Parent Information

ENROLMENT INFORMATION

In Tasmania students spend 8 years at primary school, starting with Kindergarten, then Preparatory, followed by Years 1 – 6.
Kindergarten enrolments are accepted for children who have turned 4 years of age by January 1.
School is compulsory for all students once they have turned 6 years of age
Birth Certificates and immunisation records are required on initial enrolment at any school in Tasmania. However, once enrolled they are not required if, in the future, your child transfers to another school.

OUTSIDE SCHOOL HOURS CARE

After School Hours Care is available on site every day from 3.00pm-6.00pm for students from Kinder to Year 6. Parents interested in this service should contact our OSHC sponsors, Lady Gowrie on 6230 6864 and ask to speak with our OSHC Manager.
Teaching staff commence “Duty of Care” for students from 8.30am and the school day finishes at 3.00pm. Staff are on site outside schools hours but are involved with professional learning, meetings and planning that prevent them from supervising students.
Parents/carers are therefore requested to ensure that students are dropped off/picked up promptly each day. If you are delayed due to unexpected circumstances you are asked to contact the office as soon as possible.

SCHOOL TIMES 2024

Kindergarten - Wednesday, Thursday & Friday 9.00am - 3.00pm
Prep to Year 6 - Monday to Friday 9.00am - 3.00pm
Recess - 10.30am -11.00am
Lunch - 12.45pm - 1.30pm
Classes also stop for fruit and water breaks at individual times during the day.

TERM DATES – 202

Term 1 - 8th Feburary - 11th April
Term 2 - 29th April - 5th July
Term 3 - 23rd July - 27th September
Term 4 - 14th October - 19th December

Student Free Day - Friday 7th June
Student Free Day - Friday 25th October

LAUNCH into LEARNING (LiL’s) SESSIONS

Launching into Learning sessions, for children from birth to four years of age, are conducted in the Early Childhood Building on Friday mornings from 9am till 10.30am. These sessions are organised especially for those children who are still too young to be enrolled at school, but will be attending Goulburn Street School in the future.

Our Kinder Teacher co-ordinates these sessions ensuring resources are available, facilitating a positive atmosphere and encouraging learning and enjoyment through structured and free play activities.

Due to “duty of care” responsibilities the LiL co-ordinator is unable to take responsibility for the care of the children and therefore a parent/guardian must attend with their child at all times. Younger siblings are also welcome to participate.

At the conclusion of each session, parents are asked to assist with the packing away of items/activities – a helping hand to clean up is also most welcome.

For further information about LiL (Launch into Learning), please contact the school on 03 62 341884.

KINDERGARTEN

Days/times: 9.00am- 3.00pm Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

What happens at Kindergarten?

Children learn through play and participation in a range of creative activities. They are encouraged to develop communication skills through speaking, listening and interacting with adults and other children in a confident and positive way. Activities include outdoor games, painting/drawing/collage, musical games, construction, puzzles, sand/water play, dressing up/role play, play dough, as well as early reading, writing and number activities.

How can parents/carers become involved?

Please come along and help out at Kindergarten. This will give you an opportunity to see how your child is progressing, as well as help build a positive relationship between home and school life.

What does my child need for Kindergarten?

• A piece of fruit and a drink for lunch and morning tea.
• A packed lunch (remember small fingers have difficulty with plastic wrap – boxes with lids and bottles with pop up tops are great).
• A library bag for your child’s book on library days.
• A clearly named school hat.
• A clearly named smock for the protection of clothing during messy activities – (an old shirt with the arms cut to length)
• Shoes – children need shoes with traction. Velcro / zips and pull on boots are easier than lace ups.

At Kindergarten we promote your child’s independence by encouraging them to be responsible for their belongings. You can assist by asking them to carry their own bag, hang it up and then place fruit and library books into appropriate containers. We ask that precious belongings/toys not be brought to school except on special sharing days.

Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Focus
(Move Well Eat Well)

At Goulburn Street Primary School we are committed to providing an environment that promotes healthy eating and physical activity.

Please note the following-

All students will be given the opportunity to:

• Participate in at least 2 hours of Physical Education each week, either in class lesson or Daily Physical Education.
• Access a drink (water only) during class time.
• Have a fruit/vegetable break in class time each day. This fruit or vegetable is to be brought from home in their lunch box.
• Access sports equipment before school, at recess and lunch, as well as during P.E lessons.
• Engage in special whole school activities, such as carnivals and walks etc.
• Interact and play by switching off devices in break times.

LEVIES

Families pay levies to assist with the cost of cultural activities (excursions and performances), materials and equipment children use at school.

