FAQ and school life
Sentral App & Parent Communications
Our primary form of communication with parents is through the platform SENTRAL. As a matter of sharing information and also safety, we ask all parents to please access the Sentral for Parents app (mobiles and tablets) and/or the Sentral Parent Portal (using your internet browser).
Sentral allows you to monitor your child’s school journey simply and efficiently. Receive messages, report absences, make payments for school activities and more.
Our school newsletter, the Bourke Street Billboard, is shared via Sentral every Friday afternoon. It contains information and reminders about upcoming events, important messages and recaps of happenings from across the school.
How to register for Sentral
- Download the 'Sentral for Parents' app from the App Store or the Google Play Store.
- Click 'register here' to register for a new account and enter your details.
- Click 'create account'.
- You will receive a confirmation email. Click the link in the confirmation email to verify your details.
- Log in with your credentials. You can use these credentials to access both the app and the Sentral Parent Portal.
- Use the unique access key/s to add your child/children to the app. Access keys can be added in the Settings menu. Your child's access key will be provided to you via email in their first week of Kindergarten.
Kindergarten-Year 2 assemblies are held every second Friday at 2:00 pm in the school hall. Each class has an opportunity to host assembly once or twice a year, and this timetable is shared on the school calendar via Sentral.
At assembly, our Bourkey's Best awards are presented, and special presentations and messages are shared by the students and teachers. You will be notified the week of the assembly if your child is receiving a Bourkey's Best award. We warmly encourage parents and other family to attend our school assemblies.
Regular attendance at school is essential for students to achieve their learning outcomes. Schools, in partnership with parents and carers, are responsible for promoting the regular attendance of students. You can read more about the importance of school attendance here.
Absences
When your child is away for any reason, please report this as soon as possible on Sentral. If your child is to be absent for more than 10 school days, you must complete a Department of Education extended leave application at the school office, which the school will then consider for approval.
If your child feels unwell or is sick in any way, you should keep them home from school and consult your doctor.
Late arrivals and early departures
If you arrive late for school (from 9:10am onwards) you must sign your child in at the school office. If you intend on picking your child up early you should notify the school ahead of time, and must also sign them out at the school office.
These processes support our teachers in effectively managing their duty of care responsibilities.
We have a number of external providers who offer a range of extracurricular before and after school activities. We call these our ‘Bourke Street Extras’. Programs include language classes, sports classes, and creative and performing arts classes. Information about these programs is available at the bottom of each weekly e-newsletter.
Please note, while these programs are available for K-6, we strongly recommend that Kindergarten students have an opportunity to adjust to school life before engaging in extra-curricular programs.
Our school canteen, Elham's Cafe, operates every day and is open from 8:30 am when parents and students can order for the day or week ahead. Online ordering is also available via Sentral. Students can also purchase snacks, drinks or ice blocks during lunch every day and recess on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Our canteen has been awarded the NSW Government's ‘Healthy School Canteen’ endorsement. The canteen menu can be found on Sentral under 'resources'. Once a term, we have a very popular 'special foods' day at the canteen. All profits from our canteen go directly to the school P&C!
There are six key learning areas studied throughout primary school: English, Mathematics, Science and Technology, Personal Development, Health and Physical Education, Creative Arts and Human Society and Its Environment (History and Geography). You can find more information about these key learning areas on the NSW Education Standards Authority website.
At the beginning of each term, classroom teachers will email parents an outline detailing what students will be learning in the upcoming term across these six areas. This outline provides insights into the specific topics, activities, and projects that will be covered, helping parents to engage with their children’s learning and support them at home. This communication ensures that families are informed and involved in the educational journey, fostering a collaborative approach to learning.
The school day begins promptly at 9:00 am. Students can arrive at school from 8:30 am when teachers begin playground supervision. In the first few weeks of school, Kindergarten students will go straight into classrooms upon arrival at school. Once ready, Kindergarten teachers will inform parents via Sentral that they will join the school in the regular morning routine which sees students hanging up their bags at their classroom and going to the playground until the 9:00 am bell rings.
