School is a busy environment, from day-to-day activities through to special events and knowing who to speak to and when.
This section of our website is a guide to navigating through life at Camdenville Public School.
Assemblies
Camdenville Public School’s assemblies are held every Thursday from 9:00am to 9:30am in the school hall. Each class will have an opportunity to present in the assembly throughout the year. Parents will be notified when their child’s class is presenting and parents and friends are invited to attend.
Class organisation
NSW primary schools are organised into stages. They are:
- Early Stage 1 – Kindergarten
- Stage One – Years 1 and 2
- Stage Two – Years 3 and 4
- Stage Three – Years 5 and 6.
Classes are organised throughout the school depending on the numbers of children in each year group. Children of the same age group may be in the same class or classes of different ages or stages. These are called stage based or multi-age classes.
There is no need to be concerned if your child is in a stage based or multi-age class. The curriculum is organised as a learning continuum from Kinder to Year 10. Students can be anywhere along this learning continuum. Different classes can be studying different topics and still covering the syllabus. Topics are used to provide relevant context, case study or examples for teaching the key concepts in each syllabus area.
For more information, please read our policy on class structure which is also found on the policies and procedures page of this website.
Curriculum
The NSW Curriculum is developed by the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) in response to the National Curriculum. The Primary Curriculum in NSW consists of seven key learning areas (KLAs). They are English, mathematics, science, history (and geography in 2017), creative and performing arts, and personal development, health and physical education (PDHPE).
At Camdenville Public School teachers develop a responsive and integrated plan to teaching and learning through our play-based and project-based Learning approach. Students and teachers work together to develop a driving question that will organise the learning for a term. Teachers identify a focus learning area such as science or history and base the term’s learning around the key ideas to be addressed by the project, integrating other key areas such as English, maths or geography where possible.
Enrolment
Parents wishing to enrol their child at school should complete an Application to enrol in a NSW Government school form. If your child is moving to another school you must notify the office with all relevant details before they transfer.
For more information regarding enrolment or how to enrol, please go to the enrolment page on this website.
Excursions
Excursions are arranged by teachers to inform and complement learning. Excursions are arranged with the view that all children will attend unless they are sick or other extenuating circumstances. The school is aware of the many demands parents face and are conscious of the financial difficulties some families face from time to time. If for any reason you find yourself in financial difficulty regarding your child taking part in an excursion, please do not hesitate to talk to the school office or the principal.
Hiring our facilities
You may apply to use our school’s facilities for appropriate purposes provided hiring the facility does not interfere with our teaching and learning programs.
We assess each application on a case-by-case basis. Find out more at using school facilities.
If you are interested in hiring our facilities contact us for details.
Financial difficulties
If your family faces financial difficulties that make payment of school fees, music fees and / or excursions difficult please talk to someone in the school office or phone the principal for a confidential discussion to help find a workable solution.
Interviews with teachers/principal
Our teachers are always able to make time to discuss your child’s progress at school. Please email the teacher or call the school to organise a time to talk to your child’s teacher or the principal.
Late arrival and early departure
If your child arrives after 9.00am or you wish to take them out of school early, you will need to go to the school office first to collect a late arrival / early departure note. When arriving, this note is then given to their teacher.
Library
Students attend library weekly with their teacher. They borrow books and need a library bag with their name and class written on it. School library bags are available online or instore from Pickles Schoolwear.
Medicine
Children are not allowed to bring medicine to school in their bags. If your child needs to take medicine during school hours it must be handed to our dedicated First Aid Officer (Ms Lyn Phillis) in the school office. You will be required to complete all the necessary documentation to enable proper administration.
Music
A specialist music teacher delivers music lessons aligned to the syllabus to classes each week. We also offer an extensive range of extra-curricular music opportunities including junior and senior choirs, junior and senior rock bands and ukulele club. The Music Bus (external provider) also provides music lessons before and after school.
Parking
Parking around the school is restricted during school drop off and pick up times. There are drop-off zones (NO PARKING) in both Wells and Laura streets. We ask you to please respect the signs for the safety of our students. There is no parking for parents in the school grounds and no pedestrian access through the car parks.
P&C
Camdenville Public School P&C is open to all members of the school community; parents, teachers and citizens. The P&C work to promote the interests of the school and its community and meet once every month during the school term. For more information visit P&C Facebook group
Reporting
A report is provided on your child’s progress at the end of Terms 2 and 4. Kindergarten teachers will meet with you in Term 1 to discuss the Best Start assessments if requested. Teachers are available at any other time to discuss your child’s progress.
School book awards
Intrinsic motivation is valued and encouraged through meaningful learning experiences at Camdenville Public School. There are times however where students are rewarded with learning celebrations. Students collect the learning celebrations and when they have five, they can choose a book as an award to be given in the school assembly.
School communication
Ways to stay in touch with Camdenville Public School:
- Download the SchoolStream app on your smartphone to be aware of events and to read the fortnightly newsletter.
- Follow us on Twitter @CamdenvillePS
- Follow your child on Seesaw.
