News

Coronavirus - Department of Education statement

Tue, 28 Jan 2020 18:53:14 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 13:01:37 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 16:15:32 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 16:43:20 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, 22 Oct 2019 14:12:31 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 13:33:42 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 11:20:30 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 11:38:47 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 14:01:13 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 11:33:45 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 12:20:33 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 15:05:31 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 15:07:06 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 14:20:07 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 13:15:02 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 14:53:05 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 12:23:23 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.

NAIDOC in Woolloomooloo

Tue, 04 Sep 2018 21:04:19 AEST

Happy Holidays

Tue, 04 Sep 2018 21:04:17 AEST

The staff of Plunkett Street Public School wish everyone a happy and safe school holidays. School resumes on Tuesday 1st May.

Easter Hat Parade

Tue, 27 Mar 2018 17:38:25 AEDT

Plunkett St Public School - Easter Hat Parade

Please join us on Thursday 29th March from 2pm for our annual Easter Hat Parade. The parade will take place in the Preschool Playground.

Harmony Day at Plunkett St Public School

Tue, 27 Mar 2018 17:38:26 AEDT

Playgroup has started again!

Tue, 27 Mar 2018 17:38:27 AEDT

Come along and join the volunteers from Lou's Place at our weekly Thursday morning playgroup, from 9:30-11:30 am . Morning tea provided.

Welcome to 2018 at Plunkett Street Public School

Tue, 27 Mar 2018 17:38:27 AEDT

Welcome back to Plunkett St Public School for 2018. The staff are very excited about the year ahead and look forward to working closely with you to support our students. This year we begin a new 3 year school plan cycle and have organised some wonderful learning opportunities to build the capacity of our students and staff throughout the year. Please contact the school for any inquiries.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New year

Tue, 27 Mar 2018 17:38:26 AEDT

The staff of Plunkett Street Public School would like to wish all of our families and friends a very Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year. We look forward to seeing you all back with us on Tuesday 30th January, 2018.

Plunkett Street Public School Annual Art Show

Tue, 27 Mar 2018 17:38:27 AEDT

Plunkett Street Public School Family Fun Day

Tue, 27 Mar 2018 17:38:27 AEDT

Plunkett St Public School Family Fun Day

Please join in the fun from 10am -2pm on Saturday 18th November at Plunkett St Public School, Forbes St. Woolloomooloo. Any inquiries, please contact the school on 93585335.

All Welcome!

Deadly Kids Doing Well

Tue, 27 Mar 2018 17:38:25 AEDT

Last Friday the annual Deadly Kids Doing Well Awards were held at the University of Technology Sydney. These awards acknowledge the achievement of Aboriginal students in public schools from all over Sydney.

Congratulations to Cyndell the Plunkett Street Public School recipient for 2017.

Kindergarten Information Sessions

Tue, 27 Mar 2018 17:38:26 AEDT

NAIDOC Celebrations 2017

Tue, 27 Mar 2018 17:38:26 AEDT

During the last few weeks of term 2, the students of Plunkett Street Public School have participated in a variety of activities and experiences to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history and culture. We are all looking forward to the Woolloomooloo Community NAIDOC Festival on Saturday 8th July.

PSSA Sport

Tue, 27 Mar 2018 17:38:27 AEDT

For the first time in many years, the Plunkett Street Public School senior students will participate in PSSA Sport. Each Friday afternoon the students will travel by bus to Queens Park to take part in the senior mixed soccer competition. A big thank you to Kings Cross Police for supplying the bus and driver.

Good Luck Plunkett Street!

Hoops For Harmony

Tue, 27 Mar 2018 17:38:26 AEDT

It was a special Harmony Day celebration at Plunkett St Public School last week with the launch of Charity Bounce's Hoop For Harmony primary schools program. Hoops For Harmony teaches students key life lessons through an interactive basketball program engaging every student to participate in the program. Using the principles, skills and training learned on a basketball court the program focuses on teamwork, promoting inclusiveness and valuing diversity.

For more on this story please visit:

Hoops For Harmony

Harmany Day Multicultural Food Festival

Tue, 27 Mar 2018 17:38:25 AEDT

Plunkett Street Public School will be celebrating Harmony Day on Tuesday 21st March, from 12 noon. The students will begin the afternoon participating in activities celebrating Aboriginal culture. For lunch we will celebrate our school diversity with a Multicultural Food Festival. In the afternoon Charity Bounce will be talking to the students about diversity in sport and then their players will challenge our students to a game of basketball.

Welcome to the new school year!

Tue, 27 Mar 2018 17:38:28 AEDT

Dear Families,

Welcome back to Plunkett Street Public School for 2017. The staff are very excited about the year ahead and look forward to working closely with you to support our students. As you may or may not know, there has been some staff changes this year.

