Recently, I had the opportunity to attend the LPA Principals’ Conference alongside other Lutheran school leaders. It was a valuable reminder that learning never stops, no matter your role.

Just as we encourage our students to keep growing, it is equally important that we, as educators and leaders, continue to learn, reflect, and improve. A few key takeaways for me included the importance of clear and purposeful leadership, taking care of our wellbeing and recognising the signs of burnout, and the reminder that strong school cultures are built through our relationships and how we care for one another.

Time spent learning alongside others helps us stay grounded, gain fresh perspectives, and ensure we are making thoughtful decisions for our school community. I am grateful for the opportunity to keep learning and look forward to bringing these insights back to continue strengthening our school.

School Uniform Update
In Week 2, I shared feedback following the parent uniform survey.

Overall, families appreciate the uniform’s smart appearance and the sense of pride and identity it brings to our school. At the same time, comfort, practicality, and ease of movement, particularly for younger students and during winter, were identified as important considerations.

Key themes included comfort, flexibility and choice, maintaining school pride, and considerations around durability, ease of care, and cost. Many families also indicated a preference for thoughtful refinements rather than a complete change.

Next Steps
Based on this feedback, we have explored a number of updates to better support comfort, practicality, and a consistent, professional appearance, including:

• Updated sports t-shirt (predominantly navy blue), tracksuit pants, and jumper designed for improved comfort, durability and professional appearance
• Updated green school shirts to reflect a refreshed, professional look, including tailored shirts for girls
• Streamlining of navy shorts and trousers for boys to align with the flexibility currently available to girls
• A revised girls’ summer dress (same tartan) featuring front button options and an updated collar colour to improve practicality
• For the girls’ winter uniform, the pinafore will be removed and replaced with a winter skirt in the same tartan
• A flexible approach allowing students to wear shorts or trousers, long or short sleeves, and socks or tights to suit seasonal conditions and individual preference
• An age-appropriate approach for junior students, with sports uniform becoming the primary daily uniform
• Please note, not all aspects of the uniform require updating, many will remain the same (shell jacket, sports shorts & skort).

These updates aim to strengthen consistency while better supporting students’ independence, comfort, and day-to-day experience. Research highlights that when young students are physically comfortable and able to move freely, they are better able to concentrate, engage, and participate in learning. Discomfort, whether from restrictive clothing, temperature, or fit, can become a distraction that impacts focus and reduces time spent attending to learning tasks.

In the early years particularly, movement and active play are closely linked to cognitive development, with studies showing that children who can move, play, and learn comfortably demonstrate stronger focus, improved engagement, and growth in key skills such as literacy and problem-solving.

Further communication will follow as these refinements are confirmed, and we look forward to sharing more detail with you in the coming weeks. Please note that any changes to the uniform will only be introduced in 2027 with a two-year transition period. During this time, existing uniform items may continue to be worn, with the new uniform becoming fully implemented in 2029.

Blessings,

Hollie Kinning

Principal