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Dear Parents and Carers,
Welcome back for Term 3!
Year 6 – How We Express Ourselves Fair
I would like to acknowledge the wonderful efforts of our Year 6 community in planning and delivering the Fun Fair last week. It was clear how much work staff and students had put into the event. Our students were supported and engaged throughout. It was a fantastic experience, and we are very grateful for the leadership, creativity, and energy of all involved.
2025 School Satisfaction & Climate Survey
Each year, the Directorate surveys all parents and carers, school staff and students in years 4 to 12 about their experience of public education. The 2025 School Satisfaction & Climate Survey will be available online from 15 August to 5 September. The survey results will help us to continue to make quality informed decisions about how to improve our school. No personal identifying information will be provided to any school or college.
For each child in their family who attends an ACT public school, parents and carers will receive:
- A letter about the student survey outlining the reasons for collection and privacy provision for the data; and
- An email about the parent survey, including a unique link to access the survey.
Genuine survey invitation emails will have the title "The 2025 School Satisfaction & Climate Survey is now open!" and will be sent from EDU Surveys with a 'from' address EDUSurveys@act.gov.au. If you do not receive the survey invitation, please check your Junk email folder first then contact your school. If you do not have an email listed with the school, please contact our school Front Office on 6142 0404.
The Parents and Carers Survey is available online in 13 languages including Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Korean, Urdu, Vietnamese, Punjabi, Bengali, Spanish, Telugu, French and Italian. Respondents can select their preferred language when they start the survey. A shortened paper-version of the Parents and Carers Survey is also available in the following 5 languages: Dari, Dinka, Farsi, Karen and Mon. These surveys are available at the Front Office.
For the results to reflect the opinions of our whole school community, we need as many parents and carers, staff and students as possible to complete the survey. Your feedback is important, and we hope you will take part.
For more information, visit: https://www.act.gov.au/open/school-satisfaction-and-climate-survey-results
Carpark Reminders – Let’s Keep Our Kids Safe
As we begin Term 3, please take care when driving and parking around the school. We all have a role to play in road safety.
Please:
- Obey the speed limit
- Avoid parking across pedestrian crossings, in no-stopping zones, on corners or verges, or double parking
Unsafe or illegal parking reduces visibility and creates significant hazards for students crossing the road.
A friendly reminder:
- Do not park in the school pick-up/drop-off zone at any time.
- Do not stop in the middle of the carpark to collect children – it’s dangerous and blocks traffic flow.
Your cooperation in keeping all children safe is greatly appreciated.
‘No hat, play in the shade’ from August
New sun protection guidelines for all ACT public schools will begin from 1 August 2025.
ACT public schools will move from a ‘no hat, no play’ to a ‘no hat, play in the shade’ approach from August through May in a move to encourage year-round sun/UV protection whilst continuing to promote active play and physical activity. Hat wearing is encouraged during the months of June and July.
The change brings the ACT in line with other schools across Australia and follows consultation with the Canberra Council ACT. The approach balances students’ risk of UV exposure without hats with the need for physical activity.
Our school will continue to have SPF50 or 50+ Sun Protection Factor (SPF) sunscreen available.
The sun protection guidelines apply to our students, staff and volunteers.
The policy was updated in consultation with the Cancer Council ACT.
Read the Sun (UV) Protection policy. Please contact the front office if you have any questions.
Back to school – term 3 travel tips
With the start of term 3 comes the return of regular bus services and dedicated school routes, including ‘S’ trips that conveniently divert directly into schools.
To ensure a smooth start, here’s a quick checklist for students and families:
- Have your MyWay+ travel card or other tap on/off method ready.
- Make sure there is sufficient balance in your account.
- Remember to tap on and off for the cheapest fare.
- Check your school’s bus routes and timetable to avoid any surprises.
- Don’t forget to carry your student ID while travelling on public transport.
Primary school parents can refer to their school’s information pack for additional travel guidance.
