Swim Safe Week 

Being safe and confident in the water is a vital life skill, particularly in a place like Adelaide with such easy access to beaches, rivers and pools.

Taking every student in Year 1 through to Year 6 to the pool, every day for an entire week comes with its own challenges, but think water safety is so important that we hold a Swim Safe Week every year. Needless to say, our kids learned new skills, gained confidence in the water and had a whole lot of fun doing it.

Year 6C Visit Prescott College 

It may only be Week 3 in their first term of Year 6, but our most senior students have already started their preparations for high school. Across the year, all Year 6 students will visit Prescott College and participate in Engineering, Science and Food Technology classes. Not only do these visits give students access to the high school's facilities and teachers, but exposes them to what high school life is like (plus, students are meeting some of the Year 6 standards of the Australian Curriculum).

Setting our Year 6 students up for success in high school is a key priority, and if the photos and comments are anything to go by, it’s also a lot of fun!

50th Anniversary Art Competition

After wonderful celebrations for our schools 50^th anniversary, we have had the successful completion of our art competition, "Through the Eyes of a Prescott Student: Celebrating God's Love in Color." Open to all year levels, from Foundation to Year 6, the competition ignited creativity and passion within our students.

We are delighted to showcase the talents of our young artists, with a winner selected from each year level, capturing the essence of God's love through their vibrant expressions. Additionally, our students had the opportunity to cast their votes for the People's Choice award, further emphasising the inclusive and community-driven nature of our school.

We invite you to marvel at the inspiring artwork of our talented winners, whose pieces truly encapsulate the spirit and ethos of Prescott. Congratulations to all participants for their dedication and creativity, and a heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed to making this event a success.

Bubbles

As the weather continues to deliver warm sunshine, we were outside this week creating and making bubbles of all shapes and sizes. Using some simple ingredients you have at home, cornflour, glycerine, baking powder and detergent, we created a bubble mixture for larger bubbles.

We also made some homemade giant bubble wands using drinking straws and wool. Students placed the bubble wands into the mixture and after a bit of practise were able to make giant bubbles using their home-made wands.  The students were also introduced to some new loose parts and play items in the nature space that turned into kitchens, bakeries and many other creative play ideas during lunch time. The children were so engaged and so excited to see the large bubbles they created.  

Do you think you will try making your own bubble mixture and homemade giant bubble maker?

Welcome to Week 3 of our year, PPN family. Swimming Week is now finished, and we are well into our learning program for the year. I thought I would share with you something that was very important to me in my childhood and continues to be important today: play.

That may sound weird for someone my age, but stay with me.

Over the Christmas and New Year holiday break, I spent some extra time with my grandkids. I was reminded how quickly children naturally fall into play. They asked me to ride scooters and pretend we were on a race track or journeying through a jungle. We did pretend cooking, and built castles with drawbridges from cardboard boxes. I remember looking around and trying to view things through their “play” eyes and seeing things like sheets and furniture as playthings rather than household items.

I guess what I am trying to say is that the kids reminded me again that opportunities for play surround us. It sounds like I am stating the obvious, but kids (and adults) need to play. We are made for it, and it helps shape us. I read a sobering article about the decline in play participation within our society and some of the implications of that decline. I hope you find it good food for thought and motivation to provide play opportunities for our kids.

Play is Declining, and so is Mental Health

In primary school it was bike rides, cubby houses, climbing trees, playing marbles, jumping on the trampoline, and being outside – always outside... and it was almost always with my best buddies: Andy Lucas, Ben and Jay Walter, Richard and Ian Duddy (I’ve never done a shoutout to my old buddies before...but here it is, after so many years).

In my teens, it was ultra - long bike rides (of 50 kms or more – that was a lot for a 15-year-old who wasn’t a cyclist), surfing, skateboarding, and exploring the bush in the mountain behind my house.

I was lucky to grow up in the 80s. It was probably the last decade where kids had the sort of freedom that I had. With every decade since, research shows that children have become more restricted, more structured, and less able to play and explore in their neighbourhoods away from adults. It’s well documented that the amount of time available to kids for free play is declining. 

Unfortunately, that’s not the only thing that has changed since the 80s.

In 1980, less than 10 in 100,000 teen boys died by suicide, and for girls it was only 2 in 100,000. By 2000, it had increased to 13 in 100,000 for teen boys and 6 in 100,000 for teen girls. While in 2020, the number of suicides among teen girls remained steady, for our teen boys it jumped again to 17 in every 100,000.

Behind those stark numbers is the equally alarming doubling in the prevalence of anxiety and depression in our teens and young adults over the last 15 years.

Why?

Screens are the most commonly-blamed culprit. While the scientists behind this argument make a compelling argument, there are alternative explanations. One is that parents are more controlling than ever before. A related idea is that children don’t get to play anymore.

I’m not the only one who believes that the decline in free play is a contributing cause. Kids are constantly being pulled away from the opportunity to engage in real life, physical (and outdoor)play because:

• Screen-based activities entice kids away from the outdoors.
• Parental concerns about safety leads to restricted opportunities for independentexploration.
• Many children find their afternoons and weekends filled with structured activities such as organised sport and extracurricular activities, leaving little time for unstructured play.
• The focus on academic achievement and structured learning means that most of our kids’ time is spent either in school, doing homework, or engaging in other adult-directed activities, dramatically limiting the time available for free play.

