News

Coronavirus - Department of Education statement

Tue, 28 Jan 2020 18:51:48 AEDT

The department is working with the Ministry of Health to monitor and respond to the unfolding international novel coronavirus situation.

Get up-to-date information about the department's response to novel coronavirus.

#Ready2020 – a great year starts here

Tue, 21 Jan 2020 12:58:22 AEDT

Starting school is a big moment in a child’s life. Here’s how to make the most of it.

We can’t wait for you to join us for a great year – the first step towards a lifelong love of learning.

Visit the department’s primary school resources for hints, tips and checklists to make a great start to the new school year, whether your child is starting Kindergarten or Year 6.

You’ll find:

Getting ready for primary school booklet – everything you need to be #Ready2020
Daisy’s First Day – the story of Daisy the koala’s first adventure at Kindergarten
advice from teachers – they’ve been through this before.

Video – #Ready2020: First day of Kindy

Duration – 1:00

Staying healthy into the new school year

Fri, 20 Dec 2019 16:12:13 AEDT

Immunisation is a simple, safe and effective way to protect your family from harmful diseases this holiday season and into 2020. Visit your doctor for general health and vaccination advice.

Immunisation not only protects you and your family but also others in your community, by reducing the spread of preventable diseases.

Children starting school in 2020 must have up-to-date immunisations to enrol.

These vaccinations help protect children from highly infectious and severe diseases including whooping cough and measles.

Travel health

If you’re travelling overseas during the school holidays, you may need vaccinations or medication – both for general health protection and for region-specific diseases.

If you’re travelling to the Northern Hemisphere, you may even need a flu shot.

Find out more about staying healthy while travelling.

NSW schools respond to bushfires

Mon, 11 Nov 2019 16:40:20 AEDT

Many schools are responding to the catastrophic fire rating that is affecting communities across the state this week.

We are continuously updating the School safety page with a list of government and non-government schools, as well as TAFE NSW campuses that are currently non-operational.

While some schools are temporarily non-operational due to localised fires, many others in high-risk areas are non-operational as a precautionary measure.

Schools in some areas are being used as emergency evacuation centres at the direction of the Rural Fire Service.

For schools that are currently operational, school pickups and dropoffs will continue as usual. If your school is currently non-operational, it will likely remain so tomorrow.

Large scale distressing events affect our school communities in many ways. Headspace’s mental health support resource (PDF 100.52KB) is available to help students, teachers and school staff respond to the bushfires.

Visit the School safety page for updates. The department’s Facebook and Twitter accounts will also provide updates during this period.

Grab a ticket to Schools Spectacular 2019

Tue, 15 Oct 2019 11:07:28 AEDT

Will you be joining us at Schools Spectacular 2019? Tickets are on sale now. Experience our live show featuring a cast of thousands of public school students from across metropolitan, rural and remote regions of NSW.

Students from different ages, cultures and backgrounds will share the spotlight as they dance, play and sing for you. Choose from one of our four massive performances at Qudos Bank Arena on Friday 22 November and Saturday 23 November.

This year's events will feature:

more than 380 schools
5,500 performers
a 3000-strong choir
2,300 dancers
an 80-piece symphony orchestra
a world-class stage band.

Group bookings

Need to make a group booking for over 10 people? Complete the Schools Preview Order Form 2019 (PDF 110KB) to attend the discounted 11am Friday matinee. The Friday matinee is discounted for school students and accompanying teachers.

If you’d like to grab a spot at one of the other three remaining shows complete the Group Booking Form 2019 (PDF 110KB).

Tickets for you and your family and friends

Save you and your family a spot online or by phone on 132 849.

Video – Schools Spectacular 2019

Duration: 0:26

Have your say on before and after school care

Fri, 13 Sep 2019 13:33:12 AEST

We want to better understand your needs for before and after school care in NSW.

Have your say today on before and after school care.

Fill out the survey by Service NSW to share your specific care needs and to register interest to stay informed of new developments.

Your input will provide insights into where there are gaps in service availability and help us to deliver extra places where they are needed.