A reminder for all drivers, please slow down and stay alert in school zones to help keep our students safe.
For more information, please visit Transport Canberra website.
Kind Regards
Laurel
Hello from Jemma O’Brien Deputy Principal
I am pleased to introduce myself as the newly appointed 3-6 Deputy Principal at Charles Weston School. Alongside this role, I am also the Primary Years Programme (PYP) Coordinator, and I am passionate about delivering the International Baccalaureate (IB) to all students, with strong connections to our wider community.
I have worked in IB schools for over 10 years and feel very fortunate to now bring that experience to this wonderful school. I have a lifelong enthusiasm for The Arts, but most of all I enjoy working with students to help them build their skills, find their strengths, and work together to create a better future for all.
I’m looking forward to getting to know you and being part of the incredible Charles Weston School community. Please say hello if you see me around the school!
Konnichiwa! I am Trixia sensei, and I’m thrilled to be joining Charles Weston School Coombs as the new Japanese teacher. I lived and worked in Japan as a teacher for over a decade and have been in the education industry for more than ten years. I’m passionate about language, culture, and creating a fun, engaging classroom where students can thrive. Outside of teaching, I love all things Disney, Studio Ghibli, and Japan. I’m really looking forward to being part of the CWSC community and sharing my love for Japan with everyone!
Message from Social Worker
Dear Parents and school community,
Welcome back to Term 3! I hope you all had a restful break and were able to spend some quality time with family and loved ones.
As we begin the new term, I want to let you know that social work support is available throughout the term. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you or your child need support or someone to talk to. I am here to help.
Wishing you all a positive and successful Term 3.
Pema Tshomo
WinS Social Worker
School Calendar - Weeks 4, 5 & 6
Upcoming Events
Week 4
11 August to 16 August - Science Week
15 August - Passions & Pursuit
Week 5
18 August to 22 August - CBCA Book Week
18 August - Year 4 Excursion - Art Gallery and Boundless Playground
18 August - Combined Year 6 Band - rehearsal at Duffy Primary School
21 August - South Weston Regional Athletics
21 August - Author Visit - Sue Whiting
22 August - Book Character Dress Up Day
22 August - Passions & Pursuit
Week 6
25 August - Preschool Photos (PMKL & PMRP)
26 August - Whole School Photo Day - Main Day
27 August - Year 2 - Plantearium
29 August - Preschool Photos (PTKL & PTRP)
29 August - Passions & Pursuit
30 & 31 August - TOMS Rounds
Coerver Coaching ACT x Charles Weston School Passions – Term 3 2025
Coerver® Coaching Skills Clinics offer a fun filled soccer experience for boys and girls aged 5 - 12 years. The Clinic will include Ball Mastery, 1v1 attack and defence, receiving and passing and small sided Coerver® games.
Participants who attend the Coerver Coaching ACT x Charles Weston School Passions – Term 3 2025 receive:
- 3.75 hours of programmed Coerver Coaching delivered by accredited Coerver Coaches
- Coerver Coaching Home Study Program
- Coerver Coaching Certificate of Attendance
Dates: Friday 15 August - Friday 12 September
Times: 1:30pm - 2:15pm
Venue: Charles Weston School Oval
Registration Link: https://coerveract.com.au/skills-clinic-programs
Are We Over-Parenting Today?
This comes from the best intentions. We all want to jump in and shelter our children from harm and sometimes, that is exactly what they need. However, there are times when it is important for our children to build skills and learn how to advocate for themselves; when we step in too much, it can disempower our children. We see this sometimes in the psychology field and as much as I would like a magic wand that strengthens a child’s resilience in just one session with the school psychologist, that’s not how it works. It builds over time with support at home and school. Dr. Siggie has some wise advice in her latest blog: https://drsiggie.com/blog/are-we-doing-too-much-for-our-kids/.
How Doing Less Can Help Your Child Grow More; By Dr. Siggie Cohen on July 15.