Payments

There are a number of payment options available to parents - cheque, cash and credit card. There is also a payment plan available to parents who may want to pay their levies off over the course of the year.

School levies for 2023 are as follows:

Kindergarten:

$180.00 (Annual Levy, $110.00, Cultural Levy- $70.00)

Prep – Grade 2:

$260.00 (Annual Levy - $190.00, Cultural Levy - $70.00)

Grade 6:

$260.00 (Annual Levy - $190.00, Cultural Levy - $70.00)

Grade 3 - Grade 5:

$290.00 (Annual Levy - $190.00, Cultural Levy - $70.00, Swimming and Water Safety $30.00)

The Annual Levy

Assists with the purchase of general stationery (including books, pencils and other classroom requisites), library books, art materials, computer supplies, music and physical education equipment.

The Cultural Levy

Covers the cost of all excursions and visiting performances, except Water Safety and Camp Over.

Financial Assistance with Levies

The Government offers financial relief to those families on low incomes through the payment of school levies, through the Student Assistance Scheme (STAS). To qualify, an application form, which is available from the school office, needs to be completed with enrolment forms. Families with children attending different schools need return only one application per family. 

GENERAL INFORMATION

Student absences

Parents/Carers are asked to notify the school if their child is absent or is going to be late for school. The Department of Education has a state-wide electronic reporting process for recording student absences and all unexplained absences are required to be followed up by the principal or delegate. It is recommended that family holidays be arranged during school holidays so that students’ educational programs are not disadvantaged.

Emergency contacts/validation forms

A student “validation form” which updates changes of address, emergency information and medical requirements, is sent home at the beginning of each school year. This provides the school with contact information in case of emergency. Therefore it is important that the school be notified if these details change at any time during the school year.

Privacy Protection

Personal information is collected by the school for the purpose of obtaining and verifying student related details and it is only be used for this purpose. It is to be managed in accordance with the Personal Information Protection Act 2004. Please be assured that the school treats all information in confidence.

Visitors

Visitors, including parents/carers are required to call at the office to sign in whenever visiting the school (for any purpose). This enables us to know who is on campus (eg: in case of fire) but most importantly, in the interest of child safety, identifies our visitors.

Canteen

The school provides a limited canteen service that is operated by our Year 5/6 students according to the School Canteen Association Guidelines. Over the counter sales such as flavoured milk, quelch sticks and paddle pops are available every day and a lunch service is offered by Fuel For School on thursdays. Orders can be placed on the QKR! APP. Cut off time is 9:00PM Wednesday Night. Orders can be placed up to 2 weeks in advance.

The menu, offering a variety of healthy hot and cold foods, is distributed with the Newsletter and this enables you to assist your child when making their lunch selections.

SUPPORT SERVICES

Parents, students and teachers sometimes require extra support from services beyond the classroom. We are able to access support services when help is needed.

Professional advice and guidance

Is available for the following:

• Guidance and support
• Educational assessment
• Educational and personal counselling
• Speech Pathology
• Student Welfare

Please contact the Principal for further assistance and to connect with our School Psychologist, Social Worker or Speech Pathologist..

A limited Dental Service is available from the Southern Dental Clinic (2 Archer Street, New Town).

Phone 6214 5411 during business hours for further information.

PARENT PARTICIPATION

Parents/carers are the first teachers of their children and the school builds on the learning commenced at home. Home/school partnerships are encouraged as success with learning is more achievable when teachers and parents/carers develop positive shared relationships.

Participation by parents/carers is encouraged through:

• visits to classrooms to view progress and keep abreast of class programs. You are also invited to make a time with the teacher to celebrate student successes or raise any concerns. Staff are always happy to help wherever possible.
  
• ‘parent help’ in classrooms. This assistance is highly valued and whilst the way in which it operates varies across the school and, depending on ages of students, all teachers welcome extra help.
  
• Excursions/carnivals - we welcome help with supervision of students in activities away from the school or for special events.

All staff and volunteers are required to have a current “Working With Vulnerable People” card. Information is available on the Department of Justice website or check at the office.

Goulburn Street Primary School Association: Participation in the school is also available through membership of this parent/staff body. This group assists the school with a range of activities including policy/curriculum advice, fundraising, social functions and general support. Regular meetings are held during the evening throughout the year.

Watch out for meeting times on our weekly Newsletter – a great way to assist the school and develop friendships with others.

EDUCATIONAL/CURRICULUM PROGRAMS

The Australian Curriculum is being implemented in stages to schools and includes the learning areas below, with those areas already introduced in bold:

• English - literacy
• LOTE
• Mathematics - numeracy
• Science
• Information and Communications Technologies
• History
• The Arts
• Health and Physical Education (HPE)
• Geography

English/Mathematics: These learning areas are fundamental to our class programs from Kindergarten to Year 6. Students’ progress in these areas is monitored closely throughout their time at school. Students in Years 3 and 5 are required to participate in the National Assessment Program for Literacy and Numeracy in May each year.

