Year 4

Collection Times

Children must leave the School at the end of the day within 15 minutes of being dismissed from class unless they have an after-school activity. Should students still be waiting, for example, when the teacher goes off duty at 3.45pm, they will be taken to OSHC (After-School Care), where they are fed and supervised until collected by parents. After School Care operates on a user pays basis. If a student leaves the grounds with a parent earlier than the scheduled finish time, they are asked to mark this in the ‘Sign In and Out’ sheet in the Prep School Office. 

Where to Wait

Primary students waiting to be picked up must wait inside the School fence for their own safety. Students waiting for the School buses must do so sensibly on the lawned area outside the Prep School Office, where a teacher will supervise their movement across to the bus pick up area. 

For all students from Reception to Year 6 there is an expectation that time management and study habits are developed through homework being completed each week. The aim of homework is not to be a burden on family time, but to help the students as they prepare for more independent study and to also help parents keep abreast of the type of work being covered at school. In the Primary School, we expect all students to spend time reading or being read to on a daily basis. In addition to their reading, individual class teachers may set tasks to consolidate classroom learning. This will be communicated to students/parents. 

In 2024 we will use a school diary in Year 3-6. In the Primary School, our other primary sources of communication will be SEQTA, email, and classroom notice boards. As students move into Years 4, 5 and 6 and have access to individual devices, SEQTA will become a much bigger part of our students lives. This will prepare our students for their transition into Senior School. 

We encourage you to communicate with the school. If any situations arise that you believe may require more detailed discussion, please contact your child’s class teacher to arrange an agreed convenient meeting time. Opportunities for class teachers to check and respond to emails are very limited during School hours. We will endeavour to respond as soon as possible, but please allow up to 2 business days. We realise that pick-up arrangements can change during the day, but please understand that if you choose to email this information, we may not see it until after students have been dismissed. 

 Please contact the Prep Office if the message is urgent by calling 08 8276 0219 or via email. 

 Whilst we have a direct phone line to our classrooms, it is primarily for use outside of lesson times. Contacting teachers during lesson times is not encouraged as this is very disruptive to children’s learning. 

At Westminster School we believe in educating the whole person. We want our students to be optimistic, resilient and positive people so that they can strive, thrive and flourish at school, at home and in the big wide world.  

Students will participate in health and wellbeing lessons. This program aims to support the development of young people’s social and emotional capabilities. Students will participate in mindfulness and meditation activities, and they will be exposed to opportunities to strengthen their self-awareness and well-being within Assemblies and House Meetings. 

 You may hear words such as ‘resilience, goals, stamina, optimism, gratitude and positivity’ at home. We encourage you to question your child on this language and to include it in your daily conversations. 

For ideas about how you can practice mindfulness at home, please speak to your child’s teacher. 

At Westminster, we value and aim to develop all students as citizens in society and have many programs in place to support students to find it easier to manage themselves, relate to others, develop resilience and a sense of self-worth, resolve conflict, engage in teamwork and feel positive about themselves and the world around them. As students continue to develop these skills, challenges arise that may require some form of adult intervention and support. Communication and understanding is paramount in these circumstances, to allow all aspects of the issue to be addressed. It is imperative that all teachers, parents and student have a clear focus on this and role model rational, emotionally regulated behavior that reflect the key values of our school. If you have any concerns regarding an incident involving your child, please make an appropriate time to discuss it with you child’s class teacher in the first instance.