Update from our Primary Head of Campus

Winter is upon us, well, a Cairns winter. Thank you to all families who have ensured children are in correct uniform including jumpers and jackets. We have high standards of our students and being in correct uniform creates a sense of belonging and shows that students are part of a larger team.

Our enrolments for 2026 have been rolling in. Knowing our predicted enrolments for 2026 helps us to plan our resourcing, programs and supports. If you are considering a move for 2026 or know of any families wishing to join the RSC community, please get in touch.  

We are very excited to be planning a new playground for Prep. We have an amazing Prep area and know the teaching and learning standards are of high calibre. It will be an excellent enhancement to our wonderful school. Watch this space.

This term you will receive your child’s academic report card. This is a great opportunity to discuss progress with your child/ren. Early next term we will hold our Parent/Teacher Meetings where you can discuss goals and next steps for your child. I encourage all families to take this opportunity to meet with your child’s teacher.

Our Primary Campus Academic targets for 2025 are:

The Primary staff are striving for excellence and know we are well on our way with building expertise in our teams and Version 9 of the curriculum.

In our teaching and learning practices this term we have focused on some research and evidence based key initiatives which will shape our improvement against our targets. These include:

• Clarity – knowing the student data, student goals, next steps for students, teaching sequences and evidence of impact.
• Learning Wall Pedagogy– unpacking how the Visible Learning pedagogy can tie together many of the high impact teaching practices. This involves developing charts and references in the classroom for students to see examples of their achievement standards in English and what they are required to do to achieve their goals. This theory can also be referred to as the ‘third teacher.’ 

Extension and Enrichment Programs on the Primary include the following.

• Instrumental Music
• Robotics
• Lego Club
• Choir
• Netball Year 3
• Semester 2 Netball
• Lunch Clubs

We are expanding the number of options for students to access programs beyond the regular classroom learning.

Have a lovely holiday break and we will see all students back ready to learn on the 14^th July.

Around the Campus 

In our Specialist Learning Areas

What an action-packed term it has been for our specialist learners and teachers, not just in the classroom but also in extracurricular events.

Most recently we had our sports day on Friday. What a fabulous family event. Well done to all our athletes and spectators. It was lovely to see the true spirit of sport shine in our students. Thank you to Mr Vearing for another well-run sports day. Thank you also to tech crew for the great atmosphere, the ground staff for setting up and everyone else who helped make this such a great day. It was so good to see so many parents come and cheer on their athletes.

Mr McComb has also been busy with Robotic clubs. All teams competed last weekend in the Far North Queensland Robo Cup out at Bentley Park. The results of the competition are currently unknown but judging by the practice performance, we are confident that these students are well prepared and will make us all proud. Congratulations to Mr McComb and students for your endless hours of practice, persistence and teamwork.

This week our Choir will be participating in the Cairns Eisteddfod. Miss Rafferty and the Choir Students have been practicing and as always have given themselves the very best chance to perform well this week. If you attended the Family Festival, you may have been lucky enough to hear them sing. Congratulations to Miss Rafferty and the singing angels of the choir for all your hard work and patience. 

Prep to 2

Finishing Strong.

As we approach the end of term, it’s the perfect time to remind our students, and ourselves, of the importance of finishing strong, just as we began. The start of the year was filled with excitement and positive energy and now is the time to draw on that same mindset and carry it through to the finish line.

In classrooms, students are engaging in a range of assessments that allow them to celebrate what they’ve learned. We encourage all children to approach these tasks with confidence, creativity and a positive mindset. It’s not about being perfect, it’s about doing their best. A healthy approach to assessment helps students feel proud of their growth and sets the tone for future learning. In our classrooms we use brain and movement breaks between learning moments that help our children to maintain focus, boost energy, improve learning retention and help reset the brain. Short, active pauses reduce stress and enhance mood. These breaks support cognitive processing and physical well-being allowing students to return to tasks refreshed and ready to engage more effectively.

Parents can support this by encouraging routines that promote focus and wellbeing: good sleep, healthy meals and lots of praise for their child’s effort. Talk to your child about the goals they set at the beginning of each term and celebrate their progress.

Years 3-6

Throughout Semester 1, we have seen many examples of our amazing students once again working hard to achieve their personal best.  It is always wonderful to see students in classes not only working independently but also working together with their teachers, teacher aides, support staff and with their peers, to gain and reinforce skills and knowledge in the various learning areas.

At RSC we not only cater for the academic aspects in all the subjects but also in areas of interest and strengths such as sport, music, art and technologies.  Our students have opportunities to explore their strengths and interests such as Choir, Futsal, Bands, Dance and Drama and Robotics.  These students show great commitment to practices and/or participation before and after school as well as during their lunch breaks.

Our First Nations Students in Years 4,5 and 6 also have opportunities to participate in the Deadly Choices Program where topics such as healthy foods, the importance of exercise, healthy lifestyles and healthy choices are covered.

As the holidays approach, celebrate all the success your child has achieved and please ensure your child remains safe during the holidays and enjoy the break.

Dale Archibald - Head of Campus Primary

Sue Hall	Kellie Kremmer	Mike Bruno