At 9:00 am on Mondays, we have a five-minute whole school assembly with weekly messages and any special announcements. Parents are welcome to stay and listen to this assembly and see their child head off to class.
Students have lunch at 11:00-11:40 am. The first ten minutes of lunch is spent eating outside with their classroom teacher. The recess break is from 1:40-2:00 pm.
The school day ends at 3:00 pm. Kindergarten parents and carers pick up their children from outside of their child's classroom. Children are only released to those who we have been informed is picking them up.
We have a school drop off zone on Mort Street where parents or carers can safely and quickly drop off students without parking. It is designed to keep traffic flowing smoothly while ensuring student safety. Please don't park there and walk your child in. Please ensure you find an all day, or two hour parking spot to walk your child into school.
The EAL/D program assists children whose first language is not English or who come from a language background other than English.
From time to time, EAL/D teachers may withdraw students in small groups or work in the classroom to assist these students.
In the mornings and afternoons, parents and students are requested to enter and leave the school via the Parkham Street and Mort Street gates. For student safety our gates are locked most of the day. Gates are open 8:30am to 9:05am and 2:50pm to 3:10pm.
Parents can use the Bourke Street entrance if they need to visit the front office, including for late arrivals or early departures.
Grow Your Mind is a positive mental health program for schools and homes about enhancing resilience and wellbeing. The program is built upon four pillars to promote mental health and wellbeing: positive psychology, social and emotional learning, public health and neuroscience.
At Bourke Street, all students engage in weekly Grow Your Mind lessons, focused on brain awareness and resilience through character strengths and mindfulness to build positive mental health outcomes now and later in life.
See some of our character strengths below.
Our four school houses are Burra (meaning Eel), Mulgu (meaning Black Swan), Gadi (meaning Grass Tree), and Ngura (meaning Country).
Our house names were devised through a major community project in 2019 led by our First Nations students and local Aboriginal Elders. The names represent a ‘connection to Country’; incorporating native plants, animals, land and water. Students worked on developing logos for each house and we were fortunate to have the collaboration of four high-profile First Nations artists in this logo design project; Thea Perkins, Blak Douglas, Tony Albert and Keg de Souza. Students’ artworks were shared with these artists who used them as inspiration for the development of the four house logos.
Kindergarten students will be allocated their house on their first orientation day. Children with siblings at Bourke Street will be placed in the same house.
You have the option of purchasing a house t-shirt for your child to wear to sports carnivals and special events throughout the year. House t-shirts are available to purchase via our school uniform supplier Pickles.
Stephanie Alexander's Kitchen Garden Program is a fun, hands-on learning program delivering pleasurable food education. With strong curriculum integration and a focus on student wellbeing, collaboration and leadership, students at Bourke Street learn to grow, harvest, prepare and share fresh, seasonal, delicious food – forming positive food habits for life.
Our school library is a flexible learning space housing a wide collection of picture books, novels, magazines and digital resources. Classes participate in a weekly library lesson with our school Librarian Mrs Rebecca Toltz, where they have the opportunity to borrow books to take home (which we strongly encourage).
Scholastic's Book Club order forms are distributed twice a term. Orders and payments are made online using the Book Club LOOP. Items ordered are delivered to the school for distribution to students. The school receives a substantial credit from all orders made which we use to further stock our library and classroom resources.
Each year in Term 3, Bourke Street celebrates Children’s Book Week, which involves a number of special events including author visits and an always memorable book character parade!
Lunch box
Students can bring lunch from home or it can be ordered from the canteen. Lunches brought from home cannot be refrigerated or reheated and for this reason, insulated lunch boxes are recommended. Students should be able to operate their lunch boxes and containers and eat independently. The sharing of food is not permitted at school. Please be mindful that we have multiple students at our school with severe nut, egg* and sesame allergies and we kindly request that you avoid packing these food products in your child's lunch to ensure the safety of all students.
*Please note: students may bring food that contains cooked egg as a mixed ingredient, such as banana bread or muffins but should not bring foods where egg is the main ingredient, even is the egg is cooked, for example, quiches or frittatas.