“Do you ever wonder if you’re doing too much for your child? Solving too many problems? Explaining every detail? Negotiating every moment? If you find yourself constantly fixing, suggesting, stepping in to smooth things over, or negotiating, you may be caught in a pattern of over-parenting. And you’re not alone. Today’s parenting emphasises emotional awareness, empathy, and attunement – all wonderful and necessary shifts.
We listen to our children’s feelings, validate their experiences, and aim to be responsive, not reactive. But in our sincere efforts to support them, we sometimes overdo it. We over-accommodate. We over-explain. We over-negotiate. We over-fix. And despite our best intentions, this constant intervention can leave both you and your children feeling drained, frustrated, and disconnected. And it can leave your child lacking necessary life skills. The question we need to ask ourselves is: are we no longer allowing our children to struggle and face challenges?
Are We Helping Or Hindering? It’s natural to want to help our children, especially when we see them struggling. But here’s the truth: If we don’t allow our children to face discomfort, we take away the very moments that build resilience. From a missing shoe to a fight with a friend, daily challenges are opportunities for growth – if we allow them to be. Here’s 2 practical examples:
Your child says they’re bored. Instead of immediately offering 3 activities or rushing to entertain them, you can pause and say: “I hear you. Boredom doesn’t feel good. Take some time to think about it and I bet you’ll come up with something to do.”
Or they’re upset about a class presentation. Instead of saying, “Don’t worry, it’ll be fine,” try: “You’re nervous – that totally makes sense. What part feels hardest? How do you want to prepare?”
These everyday moments are powerful teaching opportunities. Not for perfect answers, but for helping your child build their own problem-solving muscles.”
For more tips and scripts, follow Dr. Siggie on FB or Instagram, or subscribe to her newsletter. Print out your favourite scripts and stick them on the fridge or inside the pantry. We’re building these skills too. ?
Cheryl
PRE SCHOOL
In Preschool we launched our Unit of Inquiry into ‘Sharing the Planet’ with two excursions to Birrigai Outdoor School! Having a full day on beautiful Ngunnawal Country was a wonderful provocation for our learning this term where we will be exploring how we can come together to play and learn harmoniously (social sustainability) and how we can take action to look after our special places (environmental sustainability).
Our four Preschool classes had so many rich, engaging and authentic learning experiences on Country. The Preschool team were very proud of the children’s knowledge of the ‘Wombat Song’ which we learnt in advance, to guide us through a day of learning about Aboriginal perspectives, natural history, art-making, cooking, play, investigating, risk-taking and perseverance.
Thank you to all our parent volunteers – we could not have had these wonderful excursions without you.
Below you will see a small selection of our photos and student reflections from our Birrigai days.
KINDERGARTEN
In Kindy we have been practising our GROW VALUES Respect and Wellbeing. We are learning to speak and act respectfully, and keep our hands and feet to ourselves, even when we don’t feel like it!!
This ties in perfectly to our new unit of inquiry “How We Express Ourselves” where our central idea is “People have the right to express their feelings”.
We will be exploring these lines of inquiry
- The right to feel safe.
- Actions communicate feelings.
- We have a responsibility to express ourselves safely.
For literacy, this term sees us working on the final single letter sounds of the alphabet. Each day we work on articulating and writing the sound correctly, sounding out, blending and segmenting to read two, three and four letter words. We practise these skills through bookwork, whiteboard work, partner reading and lots of games.
In Maths we started with a big focus on two dimensional shapes. We read a great book called “The Greedy Triangle” by Margaret Burns which helps us explore the language of sides, angles, corners and also has a lovely message about being satisfied with who you are. Other maths skills we continue to work on are
- working with numbers up to and back from 20.
- Addition and subtraction to at least ten
- Facts of ten
YEAR 1
Where We Are in Place and Time (WWAIPT)
People can make changes in their communities and environments.
