Food allergies continue to increase at alarming rates. One in 10 infants now has a food allergy. The most common food allergies in childhood are cow's milk, egg, peanut and tree nut. Risk cannot be removed but it can be managed. Children at risk of anaphylaxis and those caring for them must know how to reduce the possibility of a reaction, be able to recognise a reaction when it happens, and know how to respond. Have a look at the Food Allergy Week website to see what you can do to make your home and school more allergy aware. The website... Read more

All families will have received a note with regard to the P&C Mother's Day Raffle. Tickets cost 30cents each or $3 for the book of ten. The raffle will be drawn on Friday 10 May at the schoOl assembly. 1st Prize is a Baby G Watch (Limited Edition) 2nd Prize is a $100 Coles/Myer voucher 3rd Prize is a $50 Coles/Myer voucher There will also be random prizes drawn throughout the assembly. SUPPORT YOUR P&C... Read more

Protecting the privacy of personal information is increasingly important at a time when we are sharing more details about ourselves online than ever before. While interacting online can be great for kids, it also makes them more vulnerable. To help reduce the risk of cyberbullying, unwanted attention or breaches of their privacy, you can: encourage them to keep their usernames and passwords safe and not share them with anyone take them through the privacy settings of sites they join to ensure they are careful about what information they share... Read more

Kids and families tend to run more smoothly when there is a clear plan. So the online parent resource School A to Z has created printable homework and study calendars for each month of the year. The School A to Z website and mobile app can also help with common assignment and homework questions. In the Homework and study section you'll find links to useful websites, maths and English glossaries, and help sheets to make homework time easier in your house. Print your homework and study calendar pages for the rest of 2013. If you have ideas for... Read more

After more than 26 years at Wattawa Heights Mrs Bell has said goodbye Mrs Vall Bell has been an integral part of the Wattawa Heights community for more than 26 years working in the front office. Mrs Bell and her 'magic bed' has looked after many a sore tummy and a grazed knee. As well as being the smiling face at the counter and her friendly voice on the phone, Mrs Bell has been a tremendous support to all staff and parents of Wattawa Heights. We will miss you Mrs Bell and we wish you the very best in your retirement.... Read more

A copy of the 2012 Annual School Report can be downloaded by clicking here - Annual school report... Read more

Spelling is an important skill but one that can be a problem for many children. However, there are some simple strategies you can use to help your child develop confidence in their spelling ability. What you can do to help your child with spelling: Explain to your child that some words can be sounded out, but not all English words can be spelt correctly by ‘sounding out', eg the words ‘you' and ‘said'. Talk to your child about how you spell, and what you do when you don't know how to spell a word. Encourage your child to write at home on... Read more

A reminder to parents about the operation of school speed zones around the Easter holidays. School zones exist for the safety of children and families; they will operate on Thursday 28 March, then resume on Tuesday 2 April. Forty-kilometres-an-hour school speed zones operate across New South Wales at all school sites on gazetted school days, which are all days the school is open, even pupil-free days. Find out more... Read more

Writing essays is a skill many of us have forgotten. But don't worry – here are a few tips to help you and your child, even if you're not familiar with the essay topic. Key points: Determine 'what is the question asking?' Essays follow a specific formula Introduction – state your response to the question and mention the points to be made in the body of the essay. Body – expand on the points introduced in the introduction. Don't introduce new thoughts at this stage. Conclusion – summarise the points discussed in the body. One idea per... Read more

A panel of experts answers the most common questions parents have about how they can best support their kids' school life, study, wellbeing and development. In five brief segments, the experts share their tips on how parents can: help their kids reach their full potential at school and motivate them for learning support their child's social development and handle schoolyard conflict support kids through the teenage years. keep up with the technology their kids are using and how to keep them safe online. Watch the Great start videos... Read more

The safety and wellbeing of your child is of paramount importance to us, including where your child is diagnosed at risk of a severe allergic reaction.. It is important that parents notify the school if their child has an allergy. Anaphylaxis is a severe and sometimes sudden allergic reaction that is potentially life-threatening and always requires an emergency response. As with other serious health conditions, schools put in place strategies to support students at risk of anaphylaxis at school or while they are engaged in school related... Read more

This year, twelve students from Wattawa Heights Public School were accepted to take part in the Schools Spectacular – a large scale creative arts production showcasing thousands of talented students from NSW public schools. The girls have been working very hard over the last few months to learn three dances, which they performed at Sydney Entertainment Centre at four shows across Friday and Saturday. The girls were wonderful! They danced so well and we are so proud of their hard work and commitment.... Read more

Our playgroup runs every Friday morning from 9.15 – 11.00am. It has proven to be a huge success amongst our community. Come along and join us. Please contact the office for more information.... Read more

Body image is the number one personal concern for young people aged 12 to 24, with research showing they feel under more pressure than ever to look a certain way. Butterfly Foundation's education manager, Danni Rowlands, goes into schools every week to talk to students about body image. In a revealing podcast, she explains to Rachel Friend what she finds when she talks to girls and young women, what's healthy behaviour and what parents should be concerned about. Listen to the podcast on the School A to Z website.... Read more

What is the best way to prepare kids for high school and make the move less daunting for them – and you, their parents and caregivers? Sometimes parents think that when their child goes to high school they need to take a step back but teachers involved in the transition say it is more about a change of focus. Here are some tips: In Year 5 start thinking about which high school your child should attend. Help them become more responsible by encouraging independence and responsibility. Get into a homework and study routine. Put their school... Read more

Growing up can be tough. Things don't always go to plan. So how can you help your child to develop resilience? Research shows children with good resilience perform better at school and are less likely to take part in risky behaviour, particularly as they enter the teenage years. The education department's principal psychologist, Ron Balderston, describes resilience as a shock absorber for the potholes of life. "Resilient children know how to cope and have developed skills that enable them to flex so they can manage life's blows when they... Read more

The Wattawa Heights PS Dance Group have been working hard all year to learn their jazz dance. On Monday 17th September they performed at the Bankstown East Hills District Dance Festival for a large crowd. The girls did a fantastic job and had a wonderful time!... Read more

On Wednesday 19th September a Football Mufti and Cake Day will be held to raise funds for the dancers involved in the Schools Spectacular. Get into the spirit of the day by wearing the colours of your favourite Rugby League team. Cakes will be available for between 50c and $2. Please bring a gold coin to participate in mufti.... Read more

Looking for a great way to help your child practise their spelling? To coincide with the launch of the wordlist for the 2012 Premier's Spelling Bee, a companion app is now available for download. The app features almost 3,000 words and sentences used in the spelling bee initiative, which is aimed at primary school-aged children. The free Premier's Spelling Bee app has junior and senior primary categories with levels of spelling words that increase in difficulty. The game, which features Australian accents, randomly selects words from the... Read more