You can also contact the team responsible for rolling out the before and after school care commitment at BASCreform@det.nsw.edu.au.

Book yourself in for Reading Hour

Thu, 12 Sep 2019 11:19:56 AEST

This Australian Reading Hour, encourage your child to discover or rekindle their love of a good book. Take the time to learn, escape and relax on Thursday 19 September and read for one hour.

Get involved at home

Join in at home and read your child a bedtime story. Studies show that reading a bedtime story six days a week can give kids almost a year’s head start when they begin school. Reading has also been shown to develop empathy, promote critical thinking and help children find a sense of self.

Join in from the classroom

Bestselling children’s author and illustrator Matt Stanton will broadcast live to primary school children across the country from the Sydney Opera House on Tuesday 17 September. We invite schools to register for the livestream of this free event.

Stanton’s author talk is among more than 140 events happening across the country involving more than 50 authors.

Take the Book Swap Challenge

We all have favourite books that we come back to again and again.

To help celebrate Reading Hour take our Book Swap Challenge. We want students, teachers, staff and parents to try reading something new on the day. To get involved, simply pair up with someone and swap your favourite books.

Take a photo and tag it with #ReadingHour so we can see how you got involved.

Video – #ReadingHour authors talk about their favourite place to read

Duration: 0:38

Looking for a good spot to open a book? We asked authors Benjamin Law, Morris Gleitzman, Jacqueline Harvey and Mick Elliott about their favourite place to read.

How to be smart and safe on social media

Thu, 05 Sep 2019 11:38:02 AEST

Use our new Digital Citizenship toolkit to empower your child to understand how their online behaviour affects themselves and others.

You and your child can find information on:

how to ‘be positive’ by understanding online behaviour and its effect
'be smart’ by thinking critically and being digitally aware
'be safe’ by protecting your security, privacy and wellbeing.

A toolkit to empower you and your child

You can find articles and videos to equip and empower your child to minimise the risks and maximise the opportunities in our digital future.

We’ve partnered with leading researchers to produce a curated toolkit – aligned to the curriculum – which teachers and you can share with the young people in your lives.

Guide your child through important concepts such as:

managing privacy settings in social media
collaborating online
avoiding scams and hoaxes
understanding the law when it comes to online speech
Internet banking, shopping online and much more.

Keep your child safe and happy online

Visit and bookmark the Digital Citizenship website. We’ll continue to add articles and resources to ensure the best possible tools are available to help you guide your child to be positive, smart and safe online.

Education Week – Every student, every voice

Thu, 01 Aug 2019 14:00:13 AEST

We are celebrating our students and their powerful voices this Education Week Monday 5 August to Friday 9 August. Every year Education Week celebrates the achievements of public schools, our students and the value of public education.

This year, the theme is Every student, every voice.

Join us for #EdWeek19 as we celebrate our students and their power to shape the world.

Video – #EdWeek19 – Every student, every voice

Duration: 0:34

Creative and Active Kids vouchers now available

Fri, 14 Jun 2019 11:32:57 AEST

Creative kids can now put a $100 voucher towards extra-curricular creative activities outside of school.

Together with Active Kids, this program aims to encourage more NSW children to participate in a range of extra-curricular activities such as coding, languages, circus, performing arts and visual arts.

Parents can apply for one $100 voucher for each child enrolled in school on the Creative Kids website and use it towards the cost of registration, participation or tuition. You just redeem the voucher with a registered provider in your area when making your payment.

This is a great opportunity for your child to become involved in a range of activities that will build on their education, growth and development.

Service NSW is working with industry bodies to deliver the program.

For more information, contact Service NSW on 137 788 or creativekids@service.nsw.gov.au.

The Game Changer Challenge is back

Fri, 31 May 2019 12:19:47 AEST

It’s not too late to become a Game Changer with applications for the Education Week challenge due by 7 June.

The Game Changer Challenge brings 16 teams from public schools across NSW – eight from primary and eight from secondary – to Sydney during Education Week in August for a three-day, intensive design-thinking workshop.

The Game Changer workshops, which start on Tuesday 6 August, includes teacher training in the use of design thinking as a teaching methodology and its application for school planning.

