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

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

Bourke Street Public School students were involved in the consultation process for the planned Chelsea St playground upgrade. The Lord Mayor and council representatives visited our school to explain to the students how valuable their input was in designing a space to meet the needs of the community. Below are some links and photographs explaining more: Sydney Your Say SMH Article City of Sydney Media... 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

Our concert is happening! The Bourke St Public School 2013 School Concert….. SPACE themed will take place on: THURSDAY 14 NOVEMBER. That is TERM 4 – WEEK 6. Our concert will be held in the evening in the large auditorium at SYDNEY GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL. They have a fantastic stage with great lighting and wonderful facilities. We are very excited to be putting on a whole school show and will be providing more information as the year goes on. All classes are involved in Creative Dances and students will also have the opportunity to participate... 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

Please find attached an invitation to a picnic in Ward Park on Friday 14th December 2012 from our P&C. This is an informal social gathering. Everyone is welcome to attend. Picnic Invitation (pdf 1356 KB)... Read more

Bourke Street Public School will be celebrating its Presentation Day Assembly on Thursday 13th December 2012. Please find attached a copy of the program. Immediately after the assembly a morning tea has been organised, in the school library, to acknowledge the wonderful support our school receives from the many volunteers that assist our students. Please feel free to join us!!! BSPS 2012 Presentation Day (pdf 96 KB)... 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

Last week KT got to meet their buddies from Milikapiti School in a live video chat. We prepared some questions which you can see in the photo gallery. We learnt lots about life in the Tiwi Islands and look forward to having another chat soon. We also sang a song for them which you can see in this short video.... Read more

SYDNEY CITY COUNCIL & BOURKE STREET PUBLIC SCHOOL Thanks to all the parents who have completed the our travel survey so far- in order to get an accurate picture of travel habits at Bourke Street Public School we'd like to get as many parents as possible to fill in the survey. It will only take 5 minutes of your time and will help the City of Sydney improve safety in the area. This survey will close on Friday 23rd November. The survey can be found at: Transport Survey A hard copy has been sent home if you unable to access the online... 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 school halls have been filled with beautiful sounds and groovy tunes. Our talented choir impressed everyone at our school assembly and are very excited to perform at the school fete on the 14th of October. Listen to our talented choir performing 'Keep Your Head Up'. (The best part is at the end!)... Read more