The problem with reducing playtime is that play is a direct source of happiness for our children. Studies show that kids prefer outdoor play with friends to screen-based activities, and outdoor play is consistently ranked by parents as the activity that makes their kids the happiest – if we can get them to do it!

What exactly is it about play that has such a big impact on wellbeing?

Play satisfies all of our basic psychological needs. By definition, play is self-directed. Play is thevehicle through which kids build skills. Play is how children make friends.

As parents, how can we give our children the freedom to play?

1. Strengthen autonomy – allow our kids more choice in how they spend their time. Cut back on structured extracurriculars to enable them more time for free play. Move away from adult-directed activities to unsupervised play (as developmentally appropriate).
2. Build competence – set up the environment with equipment for open ended play. Open Ended toys build competence because there is no right way to use them, and the materials can be modified to meet the level of play that your child is ready for. 
3. Relatedness – build a community of people your kid can play with easily. Things like introducing your family to other families in the neighbourhood is a great start. 

Giving our kids an idyllic childhood with freedom to play and explore isn’t just good for them now. It helps them build the resilience they need for healthy adulthood too. (Coulson, 2024)

Have a great week playing with our kids,

Mark B

Hey PPN Family,

I hope that you are all going well.

In John 5 Jesus sees a man who had been unable to walk for 38 years and asks him if he wants to get well. At first glance the question seems quite silly, or even worse, almost cruel and unkind, but scholars point out that even though Jesus knew that this man wanted to be healed, He wanted to hear the man say it.

This begs the question, “Why does God want us to ask him for things when he already knows what we need?” I am currently reading a book on prayer and the author’s answer to this question is that God wants us to ask Him for things because it strengthens our relationship with Him.

Jesus says in Matthew 7:7-8 NIV, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” He then goes on to say in verse 11, “How much more will your Father who is in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!”

Jesus makes it clear that God wants to bless us with good gifts but we have to ask Him for them. When we pray to God for the big things and the small things, we are filled with gratitude when He provides us with these blessings and this joy strengthens our relationship with him.

Even when we do not receive the answers to our prayers that we would like, this teaches us to continue to trust God through our disappointment and that also deepens our relationship with Him.

So this year I encourage you to ask God for the things that are heavy on your hearts, pray to him regarding all of your needs and desires both big and small, because our God is a compassionate Father who loves to give us good gifts.

God bless,

Roland Talamaivao-Amituanai

Sleeping for Success

The start of the school year is often exhausting – fitting into new routines, having new teachers and new classmates can take its toll.

Now, more than ever, ensuring we get enough sleep is important.

While getting enough sleep is typically a focus for teenagers and adults, careful consideration of how much sleep primary-aged children are getting ensures we are helping them grow, learn and succeed today, and setting up healthy habits for the future.

Not enough good quality sleep can impact our children in many ways, including:

- Behaviour problems – either being overactive or overly sleepy

- Poor memory

- Trouble concentrating or understanding instructions

- Irritability and anger

- Poor mental health, including depression and anxiety.

On the other hand, when your child sleeps well, your child will be settled, happy and ready for school. Plus, good quality sleep strengthens your child’s immune system and reduces the risk of infection and illness.

Sleep: what to expect for 5-11 year olds

At 5-11 years, children need 9-11 hours of good quality sleep a night. If your child needs to be awake at 6:30, this would mean being in bed by 8pm. While some children fall asleep very quickly when they go to bed, others can take 20-30 minutes. Keeping this in mind when we plan bedtimes and bedtime routines is important.

Helping children sleep well

A good night’s sleep is about getting to sleep, staying asleep and getting enough good-quality sleep. Here are ideas that can help your child get the sleep they need.

- Bed time routine: Bedtime routines are just for babies. It helps primary-aged children wind down from the day. A child who normally goes to bed at 7:30pm might have a bedtime routine that starts at 6:45 before lights out at 7:30.

- Relaxing before bed: Playing gentle music, reading together or having a bath can help your child calm their mind, and reduce restless nights and bad dreams.

- Turn computers, tablets and TV off an hour before bedtime to encourage rest and avoid over-stimulation.

- Ensure their bedroom is quiet and dimly lit to encourage sleep.

- Ensure your child is getting plenty of natural light during the day, especially in the morning.

Chess Club 2024

Foundation First Full Day

Next Monday is the first time that our new Foundation students will be with us for a full day. As a result, the car park and Drop and Go areas will be busier than they have been.

We ask that you please exercise patience as you navigate in and out of these areas. Please remember to ONLY TURN LEFT on to both Nelson Road and Wright Road, and to obey the parking signs on surrounding streets.

Naplan 2024

Parent Information 2024

If you were unable to attend our recent Parent Information Evening, please take the time to read through the document below. This is a copy of the presentation provided on the evening, and provides key information for all parents including information about reports, Classroom Behaviour Agreements, our Food policy, and homework, amongst other things.

PPN_Parent_Info_2024.pdf

PPN_Parent_Info_2024 _pdf 1.07 MB

Enrolments 2025

Reverse Day

Prescott College