To: All school community

Dear school community,

Recently the School Advisory Council (SAC) invited families, teachers and students to complete a survey to collect feedback on the current school uniform, as we wish for the uniform to be one that children are comfortable to wear, is cost effective for families and continues to reflect the pride we have in our school.

We would like to thank everyone who participated in the survey and providing such rich and detailed feedback that will help to shape the future uniform. We received a total of 177 responses, with 86% of respondents supportive of changes to the current uniform. On this basis, we’re moving forward with making changes to the uniform.

We’ve attached a summary overview of the responses for your reference, including some of the feedback received. Overall, there were several themes from the survey:

• The most common feedback centred around the comfort of the uniform for students in both learning and play
• Positive response to offer the girls either shorts, skorts or pants as an option
• The girls winter uniform (pinafore) is difficult for girls to dress in and is outdated
• The tie is unnecessary for primary aged children
• Simplify the uniform so there aren’t so many options, i.e. summer and winter uniform plus two sports tops

Uniform design and transition plan

Based on the outcome of the survey, the SAC has started planning the transition. We envisage 2023 to be focussed on designing the uniform in consultation with the school community, and the transition to the new uniform commencing in 2024. The transition will take place over 2-3 years, giving families plenty of time to adjust and purchase new uniforms where needed. During this period, we do expect we’ll see students wearing the old and new uniforms, particularly in the year 5 and 6 cohort.

Changes for 2023

Given we will be transitioning to a new uniform in 2024, there are some minor changes that will be acceptable in 2023:

• Year 1 students will continue to wear the sports uniform every day instead of purchasing the summer and winter uniforms;
• All students may wear plain white, non-branded ankle socks
• Boys can wear their summer shorts in winter if preferred

In addition, uniforms that have been purchased but not yet worn (tags still attached) may be returned if needed.

The SAC would again like to thank everyone who provided feedback. It is imperative the community voice is heard and reflected in the new uniform designs so we have a uniform everyone is proud of, the decisions are supported and embraced by all.

We look forward to consulting with you further on the new design in 2023. Until then, if you have any queries or concerns, please discuss with Andrew Kelly, Principal.

Kind regards,

School Advisory Council

 

School Uniform Survey Results. October 2022

Executive summary

Background

• Christ the King (CTK) School provides children with a vibrant and caring environment where each child is encouraged to explore, learn and play in in their own unique way.
• CTK is a school that caters to diverse needs, with dignity and respect at the heart of what we do – Care for and respect everyone.
• The School Advisory Council (SAC) has discussed ways that promote 21st century learning and how we can support our students to be readily equipped for play based learning and contemporary experiences.
• One of the ways the SAC have considered this is through tabling the idea to review the school uniform and uniform policy.
• The SAC would like our uniform to be one that children are comfortable to wear, is cost effective for families and continues to reflect the pride we have in our school.
• The SAC has consulted with the school community (families, students and teachers) to gauge interest in reviewing the school uniform via surveys.

Purpose

• The purpose of the survey is to test if there is support to change the uniform, and if so, what aspects would the community like to see changed.

Approach

• Families, teachers and some students were invited to participate in the survey. The family surveys were distributed via the school newsletter, text and email messages.
• The survey opened Thursday 20 October and closed on Tuesday 1 November. Outcome
• 206 participants completed the survey: 124 parents, 10 teachers and 71 students.
• The survey results have demonstrated 86% of participants support to makes changes to the current uniform.

Next steps

• The SAC to engage with Tudor Uniforms and plan the design and consultation phase.
• New uniforms to be available for students to wear in 2024.
• A lengthy 2-3 year transition period to enable families time to transition to the new uniform.

