14 February 2025

Welcome Back!

A very warm welcome to returning and new families to Busby West Public School. We hope you have had a relaxing and safe holiday break. A special welcome to our new students and families. We trust your time at Busby West will be a rewarding time as we work in partnership to develop and support each child to become capable and confident citizens of the future. If, at any time, you would like to discuss your child’s learning or wellbeing please contact the school office to arrange an appointment with your child’s teacher or stage supervisor.

This year we have formed twelve mainstream classes for students in Kindergarten to Year 6. Children have been carefully placed into classes to support their learning and wellbeing. We also have two preschool classes each day and seven support classes for students with special needs.

If you have changed your phone numbers, address, email or emergency contact details please inform the school office so that we can adjust our records. If we are unable to contact you in an emergency this can add to the distress of your child.

This year we are continuing to rely more on emailing families, so please ensure we have your email address. This can be supplied to the school office or emailed to the school. The school email is: busbywest-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au

School starts at 9:00am. Please ensure your child is here on time to limit disruptions to classes and to assist your child to settle into class routines quickly. Parents are required to provide an explanation for student absences. If your child is absent please send a note on the day of their return to school. Parents can also use the Sentral Parent app to notify of a student absence.

School Staff Term 1, 2025

Updating your Contact Information

To enable the school records to be maintained accurately and in the case of an emergency we have asked families to provide an update of contact information. If your details have not changed, please enter your current contact information and return to the school office. 

All students who return the sheet will go into the draw to win a family prize pack!

Zooper Dooper Friday!

Each Friday this term the P&C will be holding a fund-raising event. Zooper Doopers will be on sale at the end of the day from 3pm to 3:15pm for $1 each. This will take place on the basketball court.

Uniform Purchases

Personal Items

We kindly ask that students leave personal items and equipment at home. This will ensure that student belongings are not lost or become damaged while at school. This includes basketball, soccer balls, footballs, dolls and toys. The school will be providing balls and equipment for students to play with during recess and lunch.

We thank you for your support and understanding with this.

Communicating with you

We need to be able to connect with all families. Please use the Busby West Facebook page or the Sentral Parent Portal to keep up to date with notes, information and provide reasons for your child’s absences. Classes are also using ClassDojo.

Updating your Contact Information

Attendance

It is very important for children to develop habits of arriving on time at an early age, beginning from the time they start school. School starts promptly at 9:00am. All students are expected to be at school and in class from 9:00am to 3:00pm each day.

Please remind your child that they must go straight to their designated area when they arrive. Gates open at 8:30am each day. A couple of minutes here and there doesn’t seem like much but every minute counts!

All students are required to provide an explanation for absences on the day they return to school. Alternatively, you can send your child’s teacher a message on Class Dojo, or lodge an absent form via the SENTRAL Parent Portal App. If your child is absent for more than three days, they will require a medical certificate upon their return.

If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s attendance, please contact the office.

Jellybeans Music

This year we have continued to provide expert tuition in music by employing specialist teachers. This term Year 1 and 2 will participate in music on Thursdays. The costs for these programs are covered by the school to ensure all students can attend. This year we request families contribute $10 each time your child participates in a program.

NAPLAN

As children progress through their school years, it is very important that checks are made along the way to see how well they are learning the essential skills of reading, writing and mathematics – skills that will set them upon the path to success as adults.

NAPLAN is a point-in-time assessment that allows parents and carers to see how their child is progressing in literacy and numeracy against the national standard and compared with their peers throughout Australia. At the classroom level, NAPLAN provides additional information to support teachers’ professional judgement about student progress.

Students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 are tested on the fundamental literacy and numeracy skills that every child needs to succeed in school and beyond. NAPLAN is a national, consistent measure to determine whether or not students are meeting important educational outcomes.

Students in Year 3 and Year 5 will sit their NAPLAN assessments from Wednesday 12 March to Monday 24 March. These assessments will be completed online.

The best way you can help your child prepare for NAPLAN is to reassure your child that NAPLAN tests are just one part of their school program:

• Encourage your child to simply do the best they can on the day
• Ensure your child arrives to school on time, that is before 9am each day
• Avoid excessive cramming or coaching in the lead-up to NAPLAN
• Speak to your child’s teacher if you have questions about how you can help your child prepare for NAPLAN.

Western Sydney Wanderers Soccer Program

We are lucky to have The Western Sydney Wanderers running football clinics for students in Stage 2 and Stage 3 throughout term 1. The clinic is at no charge to the school or students. The aim of the clinics is to increase student participation in sport and encouraging them to have a healthy and active lifestyle. What a wonderful opportunity for our students!

Indigenous Shirts - Now Available!

In 2023 we introduced our new Indigenous Shirts which were voted for by our school community. If you would like an additional shirt they are now available to purchase from the front office for $27.00 each. 

School Gates

To ensure the safety of our students and visitors attending the school, we keep our school grounds secure outside of supervised hours and during learning time.

Our school gates open from 8:30am in the morning for students to arrive to school. Our gates open again at 2:45pm for you to collect your child in the afternoon.

Preschool families can collect their children prior to the gates opening in the afternoon, but they will be required to ring the bell at the gate.

If you wish to pick your child up prior to 3:00pm, please speak with the office staff and they will arrange for your child to meet you at the office.

2025 Canteen Menu

This year we welcomed our new canteen providers Fresh 4 Kids. Please click for the new canteen menu for 2025. Orders can be placed at the canteen each morning from 8:30am. Please note that they only accept cash and eftpos payments at the canteen on the day of order. Lunch orders need to be placed by 9:10am.

Dates to keep in mind