We are learning about:
- Environments change overtime
- Change is guided by need
- How people make a difference in their community
Did you know that the Molonglo Valley was once covered in pine forest, which was later destroyed by fire? This term, we’ve been learning about how our local area has changed over time. Using Google Earth, we travelled back in time to compare how the suburb looks today with what it looked like in the past. We explored the natural, managed and constructed features visible in satellite images and discussed how the area continues to change.
This week, we’ve been exploring our local community and learning to identify the different features that make up the places around us. A highlight was our walk down to the Molonglo River, where we spotted many natural features and enjoyed connecting with our environment.
Literacy
In writing we have been learning about conjunctions and how they are used.
- and - adds extra information
- because - gives a reason
- but - changes the direction of the sentence
As part of our Unit of Inquiry, Where We Are in Place and Time, we are reading books that explore the key concept of Change. These texts are helping us understand how people, places, and environments can change over time and why they change. We’ve been having thoughtful discussions about the different ways change can occur and how authors communicate their purpose and opinions about change through the texts we read, such as through visual features and language choices.
YEAR 2
Sharing the Planet
Patterns and data inform how we predict and think about the natural world.
We are learning about:
- Celestial objects in the sky
- Patterns that occur in the sky
- People tell stories to share their understanding
The students in Year 2 are enjoying using their Research Skills to explore our first line of inquiry. They are curious about the sky and are working together to answer the many ‘wonderings’ they have about our solar system.
Maths
Our current maths focus is about time, days, months and calendars. This links closely to our Sharing the Planet unit of inquiry.
We have learnt about the connections between the Earth’s rotations and day and night. We have learnt that there are 24 hours in a day and that each month has a certain amount of days. We were interested to learn about leap years and the reason for February having 29 days every four years.
Gruffolo Excursion
Our amazing Year 2 teachers organised an exciting excursion to the Canberra Theatre to see a performance of the Gruffolo’s Child by Julia Donaldson. This was a wonderful opportunity for the children to authentically learn about the structure and features of a narrative text. We will continue to draw on this experience as we learn about writing narrative texts this term.
In Performing Arts this term, students will be concentrating on Drama.
Students in Years 1 and 2 will be learning vocabulary used in drama, experimenting with voice production and expressing emotions, trying improvisation and reader’s theatre, and rehearsing a short play in class for presentation to members of their cohort at the end of term.
Kindergarten students will learn how to co-operate to enact stories in groups, create character through facial expression, and use puppets to tell stories they have made up with partners.
All Junior School students will have the chance to take part in performances in class of well-known fairy tales, using the available costumes, props and scenery.
Drama Club meets in the new Performing Arts Room (Building 1) each Friday in Break 2. All students are welcome to come along to the club to enjoy a selection of drama games, mimes and skits.
Pictured below: Drama Club; Class performances of Goldilocks and the Three Bears;
Photos from the School Musical, “Porridge”.
PYP Big Sing
Charles Weston Choir Shines at the PYP Big Sing
On Wednesday, 30 July 2025, our talented Charles Weston Choir students proudly represented the school at the PYP Big Sing, held at Canberra Girls Grammar School.
Throughout the morning, students worked with choirs from four other local International Baccalaureate (IB) schools, rehearsing songs and harmonies in preparation for a combined performance. Their hard work, teamwork, and enthusiasm culminated in a beautiful concert for families and friends at 1:30pm.
We are incredibly proud of how our students represented Charles Weston School on the day. We all made new friends and can’t wait for our next Big Sing in 2026.
A heartfelt thank you to our music teacher, Susan Curbishley, for preparing the choir for this event and for conducting the mass choir on the day.
- Monday 13 October 2025
Student-free days are for staff development, enabling teachers and schools to plan in a student-free environment, and form part of our commitment to priortising better teacher workloads for educational leadership, teaching and learning.
