A-Z Parent Guide

We work on a fortnightly basis, having a whole school assembly every second week. Whole school assemblies begin at 3pm, they are on basketball court, and inside classrooms during wet weather. During assembly we celebrate students’ achievements with Student of the Week awards. These are students who have displayed our school values. Students can also receive awards for displaying exceptional behaviours in the yard. Our School Captains and House Captains run all of our assemblies. Parents are most welcome and encouraged to attend.

Absence – if your child is absent from school, it is a legal requirement to approve the absence by completing an absence note via Sentral or calling the office and leaving a message on our dedicated attendance line. Although we do not want children to attend when they are ill, we encourage children to attend whenever possible. The Victorian Government policy states ‘It’s not ok to be away’.

Late arrivals / Early departures – If it is necessary that your child is late or needs to leave early this must be done via our school office. Parents must sign students in and out via the office.

We use Behaviour Ladders throughout the school, with each classroom displaying one as a visual guide to manage misbehaviour and, more importantly, to acknowledge and reinforce positive and expected behaviour. This approach ensures consistency in behaviour management across the school. Additionally, we have recently collaborated with students, staff, and parents to solidify our school values: Be Respectful, Be Resilient, and Be Kind.

Our teachers operate within collaborative learning environments, which are organised and structured to address each child's individual needs. We ensure differentiation in curriculum delivery while providing targeted teaching. This approach allows children to engage with various teaching styles and build relationships with multiple teachers, which aims to enhance their overall learning experience.

The School Council has approved annual camps for students in Years 3 to 6.

• Year 3 students attend YMCA Camp Wyuna.

• Year 4 students go to Log Cabin Camp.

• Year 5 students visit Kangaroobie.

• Year 6 students participate in Melbourne City Camp.

We are committed to keeping parents informed with timely updates. To cater to diverse needs, we utilise several communication methods:

• SEESAW: The Seesaw app allows us to share student work through a private and secure student journal. It serves as the primary communication tool for teachers to engage with family cohorts and individual families.

• SENTRAL: Sentral is our primary platform for whole-school information. It includes a calendar, attendance records, teacher/parent communication, newsletters, first aid updates. Once your child starts at Bellaire, you will receive a login for Sentral, which is also available as an app.

We encourage and welcome communication with class and specialist teachers. To ensure meaningful interactions, we prefer scheduled appointments, allowing for better planning and more valuable discussions.

Our curriculum is grounded in the Victorian Curriculum, which we are mandated to teach. In delivering English and Mathematics, we emphasise the integration of learning technologies and focus on developing essential skills such as researching, teamwork (collaboration), independent decision-making, growth mindset, resilience, and problem-solving. We ensure consistency in assessment and planning across classes and within each learning community. Additionally, our curriculum supports both extension and additional assistance, and allows each learning community to plan excursions aligned with their inquiry units.

Curriculum days are dedicated to allowing teachers to discuss, plan, review, and evaluate various aspects of the curriculum. We hold at least one curriculum day at the start of the year and three additional days throughout the year. On these days, students do not attend school, but our OSHC program remains available to provide care.

Excursions provide valuable opportunities to extend learning beyond the classroom. These experiences are a carefully planned and integral part of our school program. You will receive advance notice regarding the details and dates of each excursion.

Several of our teachers, along with our office staff, are Level 2 qualified in First Aid. If your child is ill or injured, they will receive treatment at school, and you will be notified via Sentral. Should the situation require further action, we will contact you directly. Therefore, it is crucial to keep your contact information, as well as details for two additional emergency contacts, up to date with the school.

Please note: In the event of an emergency, we may call an ambulance before contacting you. Ensure that your ambulance cover is current.

Students receive homework in line with the Victorian Curriculum guidelines. Each student is expected to read every night, and additional homework will vary depending on their year level.

Apart from watches, jewellery is not deemed appropriate for school wear. Earrings, other than studs, as well as necklaces and bangles, can pose potential safety risks. We request parents' cooperation in monitoring and adhering to this guideline.

Our school is organised into four Learning Communities: Prep, Junior (Years 1 and 2), Middle (Years 3 and 4), and Senior (Years 5 and 6).

Lost property is currently stored outside the office. We ask parents to clearly label all items brought to school. If an item is found and it has a name on it, we will ensure it is returned.

The canteen is open on Wednesdays and Fridays. Orders must be placed via the QKR app before 9am on the day of service.

We operate our own OSHC program, managed through the My Family Lounge app. Bookings are essential for staffing purposes.

Before School Care: 7.30am – 8.45am (includes breakfast)

After School Care: 3.30pm – 6.00pm (includes afternoon snacks and activities)

We have a fantastic Parents Group, and information about it is shared at the start of each year. Additionally, if you would like more details on how to join, please feel free to contact our office.

Parents are encouraged to participate in and support their child’s education through a variety of school activities. Opportunities for parental involvement begin in Term 2 and include participation in the Parents Group, School Council, and as parent helpers in the classroom.

To become a parent helper, parents are required to have a Working With Children Check (WWCC) card and complete an induction process. This can be done either by attending a parent helper information session or by completing the induction with a member of our office staff.

We use the QKR app for all financial transactions, including canteen orders.

The School Council, in collaboration with the Principal and staff, is responsible for developing and approving policy areas related to school operations. This includes overseeing the school's finances and the maintenance of buildings and grounds. Council appointments are for a two-year term, with nominations occurring annually.

We have school crossings that operate from 8am to 9am and from 3pm to 4pm. We ask parents to use the school crossing and help remind their children of road safety rules. If you drop off or pick up your child at school, please ensure you use the Kiss and Drop’ zone.

