Pupil Free Day

Learning Expo

Animal Dress Up a Roaring Success

You might have noticed things looked a little wild at PPN today. That’s because it was Animal Dress Up Day, held in support of Rainforest Rescue (rainforestrescue.org.au). Animals big, small and in between were seen roaming the school grounds with more than $500 raised to support this very worthy cause. Thank you PPN family for making a difference and having fun while doing it!

Lower Sports Day

Last Friday we held our Lower Sports Day at PPN. While the rain stopped us for a short while, the day was full of fantastic sports, fun and laughter. It was great to see all of our students trying their very best as they participated in each activity! We finished off the day with a great whole school lunch. Thank you to all of the families who came out to watch and cheer on our Lowers!

Nature Play Journalists

Today the sun shone for our budding journalists to record their nature finds,
Bark and flowers, leaves and cones, it opened up their minds!

The clouds drifted by in the sky as they drew what they could see,
While some just loved soaking it up and using their creativity.

Welcome to Week 6, PPN family. Please remember our Pupil Free Day this Friday. Our teachers will be working on our students’ Mid-year Reports.

I have had a few conversations this week with kids, families and staff members that have required me to really sit, focus and listen to those I was sitting with. If you are anything like me, one of the hardest things to do is stop talking and listen . . . truly listen to what the person is wanting to say. There are times that the words that people say, don’t necessarily communicate all they are wanting to say, and we have to listen very carefully for more than words. I would like to challenge you to read the article below and have a go this week at really listening carefully to your child, teenager, or other family member. I have been the one who was truly listened to at various times, and the connection and sense of relief at being heard is one of life’s true pleasure. I hope you find this article helpful.

“Most of us have had the experience of talking to someone who is listening, but not really listening—listening, but not deeply listening.

Deep listening is a sense of presence, inner stillness, openness, and mindful attention to what the other communicates in their body, speech, and silence. In parenting, deep listening helps us identify and respond sensitively to children’s needs.

Decades of evidence shows that attuned, sensitive, and emotionally available caregiving promotes children’s healthy development, secure attachment, and mental health. The founders of the Circle of Security program convey the feeling of listening deeply to one’s child in a simple phrase: “I am here, and you are worth it.” This is a powerful reminder to us as parents that our presence and attention can be instrumental in cultivating our child’s sense of self-worth and mental health. We have only to recall the last time that we felt truly listened to in order to conjure that same sense of worthiness—Wow, my voice matters; I am someone worth listening to.

Unfortunately, deep listening doesn’t come naturally to all of us. It may even seem counter-intuitive in our culture of quick fixes and endless scrolling for fast advice.

Learning to Listen Deeply

So how do we practice the art of deep listening? Just as weight training helps us build and strengthen the muscles of our body, practicing deep listening builds and strengthens our capacity to listen. Every day we are presented with opportunities to practice being truly present with our families and connecting to their experience in a more powerful way. Here are some tips for building your deep listening “muscle”:

1. 1. Connect with yourself first. One of the best ways to build our capacity to listen deeply to others is to practice slowing down, turning our attention inward, and being present with our own experience—with our own thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations. In other words, by listening deeply to ourselves and connecting with our own experience, it becomes easier to do so for others.
2. Make time. Deep listening requires our time. It may be helpful to build regular, intentional time into your schedule to truly be present with your loved ones. For couples, this could be a once-a-week check-in in which you give each other space to discuss what is on your mind and in your heart, with an emphasis on connection over criticism. For parents, the walk or drive home from school and mealtimes may be good opportunities to check in with your child and simply be present for whatever comes up. Build a routine that works for you and your loved ones, whatever that looks like. The important thing is that we make time.
3. 3. Minimize distractions (and put down your phone!). Many of us have become master multi-taskers, splitting our attention between multiple tasks and flicking between tabs on our screens. Deep listening can’t be just another tab open; it requires our full mind and heart to show up. Even young children can tell when adults in their lives are distracted, and research shows that parents’ increased distraction can take a toll on children’s development. Therefore, it is important to minimize distractions during the time we devote to deep listening. This may mean putting down our phones, turning off the TV, and shutting down the computer; it may mean going someplace away from the hustle and bustle of the office or home. We don’t have to sit in perfect stillness to listen deeply but limiting distractions can help create the conditions for our minds to settle and be fully present.
4. Notice the urge to move away (interrupt, fix, distract, move on) and choose to come back. Mindful listening is all about paying attention and noticing, and this includes noticing when tension, anxiety, or distraction arise. Often, these signal a desire to move away from being with the person and towards doing—for example, interrupting, changing the topic, or trying to “fix” the problem. When this tendency arises, simply notice it. Name it silently, “Ah! There’s me trying to fix this,” and gently return to listening.