It also includes a team competition where schools will work under the guidance of experts from industry and academia to develop a solution to this year’s critical question: How might we humanise technology?

Department of Education Secretary Mark Scott has encouraged students and teachers to get behind the event as it highlights the critical thinking students will need to develop to succeed in the future.

“The Game Changer Challenge is an exciting initiative that helps educate and inform our students and teachers on how to integrate the problem-solving methodology of design thinking into the classroom,” Mr Scott says.

“It embraces the 21^st century skills our students will need to thrive in a globalised world such as collaboration, creative thinking and communication.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for our students at all levels to be involved in discussing and addressing a real-world issue that will affect their future lives. I encourage every school to get involved.”

The challenge is designed to make strong learning and teaching connections to the NSW syllabus specifically in the area of developing general capabilities such as critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, communication and problem-solving.

The challenge also provides teachers with an opportunity to gain exposure to the design thinking process and includes teacher resources to introduce this creative problem-solving methodology into the classroom.

Finalists will be selected based on a 60-second video that showcases your team’s vision around the question of humanising technology.

For more information email edweek@det.nsw.edu.au or visit the Game Changer Challenge page.

Your NAPLAN questions answered

Thu, 09 May 2019 15:03:55 AEST

The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is a point in time assessment for students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. The tests assess the foundational skills in reading, writing, spelling and numeracy that are essential for every child to progress through school and life.

This year NAPLAN takes place between 14 and 16 May for paper tests and between 14 and 24 May for schools participating in NAPLAN Online.

NAPLAN data is used to help monitor student progress over time against a national measure and to identify areas of strength and improvement. It is used in combination with other school assessments to guide and support student learning.

Watch students ask an expert the tough questions about NAPLAN.

Video – Kids ask the hard questions

Duration – 3:45

Apply now for My Community Project funding

Mon, 29 Apr 2019 15:06:36 AEST

Do you have a great idea to improve your area?

My Community Project is a new NSW Government funding program that is all about local ideas, local projects and local decisions.

You can apply now for grants from $20,000 - $200,000 for projects that will make a difference to your community. Projects could include new playground equipment, sports facilities, paths or ramps to improve access, public art or a community service.

The local community can vote for their favourite projects in July and successful projects will be announced in September.

Project applications close 15 May 2019.

Apply for My Community Project funding

Bring back memories, not measles

Thu, 11 Apr 2019 14:14:37 AEST

With school holidays just around the corner, it’s time to visit your doctor to check that you and your family are fully protected against measles, before you travel overseas.

Measles is a serious, highly contagious, viral illness that is easily spread through the air when an infectious person coughs, sneezes or breathes. If you and your family are not fully vaccinated, or have never been vaccinated, you are at risk of contracting measles.

Not sure if you’re fully protected?

In Australia, the measles vaccine (MMR) consists of 2 doses. If you’re not sure whether you’ve had 2 doses of the measles vaccine, visit your doctor. It’s safe to receive another dose.

Children born in Australia

If your children were born in Australia, they may have received the measles vaccine at 12 months old and the second dose at 18 months, in accordance with the National Immunisation Program.
If you have a baby under 12 months old, consult your doctor about getting their measles vaccination.

Adults born in Australia

Born before 1966 – you were most likely exposed to measles as a child and are generally considered to be immune. If in doubt, ask your GP.
Born between 1966 and 1994 – you may not have received 2 doses. Talk to your doctor about the free vaccine if you’re unsure.
Born after 1994 – the National Immunisation Program offers 2 doses, and you can check your vaccination status using the Australian Immunisation Register.

For more information about the measles vaccination, visit NSW Health or consult your local doctor.

5 road safety tips for parents and carers

Mon, 25 Feb 2019 13:14:17 AEDT

Now that students are back to school after a break it’s a good time to chat with your child about safe behaviours when you walk or commute to school.

Here are our top tips to help our students make a safe trip:

1. Be alert and aware

Take note of the dangers you come across on your walk and bring them to your child’s attention. Point out dangers, such as vehicles coming out of driveways. Talk to your child about being alert in a road environment.

