By Callum Ludwig
Coldstream Primary School has scored exceptionally in the 2021 NAPLAN testing.
Grade three and five from the school in 2021 had the highest percentages of above-average scores in reading, with 94 per cent of grade threes and 100 per cent of grade fives achieving the feat.
Principal Phillippa Adgemis said she is thrilled with such a great result.
“This really lets the kids know that if you work and focus hard enough, you can achieve anything you want,” she said.
“For me, it’s not only a celebration of state education but a celebration of the fact that if you put in and give kids the good basics, they’ve got the world open to them.”
In recent years, Coldstream PS fashioned a colourful reading pod from a $25,000 grant to utilise a large container they had and give students an inviting place dedicated to reading.
Ms Adgemis said there has been a big focus on reading at Coldstream Primary School.
“If you don’t have high-quality texts, then you’re not showing that you’ve got the value for reading, and we do. The reading pod also shows the school places reading as a priority,” she said.
“I’m always writing in the newsletter that reading is really important for the whole family, for spending quality bonding time reading with your kids and creating that nice, warm relationship because it’s a pretty fast world out there.”
Coldstream PS is a part of a Small Schools Alliance in the local area, consisting of Coldstream PS, Gladesville PS, Pembroke PS, Lilydale PS, Yarra Glen PS and Wandin Yallock PS. The alliance has provided a new lease of life for the schools, with staff able to consult each other for a broader range of ideas, and conducting Professional Learning Community Investigations to test ideas and highlight their benefits.
Ms Adgemis said the alliance has lifted the quality of Coldstream PS’s teaching exponentially.
“It’s been enormous and has built the leadership capacity of their teachers on our team. None of them thought they could be leaders and now they all are in their own areas.”
Coldstream PS has been part of an education precinct in the area over the last six years that has provided seamless transition and fluidity between services in the area. The precinct includes the Maternal Health Care Center, a playgroup held at the primary school, Coldstream Pre School, Coldstream Library and Lyrebird College.
Ms Adgemis said she hopes the success of the students remains consistent and they can continue to be proud of their efforts.
“They now know they can be successful, and hopefully now think they could be really successful if they put their minds to it,” she said.
“I just hope this isn’t a flash in the pan and we can keep building because I want the kids to have the efficacy of knowing they’re successful and they can do whatever they want with choices.”
On Friday 25 March, Coldstream students are even getting to show their leadership skills and reading ability as they lead the launch of the new Melba Walk in Coldstream, with First Nations students having the opportunity to read out the Welcome to Country and schools captains hosting the event.
