18 June 2025

Welcome

Building Student Independence and Resilience

At Kensington Public School, we believe in helping students grow not only in their academic learning but also in their personal development. Two key life skills we focus on are independence and resilience. Independence means being able to do things for ourselves without always needing help, and resilience means being able to bounce back and keep trying, even when things get tough or don’t go our way.

Developing independence and resilience in primary school helps children feel confident and capable. These are skills that will serve them well beyond the school gate. When students practise taking responsibility—for example, doing up their own shoelaces, packing and carrying their own school bag, or remembering to hand in their homework—they are developing habits that will help them become organised, reliable, and ready for high school and beyond. These small daily tasks build strong foundations for future success.

Resilience is equally important. It’s natural to make mistakes or experience setbacks, but how we respond to those challenges shapes our ability to cope with life’s ups and downs. Whether it’s dealing with a friendship 'hiccup' or trying again after a low-test score, students who practise resilience learn that mistakes are part of learning, and that persistence brings growth. These early experiences help children build emotional strength and problem-solving skills for later life. 

As a school community, we can support independence and resilience by allowing students to try things for themselves, encouraging them to keep going when things are difficult, and celebrating effort and progress as much as results. With time, guidance, and consistent support, our students will continue to grow into capable, confident, and resilient learners who are ready to thrive in the wider world.

Warm regards,
Ms Louise Stone
Principal

Education Week

2026 Enrolment Reminder

A reminder that if you have a sibling or know children enrolling in Kindergarten for 2026 please encourage them to submit an online enrolment by visiting the department website https://education.nsw.gov.au/public-schools/going-to-a-public-school/enrolment or the KPS website https://kensington-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/about-our-school/enrolment.html.

Upcoming Dates

Thursday 19 June – Year 6 STEM Incursion
Sunday 22 June – Year 6 BBQ Bunnings
Monday 23 June – Stage 2 Robotics Incursion
Monday 23 June – Year 2 Vaucluse House Excursion
Wednesday 23 June - Debate Round 3 Rainbow Street Public School
Thursday 25 June – SRC Mufti Day Aboriginal Torres Strait AFL Colours

Library Donation - It's Tax Time!

School Photo Day and Group Photo Day

Our School Photo Day is on Tuesday 22 July, our first day back! And Group Photo Day will be on Thursday 24 July. All sibling photos will be taken during the recess and lunch breaks on both days. Envelopes for sibling photos can be picked up from the office soon.

Please see our next newsletter in Week 10 for requirements for both days.

Student Wellbeing @ KPS

Focus of the Fortnight

Across the school, students are exploring and revisiting our Focus of the Fortnight skills and values.

Each term students are invited to vote for the Student of the Term. This coveted award celebrates positive behaviour and the achievements of peers, teaching students to recognise how they can advocate for themselves and others. Parents and carers of students that are awarded Student of the Term are invited to attend an assembly. Please note, so that we can have all classes/recipients present for the SOT assembly, we have moved it to Thursday 26 June at 2:30 pm under the COLA.

The New NSW Public Schools Student Survey (NPSS)

During Week 9 (next week), we are offering our Year 3, Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6 students the opportunity to participate in the NSW Public Schools Student Survey. The survey will replace the Tell Them From Me Survey and gives students the chance to share their thoughts and feelings about life at school, including questions about their engagement, learning experiences and wellbeing at school. There will be no parent, carer or staff survey this year.

Hearing directly from our students will help us understand what’s working well and where improvements can be made to our school. The survey is confidential, takes around 10 to 15 minutes to complete, and will be conducted online during school hours.

Opt-out Consent Form

Participation is voluntary. If you prefer your child not to participate, please complete the opt-out consent form by Wednesday 18th June, which will be sent home via Schoolzine, and is accessible through the link copied below, and return it to the school. This form only needs to be returned if you do not wish for your child to participate.

Further information about the survey is available at https://education.nsw.gov.au/npss

Getting on Track in Time - Got It Emotion Coaching

As mentioned in our earlier newsletters, our staff are excited to be working with the ‘Getting on Track in Time - Got It!’ team. This team supports the delivery of a specialist early intervention mental health program for children in Kindergarten to Year 2, and their parents and carers. The school-based program helps parents and schools identify children’s social and emotional difficulties and supports them to respond to difficult behaviours.