If you are anything like me, the term holidays seem like a distant memory and the year is absolutely flying by with Term Three well under way. We are working to bring you engaging and interactive fundraising events throughout terms three and four. Keep an eye out for upcoming communications around our Father’s Day celebration and more events as the weather starts to warm up.
Term Two Winter Disco
Firstly, a massive thank you to our committee and community members who volunteered at the Winter Disco at the end of Term Two. By all accounts students and families had a wonderful time and we cannot run these events without the tireless efforts of our volunteers.
What would you like to see (or hear) from the CWSC P&C?
Our goal is supporting our school and community the best we can, by fostering connection across the CWSC community. If there is something you would like to see or hear from us, please reach out via the email contact below, or better yet – come along to our next meeting to share your ideas!
Reminder for communicating via our WhatsApp cohort groups
We love seeing our CWSC families connect with each other via WhatsApp. Please remember to always be respectful and mindful of others.
Also remember we are a Parents & Citizens group and School Staff are not part of the chat. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your child, these should always be communicated to the school directly.
Group rules are listed below for your convenience.
Michelle van Lier - President
Father’s Day Breakfast - Friday 5 September
We are excited to host our annual Father’s Day breakfast in the STEM rooms at the school on Friday 5 September (Term 3 Week 7) to celebrate all the fantastic men in our lives. So, whether you are a dad, step-dad, grandad, uncle or favourite family friend… join us to celebrate the men in our school community.
We will have some delicious breakfast treats, along with our gift stall and card making activities for the kids.
Volunteers Needed … it’s your time to shine!!!
If you can assist on the day to make this event extra special, please click here and register to help for the event https://forms.gle/KRHjtuEEyhbo21bPA
More details to come via socials and Seesaw.
Uniforms desperately needed!!
You may be aware the P&C runs a second hand uniform shop. Our goal is to provide good quality second hand uniforms to our families at reasonable prices. We rely on donations of uniforms to keep up our stock levels and provide this valuable service to our school community.
If you have any uniform items that your children have outgrown - you can donate them at the school front office, where our team will collect and wash them ready for sale.
P & C Association Contact Information
Next Meeting: Thursday 4 September 2025 (Term 3, Week 7)
6:30pm in the school library
Or via zoom
Website: https://charles-weston-pc.square.site/
This includes our Second-Hand Uniform Shop
Email: charleswestonparents@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CWSCParents
Connect With Other Parents and P & C
WhatsApp groups provide another channel of information for parents and the opportunity to connect and chat with others in your child’s year group. Simply scan the QR code at the school front office using your phone camera to join the relevant group.
We are aware some families are not comfortable sharing their mobile numbers via WhatsApp. Unfortunately, this is an app setting and cannot be changed. We recommend joining our Facebook (private) group to receive regular updates. More details on this group to come.
***** PLEASE READ - Group chat privacy and communication standards*****
- The group is for parents and care givers of Charles Weston students only, please do not share with friends and members outside our school community.
- Please be always respectful and mindful of others
- Chats are to be text only - please do not post any pictures of children as this will breach privacy rules.
- Any sensitive student issues should be communicated with the school directly and not discussed in the group chat.
- Anyone using unsavoury language or not adhering to the above will be removed from the group immediately by the administrator.
- WhatsApp is not a marketing or promotion channel. If you would like to feature your business or community group - please contact the P&C directly on the email above or via our Facebook page.
SCHOOL SAFETY SERIES – EPISODE 1
Safe Parking Behaviours
Unsafe driving and parking behaviours increase the potential road safety risk for children around schools. Road safety is a shared responsibility, it is important the road rules are followed near our school to ensure the entire school community feels safe.
Please remember children are more at risk than adults around schools because they are smaller and less visible to drivers. They are also less predictable and less experienced, which makes them more likely to make errors of judgement.
Failing to follow simple road rules like parking on verges, in no stopping zones, in bus stops, near children’s crossings, on footpaths or across driveways increases the risk to children around schools. Please do the right thing to create a safe environment around our school.