Crunch and sip
'Crunch and Sip' is a set time during the morning session where students eat a piece of fruit or vegetable and drink water in their classroom. Please pack a small fruit or veg snack that students can eat independently while continuing their work.
Water bottle
Students should bring a reusable water bottle to school each day. We have bottle refilling stations and communal bubblers.
Birthdays
If you'd like to bring a treat for the class on your child's birthday, please check with the classroom teacher first to be aware of any allergies. Additionally, please make sure that the treats are individually portioned.
School bag
Students require a school backpack large enough to fit their belongings (lunch box, jumper, hat) along with their A4-sized home reading folder (provided by the school). Our school uniform supplier Pickles has an optional bag for sale.
Please note that exercise books, pencils and other stationery items are all provided by the school. Students are not expected to bring their own pencil case.
ALL medicine and medication are to be kept in the school office. The office has forms to be completed providing permission for staff to administer medication as well as instructions on dosage. All medication must be in its original packaging with your child's name. To ensure the safety of everyone DO NOT place medicine in a child’s school bag.
If your child has an allergy or medical condition, please ensure the school staff are aware of the condition and that the school office has current medical procedures and/or action plans.
In the case of an injury, your child will be taken to the office for first aid. Should medical attention be considered necessary, you or your designated emergency contact person will be notified immediately. Parents must ensure the school has current phone numbers and contact details for emergency calls.
We have a diverse and impressive music program that involves both in-class programs and extra-curricular opportunities. Our music program includes visiting performances, choir ensembles who perform annually at Sydney Town Hall and the Sydney Opera House, school bands, a recorder ensemble and our Kindergarten Choir.
Outside of school hours care (OSHC) services provide care, play and learning for primary school-age children before and after school, in school holidays and on pupil-free days.
Out of school hours care at Bourke Street Public School
Morning care, after school care and holiday care at Bourke Street is provided by Whoosh Care. Whoosh will host an orientation afternoon for incoming Kindy students on TBC, offering a chance to meet staff and learn about their programs. Families can drop in any time between 3:30 and 5:00 pm on this afternoon.
The Boys & Girls Brigade and Surry Hills OSHC
The Boys & Girls Brigade and Surry Hills OSHC are two separate organisations that collaborate to offer quality care for at-risk and vulnerable families. Surry Hills OSHC manages the after-school care program, while the Girls and Boys Brigade oversees vacation care, family support, a youth drop-in service, and homework programs. Together, they provide a free service for families facing financial difficulties. To enrol, families must meet specific criteria, which include living, working, or attending school or services in the City of Sydney LGA and undergo an income assessment. Those with a low-income health care card or referrals from external organisations can enrol automatically, while others require an assessment. Please see the Boys & Girls Brigade flyer and pre-enrolment application form for more information.
Parents and families play an important role in supporting their child's education. We value and encourage parents and carers to be involved in their child's learning and progress both at school and beyond.
Ways you can get involved:
- Introduce yourself to your child's teacher
- Volunteer during allocated classroom sessions
- Ask about your child's progress
- Attend monthly P&C meetings and volunteer at events
- Attend school special events
Parents & Citizens Association
Our school has a dynamic, engaged and supportive Parents & Citizens Association. The P&C assists the school through fundraising activities. Recent fundraising has supported the completion of our beautiful playground, provided air-conditioning in classrooms, subsidised our music program and supported the purchasing of technology equipment and literacy resources. P&C meetings are held on the last Wednesday of every month in the school library and all parents are warmly encouraged to attend. The meetings provide a forum where parents and carers can participate in making decisions, discuss matters of interest and look for ways to further support the school.
We would love to welcome any new Bourkey parents to our last P&C meeting of 2025.
Date: Wednesday 3 December
Time: 6-7 pm
Location: In the school library or online via Teams
If you would like to be sent an invite and agenda in advance please register as a member here otherwise just join us on the night. We usually take extra time on our first of the year to introduce ourselves to new parents and explain how the P&C operates within the school and how you can optimise value from from participating in the community. But we promise you won't be allocated any jobs.
