Our School
Vision
At Springside we deliver excellence. Our community works in harmony to develop creative learners who think, act and contribute positively to an ever-changing world.
Values
Respect
Optimism
Responsibility
Excellence
@ Springside we R.O.R.E.
Motto
Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow
Leadership
Having worked in various teaching and leadership roles both abroad and in Australia within the Department of Education (DET), I am most proud and humbled to be the principal of Springside Primary School. After spending the best part of ten years at Springside Primary School as a principal class member, I can honestly say our school has continued to develop strong pedagogical beliefs and expertise around evidence-based educational practices with the student always at the centre to create inclusive, rigorous learning environments for all.
Springside Primary School, formerly known as Caroline Springs College – Springside Campus and Springside P-9 College, has continued to experience steady student population growth with a current enrolment of 792 students despite experiencing unavoidable change over our eleven-year history. The opening of the Springside West Secondary College (no affiliation) in 2018 led to Springside P-9 College transitioning to a P-6 Primary school in 2020, allowing us to offer an inclusive education featuring unique facilities and learning opportunities, such as:
- School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support Program
- Ongoing reporting to families using Seesaw
- Synthetic & Systematic Phonics Instruction in Prep/Year1
- Early identification and intervention for students with specific learning difficulties
- Extension Program in the areas of Literacy and Numeracy
- Science Lab supporting practical experiments for students across the school
- Robotics Lab supporting students during S.T.E.A.M. classes
- Food Tech Room promoting cooking skills for students using produce grown in our school garden in a paddock to plate process
- Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden maintained by students supporting our community Spade and Spoon Markets held twice termly
- Inclusion Hub open during both lunch and recess breaks offering all students a safe and structured space to learn pro-social behaviours at the point of need
At Springside Primary School we have the most adaptable and responsive students, supportive and encouraging families, generous and passionate staff and enthusiastic and focused School Council and Parents and Friends Association who are dedicated to, and actively involved in, supporting the school to be the very best it can.
Our leaders, teachers and educational support staff operate as Professional Learning Communities across Springside Primary School using data-informed practice. In 2020, the School Improvement Team prioritised curriculum, instruction and assessment to improve the academic outcomes of all students aiming to match the consistently ‘above state’ Student Engagement and Wellbeing data based on DET’s Attitudes to School Survey.
Springside Primary School prides itself on community-informed decision-making and direction driven by student voice and the Victorian Curriculum that promotes individual learning and success. Specialist classes are run annually and include: Physical Education, Visual Art, Performing Arts and Indonesian.
The school grounds include an impressive Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden with our very own chickens, an indoor multi-purpose hall with a full-size basketball court, three main buildings with central open learning spaces and several new portable structures. The grounds also include two separate adventure playgrounds, two basketball and netball courts and two ovals.
I look forward to welcoming you to our school,
Gab Zorko,
Immensely Proud Principal
Bachelor of Education (P-12)
Master of Learning Intervention
History
Springside College started its life as a stand-alone school in 2012. Previously a campus of Caroline Springs College, Springside was the fourth and final addition to the multi-campus setting. Springside College is a Kindergarten to Year 9 educational setting that was constructed in two stages. Stage 1 opened in 2009, catering for students from Kindergarten to Year 4 with a total of 154 enrolments. Stage 2 followed in 2010, catering for students from Kindergarten to Year 9 with a total of 570 enrolments. Our student population has continued to grow with 771 enrolments for the 2019 school year and in 2020 we have an enrolment of 778 students.
With the opening of the new Springside West Secondary College (no affiliation) in 2018, Springside P-9 College has transitioned to a P-6 Primary school. In 2020 we commenced operation as a P-6 school and have been renamed to Springside Primary School.
We have a most supportive and enthusiastic school community, School Council and Parents and Friends team who are dedicated to, and actively involved in, supporting the college to be the very best it can.
Mission Statement
To embed a ‘Professional Learning Community’ culture at Springside Primary School, where we work collaboratively and interdependently to significantly improve the outcomes of every child at our college. This will be achieved through:
- having high expectations of ourselves and others in our ‘Professional Learning Community’
- a shared belief that all students can and want to learn, and have the right to achieve their full potential
- delivering an authentic Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum that is differentiated to meet the individual learning needs of our students
- authentic assessment practices that are be used to identify and monitor our students progress and their next learning
- delivering a Twenty First Century learning environment for all members of our ‘Professional Learning Community’
- ensuring a safe and secure learning environment for all members of our ‘Professional Learning Community’
- building teacher knowledge, skills and capacity
- utilising research based best practice and authentic evidence
- providing relevant and timely feedback for staff and students
- monitoring and reflecting on our progress
- recognising and celebrating our successes
- recognising and acknowledging areas for improvement and working collaboratively and strategically to address them
Our Purpose
At Springside Primary School we have a strong focus on student growth across all aspects of their school and beyond school lives. As well as focussing on growth in student learning outcomes, we have our students’ engagement and wellbeing at the forefront of our actions. Our priority at Springside Primary School is to meet the individual learning needs of every student and to enhance their learning opportunities and achievement. We believe every child can learn and that every child has the right to learn. We take seriously the responsibility we have in ensuring each child realises their full potential and grows to participate and contribute to their future community. This is best achieved by parents, students and staff collaboratively working together in partnership.
We are in final year of our 2017-2020 Strategic Plan, with 2020 being a year of School Review. This plan outlines our priorities and strategies in achieving ongoing whole school improvement. There is a strong focus on Literacy, Numeracy and 21st Century Skills as well as building resilience to enhance student wellbeing and engagement, and providing purposeful research-based programs for all students. Supporting this is our ‘Springside Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum’ and our ‘Springside Instructional Model’ which underpin our focus on high quality learning and teaching. To further support this we have a strategic approach to enhance the capacity of our teachers, many of whom are graduates in their first, second or third year of teaching. We are also developing a ‘School-wide Positive Behaviours’ approach to enhancing the already high expectations we hold for our school community.