Our School
Principal's Message
Welcome
Bentleigh West Primary School extends a very warm welcome to everyone, particularly our new families that are beginning their journey with us this year.
BWPS consistently sees our students two years ahead of peers, building foundation skills, confidence and the knowledge for our students to confidently apply their learning in the real world and have an excellent preparation for Secondary School. This enhances our students’ ability to take opportunities as they progress through their schooling and ultimately be life-long learners.
A quick glance at NAPLAN data shows BWPS has increased its performance over time to be well ahead of schools with similar students, including private schools, displaying the importance of training excellent teachers to deliver a well-rounded curriculum to ensure no matter what the measure our students are taught well and will perform well on any assessment.
Our specialists' programs are integral to the success at the school. Students are given many opportunities to excel in these areas, whether that is by taking a role in the production, representing the school in sport or through Art, ICT and Italian. We value all areas of the curriculum and work to develop every student to the best of their ability.
Our leadership team oversee staff development as we look to continue to build the knowledge and skill of our teachers and add value to the public system as well.
Please take a look at our virtual tour and our informative website to find out more about our approach to teaching and learning at BWPS.
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Sarah Asome - Principal
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School Overview
Philosophy
Bentleigh West Primary School is a nurturing community where students, staff and families come together create an environment that develops, happy, healthy confident students, underpinned by the knowledge that success and achievement at school, engages and builds confidence that transcends the academic environment and encourages children to seek options and opportunities to maximise their education throughout their lives.
Bentleigh West values connection to the local, national and global realms ensuring all members model and teach inclusion, cultural safety and respect for our environment.
Bentleigh West acknowledges our indigenous elders past, present and future and welcomes all to our school on the land of the Boonurong.
Bentleigh West Primary School is well known for academic excellence, inclusion and a deep commitment to sustainability that has been recognised by the United Nations, National, State and Local Governments.
Mission Statement
At Bentleigh West Primary School we will:
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Foster inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.
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Be recognised as a high performing school with a reputation of evidence based best practice that is visible in each classroom.
Our why?
To add value.
Our Values
The school’s agreed set of values are central to all policy and decision making. These values give emphasis to the cooperative and caring nature of the school’s ethos, and promote recognition of a positive and persistent attitude and a strong sense of responsibility and respect.
Respect
Encouraging students, teachers and parents to treat themselves, each other, and their environment, with respect.
Positivity
Encouraging students to approach life, and specifically learning, with confidence, optimism and enthusiasm.
Care
Encouraging students to care about themselves, others and the environment.
Responsibility
Encouraging students to take ownership of their actions, reflecting on them, and dealing with consequences of those actions with integrity.
Persistence
Encouraging students to strive for their personal best, accept challenges, try hard, and not easily give up.
Resilience
Encouraging students to be independent, problem solvers, optimistic and to make social connections.
Child Safe
Bentleigh West Commitment to Child Safety
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Bentleigh West Primary School is committed to safety and wellbeing of all children and young people. This will be the primary focus of our care and decision-making.
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Bentleigh West Primary School has zero tolerance for child abuse.
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Bentleigh West Primary School is committed to providing a child safe environment where children and young people are safe and feel safe, and their voices are heard about decisions that affect their lives. Particular attention will be paid to the cultural safety of Aboriginal children and children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds, as well as the safety of children with a disability.
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Every person involved in Bentleigh West has a responsibility to understand the important and specific role he/she plays individually and collectively to ensure that the wellbeing and safety of all children and young people is at the forefront of all they do and every decision they make.
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In addition, the Statement of Commitment may describe the school’s principles for child safety. For example:
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“In its planning, decision-making and operations Bentleigh West Primary will:
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Take a preventative, proactive and participatory approach to child safety;
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Value and empower children to participate in decisions which affect their lives;
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Foster a culture of openness that supports all persons to safely disclose risks of harm to children
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Respect diversity in cultures and child rearing practices while keeping child safety paramount;
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Provide written guidance on appropriate conduct and behaviour towards children;
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Engage only the most suitable people to work with children and have high quality staff and volunteer supervision and professional development;
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Ensure children know who to talk with if they are worried or are feeling unsafe, and that they are comfortable and encouraged to raise such issues;
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Report suspected abuse, neglect or mistreatment promptly to the appropriate authorities;
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Share information appropriately and lawfully with other organisations where the safety and wellbeing of children is at risk; and
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Value the input of and communicate regularly with families and carers.”
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More information about Child Safety
Child Safety Responding and Reporting Policy and Procedures
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Student Wellbeing
Bentleigh West is committed to a whole-school approach to wellbeing where it is at the core of everything we do. The Assistant Principal leads the wellbeing team to ensure all student’s social and emotional development is supported, in order to develop student engagement and promote learning confidence.
We value positive staff, parent and student relationships and communication, which is enhanced by regular communication through Compass and Connections. We encourage parents to participate in the classroom through specific unit-based activities or by volunteering on excursions and whole school events.
We have several systems and programs which are run at the school in order to develop students' capacity in this space.​​​
Respectful Relationships
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The Respectful Relationships education program is taught weekly from P-6. The lessons teach content covering a range of themes based on social and emotional health and safety, that are age appropriate. The program’s purpose is to embed a culture of respect and equality across the entire school community.​​​
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Lunchtime Clubs
We run a range of lunchtime clubs which students can access including, but not limited to, chess, dance, gardening, Lego, running, drawing and ICT. This gives students some quiet, targeted options for lunchtimes if they need a break from the outside space.​​​​​​
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Zones of Regulation
Zones of Regulation is used school wide to consistently name emotions along with strategies to assist students to regulate their feeling for optimal learning.