Summary of results

Overall, 86% of participants (177 parents, teachers and students) are supportive of changes to the school uniform (based on data taken Friday 28/10/22 @ 5pm – to be updated)

In total, 206 participants responded to the survey:

124 Parents – 81% of respondents support changing the uniform:

• 35% respondents with 1 child
• 45% respondents with 2 children
• 20% respondents with 3 or more children
• 48% with children in kindy to year 1, with some siblings in older years
• 50% with children in year 2 – 6 only
• 30% with female children only
• 40% with male children only
• 30 with both male and female children

10 Teachers – 100% of respondents support changing the uniform:

• 40% respondents from ECE
• 30% respondents from year 6
• 20% respondents from ECE and years 3-6

72 Students – 94% of respondents support changing the uniform:

• 47% respondents in year 3
• 4% respondents in year 4
• 45% respondents in year 5
• 4% respondents in year 6

*N.B.: Where responses do not add up to 100%, some participants left the question blank

The most common feedback received as to why the uniform should change centred around comfort, being able to play unrestricted and it is outdated: Family: “Ultimately it’s important that the children be comfortable in their uniform. Parts of the uniform can be restrictive and uncomfortable form them” Family: “To ensure the students are comfortable and not restricted by tight, itchy materials” Family: “The current sports uniform is great but I would like to see small changes made to the formal uniform to make it more comfortable and easier for the children to play in ie: no tie, no woolly jumper and the girls in a skort or similar.” Teacher: “Our current uniform is old fashioned. Students need to be comfortable in order to concentrate and focus on their learn” Teacher: “Changes that modernise the winter and summer to become more practical and comfortable.” Yr 3 student: “Because the jumpers are itchy and the ties choke me and the white shirt is annoying because there cold and I don’t like the winter uniform because it’s so hot after lunch” Yr 4 student: “I would change the winter uniform because it takes a while to put on, the tie is unnecessary and the pinafore is very uncomfortable.

 

CTK CARERS – ETIQUETTES AND DEALINGS

CtK Carers is an initiative of Christ the King catholic school community, organised through CtK Parents and Friends, to assist families within the school community that may be struggling, either short term or long term, due to illness, bereavement, family crisis, birth of a child or any type of change.

CtK Carers has been very specifically created to perform this single and very important service. Therefore, no other organisation or persons for example class groups or individual groups, should be organised to serve the same purpose.

To ensure the effective running and continued service that CtK Carers provides, the following etiquettes are requested to be adhered to.

• Family or known person of family makes direct contact with the Coordinators of CtK Carers, requesting their support.
• Coordinators to notify School Leadership Team about the case presented.
• Coordinators contact family requiring / requesting support to assess their needs e.g. providing meals, performing ironing or pickup and drop off students.
• Volunteers (organised through CtK Carers only) are contacted and requested to complete nominated services like those mentioned above, which they have nominated on the CtK Volunteer sheet distributed to them by request from CtK Carers or downloaded from the school web site.

 CtK Carers has only operated for a year now and has successfully assisted families within our school community. They have carried an important role in providing the types of support requested of them.

To ensure the continued success, a request for support from all of the school community is being made for CtK Carers to act freely in providing the service that it has been designed to provide by adhering to the simple etiquettes specifically established for its intended purpose.

If you would like to help, please become a volunteer. Volunteers are always required. Please note that this is not a full time commitment and that it is totally understandable that there may be periods of time that you are unavailable to assist. If you feel that you would like to know more please contact CtK Carers to inquire how you could be of assistance. 

Please contact Naomi (0427400781) or Brian (9487 9900).

Thank you in anticipation of your support.

CtK Carers with the support of Christ the King Parents and Friends.

 

Colour Fun Run

Wow! You’ve done it again Christ the King community. Another superb effort was demonstrated in the fun run on Monday. The students look to be having a great time and thanks to the parents and family members that came along as a show of support for their children and to our AMAZING P&F. A huge, huge ‘Thank you’ to all of our volunteers on the day for their time and effort.

 

Brian Dobbie, Assistant Principal

 

Messages from the P&F

What a wonderful afternoon we all had on Monday for the colour run, what a great amount of money raised, well done to the students and their families for their fundraising efforts. The total profit was an impressive $7,463.12. Congratulations to our highest fundraising students, Adriana Martino ($640), Kaiden Baddock ($520), Beau Heritage ($510) and Lily Heritage ($510), and a shout out to our Kindy class for being the highest fundraising class with an amazing $2,380! Prizes will be going home with the students next week.

The P&F will be running a Sausage Sizzle, and selling snacks and drinks, prior to Carol’s by Candlelight, next Wednesday, November 30th, from 5:15pm until 6:15pm.

We will also be selling more tickets for the raffle on the night, there are some amazing prizes to be won this year, including two scooters, a trampoline, gift cards, wine and more!!

Alison Reddyhough, P&F President