Department of Education - Victoria

Bridgewood Primary School and Integrated Child and Family Centre opened in January 2018.  Located in the Cardinia Shire, this new school provides for families within Pakenham and Officer, including emerging estates within the south east growth corridor.  Bridgewood complements the overall Officer Education Precinct, located adjacent to the site shared by Officer Secondary College and Officer Specialist School.

Through strong local governance and partnership, Cardinia Shire agreed to contribute land (0.4ha) and a $3 million capital investment towards this facility, to build and deliver a fully integrated child and family centre within the school setting. The Shire contracted Early Childhood Management Services to manage and deliver the kindergarten services.  The early learning spaces are within the same building as the Foundation learning space, facilitating full integration of early learning and primary schooling. There is shared planning space for Kindergarten and Foundation staff, supporting professionals to collaborate and deliver enhanced learning, development and wellbeing opportunities for every child and family.

Bridgewood Primary School caters for Foundation to Year 6 students housed in four Learning Communities. The school is designed for a long-term enrolment in excess of 450 students with a peak enrolment of approximately 900. Current 2025 F-6 enrolments are 570.  The Integrated Child and Family Centre comprises two Kindergarten rooms (three and four year old kindergartens) and a community space along with consulting rooms for Maternal and Child Health and visiting practitioners.

Bridgewood Primary School is part of a ground breaking precinct that is the embodiment of lifelong learning and community ownership. At the heart of this facility, it is recognised that the child is a competent learner from birth and this will drive professionals to deliver opportunities that encourage children to expand their capacities and deepen their understanding of the world.  There are high expectations for every child.

Cardinia Shire has been instrumental in establishing support for this type of joined up approach. As a fully integrated facility, it allows for first contact at birth with the provision of fully operational Maternal and Child Care Health service, continuing through the availability of a range of parenting support programs including community and supported playgroups, new parents groups, Kindergarten, and specialist services such as speech and language, early intervention, Out of School Hours Care and primary schooling.

In addition to our strong partnership with the Cardinia Shire, Bridgewood is also fortunate to be supported through a partnership with the Colman Foundation, Our Place.  A Community Engagement Coordinator was employed in 2018 through Our Place to support Bridgewood's commitment to community engagement.  A second Community Engagement Team member was employed in 2019.

Teaching spaces allow for full implementation of a Professional Learning Community (PLC) approach.  Learning Community Mentors (teachers) use a cycle of Diagnose, Intervene and Evaluate to frame their PLC inquiries.  Learning Communities are designed around modifiable spaces that accommodate varied teaching and learning approaches, fluid groupings, and shared ownership.  Responsibility for student learning across the community is shared by the team of mentors.

A high level of collaborative skills are necessary for effective teaching and learning within the learning communities at Bridgewood.  Teaching methods used are evidence-based and consistent throughout the school. We plan to further activate student agency within learning and student voice within the community. 

The Bridgewood Primary School Vision is `Improving outcomes for every child, every day'.

Our commitment to student growth and achievement is paramount.  Our teaching and learning programs are rigorous and consistent throughout the school.  We have a strong focus on fundamental skill development, as well a deep commitment to applied learning.  Teachers at Bridgewood commit to a PLC approach, which means a high level of collaboration. They commit to ongoing continuous improvement.  

Bridgewood is a Leader In Me site.  We have adopted Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People/ Franklin-Covey's 7 Habits of Happy Kids throughout the school.  All teaching staff receive training in the 7 Habits. The language of the 7 Habits is used throughout the school and explicit lessons are taught as well as the language being embedded throughout the school.

Our specialist programs for 2025 are Art, Physical Education, Chinese, Music and STEM.

 

SC1    Demonstrated knowledge of the relevant curriculum, including the capacity to incorporate the teaching of literacy and numeracy skills. Demonstrated capacity to respond to student learning needs.

SC2    Demonstrated capacity to implement high impact teaching strategies, guided by how students learn, and evaluate the impact of learning and teaching programs on student learning growth. 

SC3    Demonstrated capacity to monitor and assess student learning. Demonstrated capacity to use data to inform teaching practice and to provide feedback on student learning growth and achievement to students and parents.

SC4    Demonstrated interpersonal and communication skills. Demonstrated capacity to establish and maintain collaborative relationships with students, parents, colleagues and the broader school community to support student learning, wellbeing and engagement.    

SC5    Demonstrated behaviours and attitudes consistent with Department values. Demonstrated capacity to reflect upon practice and engage in professional learning to continually improve the quality of teaching.