See Parent Payment page

The school is organised into four houses: Red – Elliot, Yellow – Strickland, Blue – Landy, and Green – Cuthbert. These houses are named after figures from Bellaire’s history and are primarily involved in sporting activities. Each house has its own captains, and on house activity days, we encourage students to wear their house colours, such as a green t-shirt for Green House. Your child will be assigned to a house upon enrolment.

• 8.45am: Playground supervision begins (please note there is no supervision prior to this time; students arriving before 8.45am will be placed in Before School Care).

• 8.55am: Music starts playing – students should line up outside their classrooms.

• 9.00am: Sessions 1 and 2 begin (10.00am – brain food/fruit snack).

• 11.00am: Recess.

• 11.30am: Sessions 3 and 4 begin.

• 1.30pm: Lunch eating time (supervised).

• 1.45pm: Lunch playtime.

• 2.15pm: Session 5 begins.

• 3.15pm: End of the school day.

Seesaw is a digital portfolio tool that allows teachers and students to document and share learning through photos, videos, drawings, text, PDFs, recordings, and more. Student work is compiled in one place and shared with families. All items and comments are approved by teachers before being posted to student journals. Seesaw can be accessed via the web or iOS/Android apps. When a teacher posts to your child’s journal, families can receive notifications via app alerts and/or email. Families can view only their own child's journal and do not have access to other students' work. Multiple family members can connect to each student's journal.

Seesaw is an excellent way to communicate with your child’s classroom teacher and receive family and school updates.

Please note: New parents will receive a QR code from their child’s home group teacher to connect to their child’s journal.

Sentral is a web-based software solution that manages school administration, student data, attendance, calendars, and other administrative operations. Parents can access their child’s Sentral profile via the web or the iOS/Android app. We recommend downloading the app and logging in at your earliest convenience (instructions should have been emailed to new families).

Sentral includes a calendar displaying important dates and events for the term. Parents receive attendance notifications through the app and can respond easily by following the prompts. Additionally, Semester Academic Reports and Parent/Teacher Interview bookings will be available on Sentral.

We have school Facebook and Instagram pages, which are used to share whole-school information and updates.

We have an exceptionally strong specialist program at our school. Students engage in French, Physical Education (PE), Art, and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) subjects.

Your child’s first day at school is an exciting milestone, and your attitude towards it plays a crucial role in shaping their experience. Your child will often mirror your feelings, so it’s important to approach the day with positivity and confidence.

To help your child adjust to school, consider the following steps:

• Encourage Responsibility and Independence: Allow your child to take on tasks like dressing themselves, managing toilet needs, eating from their lunch box, and packing away toys.

• Maintain a Positive Outlook: Support your child’s self-esteem by being positive about their abilities. Confidence is a key factor in their success.

• Promote Exploration and Growth: Encourage your child to try new things and learn from mistakes. Many skills develop with practice and perseverance.

• Establish a Morning Routine: Create a consistent routine to help your child feel prepared and organised each day.

Additionally, as professionals, it’s important that we work together and stay on the same page to ensure the best experience for your child. Your collaboration with the school helps create a supportive environment for your child's growth and adjustment.

Communication with parents about student progress is a crucial part of our home-school partnership, and we are committed to keeping families fully informed. Formal reports are provided at the end of each semester.

PLEASE NOTE: Parents are always welcome to schedule appointments with teachers to discuss their child’s learning at any time.

As part of our Sun Smart policy, students are required to wear a wide-brimmed hat during Term 1 and Term 4. In Terms 2 and 3, the need for hats is determined by the UV ratings

We aim to provide our students with strong literacy foundations right from the Foundation year. We use THRASS in conjunction with the SMART Spelling approach across the entire school to ensure every student has consistent and sustainable knowledge and skills to support their literacy learning. Unlike teaching one letter and one sound at a time, THRASS recognises the 44 sounds in spoken English and teaches the various spelling choices for each sound. For instance, the sound 'c' in 'cake' can be represented by the letters c (cat), k (kitten), ck (duck), ch (school), and q (queen). THRASS involves explicit phonics teaching, focusing on the mechanics of words, including syllables, blends, and different sound representations.

To support your child’s preparation for school, you can:

• Teach Letter Names Only: Letters have names, not sounds, until they are part of a word. For example, the letter ‘a’ can make different sounds in words like ‘ant’, ‘baby’, and ‘banana’.

• Teach Consistency in Letter Names: Lower-case and capital letters have the same name.

• Understand Phonics Over 'Sight Words': Words such as ‘is’, ‘the’, ‘they’, and ‘why’ are often referred to as 'sight words', implying they can't be sounded out. However, these words can be sounded out and taught if children understand the 44 sounds of English. If a word can be pronounced, the phonemes (sounds) can be heard and represented.

• Teach Correct Name Writing: Help children write their name with a capital letter at the beginning, followed by lower-case letters. Learning to write only in capital letters can make transitioning to lower-case letters more challenging.

We hold three Prep transition sessions towards the end of the year to help new students become familiar with the school environment and their teachers before the new school year begins.

Additionally, during the last week of school, we organise transition sessions for students in Prep through to Year 5. This allows students to get acquainted with their new classroom and teacher in preparation for the coming year.

The School Council oversees the adherence to the school uniform policy. Please note: Long hair should be tied back for health and safety reasons. Ensure that all uniform items are clearly named. Beleza is our uniform provider.

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Wet Weather: In wet weather, students are directed inside from 8.45am and will have passive play indoors for the rest of the day if the weather persists.

Hot/Extreme Weather: If the temperature is expected to exceed 35 degrees with hot, northerly winds, or if other extreme conditions such as strong winds are present, students will be kept inside during playtimes.

Terms 1 and 4: These are ‘No Hat, No Play’ terms. On days when your child does not have a hat during these terms, they will be asked to sit in a designated shade area during recess and lunchtimes. This area is supervised by teachers.