The Punchbowl Press

A huge thank you to our amazing PPS P&C and volunteers for the delicious lunch provided for our staff . Your generosity and support mean so much to us, and it was the perfect way to celebrate another wonderful year as partners in learning. A very special thank you to Nahla, Salma and Joumana for your years of dedication, care and connection to the P&C and the school. You will always be part of the PPS family.

With heartfelt thanks,

Punchbowl Public School Staff

Semester 2 reports will be sent home with students on Wednesday 17 December.

We encourage families to take the time to sit with your child, read through the report together, and talk about their learning journey this year. It’s a wonderful opportunity to celebrate achievements, acknowledge effort and growth and reflect on areas for improvement.

Looking ahead, use this time to set some positive goals for 2026 and talk about what your child is excited to learn next. Working together, we can continue to support every child to thrive. 🌟📚

What a year we’ve had! 

Term 4 wrapped with our parents receiving certificates from the six-week Parents and Family Wellbeing program, celebrating their dedication and growth. The Playgroups marked the end of the year with Joyful End of Year celebrations, Christmas parties, and a heartfelt Transition to Preschool graduation filled with laughter and pride.  

To our wonderful SaCC Community, thank you for joining our early learning programs, parent courses, health and nutrition workshops, Step into Work initiatives, and countless community activities.  

We are excited for 2026 and the many fun programs ahead. Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas, a prosperous New Year, and a happy, safe holidays and joy. 

Asenati Mareko

0439487865

SaCC Facilitator

Learning through STEM – a world of new possibilities 

Our students have been involved in exciting learning opportunities using BlueBots and 3D design/printing. 

While coding BlueBot to spell a word, students were connecting with their mathematics learning in the classroom about Point-of-View or perspectives. They needed to understand those concepts to successfully code BlueBot. While learning with BlueBot is thoroughly enjoyable, students are also developing important skills such as problem solving, determination (grit) and teamwork. 

Year 5 and Year 6 students were thrilled to discover the possibilities of 3D design and printing using TinkerCAD. They were shocked to learn about its life-changing, real-world application, particularly in the medical field. It’s been uplifting to hear their reactions and the connections they’ve made with other subject areas. The skills that are developed through STEM learning are priceless; many students showed improvements in their understanding and development of empathy – something worth celebrating! 

Here are some heartfelt reflections from our students: 

• Haalia: “From the video clip, I learnt that ordinary people could make a difference and inspire others to help. Volunteers used 3D printing to create prosthetic limbs for children born without limbs, making the life-changing devices affordable for families.” 

• Hamza: “The videos taught me that 3D printing can help people with disabilities enjoy activities like other kids—for example, throwing a ball.” 

• Abed: “The videos changed how I think about 3D printing. 3D printing is not just for fun; it can really change someone’s life.” 

I am proud of the continued growth in our students’ abilities as they engage with their learning. They are acknowledging that with persistent effort, they can succeed. 

Premier’s Reading Challenge (PRC) 

With the help of our classroom teachers over the years, most of our Year 6 students have gained a Platinum Award for their participation in the PRC. This is the highest award achievable in the PRC for primary school students. Students can continue to participate in the PRC while in High School. Year 9 and Year 10 students are eligible for a PRC medal if the meet the criteria. Information about this can be found here. 

Summer School Holiday Public Library Events in January 2026 

I encourage you to join the Summer Reading Club with your children at your local library. For more information, visit the following website: https://www.cbcity.nsw.gov.au/culture-and-community/youth/school-holiday-programs 

Keep those pages turning and have a safe and enjoyable summer holiday! 

Preschool

This term, our preschool community warmly welcomed Aunty Carol, fostering a strong sense of belonging and connection to country (Outcome 1: Children have a strong sense of identity). Through hands-on experiences in our bush garden, children engaged with native herbs such as saltbush and wild mint, demonstrating their curiosity and respect for the natural environment (Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world). 

Children explored the sensory qualities of the herbs by smelling and tasting them, supporting their learning through active exploration (Outcome 4: Children are confident and involved learners). With guidance from Aunty Carol, they developed new vocabulary and learned traditional songs, deepening their understanding and appreciation of Indigenous cultures and stories (Outcome 5: Children are effective communicators). 

This rich cultural experience enabled children to strengthen their respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage, embodying a meaningful connection to country, people, and culture. 

Early Intervention

Our Goanna and Echidna classes have been busy engaging in a variety of fine motor and cognitive tasks throughout the year, all designed to support their school readiness for next year. It has been wonderful to watch the children’s progression as they develop new skills and confidence every day. 

From strengthening their hand coordination to problem-solving activities, each task has played an important role in preparing them for the exciting journey ahead. We are so proud of their achievements and can’t wait to see all they will accomplish in the coming year! 

It feels like just yesterday that Kindergarten was walking through the front gate at Punchbowl for the first time but now a whole year has passed! Over this last year, kindergarten have shown a true love for learning, playing with their friends and taking on many an adventure. Check out some of their favourite memories down below! 

