26 | Mid-Western Living | WINTER 2026 SCHOOL NEWS 170 Years Strong: Hargraves Public School at the Heart of Community Hargraves Public School continues to provide quality education to the students of the Hargraves area. This year marks 170 years since the school began and it remains a cornerstone of the local community. ANZAC Day: Every year, to educate, foster empathy, and teach civic responsibility students at Hargraves Public School proudly and respectfully lead and commemorate the Hargraves Community ANZAC Service. After marching from the school to the community memorial, students lead the entire service. All students have an important role during the service. School leaders host the service and lay wreaths, while younger students place crosses and poppies for the fallen at the base of the memorial. Students are encouraged to be part of the service to honour, respect and show gratitude to past and present service personnel. Archibald Excursion: In first term of this year students participated in an online portraiture workshop titled ‘Let’s Face It’, with the Learning Team from the Art Gallery of NSW. The online presentation is part of the Art Pathways Program that has a regional focus and supports opportunities for students to connect with exhibitions and collections like the visiting Archibald Exhibition at the Mudgee Arts Precinct while giving rural, remote settings the opportunity to learn from experts in the field. To compliment the workshops our students visited the Mudgee Arts Precinct to view the Archibald Exhibition and had the chance to participate in another portraiture workshop, this time involving print making. In conjunction with this excursion, Ilford Public School is a proud NSW public school With a close-knit community of just 15 students, we offer expansive playground spaces and a well-resourced learning environment that fosters growth and curiosity. Our foundation is built on four core values – Kindness, Respect, Tolerance, and Trust – which are woven into every aspect of school life, whether in the classroom, on the playground, in the music room, or on the sports field. We are committed to nurturing these values as we continually strive for excellence and encourage every student to be their very best. Community is at the heart of Ilford Public School. As part of a small village, we understand the importance of visibility and active participation within the wider local community. Our students and staff proudly engage in a diverse array of community events and programs, including ANZAC Day services, collaborative Science Week & NAIDOC week activities, grandparents’ day celebrations, Easter egg hunts and hat parades, art competitions, and public speaking contests. Our Parents and Citizens’ Association (P&C) plays a vital role in community service and school support. They operate the Driver Reviver station at the Ilford bus stop, helping to promote road safety for travelling tourists with the “Stop, Revive, Survive” campaign. The P&C also channels fundraising efforts directly back into the school, assisting with bus transport costs and providing valuable resources that enrich our students’ educational experiences. As a member of the Wollemi Community of Practice (CoP), Ilford Public School collaborates closely with other local primary schools and our feeder high school, Kandos 66 Merinda St, Hargraves (02) 6373 8524 6943 Castlereagh Hwy, Ilford (02) 6358 8507 High School. This partnership promotes shared learning opportunities, celebrates the achievements across our schools, and ensures strong educational pathways for students as they progress in their learning journey. At Ilford Public School, we provide high-quality, inclusive educational experiences that support every student’s growth. for sport, students rode scooters around the Glen Willow sculpture walk and Pump Track…. Making the most of the wonderful facilities in the Mid-Western Regional Council Area. Technology Focus: Weekly technology lessons have taken a creative slant for the first part of this year. A team of senior students have been collaborating in a Minecraft Challenge. They have been tasked with researching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander narratives to respectfully represent them in a digital (Minecraft) format. The driving question is ‘How can we respectfully bring Dreamtime stories to life and show connection to Country?’ The team gathered facts about Country, animals and landforms, used OneNote as their recording platform, brainstormed and created a storyboard draft, explored Redstone In Action features before creating their own Minecraft world. In addition, all students K-6 have learned how to create models using 3D printers.
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