2. Hold hands

When on the footpath, at a crossing or in a car park always hold your child's hand. It is advised to do this up to the age of at least 8 years old and closely supervise until at least the age of 10.

3. Choose a safe crossing

Lead by example and choose a safe place to cross the road. Explain why it is the safest place to cross.

4. Set a good example

Your child watches everything you do, so if you cross at the crossing they will too. It is also important to share these messages with other carers who may walk with your child to school.

5. Stop, Look, Listen, Think every time you cross the road

Discuss this important road safety message. STOP! one step back from the kerb. LOOK! continuously both ways. LISTEN! for the sounds of approaching traffic. THINK! whether it is safe to cross.

Practise makes perfect

The more supervised practice your child can get the better, so why not make Term 1 the start of a new routine to walk with your child to school more often.

Older children may be ready to make the journey to school independently. Before they take this step, observe if they are road safe and reinforce the road safety messages.

For more information, check out the department’s pedestrian safety advice for students, parents and carers.

Back to school

Fri, 25 Jan 2019 14:52:01 AEDT

The first day of Kindergarten and the return to school in the new year are busy times for your child – and for the entire family. To help you make the most of this time and enjoy the experience, we’ve compiled some useful tips and checklists. We want every student to be known, valued and cared for in our schools.

Our film #FirstDay2019 captures the excitement – and the nerves – of the rite of passage that is the first day of Kindergarten.

Video – Back to School 2019: First Day at Kindy

Duration – 1:00

2019 school budget allocations

Mon, 12 Nov 2018 12:22:29 AEDT

Like all NSW public schools, this week we will receive a School Budget Allocation Report with our funding for 2019. The report will help us manage our total budget delivered through the Resource Allocation Model (RAM).

The RAM supports schools through needs-based funding to ensure a fair, efficient and transparent allocation of funds. Our school has the flexibility to make local decisions based on the specific needs of our students.

We will use our 2019 funding to support students and improve educational outcomes. The school executive will continue to work with the school community as we implement the school plan using this needs-based funding.

Learn more about the 2019 RAM funding.

Mother's day 2018

Fri, 24 Aug 2018 16:02:07 AEST

In May 2018 we celebrated all things Mother's day at Stockinbingal. Thank you for all of the mums, grandmothers, aunties and friends who joined us on the day. Thank you also for sharing your delicious treats with us to enjoy on the day.

Author Visit a success!

Tue, 14 Aug 2018 21:21:38 AEST

Our school was fortunate enough to have John Heffernan, author of over 30 books for children, published all over the world, visit with us on Thursday 8th June. John delighted students with tales from his farm and gave them an insight into a wonderful imagination. In the picture above John was telling the tale of the 'Boot Thief' a true story of stolen goods from his farm near Walcha in north west NSW. As you can see from the student's faces they were delighted by the tales and really enjoyed his visit.

Count Us In Music event

Tue, 14 Aug 2018 21:21:41 AEST

On Thursday October 29th our small school participated in the Count Us In Music event for 2015.

This involved over 550,000 students from 2,100 schools around Australia singing "Gold" written by aspiring Young Australian musicians and song writers from across the country. Although technology was not great on the day, live streaming allowed students from Stockinbingal to take part in this fantastic event to promote music education for young students. It also gave students the chance to see another side of musicology with some students "singing"/demonstrating the song using sign language.

Program Ambassador John Foreman who hosted the event, with Marcia Hines who helped co-write and perform the song "Gold". Students enjoyed singing the song, despite the interruptions to streaming, and are looking forward to next years song already!

Grandparents Day and Jump Rope For Heart

Tue, 14 Aug 2018 21:21:41 AEST

On Friday 23rd of October we celebrated our Jump Rope For Heart Jump-Off day as well as Grandparents Day (which was Sunday 25th of October).

Take a look at our photo gallery for some fun pics from the day. Thank you for those who helped raise money for the Heart Foundation on the day, helped cook the BBQ for lunch and just spent time with their grandchildren.

Welcome Back Term 4 - Grainsley Kidnapped!