• "The best part of Kindergarten is when we went to the excursion because the bus ride was fast and we were singing." Ajdin, KB 
•  "The best part of being in K Blue is 100 days of Kindergarten because I got to eat yummy fairy bread." Timber, KB 
• "I like being a part of K Blue because we get to do fun wacky prizes and pilot stamps when we show green behaviours." Jumeirah, KB 
•  “I like when we went to the farm and ate ice-blocks.” Adam, KY 
•  “I like playing on the field with my friends.” Eshaal, KY 
•  “The best part was when we went to the farm because we saw animals.” Davion, KY 
•  “I liked playing with my friends in the playground.” Jibreil, KP 
•  “I liked it when we did sport because it was fun and playing in the classroom.” Aurora, KP 
•  “I liked it when we played with the parachute.” Zeinab, KO 
•  “I liked it when I played with my friends and I like sport.” Mohammed A, KO 

Our Stage 1 students have enjoyed a successful year of learning. They have demonstrated they are PAX leaders by showing green behaviours and being safe, respectful learners. Throughout the year, students have been working towards improving their skills and knowledge across all subject areas, while also developing their skills in teamwork, resilience, curiosity, and focus. 

We have made lots of special memories in Stage 1 this year including: 

Participating in the Zing gymnastics program and the Easter Hat Parade during Term 1. In Term 2, we engaged in the NAIDOC week incursion and Life Education lessons with Healthy Harold.  During Term 3, we visited the Riverside Theatre to see ‘Josephine Wants to Dance’ and enjoyed participating in the Zing dance program. Year 2 students also participated in the Swim Scheme Program at Roselands Aquatic Centre. In Term 4, we participated in a science incursion where we learnt about how materials change and participated in a drama incursion based on the Dreamtime Story ‘Tiddalick the Frog’.  

Some highlights from the year from our students include: 

• Muhammad, 1 Emerald: I enjoyed making playdough in science this year and predicting what would happen when we mixed the ingredients up. 
•  Sehrish, 1 Pearl: This year I loved reading stories in English, and I have enjoyed writing my own stories too.  
• Zachariah, 1/2 Aquamarine: I really enjoyed the drama incursion because we got to act and it was fun. 

• Chloe, 1/2 Diamond: The science show was exciting because we watched different experiments including a balloon popping and making a big bang.  
• Aseel, 1/2 Sapphire: I like making different patterns in maths and exploring how we can make them grow.   
• Burhan, 2 Neptunite: The noughts and crosses process helps us think about an answer before being able to record it. If you get the question wrong, you miss a turn. It makes me think about teamwork because we share ideas and both must agree on the answer before taking our turn. 
• Shaqeena, 2 Ruby: I enjoyed swimming lessons because it helped me to become a better and more confident swimmer. 

As we approach the end of the year, our support class has continued enjoying our gardening program. Students have been busy watering, weeding, and picking ripe vegetables, and we’re all looking forward to using our fresh produce for cooking in Week 10! 

This term, students also participated in Multi Sports as part of our Inclusive Education activities. Everyone showed great enthusiasm and teamwork, and we had so much fun trying different sports together. 

A highlight of the term was attending The Special Children’s Christmas Party. Students had an amazing time enjoying the rides, tasting lots of yummy food, watching shows, and of course meeting Santa Claus himself. Thank you to the parents who were able to attend. It was a truly magical day.   

As the school year comes to a close, we say a warm and heartfelt goodbye to our graduating support unit students — Mia, Louay, and Kosta. We will miss them dearly and wish them all the very best as they begin the next exciting chapter of their educational journey. 

Wishing everyone a wonderful and safe summer break

Mr Shearer and Mrs Xiros 

Our Stage 2 students have demonstrated growth as PAX leaders by learning about and being safe and respectful learners. We particularly enjoyed the following highlights:  

We learnt about Fantastic Mr. Fox by the author Roald Dahl in Term 1. In Term 2, we participated in the NAIDOC week incursion, Life Education lessons with Healthy Harold and went to an excursion to the Royal Botanic Gardens and the Sydney Opera House.  During Term 3, we engaged in the Zing dance program and in Term 4, we participated in a science incursion where we learnt about how matter changes and electricity works.

In the last couple weeks, we learned about Cubism and how artists use shapes, colours, and different viewpoints to understand the world around them. I discovered that Cubism isn’t about making things look perfect or realistic. Instead, it’s about showing an object from more than one perspective at the same time, almost like breaking it apart and putting it back together in a new way. 

Across our classes we experimented with Cubism through many subjects. 

 In Visual Arts, we created portraits, animals, still-life drawings, and even Cubist versions of objects from around our classroom. Each artwork looked different because we all saw things from our own unique perspective. I learned that there isn’t just one “correct” way to look at something—there are many. 

