2026 T2W10 – 25 June

It has been lovely to witness the many ways our students continue to grow in confidence, creativity, and faith.

The Wizard of Oz – School Production

On Tuesday and Wednesday evening, our Year 5 and 6 Drama Club students delighted audiences with their production of The Wizard of Oz, complemented by two matinee performances. The students brought the story to life through enthusiastic acting, singing, and vibrant costumes.

The journey of Dorothy and her friends along the Yellow Brick Road, searching for courage, heart, wisdom, and home, beautifully reflects the values we nurture within our own school community.

Congratulations to all students for their dedication and teamwork, both on stage and behind the scenes. A sincere thank you to our Performing Arts Specialist, Mrs Nicole Wills, for her leadership, and to our parents for their generous support with costumes. A special acknowledgement to Mrs Patrycja  Spears for her exceptional organisation of costumes and props, and her commitment in supporting rehearsals.

Founder’s Day

Next week, we gather in faith and gratitude to celebrate Founder’s Day. This significant occasion honours St Thomas the Apostle, our patron, and the Presentation Sisters, founded by Venerable Nano Nagle, who established the strong foundation of our school.

We are privileged to welcome eleven Presentation Sisters along with special guests, as we celebrate 250 years of Presentation education. Families are warmly invited to join us for Mass at 9:00am in the Church.

Term 3

Student reports will be available via SEQTA early next week. I encourage parents to take time to celebrate their child’s achievements and discuss their progress. Should you have any questions, please contact your child’s teacher before the end of term.

As Term 2 concludes on Friday 3 July, I thank our families for your continued partnership. Your support plays a vital role in nurturing each child’s spiritual, academic, and personal growth.

I wish all families a safe and restful holiday break and look forward to welcoming students back for Term 3 on Tuesday 21 July.

Enrolments are now open for Pre-Kindy and Kindergarten 2027 at St Thomas’ Primary School.
If you have a child who may be eligible, we encourage you to let us know as soon as possible:
· Pre-Kindy 2027: Children turning 3 years of age in 2027
· Kindergarten 2027: Children turning 4 years of age on or before 30 June 2027
As places can be limited, enrolment applications are considered in the following order of priority:
1. Catholic students from the Claremont Parish with a Parish Priest reference
2. Catholic students from outside the Parish with a Parish Priest reference
3. Other Catholic students
4. Siblings of non-Catholic students
5. Non-Catholic students from other Christian denominations
6. Other non-Catholic students
Families applying for enrolment are asked to support and abide by the policies and practices of Catholic Education Western Australia (CEWA).
If your family has a younger child who is eligible, or if you know of other families who may be interested, please encourage them to visit our website to book a tour and access enrolment information: https://stthomas.wa.edu.au/our-school/enrolment/
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the school office.

In Catholic schools across Western Australia, students enrolled in Years 3, 5 and 9 participate in a system-wide, online assessment in Religious Education. The administration of the assessment in 2026 commences Monday 3rd August.

Students following a regular classroom program are expected to participate. Students with disability are entitled to participate. However, exemptions may apply.

The purpose of the REA is to measure student learning of the mandated content in the Religious Education Curriculum. Test items relevant to each participating year level are developed by the Religious Education Directorate at the Catholic Education Office of Western Australia. The test items consist of multiple choice, short and extended response. The students’ faith is not assessed using the test items.

As a system-wide assessment, the REA informs teaching and assessment practices in Religious Education by providing classroom teachers, school and system leaders with a ‘point in time’ snapshot of student achievement. Over time, the REA also provides information about student progress in Religious Education.

Formal student and school reports are produced from the student achievement data generated from the REA. The reports are made available to schools in Term Four. A copy of your child’s results will be sent to you. The information provided by the REA reports aims to complement the school-based assessment programs in Religious Education.

Please contact your child’s teacher or myself if you have any enquiries regarding the administration of the Religious Education Assessment.

During 2025 and 2026, we are continuing to implement the revised WA Curriculum. As part of this, we share information about your child’s learning and progress in a variety of ways.

How We Communicate with Families
We report to parents and carers through:
· Formal reports – mid-year and end-of-year reports
· Informal updates – via SEQTA, Seesaw, emails and conversations
· Parent meetings – including scheduled and requested appointments

When reports are available in the Seqta Engage platform, an email will be sent to parents. New parents will receive another email to activate their access on the day reports become available to parents.

What You Will See in Reports
In both mid-year and end-of-year reports, your child will receive a grade for each learning area (such as English or Mathematics).

This grade:
· Reflects your child’s overall achievement in that subject
· Is based on a range of assessments and classroom work
· Is determined against the WA Achievement Standards, which describe what most students are expected to achieve by the end of the year

Whole Learning Area Approach
In the past, reports sometimes included separate grades for areas such as reading and writing.
Catholic Education WA schools are now adopting a whole learning area approach, meaning:
· Students receive one overall grade per subject
· This reflects how different skills (e.g. reading and writing) are connected and used together in learning

Understanding Your Child’s Progress
Teachers gather evidence through a range of assessments and use professional judgement to determine grades.
More detailed information about your child’s progress in specific skills (such as reading, writing, or maths concepts) will be shared during:
· Parent–teacher meetings
· Ongoing communication throughout the year

Mid-Year Reports
Mid-year reports show your child’s progress based on:
· What has been taught and assessed so far
· Their achievement in relation to the expected standard at that point in the year

Supporting Individual Learning Needs
Some students follow a modified or differentiated curriculum to support their individual needs. For these students:
· An Individual Education Plan (IEP) is developed
· Reports will reflect their progress against personalised learning goals

We are pleased to offer families the opportunity to apply for a Presentation Foundation Bursary for 2027.
This bursary provides a 50% reduction in tuition fees at St Thomas Primary School.

Key details:
· Applications close 30 June 2026
· Open to students enrolled for at least six months
· Awarded for one year only (2027)
· Outcomes advised by 30 September 2026

To apply, please complete the application form on the link below and submit it with supporting documentation by the closing date. All applications are treated confidentially.

Bursary-application-form-St-Thomas.pdf
Program-framework-St-Thomas.pdf
For further information, please contact victoria.mcdonald@cewa.edu.au.

Congratulations to all our students on a wonderful EduDance concert! It was fantastic to see them perform with such enthusiasm and confidence, showcasing the skills they have developed throughout the program.

A big thank you to our staff and EduDance instructor for their support, and to our P&F team for organising and serving refreshments before the concert. Your contributions helped make the evening a great success for our school community.

On Friday, students in Years 5 – 6 will participate in the 2026 Winter Carnival, together with other local schools. Each child will be playing one of two sports: soccer, or netball. The event will be held at the sporting facilities at Matthews Netball Centre and the adjoining grounds. Wishing all the students a fun and enjoyable carnival.