Welcome to our school newsletter - "your local school....our local community" 

Dear Parent and Carers,

The countdown is on as we head into the second half of this term. 

Outstanding Maths Olympiad Results

Congratulations to our Stage 3 students and staff for achieving exceptional results in the recent Maths Olympiad competition. I am incredibly proud of both their achievements and the dedication shown by our students.

Impressive ICAS  Results ( International Competitions and Assessments for Schools )

The ICAS assessments aim to identify and celebrate academic excellence and are designed to be quite challenging. Congratulations to all our Year 3 to Year 6 students who participated in these assessments in 2026. This year, 32 students took part in the English competition, 32 in Mathematics, 33 in Writing, and 26 in the Spelling Bee. Below, we acknowledge students who earned Merit, Credit, Distinction, and High Distinction certificates. Well done to everyone for their efforts.

A special thank you to Mr Fung for coordinating the assessment timetable before school, managing the technology, and providing this excellent opportunity for our High Potential and Gifted students to be challenged and achieve success.

English

Merit: Bhavna A, Samara A

Credit: Benjamin C, Leighton L, Vincent H, Leonard C,  Aidan C, Aurora N, Caellum G, Elina J, Irene H, Alexandra C, Elaina F, Eva M, Joshua Q

Distinction: Reuben O, Marnie J, Laura Q

High Distinction: Annika S

Mathematics

Merit: Bhavna A, Charlie A, Claire B, Marnie J

Credit: Reuben O, Vincent H, Annika S, Caellum G, Enzo H, Irene H, Laura Q, Maxwell C, Alexandra C, Eva M

Distinction: Leonard C, Aidan C, Yannick S

High Distinction: Joshua Q, Zachary G

Writing

Merit: Danny T

Credit: Leighton L, Charlie A, Annika S, Caellum G, Elina J, Irene H, Eva M

Distinction: Reuben O, Laura Q, Joshua Q, Zachary G

High Distinction: Leonard C

Spelling 

Merit: Aidan C

Credit: Marnie J, Caellum G, Elina J, Samara A, Alexandra C, Elaina F

Distinction: Annika S, Laura Q, Yannick S, Zachary G

High Distinction: Reuben O, Leonard C, Joshua Q

Principal Awards

Principal Awards for ICAS are special recognitions given to students who achieve outstanding results in ICAS assessments. This year’s Principal’s award goes to:

Year 3: Reuben O

Year 4: Leonard C

Year 5: Annika S

Year 6: Zachary G

The ICAS Medal

The ICAS Medal is awarded to the top-performing student in the International Competitions and Assessments for Schools (ICAS) in each participating country and subject. The medal is a prestigious honour highlighting exceptional performance in the ICAS assessments. Congratulations to Joshua Q for being awarded an ICAS medal in Mathematics. Well deserved!

Remembrance Day

Well done to our Student Leaders who led the Remembrance Day assembly last Tuesday. Our school captains proudly represented our school at the Ryde Council Remembrance Day service held at Meadowbank Park. Andrew F recited a verse from a poem, and Ruby G respectfully placed a beautiful wreath at the cenotaph.

Student Leaders 2026

The student candidates for leadership positions in 2026 addressed Years 1-6 students during an assembly last Friday. Their speeches were highly impressive, making the voting process very challenging. The votes have now been tallied, and the successful candidates will be interviewed by the executive team this week to determine the specific leadership roles they will undertake in the 2026 Leadership team. I would like to extend my congratulations to all the nominees for their efforts:

Irene H, Madeline G, Laura Q, Samara A, Emma I, Zoe Z

Caelum G, Toby S, Max R, Hugo T, Dev K and Jude C.

The following students were voted in by staff and students to hold leadership positions next year. Irene H, Laura Q, Emma I, Caelum G, Toby S and Max R. They will be interviewed by the Executive and 2025 School Captains.

Sport House Captains and Vice Captains for 2026 will be elected in Sport House Meetings next week.

Kindergarten 2026

It was delightful to welcome our 2026 Kindergarten students onsite for their orientation days over the past two weeks. The children were very excited, and both mornings were calm as the preschoolers participated confidently in the activities.

Mrs St Flour, Ms Sullivan, and I thoroughly enjoyed conducting interviews with the preschoolers and their parents. These interviews offer an additional opportunity to support a smooth transition to school. Once again, our Kindergarten liaison parent, Mel Ibrahim, has been instrumental in supporting new parents to our school by organising coffee catchups and play dates before the school term begins.

In 2026, 31 students are enrolled to start in kindergarten. The numbers are less than in previous years due to school boundary changes and being restricted in taking out of area enrolments. We will be forming a K/1  class. Classes will not be formed on the first day. The teachers will give careful consideration for the students selected for the K/1 class as we do for every class placement. 

If your child is selected in the Year 1, you will be informed by staff during the SDD days at the beginning of the year. Student selection for this class will not be based on academic achievement or need, instead staff take a more holistic approach to ensure a productive mix of students across both grades are combined to make for a happy and successful year for all.