When we made our self-portraits, we combined front and side views, used bold lines, and played with geometric shapes. Sometimes it felt strange to break my face into cubes and angles, but by the end I realised I was learning to see myself in a new way. I even noticed details I hadn’t seen before, like how light and shadow change the shapes on my face. 

Cubism helped me understand that the world is full of patterns, shapes, and viewpoints, and we can use art to explore all of them. It also taught me to be creative, brave, and open-minded. Now when I look at objects, people, and nature, I can imagine them as a mix of angles, colours, and shapes that all connect together. 

Stage 3 have celebrated a hardworking and thoughtful year full of triumphs both in the classroom and the community. Some students shared highlights of their year:

My favourite part of school in 2025 was when I performed at the Combined Bankstown Public School Music Festival at Bankstown Sports Club. Firstly, all the dancers were together to practice and have fun. We got to put glitter on our faces for the night performance. We took photos in our costumes with our cheerleader pom poms. We patiently waited for our turn on stage, before the lights went down and the curtains closed. We performed on stage for our friends and families and later got to watch other dance groups perform too. It was such a great night for everyone!  - Loujane A. 5 Creative 

My favourite highlight of 2025 was playing Oztag for PSSA. I made new friends from different schools and got to see them each week at the games. I enjoy Oz tag and tagging other players as they run past you. You have to turn like a ballerina to get through the other team's defence line. For me, Oz tag was hard at the start, but through the games I played I became better. I want to thank my teammates for teaching me how to play and for letting me have runs. Oz tag has helped with my confidence on the field. - Izaiyah T. 5 Creative 

My favourite part of 2025 was the Science show in the hall. As I walked in, I saw the scientist standing on the stage like he was the boss, however he wasn't bossy at all. Instead, he shocked us and showed us the best experiments. My favourite was the elephant's toothpaste. The scientist also made me nervous when he mixed gas and fire to make a flame ball. It was so big I thought it was going to touch the ceiling, but it didn’t. I will never forget this great experience at Punchbowl Public School. - William A. 5 Creative 

Term 4 is a bittersweet time for Stage 3, as we farewell our Year 6s as they prepare to enter the world of High School. Their contributions to the school will be greatly missed, but we are excited to see what they do next!

This year in our Arabic Community Language classes, students have made wonderful progress in building their confidence and communication skills. They explored key vocabulary, practised reading and writing Arabic script, and developed their ability to express ideas about themselves, their families and their interests. Students also deepened their cultural understanding through stories, celebrations and classroom discussions that highlighted the richness of Arabic-speaking communities. Their enthusiasm, curiosity and perseverance have been a joy to see throughout the year. 

As we come to the end of the school year, we farewell our learners with pride. Thank you for your hard work, positive attitude, and commitment to growing your language skills. We wish you a restful break and look forward to seeing your continued success in the future. Maʿa as-salāma! 

هذا العام في مادة اللغات المجتمعية (اللغة العربية)، أحرز الطلاب تقدّمًا رائعًا في بناء ثقتهم بأنفسهم ومهاراتهم في التواصل. فقد استكشفوا مفردات أساسية، وتدرّبوا على قراءة وكتابة الحروف العربية، وطوّروا قدرتهم على التعبير عن أفكارهم حول أنفسهم وعائلاتهم واهتماماتهم. كما عمّق الطلاب فهمهم الثقافي من خلال القصص والاحتفالات والمناقشات الصفّية التي أبرزت ثراء المجتمعات الناطقة بالعربية. لقد كان شغفهم وفضولهم ومثابرتهم مصدر سعادة لنا طوال العام.   ومع اقتراب نهاية العام الدراسي، نودّع طلابنا بكل فخر. شكرًا لجهودكم الكبيرة، ولمواقفكم الإيجابية، ولحرصكم الدائم على تنمية مهاراتكم اللغوية. نتمنى لكم إجازة مريحة، ونتطلّع لرؤية استمرار نجاحكم في المستقبل. مع السلامة! 

This year, 111 students proudly represented our school in a National Canva Competition. Their task was to design innovative and functional safe refuges suited to a range of Australian climatic conditions, using Canva and its full suite of creative tools. Throughout the process, students worked collaboratively in groups, demonstrating both perseverance and a strong capacity for problem-solving.

We are delighted to announce that one of our teams achieved outstanding success and won in the Presentation category! The Experts—comprised of Afra, Faith, Dakylah and Umou—created an impressive 10-slide presentation detailing a thoughtfully designed safe refuge for communities impacted by cyclones. Their creativity, technical proficiency and ability to communicate complex ideas clearly set them apart. Congratulations to this remarkable group.

These students have now earned a place in our elite group of digital designers, fondly known as the “Canva Ninjas.”

At PPS, we continue to witness exceptional talent among our learners. As the Genius Hour teacher, I am immensely proud of their achievements and of the sophisticated understanding they have developed in using technology as a catalyst for innovation and creative design. Their work reflects not only skill, but imagination, curiosity and a genuine commitment to excellence.