The Learning Zone

"Coming together is the beginning, staying together is progress,

and working together is success." - Henry Ford

NAPLAN

While tests like NAPLAN only capture a tiny fraction of the excellent teaching practice and diverse range of student learning that takes place in our classrooms day in and day out, and results from such tests should not be used to measure school quality, teacher impact or overall student achievement, it is extremely pleasing to see the positive trends in results over the years. 

Our school’s 2023 NAPLAN results are our best yet! They validate the targeted work staff and students are doing to improve learning and teaching at St Joseph’s, and tell us that we are on the right track in our school improvement journey.

• On six out of ten assessments, our school’s average score was higher than national and state averages.  These areas were:
  • Year 3 Grammar & Punctuation
  • Year 3 Numeracy
  • Year 3 Reading
  • Year 3 Spelling
  • Year 3 Writing
  • Year 5 Numeracy
• The percentage of students in the top 2 proficiency levels (exceeding or strong) is exceptional.  
  • On average, over all ten assessments, we had 81% of results in the top two proficiency levels
  • Our best result was Year 3 Grammar and Punctuation, with 96% of students in the top 2 proficiency levels
  • Writing was the top result in Year 5, with 83% in the top two proficiency levels

Kindergarten Writing

How clever are our Kinder students? Last week, they were provided with the following writing prompt...

On your birthday, you open the door to find a beautifully wrapped gift/present sitting on your front step. The card has your name on it, but not who it is from. You pick up the gift and shake it. There is a sound coming from inside...

Take a look at some of their amazing work below.

Armidale Diocesan Mathematics Initiative (MaST)

What is happening in the world of mathematics at St Joseph's? Let's take a look! 

Please see the information below to assist your child at home or to see what they have been doing so far this term.

We also had a visit last week from Mr Matt Paton, the MaST from St Joseph's Primary School Tenterfield to see our Mathematics Block in action.  He was very impressed with the learning and teaching taking place on his learning walk.

Maths At Home:

Kindergarten - Subtraction

Use objects to assist when subtracting items. Below the students has used a hoop and bean bags. You may like to try the word problems below the diagram with your child.

Problems of the Week:

You open your lunch box and see you have five cherry tomatoes. You eat four of them at morning tea. How many do you have left? 

There are six bees on a rose. Two bees fly away. How many bees are left?

Draw your answers and show Miss George or Miss Salas, it would be great to see your thoughts.

Stage 1 - Division

In Stage 1, your child has been showing their understanding of division as sharing and grouping. There are many easy ways you can support this at home. Ask your child to practice division by sharing objects equally. 

For example, share 8 objects into 2 equal groups. Using objects such as your child’s toys, items of food, or buttons helps them visualise what the calculation means and keeps them interested.

Ask your child to find out how many objects there are to begin with. Can they share the objects equally between the two of you? Help them to share objects one at a time between the two groups. When all the objects have been shared, ask your child how many there are in each group. If you have the same number, explain that your child has shared the objects equally into two groups which is the same as dividing by two.

If you do not have the same number, ask your child if the objects have been shared equally. For example, “We started with 11 objects and shared them into two groups. I have 6 objects and you have 5 objects. Are they equal? If they are not equal then 11 cannot be shared equally into two groups so 11 cannot be divided by 2 equally using whole numbers or objects.”

Problems of the Week:

I have 20 lollies to share equally with 4  friends and myself.

How many lollies will each person receive?

Is there another way to share the 20 lollies equally with more or less friends? 

Draw your answers and show your teacher, it would be great to see your thoughts.

Stage 2 - Fractions & Decimals

Stage 2 have been busy completing work on Fractions & Decimals. Please use the link below to assist your child with fractions at home. 

Article from the Institute of Education Sciences on learning about fractions at home.

Stage 3 - 2D Space

Stage 3 have been working on their 2D Space unit. This involves protractor work and learning about the properties of triangles, circles and other 2D shapes.

Have a great week of learning and fun!

Maree Holland & Greg O'Toole