donations!), STEM Space Incursions, a Robotics and VR Incursion (year 4s), and Christmas Carols! Can you believe we have been able to enjoy so many events this term?!

The Year 4s have been loving their mentor text The Wild Robot. We are all very invested in Roz the Robots journey, as she discovers life on an island, as well as discovering herself! We cannot wait to see how the story ends. We have been learning lots about robots and technology alongside this, making our Robotics and VR Incursion the perfect learning experience.

In Year 3, students have been learning all about Chinese Dynasties; the different ruling families in China. They have been able to learn all about the different emperors and empresses, and how these rulers impacted life in China.

In both Year 3 and 4, students have developed their understanding of money in Maths. Year 3s have been working hard to consolidate their understanding of vertical multiplication and subtraction, with a focus on regrouping. Year 4s have been building their understanding of different measurement types. 

We are so incredibly proud of the amazing effort from all the middle school students this year. Everyone has shown tremendous growth, both academically and personally. Well done to the middle school on a great 2025, we wish you all the best next year!

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Senior School News

What a HUGE and AWESOME Term 4 it has been in the Senior School!

There has been a lot squeezed into our final term of 2025 in Year 5 and 6. In addition to our classroom learning, we have enjoyed swimming lessons, Crazy Hair & Sock Day, interschool sport, the incredible Colour Fun Run, excursions to the city and days out, Korean Day, and our final week of events – sailing, lifesaving, transition and graduation week (for Year 6). In our term for Relationships, it has been lovely to see new or deeper friendships developing amongst the cohort and the classes having fun finishing off the year together.

We also wish to say a massive thank to the Senior School families for the support and generosity given to the students and the school. This includes the learning support at home, as well as donations of time and money to great causes and our own Chelsea Primary School facilities.

English:

This term, Year 5 students have been deeply engaged in their novel study of Black Cockatoo, writing slam poetry, and working hard preparing their leadership speeches for the upcoming year. It’s been fantastic to see them confidently use persuasive techniques to captivate their audience. Their creativity, passion, and commitment truly shone through—setting a great example of future leadership!

Year 6 students have been engrossed in their own novel study of Us Mob Walawurru, exploring themes about the deep connection of Country and family in Australian Indigenous culture. In addition, Year 6s have been busy writing biographies about their choice of a famous Indigenous Australian and their own special person. These were a joy to read!

Maths:

Term 4 focused on point-of-need in Maths, concentrating on the concepts and skills that required some deeper application and understanding from the year. We also continued a focus on practising our times tables, to make sure this foundation skill is increasingly fluent leading into next year. The cohort showcased a great resilience to strengthen their proficiency and confidence prior to then completing a wide range of assessments across the strands including number, measurement and probability. As we approach the end of the year, our focus remains on ensuring students feel prepared and empowered for the next step in their Maths journey. In particular, the Year 6 students have been exposed to some Year 7 maths content including algebraic expressions. 

Important Dates:  

The following events are coming up for the Seniors as we progress into our final week of the year.

• Monday 15^th December: Lifesaving
• Tuesday 16^th: Year 5 Big Day in and Year 6 Graduation
• Wednesday 17^th December: Year 6 Big Day Out – Luna Park
• Thursday 18^th December: Year 6 family picnic, and final assembly – 1:30pm dismissal.

Again, we would like to thank all our families for your ongoing support and guidance. Our jobs wouldn’t be possible without this assistance.

Team Senior: Miss A, Mrs Savory, Miss Ebbott and Mr Munday, and our amazing ES team!

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