2026 is a very special year in the history of St Peter’s Woodlands.

New Facility Opening
This year we are eagerly awaiting the opening of the Dr Pamela Wall Centre — a state-of-the-art theatre, sport, and multi-purpose facility that will inspire creativity and collaboration for years to come. Please stay tuned for opening events and opportunities to come and see this wonderful new facility.

Welcoming Student & Families
With strong enrolments, we warmly welcome 137 new families to St Peter’s Woodlands, with 88 students starting in the ELC and 109 students joining the school overall.

This year, we are proud to have four Reception classes, with many families sharing positive feedback about SPW’s Flying Start transition program. Parents have highlighted how pivotal the program was in supporting their child’s smooth and successful move from ELC to Reception.

On a warm Friday evening, we welcomed more than 100 parents to our Parents Welcome event — an opportunity for our Reception families and new families (ELC and primary) to connect and begin building those important relationships for the years ahead. It was a fabulous night.

Despite a very warm start to the year, students have settled quickly into their new classes. SPW teachers prioritise the building of strong relationships with each student and their family –  connection is the curriculum.

Significant achievements from 2025 that will continue into 2026 include:

• Our unique Education Support Officer (ESO) model, with an ESO in every classroom from Reception to Year 4, and four ESOs across Years 5 and 6
• Extension of our service partnership with Kapara Glenelg Residential Care Home from ELC to Year 6
• Year 6 DARE Graduate Diploma
• Year 5 Kindness Convention
• Rich, transdisciplinary Units of Inquiry from ELC to Year 6
• Wellbeing initiatives such as The Village and The Zone
• Continue embedding of the award-winning RISE learning framework and enduring qualities

Further highlights for 2026 include:

• The launch of the Year 4 Kitchen Garden program
• Appointment of an ELC Assistant Director and an OSHC Assistant Director to support increased enrolments while maintaining our exceeding quality
• Launch of Rise Together — a Strategic Advance for Learning and Innovation
• Appointment of an exceptional Leader in Positive Behaviours to support students across the school
• Finally, we are all eagerly awaiting the arrival of our new chickens for 2026. With expert advice from a passionate Year 5 student, we can’t wait to fill our chook house once again!

Farewell to Principal Helen Finlay 
In March we farewell our Principal, Helen Finlay as she returns to family in NSW and begins a new Principal position on the Northern Beaches. Helen has expertly driven purposeful change in her five years of service at SPW. She leaves the school in a very healthy position. We thank Helen for her initiatives and vision for the extraordinary.

Following Helen’s departure I, Sarah Noell, (current Deputy Principal & Head of Early Years) will step into the role of Acting Principal, providing nurturing and experienced leadership throughout the year. I am deeply committed to SPW’s vision and values, and will be supported by our exceptional Executive Team ensuring continuity, clarity and momentum as we move confidently into this next chapter.

Wishing everyone a positive start to 2026. We look forward to welcoming you to St Peter’s Woodlands in many ways throughout the year ahead.

Article by Sarah Noell, Head of Early Years/Deputy Principal