Primary News
- Carol Eaves
- Feb 26
- 3 min read
Updated: Mar 5
We’ve had a very busy start to the term, and I would like to thank all the families who have shown extra grace and patience as we have processed so many new enrolments. We are working as quickly as we can to have everyone settled. By now, we hope everyone who started at the beginning of the year has begun to find their rhythm. If you need support, please reach out to your class teacher who will be very happy to assist you.
We recently held two Primary Information Sessions at Perth Bible College. While attendance wasn’t as high as we had hoped, our participants were able to ask lots of questions and have some valuable one-on-one time with staff.
We are looking forward to meeting as many families as possible at the upcoming Whiteman Park Excursion. This is a great opportunity to meet other families and most of our teachers, and to have a lot of fun. You will be able to sign up soon by accessing the Parent and Guardian Noticeboard and/or Takumuna. To access the Parent and Guardian Noticeboard, you will need to log in with your supervisor account.
The Parent and Guardian Noticeboard also contains some modules that may be of assistance if you need a refresher on uploading, combining PDFs, using Studio, etc. Orientation will also remain available throughout the year.
Coming up:
NAPLAN testing - from Wednesday 11th March - see schedule for more information
Australian Maths Competition - invited participants
Whiteman Park Excursion - Wednesday 1st April
Connecting with our families is a core part of what we do, and our Year 6 students recently took this to the next level. As part of their History studies, they surveyed parents and grandparents to find out how school in the past was different - or surprisingly similar - to their own experiences today. The results are in…
🕰️
A Trip Down Memory Lane: Year 6 Investigates the ‘Old Days’
This term, Year 6 dived into Pamela Rushby’s novel Strike, following 12-year-old Rory Murphy as he left school in 1891 to support his family. Realising how much classrooms have evolved since Rory’s time—and even since the turn of the millennium—our students turned into historians, interviewing their parents and supervisors about their own school days.
The results were a fascinating, and often hilarious, look at life before the digital age!
🚌 Getting There & Hanging Out
While some parents enjoyed a simple walk to school, others braved yellow school buses or public transport. Once there, the "cool" spots weren't virtual hangouts; students gathered under big trees, on the school oval, or behind the tuck shop. Fashion was high stakes, featuring everything from grunge styles and heavy Dr. Martens to the legendary "crazy socks."
📚 The "No-Tech" Struggle
Long before Google, research meant a serious workout. Parents recalled spending hours mastering the Dewey Decimal System and lugging around heavy volumes of Encyclopedia Britannica. Communication was equally low-tech; "texting" involved folding tiny paper notes and hiding them in scientific calculator lids, risking 200 lines of detention if caught!
👩🏫 Legends of the Classroom
We heard tales of teachers who left a lasting mark—some through kindness, and others through "unique" discipline. From Dr Wong, who assigned 30-minute wall sits for wrong math answers, to teachers who reportedly had a very accurate aim with pieces of chalk, the classroom was certainly a lively place!
🍦 Life Outside the Gates
Without cell phones, the "Until Dark" rule reigned supreme. Parents relied on watches, landlines, and community members to know when to head home. Boredom was cured by making mud pies, roller-skating, or saving pocket money for a lolly bag at the deli.
💫 Lessons for the Future
The interviews revealed that while subjects like "Home Science" may have faded, the core of school remains the same. Many parents are still best friends with their primary school classmates decades later. Whether it’s re-homing school chickens or surviving a whole-year-level water fight, these memories remind us that school is about much more than just the curriculum.
Click on the link below to see the full responses to the questions:
It’s amazing to see how much has changed, but even more interesting to see what stayed the same.