Ballina Public School

Ballina Public School has been providing a quality education for the region since 1861. It serves 247 students, Kindergarten to Year 6. The school is located in a beautiful semi-rural coastal area and has lovely surroundings. Its location close to both the Richmond River and Pacific Ocean provides unique opportunities to enhance the curriculum. The core values of the school focus on creating opportunities for all children to experience success as learners. The school respects children's individuality and celebrates academic, social, sporting and cultural progress weekly. 31% of the student population come from an Aboriginal background and 2% of students have English as their second language. The staff supports the students with specialist teachers of Reading Recovery, Learning Assistance, Special Education, Band, Choir, Aboriginal Education, Technology and Speech Therapy, supported by School Learning Support Officers in each classroom. The school's facilities are first class, including interactive whiteboards and classroom sound fields in each room, video conferencing facilities, IPads and other technologies. An award winning band and choir offers opportunities for children to extend their musical talent. All children from Year 3 are offered the opportunity to learn an instrument and perform with the Concert Band at a variety of local community events and competitions. The school utilises the Positive Behaviour for Learning welfare system to reward and recognise children taking responsibility for their own actions, showing respect and taking pride in their school. The students and community have developed 3 core rules: Be Safe, Be Fair, Be a Learner. Ballina Public School acknowledges that parents are of prime importance in the education of their children and seeks to establish partnerships to foster strong links between home and school. Ballina Public School knows that the teacher is the key to building successful and competent learners and supports cohesive and productive classrooms with high quality outcomes-based learning experiences. 'This is a wonderful school with experienced teachers and provides a safe haven where every child's success is celebrated. Ballina Public School has provided a great education for generations of our community and will continue to do so in the future.' - Parent