Grandparents’ Day

Grandparents Day is always a cherished occasion on our school calendar. I would like to express my gratitude to all the grandparents and grand friends who were able to join us at the school yesterday. It was wonderful to enjoy the performances by our extra-curricular activities during the event. The students were very proud to share their learning with their family.  As a nana myself, I understand the joy and pride that comes from seeing grandchildren grow and flourish. These special memories are something I’m proud that we continue to create through this meaningful event.

Scripture Presentation

I would like to thank our scripture teachers, who volunteer each week and worked together to organise our Year 6 students to present the Christmas story at the combined Christmas Scripture assembly yesterday. It was a beautiful presentation and very engaging for our students. Year 6 students starred in the nativity play.

Spring Fling

It is a tradition for Year 6 students to fundraise throughout the year to collect money and present a gift to the school as a token of gratitude for their time spent at Putney. The Spring Fling takes place next Tuesday and Year 6 students are keen to run the stalls for the younger students. Thank you for your support for the festivities. Our Year 6 students are much appreciative.

Thank You Morning Tea

Our staff appreciate the work and assistance that our scripture teachers and parent volunteers provide to support student learning. Every year our teachers are keen to provide morning tea to show our appreciation. Please “Save the Date”- Tuesday 9th December to join us for morning tea. Invitations will be forwarded next week.

Mrs Brooks

Principal

The Parent Hub - Supporting families at home

We encourage all families to explore the Parent Hub, a valuable online space filled with practical resources to support parenting and wellbeing. The Hub features helpful guidance on navigating big feelings, building cooperation at home and supporting children as they learn to manage their emotions. You’ll also find information about staying safe and positive on social media, along with tips for prioritising self-care and finding time for your own wellbeing.

Be sure to check out the Meet the Panelists section, where experts share insights and strategies to help families thrive. The interviews are easily accessible via the below link and are short but informative. The Parent Hub is a fantastic tool for staying informed, supported and connected.

https://theresilienceproject.com.au/2025-parent-carer-hub-inspire-4/

Mrs Martin & Ms Sullivan

Year 5 & 6 - Maths Olympiad and Maths Games Achievement

We are pleased to share the outstanding results from this year’s Maths Olympiad and Maths Games program. Students in Year 5 and Year 6 took part in the APSMO competitions each week. They all demonstrated commitment and a strong interest in extending their mathematical thinking.

Ashay P and Joshua Q achieved perfect scores (20/20) in the Maths Olympiad. They were two of only 208 students across Australia to achieve this result. Both students received medallions in recognition of their achievement.

In the Maths Games program, Filip D also achieved a perfect score. 

Our school received an award for Outstanding Team Achievement, which reflects the steady effort, participation and enthusiasm shown by all students involved.

We are very proud of every student who took part. Their persistence and willingness to build their skills in mathematics has been admirable.

We are very excited to extend the program next year beyond Year 5 and 6 so that other students at Putney Public School can be part of this exciting program. 

Mrs Hedge & Mrs Ignazzi

Olympiad Coordinators

Stage 3 Otters Electricity Investigations

This term, Stage 3 have been learning about energy sources, electricity and how electrical circuits work. Otters had a wonderful time investigating how to construct electrical circuits with batteries, wires, bulbs, switches, alarms, motorised fans and wheels. Students engaged in making their own circuits and enjoyed sharing their discoveries with their peers.

Students also had the opportunity to further investigate more intricate circuits using an online computer program called 'Tinkercad' where they discovered how to construct circuits for lights in series and parallel. Students experimented with alternate energy sources such as lemons and potatoes, and discussed how the low voltage range would not be a practical solution for our planet.

Here are some photos for your enjoyment.

From Stage 3 Otters & Ms Millar

Ryde Network SRC

This year, Eva and I participated in the Ryde Network SRC program designed for school leaders chosen by their principal or a teacher. During the program, we discussed topics such as what we are proud of about our school, invisible leadership, and transitions between schools. It was a very enjoyable experience, and we appreciated all the opportunities and experiences we gained throughout the program.

In the final session of the Ryde Network SRC, we focused on what we are proud of. For our school, we take pride in the variety and number of extracurricular activities offered. It was a valuable opportunity to connect with and learn from students at other schools. The program concluded with all the public school participants gathering for a group photo and exchanging farewells and good wishes for our studies.

Johnny & Eva

Hi everyone!

I can’t believe we’re already past the half-way point for Term 4. We are steam-rolling towards the end of 2025!

Firstly, thank you to Collette and Sarah for running the second-hand uniform (SHU) stall at the recent Kindy Orientation. Not only have they hopefully helped make starting school a little easier for 2026 Kindy families and promoted environmental sustainability, but they raised over $500 for the school and our kids.

A big thank you also to Skye, Tizzy and our canteen volunteers (especially Julie F and Em H) for their hard-work in helping to make this year’s Grandparents Day such a success with their yummy treats and service with a smile! They raised almost $700, selling almost 130 muffins, 90 croissants and 60 sliders! And of course, well done and thank you to all the teachers for organising such a great morning for Grandparents Day for our kids to enjoy!

