About Us
Principal’s Welcome
Welcome to Ruskin Park Primary School.
It is a privilege to lead a school with such a strong sense of community and a genuine commitment to its students. I believe great schools are built through people working together – students, staff and families sharing high expectations for what our children can achieve and continually looking for ways to make our school even better.
At Ruskin Park, we encourage our students to Rise to the Challenge. For me, this captures an important part of what education should be. We want our students to be curious and ambitious in their learning, to persist when things are difficult and to develop the confidence to take on challenges they may not yet know they can overcome.
Our values of Resilience, Persistence, Honesty and Respect underpin this work. We want our students to leave Ruskin Park as successful learners, but equally as young people who understand themselves, care about others and are ready to contribute positively to the communities around them.
Central to achieving this is the quality of teaching and learning that happens in our classrooms every day. I have a strong belief that every student deserves excellent teaching and the opportunity to experience success. Our responsibility as educators is to know our students well, understand what they need next and continually develop our own practice so that we can provide the very best education possible.
Learning and wellbeing cannot be separated. Children are most able to learn, take risks and challenge themselves when they feel safe, connected and valued. We therefore place great importance on building positive relationships and creating an environment where students have a strong sense of belonging while also understanding the expectations we hold for them.
I also believe that the strongest schools have genuine partnerships with their families. Parents and carers know their children in ways that we never can, while our staff bring considerable professional knowledge and experience. When we communicate openly, trust one another and work towards the same goals, our children are the beneficiaries.
As Principal, I see my role as both protecting what our community values about Ruskin Park and ensuring that we never become complacent about what our school can be. School improvement is ongoing. It requires us to be thoughtful about what we do, willing to learn from evidence and feedback, and prepared to make changes when they will lead to better outcomes for our students.
Ultimately, I want every child who leaves Ruskin Park to do so proud of what they have achieved, confident in who they are and ready to Rise to the Challenge of whatever comes next.
I warmly invite you to visit Ruskin Park, meet our students and staff, and experience our school community for yourself.
Tim Mulhall
Principal
Vision & Values
School Vision
Ruskin Park Primary School seeks to motivate a ‘Rising to the Challenge’ attitude in students by providing a caring and supportive environment. Students who have a positive attitude and feel secure in accepting challenges are more willing to embrace new experiences and become lifelong learners.
School Values
- Honesty
- Respect
- Resilience
- Persistence
Uniform
Boys Summer Uniform
Plain black shorts (no stripes/embellishments)
Gold short sleeve polo shirt with logo
Purple windcheater/bomber jacket with logo or black Year 6 Jacket (Year 6 only)
School sunhat with logo (September to April)
Black or white socks
Girls Summer Uniform
Ruskin Park summer school dress (Note: Leggings are not to be worn under the summer school dress), or plain black shorts/skirt/long black summer pants (no jeans/leggings/stripes/embellishments)
Gold short sleeve polo shirt with logo
Purple windcheater/jacket with logo or black Year 6 Jacket (Year 6 only)
School sunhat with logo (September to April)
Black or white socks
Hair ties and hair accessories need to be of a neutral colour or school uniform colours
Other Items/ Notes
In special circumstances, an exemption may be granted by the Principal.
The dress code applies during school hours, on excursions, including sporting events and traveling to and from school.
It is compulsory for students to wear the school hat during outside activities from September until the end of April in line with the SunSmart policy.
Students are not permitted to wear jewellery including earrings, other than studs or sleepers, to ensure their safety during school hours.
Students are not permitted to wear makeup or nail polish to school.
Ruskin Park Year 5 & 6 sports tops may be worn on days of Physical Education or where organised sporting events are occurring.
Shoes must be sensible closed toe shoes that are laced leather shoes or runners.
Implementation
Parents will need to apply in writing for their child to be exempt of wearing the school uniform in special circumstances.
Parents will be informed of any non-compliance with the dress code.
Parents may purchase the school uniform through Primary School Wear (PSW) at the PSW Lusher Road shop or online at www.psw.com.au. Further information will be provided to new students and will be available on request at the school office.
Parents will be informed of the changes to the dress code through the school newsletter.
Boys Winter Uniform
Long black track pants (no stripes/embellishments or jeans)
Gold short/long sleeve polo shirt with logo or gold skivvy (note not available from uniform shop)
Purple windcheater/bomber jacket with logo or black Year 6 jacket (Year 6 only)
Black or white socks
Black & purple spray jacket with school logo (optional)
Plain black beanie (no stripes/embellishments)
Girls Winter Uniform
Tartan tunic
Long black track pants (no jeans/leggings/stripes/embellishments) or black pleat in black/purple/white check school skirt
Gold short/long sleeve polo shirt with logo or gold skivvy (note not available from uniform shop)
Purple windcheater/bomber jacket with logo or black Year 6 jacket (Year 6 only)
Black tights/black or white socks dress (Note: leggings are not to be worn )
Black & purple spray jacket with school logo (optional)
Plain black beanie (no stripes/embellishments)
Orders
Special jackets for students in Year 6 (ordered at the end of the previous year)
Ruskin Park Primary School Sports Tops (Year 5 and 6 )
Uniform Shop
School Uniforms may be purchased at the PSW Uniform Shop conveniently located in Lusher Road, Croydon.