Tue, 14 Aug 2018 21:21:44 AEST

Photos were discovered today of our calf, Grainsley being kidnapped and taken for a ride around Stockinbingal. As part of our ArchiCalf presentation, Mrs Holt kidnapped our calf with the help of Ted and Harvey to take some great shots before our final Blog submission.

Coins for Cambodia

Tue, 14 Aug 2018 21:21:39 AEST

On Friday the 4th of September the students created a Coin-Line under our school assembly COLA.

Mr Trickett had drawn an outline of Cambodia onto the concrete and students who had brought coins from home for their Mufti-Day and to donate to under-privileged children in Cambodia, cared for by the Aid group "RAW Impact", covered the outline with coins from 5c to $2.

Developing in students, the idea that doing something for somebody else, that will create a benefit in the future that you may not even see, is a great thing. This idea of paying forward is worth developing and everybody has the potential to make our community and the world a better place.

Mr Trickett will be visiting RAW Impact's village on Gunty's Island in Cambodia in the September holidays with his daughter. He will be handing over some small gifts from our school and the money raised from the Coin Line which was just over $300 which was contributed by our school families but also some local Stockinbingal ladies with special thanks to Daphne Bone for collecting this.

Mr Trickett will take photos of the visit to bring back to school, and maybe even post on a holiday blog that parents and students can follow.

Later in the day we also made some Cambodian influenced artworks based on the famous Angkor Wat, the largest religious temple in the world, built around the 12th century.

Visit Raw Impact website

Australian of the Year Visit to Stockinbingal

Tue, 14 Aug 2018 21:21:37 AEST

On Thursday, 30th July the New South Wales Australian of the Year Tour of Honour for 2015 visited Stockinbingal Public School. We were privileged to have three different New South Wales Australians of the Year come to our school to share their experiences and answer questions from the students.

Each of the visitors shared something of their personal story before our students asked questions based on the short videos we had seen about each of these special people. All of the student's questions were answered in detail giving an insight into the jobs and lives of each of our Australians of the Year.Jules asked if she could take Noah home with her as she thought he was just perfect, and all of the visitors commented on how lucky our students are to attend a small, caring and supportive school.

The message from all, was one of kindness and a passion for what you do allowing you to make a difference.

Our visitors were then treated to some Stockinbingal hospitality, with Terese providing a light lunch and the children entertaining visitors in the playground.

It was an outstanding opportunity for our students to talk to people with such a passion making such a difference in many people's lives. I'm sure if they carry this message with them, they also have the capacity to make a difference themselves.

Archibull Prize Participants for 2015

Tue, 14 Aug 2018 21:21:36 AEST

This year our school has been selected to take part in the Archibull Prize for 2015.

An innovative and fun in-school program, the Archibull Prize traverses the boundaries of communication between rural providers and city consumers. Put simply, the program is an agricultural and environmental themed art competition for primary and secondary student groups.

To enter the program Mr. Trickett had to send away our details and we were selected from many different schools across the state. Please check out the website for more information and also our Blog, which is part of our project. Our "3-6 Blog Team" will be updating this online journal regularly throughout the coming weeks to show what we are learning as part of the Archibull Prize competition.

Archibull Prize

Stockinbingal Blog 2015

Cross Country Success!!

Tue, 14 Aug 2018 21:21:41 AEST

A wonderful Cross Country event was held on our last day of Term 1. Thank you to our fantastic hosts, The Caldwell family. All of our students appreciate the time and effort undertaken to prepare for the running of the event and were also very excited to take part in our Easter egg challenge after our run. Please check out the gallery for fantastic pictures from the day.

Stockinbingal Fair Success

Tue, 14 Aug 2018 21:21:43 AEST

Thank you to our families who helped support the P&C Fundraising at the recent Stockinbingal Village Fair. It was wonderful to hear all student's who visited the fair got into the spirit of the festivities, some a little more than others but we are glad everyone enjoyed themselves!

We are waiting on news of our raffle this year, but I am sure with the wonderful support of the community it will be another huge success! Mrs Webber March 2015