Hughes Primary School, ACT

“Hope sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible.” — Helen Keller

On Friday 5th June, students from across the ACT PYP Network gathered at the Canberra Girls Grammar lake facility for the inaugural IB Festival of Hope. This landmark event was designed and led by students, for students, and brought together over 120 Year 5 students, supported by 10 Year 6 leaders. Together, they explored how hope can be transformed into meaningful action.

Hughes Primary was proudly represented on the planning committee, with Year 6 students Edward and Izzy collaborating with students from Radford College, Canberra Grammar School, Canberra Girls Grammar, and Holy Trinity to design, organise, and lead the event. The festival has been in development for approximately 12 months, reflecting a sustained commitment to student voice, agency, and action.

Throughout the day, students participated in collaborative design thinking workshops, working together to imagine solutions to real-world challenges. They also heard from inspiring changemakers from Canberra PYP schools and engaged in a student-led panel discussion, sharing ideas and perspectives on creating positive change. A highlight of the day was hearing from two former Hughes Primary students, Asher and Ellie, who delivered keynote speeches about their ongoing donation drive initiatives, which began in Year 3 and continue to make a meaningful impact in their community.

The festival concluded with a collective “Seeds of Hope” installation, serving as a powerful reminder that even the smallest ideas, intentions, and actions can grow into meaningful and lasting change over time.

The day was widely regarded as a resounding success, filled with inspiration, collaboration, and student-led action. It provided a powerful opportunity for students to connect, share ideas, and recognise the impact they can have when they work together to create positive change.

All ACT public schools CLOSED (full day) on Thursday 11 June 2026

In order to enable industrial action and keep students safe, all ACT public schools, including specialist schools and preschools, will be CLOSED on Thursday 11 June 2026 (full day).

There will be no onsite supervision on the day.

The Education Directorate has decided to close schools to students during this time, in the interest of student and staff safety.

The Australian Education Union has notified the Education Directorate that its members will take part in protected industrial action for a full day on that day.

We are again expecting a large proportion of ACT public school staff will participate in the work stoppage, meaning we are unable to confidently plan for safe and appropriate supervision for all students.

If you have any questions or concerns about how this closure will impact your school, please contact your school directly.

We acknowledge that school closures have significant impacts on families and these decisions are not taken lightly. We are letting families know about this change as early as possible to help with forward planning. The safety and wellbeing of our students and staff remains our highest priority.

More information can be found online at https://www.act.gov.au/education-and-training/latest-articles/all-act-public-schools-closed-full-day-on-thursday-11-june-2026

The Tristan Bancks visit with Year 5 and 6 had students engaged in plots and what ifs. Students were hooked from the moment Tristan began reading his books and were all requesting copies at the end of the visit 📚

Last Friday, we held the very first meeting of our Student Advisory Group, lovingly nicknamed “SAG” by the students themselves, and what a fantastic way to begin!
Students arrived to discover the “Great Hughes Garden Disaster” … a journey forward in time where the entire project had failed. The gardens were abandoned, the plants had died, students no longer used the spaces and teachers stopped visiting. Everything had fallen apart!
The students were genuinely shocked and immediately determined to make sure this future could never happen.
Working in mixed age groups, students tackled the challenge head on by identifying all the possible mistakes and poor decisions that could lead to disaster. They then flipped their thinking and brainstormed the behaviours, attitudes and actions that would ensure success instead.
Some of their powerful ideas included:
🌱 Plan well
🌱 Work collaboratively
🌱 Talk to experts
🌱 Check our work
🌱 Stay positive
🌱 Listen to different perspectives
It was a wonderful first session filled with creativity, teamwork and deep thinking. Most importantly, it confirmed that we absolutely have the right people for the job!
We cannot wait to see where SAG takes this project next.

📢 All ACT public schools CLOSED Friday 22 May 2026, 8.30am – 10.30am 📢

In order to enable industrial action and keep students safe all ACT public schools, including specialist schools and preschools, will be CLOSED from 8.30am to 10.30am on Friday 22 May 2026.

The Australian Education Union has notified the Education Directorate that its members will take part in protected industrial action, including a two-hour work stoppage next Friday 22 May 2026.

What this means for students and families:

The Education Directorate has decided to close schools to students during this time, in the interest of student and staff safety.

We expect a majority of ACT public school staff will participate in the work stoppage, meaning we are unable to confidently plan for safe and appropriate supervision for all students.

There will be no onsite supervision available for students during this time. The school day will begin at 10.30am.

Your school will let you know early next week if there are any changes to timetabling or start of day activities.

We acknowledge that school closures have significant impacts on families and these decisions are not taken lightly. We are letting families know about this change as early as possible to help with forward planning. The safety and wellbeing of our students and staff remains our highest priority.

More information can be found online at https://bit.ly/3PB9wMS.

There was a real buzz of excitement in Year 6 today as Mrs Nemarich handed out the new jumpers and shirts. They look fantastic and the smiles said it all. Students were absolutely delighted. Perfect timing too, as the cooler weather starts to roll in. Warm, proud and ready to represent their final year in style. ❄️💙

ACT public school enrolments for 2027 open this Monday 4 May at 8am!

The 2026 online enrolment form will be closed from 4pm Friday 1 May 2026. This will allow us to get the new 2027 form live at 8am Monday when enrolments for 2027 open.

If you’re enrolling your child at a new school for the remainder of the 2026 school year, the form will be available for your use from 8am Monday as well.

For everything you need to know about enrolling, visit our website: https://www.act.gov.au/education-and-training/find-a-school-and-enrol.

Cross Country Carnival 2026

What a fantastic day filled with participation, energy, and true school spirit! 🎉

Our House Captains stepped up in a big way, leading their teams with enthusiasm, creativity, and some seriously impressive chants. It was wonderful to see such strong student leadership shining throughout the day. There were plenty of red faces by the end, but that didn’t stop everyone from sprinting to the finish line for a well-earned icy pole! A big thank you to our P&C for providing these treats—they were definitely appreciated after the long run. Our carnival truly was a whole community celebration. Thank you to the students from Alfred Deakin High School who supported events and mentored runners throughout the day. Events like this are only possible thanks to a collective effort, and they really highlight the strong sense of connection within our school community. A huge thank you to all Hughes PS staff, especially our sports committee, for making the day such a success!

Thinking about joining the Hughes Primary School community?

We warmly invite families to attend one of our upcoming Information Sessions for New Enrolments.

These 30 minute sessions offer a welcoming introduction to our school ethos, learning programs, and enrolment processes. Families will also enjoy a short presentation followed by a guided tour of our learning spaces.

Session Times:

• Tuesday 28 April at 5:00pm
• Friday 1 May at 3:15pm

Location: Hughes Primary School Library

Whether you’re new to the area or exploring the right fit for your child, we’d love to meet you and share what makes Hughes Primary a supportive, inclusive, and engaging place to learn.
We look forward to welcoming you.