Link | https://psw.com.au/
Check out the online ordering service.
|
8A/51 Lusher Road, |
Monday to Friday : 8:30am-5:00pm Saturday: 9:00am-2:00pm Sunday: Closed |
Outside School Hours Care (OSHC)
Our school has partnered with an independent provider called TheirCare to provide exceptional Outside School Hours Care services for our school community.
The program is available for all children at Ruskin Park Primary School from 6:45am until 8:45am in the morning and from 3:30pm until 6:30pm each school day.
During School Holidays & Pupil Free Days the service will operate from 6:45am until 6:30pm.
Families wishing to use this service can visit the TheirCare website: www.theircare.com.au
Families are eligible for a Government Rebate called the Child Care Subsidy which can reduce the cost per session by up to 90%.
More information can be obtained by contacting the school or ringing TheirCare Support Team on 1300 072 410.
TheirCare provides a stimulating and safe environment for all children. During sessions, children develop life-skills, friendships, confidence and creativity through play-based programs.
Lunchtime Clubs & Extra Curricular Activities
Senior Choir
- for students in Years 3 – 6
- open to anyone interested and is free of charge
- rehearses from the beginning of Term 1 through to the end of the year
- performs regularly. Their most notable performances are given in collaboration with the Croydon RSL, on ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day, with whom Ruskin Park Primary has a strong and respectful relationship with
- develops amazing skills for all students
- builds bright and successful musical futures
Other highlights for the Senior Choir include assembly performances, the Maroondah Festival and our annual Christmas Concert.
Junior Choir
- for students in Foundation- 2
- anyone interested and is free of charge
- starts rehearsing in Term 2 and runs to the end of the year
- rehearses every week for half an hour during Friday lunchtimes
- performs at school assemblies
- a great deal of fun is had at this level
- essential choral and musical skills are learnt for being able to sing effectively in the Senior Choir
Other highlights for the Junior Choir are when they perform at the Maroondah Festival and our annual Christmas Concert.
Rock Band
- an auditioned group open to anyone who is able to play an instrument or sing
- rehearses weekly for an hour every Thursday lunchtime
- performs at assemblies, other school events and at the Maroondah Festival
- is directed by Jim Leftley from Creative Music with the assistance of our music teacher, Miss Lim
Other clubs include Karate, Library, Coding, Homework and Tennis.
Garden Club
The Garden Club began with a dream of a vegetable patch for the children to potter about in and grow tasty treats. In 2010 and 2011 the dream was being realised, with wonderful results. 2012 was a dry patch for the club, with direction being lost…. until in 2013 two grade 2 girls decided they wanted to work in the garden as part of their inquiry unit, then one teacher and one parent offered to assist. Within 2 weeks there were 20 children busy watering, digging and drawing designs of what their hearts desired the patch to become.
Now, in 2025, the garden is still evolving with students and parents contributing; tending the soil, turning compost, planting, watering, harvesting and sharing stories and ideas of different ways people spend time in their garden, of foods we enjoy, and how we can care for our environment in a sustainable way.
We now boast a wicking bed with strawberries and a hot compost system, which are terrific demonstrations of science and engineering principals working within the humble garden setting. We have had the privilege of learning about bees, and their significance to our environment, directly from an expert in the field. We are creating a magnificent Indigenous Habitat corner and Butterfly garden to increase the bio-diversity of our school, to provide a terrific outdoor learning space, and to passively problem solve the winter water pooling around the playground.
Garden Club is run by parent volunteers, but is supported by the staff. It is open to all students at Ruskin Park Primary School, and although the focus is at the vegetable patch near the garden shed, other environmental interests are covered.
We have organised and implemented the National School’s Tree Planting Day 3 years consecutively, with amazing participation from staff, students, and parents. In 2018, we planted 200 plants, with 7 classes, the senior environment and sustainability student teams, the garden club children, and over 60 parents.
Anyone is welcome to participate in Garden Club. We run from 1:30 – 2:30 each Thursday, but also with ‘special days’ such as Tree Planting Day. Adults require a current Working With Children Check, but students are welcome to pop in at any time to say ‘Hi’. Gardening experience is not necessary, as we are all learning together.
For more information, please email the school at ruskin.park.ps@education.vic.gov.au