I’m also excited to say that there has been some interest in the 2 currently vacant Vice President positions on the P&C Executive Committee, so we plan to hold a General Meeting on Thursday 4 December 2025 to hopefully fill these positions. We invite you to please come along to this meeting or join in online. If you would like to self-nominate for a Vice President or Elected Member position on the P&C Executive Committee, please email your nomination (with your full name and the position you are nominating for) to info@putneypc.org.au.

Please always feel free to get in touch via email if you are keen to get involved – many hands make light work! 

Hope everyone has a great rest of the week!

Jess

Canteen News

As always, any questions or feedback concerning the canteen can be emailed to canteen@putneypc.org.au.

Term 4 (Summer) Menu

The summer canteen menu is here! Check out all the delicious options available for Term 4 - there’s something for everyone.

Term 4 Special Days

Get ready for Tizzy and Skye's Thanksgiving specials next week on WEDNESDAY 26 NOVEMBER 2025! They’ll be flying out the door faster than a turkey (they can apparently fly at up to 90km/hour!)!

Also a reminder that we are changing up Tizzy's traditional end-of-term sausage sizzle this term as the kids will get their sausage fix at the Spring Fling on 25 November. We'll instead be doing a nuggets day which we hope will be a hectic but awesome way to finish the year at the Bamboo Snack Shack!

Kindy 2026

We are looking forward to having new kids and families join our community next year!

Mel Ibrahim has kindly volunteered to be the Parent Liaison for Kindy 2026. She has created a WhatsApp group to help new families settle in, share important updates, and keep everyone connected with fun playdates. Use the QR code in the poster below to join in!

The P&C will also be hosting a Tea and Tissues Morning Tea on the first day of school for the Kindy parents as they mark this exciting milestone! If you can help out in the lead-up and/or on the day - please email info@putneypc.org.au!

Second Hand Uniform

We need you!

We’re collecting donations to help support our upcoming events and canteen and we’d love your help! If you’re able to contribute any of the items listed below, it would make a huge difference. Every little bit adds up and helps us raise funds for our kids and school community.

Thank you for your generosity and support!

P&C Partners

Getting to school by bus in 2026

Will your child be catching the bus to school next year? Applications are now open for a 2026 School Opal cards.  As this is a busy time of year, we highly recommend applying before the end of this year. It’s also a good idea to check the bus timetable to help make your child’s journey to school as easy as possible. 

School Opal cards

• All students catching the bus in 2026 will need a School Opal card.

• Under the School Student Transport Scheme (SSTS), eligible students can apply for free or subsidised travel between home and school.

• For more information about the SSTS and how to apply for a School Opal Card, visit https://apps.transport.nsw.gov.au/ssts/#/ (best accessed from a desktop computer) click 'Apply now'. 

Bus timetables

Busways operates your school's bus services. To find your child’s school bus timetable: 

1. Go to busways.com.au/nsw 

2. Click ‘School Services’ in the navigation bar, then proceed to ‘school timetables’

3. Enter the school’s name in ‘Enter a school name’ field

4. Select the school’s name to open the timetable. 

If you are unable to find or search for the school's name, use the drop-down menus on the same page to find the school. Once the timetable is opened, you will be able to identify which school bus services are available in your area for your child. 

Anxiety programs

Cool Little Kids Online ONLINE PROGRAM FOR PARENTS OF ANXIOUS AND SHY YOUNG CHILDREN (AGED 3-6 YRS*)

Cool Little Kids Online is a parenting program that aims to increase the confidence of young children, so that they have fewer anxiety problems as they grow. It is based on the world renowned Cool Little Kids program developed at Macquarie University. The program uses the principles of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) and is backed by scientific studies showing its effectiveness in reducing current and future fears and worries for young children.

Cool Kids Online (Ages 7-12)

A world renowned anxiety management program suite, Cool Kids is a cognitive-behavioural skills-based program that teaches children, teenagers and their caregivers how to better manage anxiety. The suite also contains an adaptation for young people on the autistic spectrum.

The Cool Kids online suite of programs target all the types of anxiety. Topics covered in the Cool Kids programs include:

• learning about feelings and anxiety

• learning to think realistically

• fighting fear by facing fear

• parenting an anxious child

• learning coping skills such as building confidence, relaxation or problem solving.

 The Emotional Health Clinic offers the Cool Kids online Suite through our clinic at Macquarie University as outlined below. 

• The programs can be run:

• with individual families

• for a group of families

• in community, clinic, and school settings.

Chilled Out Online (Ages 13-17)

INTERNET DELIVERED TEEN ANXIETY TREATMENT (AGES 13-17 YRS*) Chilled Out is based on the world-renowned Cool Kids (Chilled) program which has been running at Macquarie University since 1993. The Cool Kids program is a structured, skills-based program that teaches children and their parents how to better manage anxiety. Results for both the face to face program and the online program show most young people who complete Cool Kids experience significant improvements, with decreases in worry, fear, family distress, and life interference.

City of Ryde

Click here for further information about the events

Carols on the Common

CLICK HERE TO ENROL FOR SPANISH CLASSES