Got It! is delivered by NSW Health teams in partnership with NSW Department of Education public schools, across two school terms and is designed to reduce the incidence of early behavioural, social and emotional concerns and ultimately the emergence of conduct disorder in young children.

This year, our school and community will be lucky enough to benefit from this program with further information to follow in Term 3.

The ‘Getting on Track in Time - Got It!’ team have shared some of their information via this flyer:

Online Safety and Using Screens Responsibly

Please take a look at some of the fantastic resources taken from https://www.esafety.gov.au/

Build safety skills together

Young people need more digital skills.

• Check they know how to block, delete and report and that they understand why this

is important.

• Check their privacy settings and whether they are sharing their contact details online.
• Discuss the possible pitfalls of sharing passwords and passphrases.
• Check what protections school laptops have when used at home.
• Use parental controls you feel are right for the age and experience of your child.

Using parental controls can help keep children and young people safer online by preventing access to harmful content, managing screen time, and who your child communicates with. Please look at some of these resources to find out more about how you can help your child to stay safe online.

Merit Certificates Week 6 & 7

SRC Update: Term 2 Week 6 - Pyjama Mufti Day

Pyjama Day is one of the favourite days of the year for both students and teachers alike. While the weather outside was chilly, students snuggled up in their cosy onesies and hoodies as they made their way to school. Our pyjamas may have made us feel like snuggling up under a doona, but students had a fun and productive day with friends in all classes. Thank you to our wonderful community who consistently support our school, students and the charities we donate to.

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Round 2 Premier’s Debating Challenge

Kensington Public School debaters battled it out in Round 2 of the Premier’s Debating Challenge against Randwick Public School on Thursday 5th June. Both teams showed Honour, Knowledge and Community as they travelled to Randwick PS who hosted this debate. Our Year 5 team showed great teamwork and communication as they debated the topic “That Year 5 and 6 students should have to write a weekly report to show that they’re keeping up with news and current affairs.” Kensington debaters argued for the negative side and were successful in convincing the adjudicator of their position. Congratulations Year 5 debaters.

Year 6 showed significant improvement in their debate and presented an affirmative argument for the topic “That year 5 and 6 classes should use some of the time they spend on books and English to learn computer programming instead”. The debate was very close but unfortunately Kensington lost this debate.

Congratulations to our debaters!

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Stage 3 STEM Workshop

Year 5 & 6 both had the best time in their STEM workshops. They discussed forces and friction and then used Honeywell's Dragster STEM kits to create and race their own vehicles. We might have some future engineers at KPS! Thank you so much UNSW Robogals for running this amazing program for us!

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Multicultural Perspectives Public Speaking Competition

Students in Stage Two and Three participated in the Multicultural Perspectives Public Speaking Competition this term. Congratulations to Steven, Ariya, Shamika and Estelle who represented Kensington Public School in the Multicultural Perspectives Public Speaking Competition Local Finals at Randwick Public School this week. The Multicultural Perspectives Public Speaking Competition is coordinated by the Arts Unit of the Department of NSW Education.

PSSA Sport Results Week 6 & 7

Message from Sydney East School Sports Association AFL - Well done Honzik!

Last week I had the pleasure of coaching the Sydney East AFL team at the PSSA State Carnival in Western Sydney.

I would like to pass on to you the goodwill and pleasure of being involved with Honzik and his family. He was a fine representative of your school, and you should be proud of his achievements in the team.

Sydney East came 5th overall in the State Championships narrowly losing to strong teams like Riverina and CIS while beating Polding along the way. Honzik played with his trademark skill and courage, and while he celebrated victories, he also took defeat with dignity and reflection.

Many friendships were made over the week, and he sincerely appreciated the opportunity given to him by your school and his parents.

