Term 3 – Welcome back, Robertson State School families! 

A warm welcome back to all of our Robertson State School families as we embark on Term 3! I hope you had a restful and enjoyable break, and that your children are feeling refreshed and ready for another exciting term of learning and growth. 

The school holidays provided a wonderful opportunity to recharge. It's fantastic to see the vibrant energy already filling our classrooms and playgrounds. Our dedicated teachers and staff have been busy preparing engaging lessons and activities, and we're all looking forward to continuing to nurture your children's academic, social, and emotional development.

Term 3 is always a busy and rewarding time, with many exciting events and learning opportunities planned across all year levels. We encourage you to keep an eye on our school newsletter, the Qparents app, and our school website and Facebook page for important dates, upcoming events, and updates throughout the term. Your continued engagement and support are invaluable to your child's success. 

As always, if you have any questions, concerns, or simply want to share a positive experience, please don't hesitate to reach out to your child's teacher or the school office. Open communication between home and school is vital, and we are always here to support you and your children. 

Here's to a productive, positive, and memorable Term 3 at Robertson State School! 

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Creative Generation 2025 (CGEN) 

Last Friday, Ms Robinson and I had the privilege to attend Creative Generation 2025, which is a series of programs and events celebrating the artistic talents of Queensland State School students. It's a significant initiative by the Queensland Department of Education. We had five of our talented students participating in this year’s event and a number of past Robertson State School students. Well done to our current students Eliza, Lex, Gemma, Sargunpreet and Miheli. We also had two of our amazing teachers involved Ms Gray and Ms Francis. The production will be televised on Channel Nine later this year. Congratulations students! I have added a link to a short extract of this year’s performance:

About CGEN:

This is Queensland's largest youth performing arts event, an arena-style production showcasing over 2,000 young singers, dancers, and musicians from state schools across Queensland. 

It also involves professional artists, providing students with valuable industry exposure. 

It is held at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, with performances in mid-July each year.

Nominations for CGEN 2025 are now closed, but look out for the 2026 program nominations opening in October 2025.

In essence, Creative Generation 2025 encompasses a diverse range of artistic programs designed to foster and showcase the talents of young Queensland students in performing arts, visual arts, and music. 

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Enhancing learning for every child: Our commitment to Pedagogical Excellence  

At Robertson State School, we are continually striving to provide the best possible learning environment for every student. A key aspect of achieving this is our ongoing commitment to improving our pedagogical practices – that is, the art and science of teaching. 

Pedagogy encompasses the methods and strategies our teachers use to deliver the curriculum, engage students, and foster deep understanding. It's about far more than simply delivering information; it's about creating dynamic, effective, and inclusive learning experiences that cater to the diverse needs of all our students. 

What does "Improving Pedagogy" look like at Robertson State School? 

Our focus on pedagogical improvement is multi-faceted and aims to ensure our teaching remains at the forefront of educational best practice. Here are some of the key areas we are focusing on: 

• Evidence-Based Practices: We are committed to utilising teaching strategies that are supported by educational research and have a proven track record of positively impacting student learning. This includes exploring approaches like Explicit Instruction, Quality Differentiation and CLIL (Content & Language Integrated Learning).
  

• Targeted Professional Development: Our teachers regularly participate in professional development workshops and training sessions. These opportunities are carefully selected to enhance their skills in areas such as literacy and numeracy instruction, digital technologies in the classroom, and supporting student well-being. 

• Collaborative Learning Teams: Our teachers work together in professional learning communities (PLCs) to share best practices, analyse student data, and collaboratively plan engaging lessons. This collaborative approach fosters a culture of continuous improvement and ensures consistency across year levels. 

• Utilising Technology Effectively: We are exploring innovative ways to integrate technology into our teaching to enhance engagement, provide personalised learning opportunities, and develop essential 21st-century skills in our students.

• Differentiation and Personalised Learning: We are refining our approaches to ensure that every student, regardless of their starting point, is challenged and supported appropriately. This means tailoring instruction to meet individual learning styles, strengths, and areas for growth. 

• Assessment for Learning: Our teachers are increasingly using monitoring tasks to gather ongoing feedback on student understanding. This allows them to adjust their teaching in real-time to address misconceptions and ensure all students are progressing. 

Why is this important for your child? 

Strong pedagogical practices directly translate into better learning outcomes for your child. By continuously refining our teaching, we aim to: 

• Increase Student Engagement: More effective teaching leads to more engaging lessons, making learning more enjoyable and meaningful for your child. 
• Deepen Understanding: Students will develop a richer and more profound understanding of concepts, rather than just memorising facts. 
• Foster Critical Thinking Skills: Our teachers employ strategies that encourage students to think critically, solve problems, and apply their knowledge in new situations. 
• Support Individual Needs: Every child learns differently. Improved pedagogy allows us to better cater to these individual differences, ensuring all students can thrive. 
• Prepare for the Future: By equipping students with a strong foundation and adaptable learning skills, we are better preparing them for success in an ever-changing world. 