After working with us for many years, in many capacities, Fran Campbell has decided on a "sea change" and has moved down the NSW South Coast. She snuck off in the Christmas holidays and therefore we have not been able to arrange a farewell get together for her. I am sure you will join me in wishing her all the best for her new adventure!

We welcome Allsion Fairweather who will be taking on the role of School Administration Officer for the term. During term 4 2016, Alli had intensive training in the new Department of Education administration and finance system and worked closely with Fran to implement the system into our school. I would like to thank Alli for taking on the role.

Kathy Armstrong has resigned from the Department of Education. Kathy also worked at Plunkett Street in many capacities for many years and we are very sorry to see her go. We will all miss her "creative flair" and her individual and small group support.

Kelly Birkett has accepted a three year tenure as a P-2 Initiatives Officer with the Department Education. Therefore we will not see her return until after 2019. We are in the process of advertising for an early childhood teacher and hope to know Kelly's replacement very soon. In the meantime, a very experienced early childhood teacher, Jane Thomas, will be working in the preschool alongside Meg Simmons our Learning and Support Officer.

We also welcome Raven Bendersky who is an experienced teacher who has worked in several schools across Sydney, most recently at Glenmore Rd Public School. Raven will be working on the Uluru class, and specifically Year 5 and 6 for literacy and numeracy.

Emma Gillogly will be taking on several different roles this year. She will be our Learning and Support teacher, our RFF teacher, our English as an Additional Language teacher, our Teacher Librarian and our sport teacher. To support our students, Emma will be taking the students in years 3 and 4 for Literacy and numeracy sessions each day. This allows all students 3-6 to have targeted, small group lessons in literacy and numeracy.

Tracey Butler will remain on the Kakadu class for the year. I will be supporting targeted students in the Kakadu class who need extra assistance or who have specific learning or support needs. I will also run the Reading Recovery program in term 2 and 3 for students in Year 1 needing additional literacy support.

Steve Smith returns as our Aboriginal Education Officer. He will be working across the school P-6.

I would warmly welcome you to our Term Launch Assembly this Friday 4th February at 9:30am. During this time the class teachers will introduce themselves and outline the terms curriculum.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Tue, 27 Mar 2018 17:38:26 AEDT

I would like to wish the Plunkett Street Public School community a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Enjoy the time with your families and I look forward to seeing you all on Monday 30th January, 2017.

Warm Regards,

Juliet Sonter

Presentation Day 2016.

Tue, 27 Mar 2018 17:38:27 AEDT

To celebrate the achievements of 2016, the staff and students of Plunkett Street Public School would like to invite you to our Presentation Day Assembly on Monday 12th December at 9:30am. Visitors are invited to join the staff for a morning tea following the assembly.

School Swimming Program

Tue, 27 Mar 2018 17:38:27 AEDT

All students from Kindergarten to Year 6 will be participating in two weeks of intensive swimming and water safety lessons at the Andrew Boy Charlton Pool from Monday October 24th until Friday November 4th. Our lessons start at 2pm and finish at 2:45pm. This means our school times will change slightly for the two weeks. Our recess break will be at 1pm (not 1:30pm). Students will eat and have a short run around, then change into their swimmers at school. We will leave the school at 1:30 and all walk to the pool together. As our swimming lesson finishes at 2:45, we probably be back at school until 3:15pm. All students need swim wear, towel, goggles, hat and sunscreen. Please make sure the permission note and money is returned to the class teacher as soon as possible. Thank you.

Term 4, 2016

Tue, 27 Mar 2018 17:38:27 AEDT

Welcome back to term 4, 2016. As we wish Miss Kelly Birkett good luck in her new adventure, we warmly welcome Ms Anne Fitzgerald as our Preschool teacher for term 4. The staff have many wonderful and exciting activities planned for the term, including Swim School which runs everyday for two weeks, starting on Monday 24th October. Our term launch will take place on Friday 15th October at 9:30am. After the assembly we invite families into the classrooms to write term goals with the students.

School Holidays

Tue, 27 Mar 2018 17:38:27 AEDT

The staff of Plunkett Street Public School wish everyone a happy and safe school holidays.

We look forward to seeing everyone back at school on Monday 10th October.

Deadly Kids Doing Well 2016

Tue, 27 Mar 2018 17:38:25 AEDT

Last week the annual Deadly Kids Doing Well Awards were held at the University of Technology Sydney. It is an important event that acknowledges the achievements of Aboriginal students from schools across Sydney. Congratulations to Natayleah the Plunkett Street Public School recipient for 2016.