News gallery
Every day at Royal Far West School is different and fun! Here are some recent stories:
Differentiated learning
In our classes, students may be at different stages of learning, so using the song of There was an old woman who swallowed a fly, preschool students learned how to order the different creatures she swallowesd, while the kindergarten student learned about ordinal numbers. The fly pictures are pretty special, too!
Print making
A concept picture, a simple piece of thin foam, paint and imagination were all it took for a student in Green group to create a beautiful print which can be used and reused for all sorts of purposes such as a framed picture and a tote bag.
Creative castle builders
Students worked together to creatively design and build an imaginative “castle” setup. Using their imagination and creativity, they collaborated to turn their ideas into a fun and engaging space.
I spy animals on Country
Our intrepid trackers in Blue group trained their binoculars on the mural on level 2 to discover animals hidden throughout the mural and mark them off on their cards. Aunty Caroline taught them the name for emu - dinewan - and they practised the dinewan dance, much to the amusement of the giraffes looking on!
Feelings and colours with The Colour Monster
Blue group explored feelings this week using our focus story, The Colour Monster. Students loved experimenting with colour during a messy art activity, using paint splattering techniques to represent the different emotions experienced by the Colour Monster throughout the story.
SWAY training on Central Coast
The SWAY team were once again on the road delivering training to ten of our sites this being the last for 2026. With 24 participants the training was engaging, reflective with many of the sites sharing the same Language learnings. We were grateful to have Mandy from the Barang Regional Alliance, Connected Beginnings Program share with participants Darkinyung Language in a very respectful and enriching way. Kara the AEO from Toukley Public School (also Local, Regional and State AECG) shared her knowledge regarding AECG on the Central Coast. Suzie from Garawa Preschool - The Entrance Public School shared her journey of SWAY in the preschool over the years. It was wonderful to hear her thoughtful and connected story. Much yarning was had over the three days and hands-on learning with our SWAY resources. We look forward to hearing the many stories of SWAY in these sites over the year to come.
Mathematical sausage rolls
The proof is in the tasting, but there are many steps to creating a delicious sausage roll, as Green group discovered. The students read the recipe, added ingredients and followed the procedure carefully, however it was while the rolls were baking that the hard brain work happened. Each student was given a copy of the grocery docket and had to work out how much each unit cost (it's 81cents!) - much cheaper than buying.
Exploring life cycles through story telling and science
Students in blue group explored the life cycle of a caterpillar through storytelling with The Very Hungry Caterpillar and a hands-on science experiment. Through observation, discussion, and creative experiences, students learned about growth, change, and the transformation of living things.
Construction in Purple group
Purple group enjoyed the challenge of Lego Education BricQ. Each kit comes with a step-by-step book to create a complex structure and students have to concentrate hard and use fine motor skills to make sure they don't miss a step.
Connection circles
Our Aboriginal Education educator, Aunty Caroline, leads Connection Circles on Mondays, creating spaces where families can come together and connect. This week she offered an extra time to gather for a simple calming activity of weaving bracelets which was a new activity for some. One of the mothers extended the activity beautifully by creating breathing bracelets: large bead breath in, small bead breath out.
Owl babies
Owls were the theme in Blue group this week. After reading the book Owl babies, we made some beautiful paintings which Ella framed ready to go home with the students. We also learned some fun facts: did you know that owls can't move their eyes? They have to move their whole heads instead!
Welcome Dr Scott
It was a great pleasure for our Principal, Sharon Smithies, to welcome the incoming CEO of Royal Far West, Dr Briony Scott, during her recent visit to the school, accompanied by the Chair of Royal Far West, Joan Treweeke OAM. Dr Scott brings with her an illustrious career as an educator and school principal, alongside significant contributions to numerous national boards spanning health and education.
Dr Scott shares her perspective on the new role:
“What draws me to this role is both professional and deeply personal. I have seen first-hand the impact of distance, access and complexity on families, and I am deeply committed to contributing to an organisation that actively addresses these barriers.
My vision is to support Royal Far West to continue to grow as a trusted national leader in rural child health and wellbeing, expanding access to high-quality care, while ensuring the organisation remains sustainable, responsive and deeply connected to the communities it serves.”
We look forward to the ongoing collaboration with Dr Briony Scott and Royal Far West as we work together to enhance support for children and families across rural communities.