Investing in our teachers and their pedagogical expertise, we are investing directly in your child's future.  

We look forward to sharing more updates on our progress in future newsletters and welcome your continued partnership in your child's educational journey. 

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Robertson State School enhances infrastructure over the last 24 months and beyond! 

Robertson State School is thrilled to announce a series of significant infrastructure improvements planned for our campus, with some of the work already completed. These projects are designed to enhance our learning environments, improve safety, and ensure our facilities continue to meet the evolving needs of our growing school community. 

We are committed to providing the best possible learning environment for our students, and these strategic investments are a testament to that dedication. While specific details of all projects will be shared as they are finalised, we can confirm that the focus will be on modernising existing spaces, improving accessibility, and optimising our outdoor areas for both learning and play. 

Our dedicated facilities team, along with external contractors, have been working diligently during school breaks to minimise disruption to student learning.

Key projects, which include: 

• Classroom Revitalisation: Updates to select classrooms to create more dynamic and collaborative learning spaces. This involves fresh paint, updated furnishings, and technological enhancements - Modular 1 and 2 have been refurbished and Hall PA system upgrade completed. 
• Outdoor Learning and Play Areas: Improvements to our playgrounds and outdoor learning zones to promote physical activity and engagement with nature. This includes new play equipment, shade structures, or rejuvenated garden beds - Prep Playground completed and Prep Sandpit cover nearly completed. 
• Essential Maintenance and Upgrades: Routine but crucial maintenance work, alongside upgrades to essential services such to ensure the smooth operation of our school for students, staff and community safety - Electric Gate installed in staff carpark, new Robertson State School lectern for school hall, walkway from staff carpark to school office completed with lighting for walkway also installed.
• Looking Beyond: The school’s long-term vision includes facilities that support our innovative curriculum and diverse student population, such as:
  • Construction of a Community Multi-Purpose Sports Hall near the tennis courts
  • Installation of a cold water fountain near the hall oval
  • Window tinting in the upstairs hall
  • New line markings for activities and games on concreted areas
  • Establishment of indigenous signage and school branding murals

Future plans will encompass: 

• Technological Infrastructure: Continued enhancement to support our Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program and STEM initiatives, including:
  • Establishment of a STEM classroom in the lower level of the hall
  • Replacement of digital electronic signs
  • Upgrade of digital infrastructure (optic fibre, bandwidth, wireless access points)
  • New interactive teaching boards across classrooms
• Accessibility Improvements: Ensuring our school is inclusive and accessible, with potential upgrades such as:
  • Shade sail for Teaching Block 1
  • Insulated roof covering Teaching Block 3 outdoor learning space
  • New Prep equipment shed
• Sustainable Practices: Exploring environmentally friendly solutions in our infrastructure development, such as water conservation initiatives or energy-efficient lighting. We have already installed 270 solar panels, gutter clean whole school yearly, Netball courts clean, service air conditions 6 monthly, repair walkway Teaching Block 1 to Teaching Block 3, replace gutters to tuckshop undercover, replace damaged oval boundary fencing and oval embankment improvement with new vegetation and possible terracing. 

Community Involvement and Funding 

These vital infrastructure improvements are often made possible through a combination of government funding, school-generated resources, and the invaluable support of our RSS Parents and Citizens (P&C) Association. Our P&C plays a crucial role in advocating for our school's needs and contributing to various projects that directly benefit our students. We encourage all parents and community members to consider getting involved with the P&C to help shape the future of our school. We look forward to sharing updates on our progress and the positive impact these improvements will have on our school community. 

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2025 Safer Schools Program

We have some good news: Robertson State School has been selected for the 2025 Safer Schools Program, which encourages safe parking practices and assists traffic control. The following is a message from Brisbane City Council:

School Zone Parking

Parking in accordance with all road rules and signage is important to keep our children and other road users safe. Unfortunately, Brisbane City Council has received an increase in the number of reports of illegal parking around our school. As a result, our school has been added to Council’s Safer Schools Program this term.

What does this mean?

Brisbane City Council’s Parking Compliance Officers will be actively patrolling the streets surrounding our school over the coming term to encourage safer parking behaviours. These patrols will be conducted on foot and in highly visible Community Safety and Regulation vehicles that can identify alleged offences using Automatic Number Plate Recognition and GPS software. Please be kind – they have a job to do.

What are the common parking signs around schools?

A guide to common parking signs around school zones can be found on Council’s website by searching the term ‘School Parking’.

Tyrone Bruce

Principal