Tim Bellamy
Sydney East School Sports Association AFL Convener


With Thanks from Ronald McDonald House

Thank you again for supporting the food drive for Ronald McDonald House Randwick. They were so delighted with the large donation. There were so many cans of tuna, they’ll also be able to use some in the Family Room to make lunches and snacks. The Family Room is a special place within the Children’s Hospital where family members can wait in between appointments or while their children are receiving treatment. The rest will stock the pantry within the House where families are staying, often for many months. 

P&C Halloween Party 2025 - Volunteers Wanted!

Call out for volunteers to join the 2025 KPS Halloween Party Committee!!

…we want your brains…and hands …

We’re getting ready to plan this year’s Halloween Party at KPS and we’d love your help to make it another amazing night for our kids and families!

Whether you're full of spooky ideas, love decorating, enjoy organising, or just want to lend a hand, there's a place for everyone on the team.

Join the Halloween Volunteer Group on WhatsApp to stay in the loop: Join here

Not on WhatsApp? No problem! Feel free to email me at events@kensingtonpandc.au and I’ll keep you updated.

Let’s make this year’s Halloween Party spooktacular together!

Year 6 Fundraiser

KPS Tea Towel 2025 Edition

KPS Tea Towel 2025 Edition made from 100% cotton

Ideal gift for Father's Day or Christmas

Choose from 2 designs: Kindy - Year 2 or Year 3 - Year 6

$20 each or Set of 3 or Mixed set of 3 - $55

Orders will be delivered to your child in Term 3 by Week 4 (week ending Fri 15 Aug)

Thank you for supporting our Year 6 Parent Committee fundraiser!

FREE Online Parenting Program

Botany Family and Children's Centre is excited to offer a FREE Online Parenting Program for the community, starting in July 2025.

‘Tuning in to Kids’ is an evidence-based parenting program designed to support parents and carers in helping their children understand and manage their emotions. The program focuses on strengthening the connection between parents and their children through emotional intelligence and communication strategies.

Key details:
✔ Start date: Wednesday evening 30th July 2025, 6pm-8pm (5-week program)
✔ Format: Online sessions
✔ Additional support: Extra support appointments available via phone, in person, or Zoom as needed
✔ Resources provided: Participants will receive a book covering course content and a Certificate of Participation

Randwick City Council Resource Recovery Hub - QR code

It seems that some of the QR codes are not working correctly due to a website upgrade I have attached a working QR code. – If you have any queries from users please let them know that the link was to B-Cycle link - https://bcycle.com.au/drop-off/

This is a tool that can be used for people looking for locations to find their nearest drop off points, this is only one of many sites that let people know other locations. Others are:

To recycle batteries near Randwick, NSW, you can visit several locations including Coles, Bunnings, or Woolworths supermarkets, or Officeworks stores. You can also check for battery recycling drop-off points at B-cycle or at your local council facilities, like libraries or community centers. 

Specifically in Randwick, NSW, consider:

• Supermarkets:Coles and Woolworths stores in Randwick or nearby areas often have battery recycling collection points. 
• Bunnings:Bunnings stores in Randwick or nearby may also offer battery recycling. 
• Community Recycling Centres:Your local council, like the City of Randwick, might have Community Recycling Centres or Household Chemical Clean Out events where you can drop off batteries. 
• B-cycle:Check the B-cycle website to find a nearby B-cycle drop-off point. 
• Planet Ark Recycling Near You: This website can help you find specific battery recycling locations, including businesses and community facilities, within the Sydney area. 

Celebrating and Highlighting Our Community

Please email the school with details of any accomplishments that our wonderful community has achieved, and we will publish it in our next newsletter. Don’t forget to include a photo!

During the last school holidays, Nia in Year 3 participated in a photography workshop held at the Australian Maritime Museum. Following the workshop, two of her best photographs were selected for entry into the photography exhibition at the AMA, on 1 June. Well done, Nia!

Community News

Canteen

Uniform Shop

Group Singing Classes Adults

School Holiday Activities

Code Camp

Student Extra Curricula Programs at KPS 2025

Call them directly for information. 

Animal Oz Illustration- Comic Art- Animation

Chess Classes

Class Artz Academy

Directions in Music

DZP Dance & Acting Program

Ricky’s Music Tuition

Swedish School