W.A. NAPLAN TOP 20 SCHOOLS – 2024
Centre School for Excellence 2023-2026
Great Students, Great Staff, Great Parents, Building Greater Communities
Dear Parents and Carers,
The last two weeks have been quite busy, with lots of classes being involved in excursions, and there are more excursions and incursions coming up. Of those that have been on excursions, the children have all commented on how interesting and wonderful these experiences have been.
Today our Years 3 to 6 students are involved in the Interschool Jumps and Throws (Friday 7/11) with the Interschool Athletics Carnival organised for Thursday, 13 November. We wish all of the students attending either today or next week, the best of luck in their events.
Parents, as you know on December 10 the federal government has asked for restrictions of Australians under 16 on certain social media platforms. We know this may be difficult for some children, so we suggest that you start having conversations with your children as early as possible. To help with these conversations the eSafety Commissioner has provided some information through webinars. The information and webinars are free. If you are interested in accessing this information, please see the link below.
Social media age restrictions explained – a guide for parents and carers | eSafety Commissioner
Here are some more ideas and information that may also assist.
1. Don’t wait until December 10
The sudden removal of social media could be a shock to young people. So, start the conversation as early as possible with your child and work together to create a plan on how to manage the ban. Talk to kids and teens about why the ban is being implemented and how it will affect both their friendships and their daily routines. This can help children feel informed, supported and importantly, heard.
2. Fade out social media
Gradually reducing your child’s time on social media rather than suddenly stopping it will help them to adjust slowly and prevent feelings of withdrawal and frustration. You could try reducing time spent on social media by a quarter each week and completely stop after one month.
Families might opt to do this faster or slower. By planning this approach together, your child can understand and accept it, making the removal of social media smoother and less stressful for the whole family.
3. Replace, rather than remove
Social media meets young people’s needs to socially connect with others, develop their identity, and belong to a community. These needs will not disappear when the ban is introduced. You could consider signing up to some other activities for regular social connection and a sense of belonging. These might include team sports, group hobbies, or volunteering. Consider creative pursuits such as art, music, or handicrafts so your child can express their identity.
4. Start offline connections
Normalise and encourage engagement within your communities that isn’t reliant on social media. The ban presents an opportunity for parents to encourage and support children to build supportive offline groups together, where children can regularly connect in person. These could be connected to existing friends or newly established groups of like-minded families. These groups can stick to the social media ban together and use alternative means of communication such as by phone, text or email.
5. Do it yourself
Children and young people absorb the behaviours and attitudes that are modelled to them in the home. So, this means parents can help by managing their own screen time, prioritising face-to-face connections with friends and family, and setting aside regular time for hobbies and activities. This reinforces the importance of balancing digital and offline experiences. Modelling these behaviours consistently will help your child feel supported in the upcoming ban.
Traffic Flow and Parking
Thank you again to all parents using the Kiss ‘n’ Drive on Bushy Gardens. The traffic seems to be flowing much better. There is some confusion along Beauly Parade, some parents are parking and leaving their cars. Please check the road signs along Beauly Parade, as there is no parking from 7.30am to 9.00am and 2.00pm to 3.30pm on school days.
Parents, please remember that the City of Gosnells request that all school families observe the traffic rules around the school:
· Remember that the Kiss and Drive is not a parking zone
· The City of Gosnells Ranger will be in attendance from time to time and will issue infringement notices.
· Please do not carry out dangerous driving around the school or park your car where you shouldn’t – please do not be the person who, for the sake of a few minutes of patience, creates an accident outside our wonderful school.
· It is only for a short twenty minutes in the mornings and afternoons that we need to be super careful, polite and patient.
Thoughts:
“Being happy never goes out of style.” – Lilly Pulitzer
Kind regards,
Paula Asplin
Principal
School News
Student Achievement
Sean in Year 6 proudly represented Western Australia as part of the 2025 U12 Golf Team at the School Sport Australia Golf Championships, held from 26 to 28 October 2025. The WA team made history by winning the Boys Nett Champion title for the first time. Congratulations Sean on your wonderful achievement. 
Pia in Year 3, had an amazing accomplishment last Sunday, where she secured the Gymnastics Junior State Championship for 2025. She trains incredibly hard three times a week, totalling nine hours a week. She is super focused on achieving her goals and is looking to greater things next year. Congratulations Pia.
At Caladenia, we love showcasing our students’ sporting achievements and events, as well as any other interests that they would like to share with our Caladenia Community.
If you have something your child would like to share, please email along with photos to the email address below:
Justine.arnold@education.wa.edu.au
Class News
Year 1 Room 41 – Mrs Jones
Last term in Science, Room 41 learned all about habitats — the special places where living things live and grow. We discovered that every habitat provides the things living creatures need to survive: food, water, and shelter.
We have also been exploring the garden as a habitat for insects. Students discussed what makes the garden a suitable home for different creatures. We then drew and labelled our own garden habitat diagrams, identifying where insects might find food, water, and shelter.
To build on our learning, we recently visited WA Wildlife in Bibra Lake. This amazing centre rescues, rehabilitates, and releases sick, injured, and orphaned native animals. During our visit, students learned about a variety of Australian animals and their natural habitats, including how humans can contribute to their protection. The excursion was a wonderful opportunity for students to connect their classroom learning with real-world examples and to deepen their understanding of how animals depend on their environment to survive.
Room 41 students showed great curiosity, care, and enthusiasm throughout this learning journey — true young scientists in action!
Bibra Lake Wildlife Excursion
Feathers, Fur and Fun: Year 1’s Wild Day Out at WA Wildlife
Our Year 1 students had a fabulous time exploring WA Wildlife in Bibra Lake this week. The excursion was filled with exciting encounters and hands-on learning. We met a sleepy wombat, a baby ringtail possum, koalas, and even some curious dingoes. One of the highlights was feeding an emu and a red-tailed cockatoo.
Students were thrilled to touch a snake, a long-necked turtle, and a bobtail lizard—experiences that sparked lots of curiosity and conversation. We also learnt about how injured wildlife are cared for in the Animal Hospital and discovered fascinating facts about animal habitats, behaviours, and diets.
It was a memorable day that deepened our understanding of native wildlife and the important work done by the dedicated volunteers at WA Wildlife.
P&C News and Community News