- Join the P&C Facebook group
School counsellor
Our school counsellor is available each Thursday and every second Friday. Parents and carers wishing to speak with the counsellor should contact the school office or the principal.
The Counsellor's role includes:
- acting as a link between the school and other services
- giving educational guidance
- assessing individual children with learning or behaviour problems
- helping with personal, emotional or adjustment matters
- giving assistance within the school to children with special needs
- acting as a resource service for teachers and parents.
School hours
Camdenville Public School hours are 9.00am to 3.00pm, Monday to Friday.
Students line up outside under the covered outdoor learning area (COLA) after the 9:00am bell and then walk to classrooms with their teachers.
Lunch is 11.00am - 11.45am.
Afternoon recess is 1:30pm - 2.00pm.
Playground supervision commences at 8.30am. Children who need to be dropped off prior to this should be enrolled in before school care.
There is no playground supervision after school and children will need to be picked up promptly at 3.00pm or enrolled in after school care. If your child is to be regularly collected by a younger person (for example a high-school student), please make sure your child’s teacher is aware of this. If you are running late please let the school office know to make suitable arrangements.
Sickness/sick bay
If your child is sick or injured at school, the school will administer first aid and make a decision about contacting you. If you cannot be contacted or are unavailable we will contact your nominated emergency contact. Please advise the school of your child’s absence for sickness.
Spare clothing
In case of accident or sickness it may be necessary to change your child’s clothing. The school has a small range of used school uniform for these purposes. If your child needs to use this, it would be greatly appreciated if you could launder and return it to school as soon as possible.
Special religious education (SRE) and special education in ethics (SEE)
A basic level of religious education called special religious education (SRE) is provided in all NSW public schools. Authorised representatives of approved religious groups are invited to schools to teach students for 30 minutes a week. Camdenville Public School offers Catholicism and Protestantism. Parents are asked to advise the school of their child's religious denomination at enrolment. SRE is not compulsory and students not attending will be supervised for that lesson. Currently students who do not participate in SRE have the option to enrol in special education in ethics (SEE) for that period. These classes are led by volunteers trained by The Ethics Centre. For more information go to http://www.ethics.org.au/past-projects/primary-ethics
Sporting houses
There are three sporting houses – Earth (green), Fire (red) and Water (blue). Students are placed into their houses in their first year at the school, and will compete for their house at school carnivals:
- Swimming Carnival: Term 1 for years 2-6
- Cross-Country Carnival: Term 2 for years 2-6
- Athletics Carnival: Term 3 for years K-6.
Sun safety
At Camdenville Public School the school community work together to take all reasonable action to ensure sun safety. A school hat is considered part of the school uniform. Children must wear a school hat when playing outdoors or on an excursion. The school hat can be either a legionnaire’s cap or a wide brimmed hat. No baseball caps are allowed at school. Sunscreen is supplied at school and students are encouraged to apply regularly. All sporting events require a hat and sunscreen.
Term/holiday dates
There are four school terms within the school year of approximately 10 weeks each. The NSW Department of Education website has dates for school terms and school holidays. In Terms 1, 2 and 3 the first day of term will be a staff development day (pupil free day). In Term 4, the last two days of term will be staff development days.
Uniform
When students wear a school uniform, they feel included in our school community and identify with the school’s values. Learn more about the NSW Department of Education’s school uniform policy.
Students, teachers, parents and carers, as well as members of our local community helped develop our school uniform to make sure it:
- meets the requirements of occupational health and safety, anti-discrimination and equal opportunity legislation
- includes items that are affordable, comfortable and made from easy-care and easy-wear fabrics
- is appropriate for the full range of school activities
- is suitable for all body shapes.
Our school uniform comprises of:
- Green and gold polo top (short/long sleeve)
- Dark green bottom (cargo, gabardine or tracksuit pants, shorts or skorts)
- Dark green hat that children are required to wear when outside especially in the summer months
- Black shoes are recommended
- School backpacks (one size) are available at the school office.
Uniforms and school library bags are available online or instore from Pickles Schoolwear.
Location - Pickles Schoolwear, Cnr Saywell & Fitzroy St, Marrickville, (02) 9905 2711 (opt. 2).
A second-hand uniform shop is run by the P&C, at least once a term or on request. To purchase, please email: uniforms.camdenville@gmail.com
Voluntary annual contribution
Public Schools in NSW do not charge a school fee for children to attend. Like most schools in NSW, Camdenville Public School asks parents to make a voluntary annual school contribution. This covers general stores used within the classroom, photocopying and printing and library resources. We spend around $30,000 on stores a year and $25,000 on photocopying and printing. For more information provided by the Department of Education, please go to the financial contributions and assistance page.
Wellbeing policy
Camdenville Public School has a Student Wellbeing Policy, which outlines steps taken to support effective learning. A copy of this policy and our anti-bullying policy is available on the policies and procedures page on this website. The policy encompasses an inclusive, restorative philosophy based on listening, reflection and the use of respectful, open-ended questioning techniques which promote open communication, risk-taking, self-regulation and the learning of new skills and behaviours by students. The policy promotes a system of logical and consistent consequences for one’s own actions – both positive and negative.