P&C Class Representative
Each year, classes elect a P&C class rep to assist with disseminating information from the P&C and classroom teacher and to be a ‘Go-To Person’ to assist parents with information and school routines.
Our school is enormously proud of our high level of parent involvement and partnership, together we can achieve so much for our children.
Each year we collect permissions for local area excursions, permission to publish and religion/ethics preference. These permission forms are shared via Sentral in your child's first weeks of school.
Local Area Excursion permits teachers to take students off-site for curriculum-linked local walks and visits to nearby sites such as Chelsea Street Park, Wimbo Park and Moore Park. For term excursions, additional information and permission notes will be distributed via Sentral.
Permission to Publish allows for students' photos or videos to be taken and shared within the school community only. If any photos or media is to be shared beyond the school community, separate permission notes will be sent home.
Religion and Ethics Preference allows parents to specify which religion or ethics provider they would like their child to attend. This note outlines all the providers and for additional information, please see Religion and Ethics section below for more information.
NSW public schools must provide time in class for education in ethics, faith and morality from a religious or non-religious perspective at the choice of parents. At Bourke Street, our allocated Religion/Ethics time is Thursday afternoon from 2:20-2:50 pm.
As outlined above in Permissions, parents elect which class their child will attend at the start of the year. Currently, Bourke Street offers religious education within Anglican/Protestant, Catholic, Greek Orthodox and Jewish. These change year to year based on the availability of teachers. Students who do not participate in religious education or ethics participate in meaningful activities not related to learning.
For more information about Special Religious Education (SRE) and Special Education in Ethics (SEE), including the list of approved providers, please see here.
Ethics Teachers - Parent Volunteers
Primary Ethics is an alternative to religious education in schools. More information about ethics can be found in the information flyer.
Our ethics program relies on parents, grandparents and community-minded people to volunteer to be an ethics teacher. It is a rewarding way to become more involved in our local community, learn new things and help children develop skills for life. For more information or to express interest in teaching Kindergarten ethics, please see more information here.
Children participate in class sports lessons every week. Students in Years 5 & 6 participate in inter-school sports competitions (PSSA) in Terms 2 and 3. The sports include: oztag, netball, soccer, cricket and touch football and are determined by student interest.
Throughout the year we host our annual Year 2-6 Swimming Carnival, Cross Country, Fun Run, Athletics Carnival and Swim School (Year 2 only). Kindergarten students participate in a K-2 Fun Run in Term 1 and a Mini Athletics Carnival in Term 2.
All students from Kindergarten to Year 6 have access to iPads, Chrome Books and laptops in our networked classrooms. Each student has their own password and the Department of Education provides filters that screen appropriate sites and content for your child. Within Digital Technologies programming, students engage in learning experiences involving 3D printing, coding, robotics, film-making and virtual reality and build skills and proficiencies within software including Google Suite.
Year 5&6 students participate in a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) program at school.
We expect all students to wear the school uniform. Please see the information flyer for full details of our school uniform.
School uniforms are available to purchase from Pickles. During Kindergarten Orientation we will provide sample sizes of uniforms. There will also be a small selection of second-hand uniform items for purchase. As a rough guide, three shirts, three pants or tunics, and one jacket or jumper should get you started. Families are encouraged to make their purchases before the end of the year. The experienced and friendly team at Pickles will be able to fit your child to accommodate any growth over the holidays. This will also help you to avoid the long queues during the January back-to-school rush!
Hats
We are a sun-safe school. All students are expected to wear a broad-brim hat with the school logo. On their first day at school, each Kindergarten student is gifted a school hat. Replacement or backup hats can be purchased from the school office (microfibre coloured hats) or Pickles (traditional hats). We have a 'no hat - sit and play in the shade' rule.
Lost Property
The lost property tub is located outside the school library. Please label all of your child's possessions with their full name so they can be returned if lost.
A very important and valuable piece of advice: LABEL EVERYTHING!