Be gentle with yourself. Many people didn’t experience deep listening in their childhood and enter adulthood with a limited capacity for listening to and being with others’ emotions. We tend to fall back on the communication styles and habits that we experienced in our family of origin, even if these are unhelpful in our adult relationships. Notice when these old tendencies are present and appreciate that it takes time to learn to communicate differently. Thankfully, deep listening does not require perfection; it requires awareness—and a willingness to practice coming back to those we love again and again.” (Samson, 2023)

Have a great week listening to our kids (and each other),

Mark B

Parental Guidance

There is no such thing as a ‘parenting box’, but if you hang around parents and their kids enough you come to realise there are certainly different approaches to what is the most important job in the world.  The idea of 'parenting styles' is well researched and increasingly popular, particularly as Channel 9’s Parental Guidance hit our screens again this week.

The show shines a light on parenting and the impact of parenting choices, and while the idea of different styles of parenting ‘competing’ for what is, essentially, our entertainment, doesn't sit that well with me, the show does give us a chance to sit, reflect and learn from others.

Faced with tough challenges that are grounded in real-life scenarios – such as navigating the dark side of online gaming and the internet, posing for the picture-perfect family photo, defending yourself against a bully, or discussing ''the birds and the bees' – the outcomes are in the words of one reviewer ‘authentic, joyful and shocking.’

The way we parent – or wish to parent – can have a huge impact on our children’s sense of belonging, wellbeing and success, and so it is worth thinking about. Monday nights may be just excuse you need to sit and watch the TV for an hour or so and do just that.

While there is there's on such thing as perfect parenting, being intentional is a fundamental requirement for success.   Sometimes parents don’t fit into just one category, so don't despair if there are times or areas where you tend to be permissive or uninvolved and other times when you're more authoritative. And, let’s be honest, it is hard to remain consistent when balancing life and parenting.

Finally, the observation of our own parenting styles and that of others should lead us to parent guilt or shame. That's not helpful for anyone.

You can watch Parental Guidance on Channel 9 each Monday night, or on the 9Now streaming service.

But more importantly, take a moment to reflect on your desires for your child and for you as a parent – are you clear on your style? What would you like to improve? What benefits do you think this might have for your child’s wellbeing, and yours?

CBCA Shortlisted Book of the Week

‘Farmhouse’, created by Australian author Sophie Blackall, is a stunning picture book that follows the daily lives of a large family living in a beautiful old farmhouse. The story was inspired by a real family that lived long ago and the farmhouse they shared, nestled in a paddock on a farm bought by the author. She knew as soon as she saw it that she needed to tell the story of this intriguing home and carefully salvaged materials to create the intricate, doll house like images that are found on each page. It is no surprise why this book was nominated and shortlisted for the Picture Book of the Year.

Follow this link to see a video of author Sophie Blackall explain the story behind her new picture book ‘Farmhouse’

SACSA Soccer

Last week the Year 3/4s and the 5/6s went along to the SACSA Soccer Carnival to compete against other schools. Our students showed great sportsmanship on and off the field and loved cheering each other on! Well done to all the teams for their great efforts on the day!!

Prescott College

TAKING ENROLMENTS NOW FOR 2025 AND 2026.

Our school prides itself on fostering a nurturing environment that promotes holistic development. We believe that education is not limited to textbooks and exams but encompasses the growth of the whole person. Our school community is built upon respect, empathy, and inclusivity, creating a safe and supportive space where students feel valued and accepted.

We are currently taking enrolments for Year 2025 and 2026. We invite you to visit with us for a campus tour and to meet with our wonderful, enthusiastic teachers. To book an appointment, phone 8269 1655 and ask to speak with the Enrolments Officer.

My OSHC Pupil Free Day 

My OSHC Winter Holidays Program