Science: The implementation of the Australian Curriculum includes the learning area of Science. Development of skills to support scientific inquiry and reporting of findings are essential elements of the curriculum.

HASS: Humanities and Social Sciences has combined the learning areas of History, Geography, Civics & Citizenship and Business & Economics. We foster a learning environment to enable students to develop a positive vision for themselves and the world in which they live. Students are taught to value diversity, act democratically and consider their place within society and the history of the world.

The Arts - Visual Arts/Drama: Students participate in a variety of expressive activities as part of their regular class program. They are encouraged to experiment with a variety of media and share their creative talents through display and performance.

The Arts - Music: We are very proud of our extensive music program. There are regular class music lessons as well as Choir, Woodwind, Percussion and Recorder groups for students in Years 3-6. Our school also participates in the woodwind section of the Department of Education’s Combined Primary Schools Band and Combined Primary Schools’ Choir.

Drama classes are also available on a private cost basis as arranged between parents and tutor. Forms outlining this service are available from the office.

Health and Wellbeing: All students participate in regular Physical Education lessons. Year 6 students also conduct daily PE as part of our regular fitness program. Students also participate in school and interschool carnivals for swimming, athletics and cross country as well as a variety of sports clinics and gymnastics competitions. A uniform for PE is not essential; however, shorts, polo tops and t-shirts are available for sale from the office. Students selected to represent the school at interschool events or competitions are loaned sports tops.

Library: Classes have regular times for visiting to access resources as well as borrowing books. Unfortunately there is a charge for replacement books that are lost or damaged. The library is also open at lunch time Wednesday-Thursday.

A Personal Relationships Program is provided every second year for all students 3-6 as part of their ongoing Health and Wellbeing curriculum. It is conducted by educators from Relationships Australia and Bravehearts Ditto Program for K-2.

Information and Communications Technologies: All students access computers as part of their on-going learning program. Students in Year P-6 are required to sign a Computer Use Agreement which encourages them to fulfil their obligations to use computers in an appropriate manner.

Languages Other Than English (LOTE): Currently Japanes is taught weekly to students from Prep-6.

Extra Curricular Activities: Students participate in class excursions, performances and other activities such as MyState Film Festival, Maths Relays, Chanter, Woodwind workshops and Tournaments of Minds.

SCHOOL SONG

Goulburn Street, it’s our school,
Best by far, it’s really cool,
Goulburn Street, it’s number 1.

We come from many backgrounds
From near and far
To this great school,
How proud we are.

We try to do out best at work and play
To make good friends day after day

As times change and we move on,
We’ll look back and think,
The best days ever had at school
Were those at Goulburn Street

Goulburn Street it’s our school,
Best by far, it’s really cool,
Goulburn Street, it’s number 1.

REPORTING

Reporting on student achievement and progress is valued highly. In line with reporting recommendations the reporting procedures include:

• Meet the Teachers - at the beginning of the year teachers share specific class information with parent/carers which is usually combined with an informal social event.
• Parent/Carer Teacher Discussion are held in May, when parents/carers and teachers report on and share information about students’ progress so far.
• Written Reports are issued during the school year. The term 1 report is a short statement or checklist so far. Term 2’s Progress Report informs parents of student progress according to Australia-wide standards and is accompanied by the Learning Portfolio. Term 4’s Summative Report again includes ratings against achievement standards and the Learning Portfolio with samples of student work and comments.
• Individual discussions with teachers are available on request by parent/carers at other times throughout the year.
• An Annual Collection Kinder students receive a written report in June and December. At the end of the year Kinder students also take home their Portfolio of work highlighting progress against the five key outcomes of the Early Years Learning Framework
• A Weekly Newsletter provides incidental reporting to families and is issued every second Tuesday, either electronically or in hardcopy. You are asked to read the Newsletter carefully as it contains information about school events.

FURTHER ASSISTANCE FOR NEW FAMILIES

Enrolement information - Enrolling Into a Tasmania Government School is available at:

https://www.education.tas.gov.au/parents-carers/parent-fact-sheets/enrolment/

Goulburn Street Primary School website:

https://goulburnstreetprimary.education.tas.edu.au

Department of Education Tasmania website:

http://www.education.tas.gov.au 

Please feel free to contact us:

Principal: michael.park@decyp.tas.gov.au

School Business Manager: fran.hamill@decyp.tas.gov.au