News gallery
Every day at Royal Far West School is different and fun! Here are some recent stories:
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.
CPR in Green group
Classes at RFWS are practical and learning how to perform CPR is an important lesson for our students who often live a long way from medical help, unlike city people. Students quickly understood what was required and enjoyed practising on our resident dummy.
Building on student strengths
To support quick engagement and create a welcoming environment, we build on each student’s interests. Here, the student is enjoying playing with farm animals and happily picked up right where he left off from his previous visit.
Remote SWAY training
At the start of Term 2 our SWAY team of early childhood teacher Juliana, Aboriginal education officer Aunty Caroline and speech pathologists Elizabeth and Bronwyn conducted a bespoke training with the ES1 staff from Lightning Ridge Central School. This training facilitated an overview of the SWAY program to build the capacity of teachers and educators to deliver the program into the school. The SWAY program develops the students oral language and early literacy skills through a cultural and play based pedagogy.
Staf development day - disability, neurodiversity and inclusive education
Embracing Disability Neurodiversity and Inclusive Education: Term 2 Staff Development Insights
Understanding our students' diverse needs is at the heart of creating a supportive and inclusive educational environment. Our focus on disability, neurodiversity and inclusive education has provided invaluable insights affirming our current practices while inspiring new approaches to better support every learner.
On day one, we celebrated the strengths and richness that neurodiversity brings to our classrooms. Through engaging discussions on inclusive practice, we deepened our understanding of how to nurture and support neurodivergent students effectively. A highlight was the session led by Royal Far West Psychologist, Dr Ruth Kinniburgh-White, who shared expertise on selective mutism. Her strategies offered practical ways to reassure students and build meaningful rapport, empowering us to create more trusting and responsive learning spaces.
Day two opened with an engaging session on regulation—for both students and teachers—and underscored the critical role of trust and relationship-building in our work. Our very own school psychologist, Georgia Braude, guided us through neuro-affirming practices and the positive impact of inclusive language, challenging us to reflect deeply on how we communicate and connect with our students. The day concluded on a joyful note with a dynamic, hands-on session exploring the therapeutic benefits of music. Georgia was joined by Cliena Mullow, school counsellor from nearby Manly Vale School, we experienced first hand how music can support emotional wellbeing and engagement.
This Term 2 professional learning journey has been both affirming and inspiring. As we continue to embrace disability, neurodiversity and inclusive education within our school community, we are better equipped to foster an environment where every student feels valued, understood, and supported to thrive.
