Reading

Over the past fortnight in Reading, the Prep students have been continuing to build their knowledge of letters and sounds and are becoming more confident blending sounds together to read and write words. Students have been learning new tricky words to support their reading fluency and are beginning to read words and simple sentences more independently.

We have focused on linking sounds to letters, including the sounds /n/, /h/ and the vowel sound /e/. Students have practised hearing, saying and writing these sounds and identifying them in words. They have also been developing their understanding of middle and end sounds in spoken words.

During our literacy sessions, students have been practising sounding out and reading CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words, reading captions with decodable and tricky words, and writing words and simple sentences using the sounds they hear. We have also been working on correct letter formation, recognising and forming capital letters, and building confidence with tricky words such as “they”, “that”, “was”, “you”, “to”, “my” and “the”.

It has been wonderful to see students growing in confidence and independence as readers and writers each week!

Writing

This fortnight, Prep students have been busy strengthening their writing skills through a range of engaging literacy activities. Our focus letters have been n and e, with students practising how to correctly form each letter using proper starting points and direction. Students have also begun writing simple CVC words, encouraging them to apply their letter-sound knowledge when writing independently.

Alongside our handwriting sessions, students participated in a variety of fine motor activities designed to support pencil control and hand strength. Activities such as manipulating playdough, using tweezers, and creating letters and words with pom poms have helped students develop the coordination needed for successful writing.

Students have continued practising writing their names in their Sky, Grass, Dirt books, concentrating on letter size, placement, and spacing. Throughout the fortnight, we have also been assessing students’ ability to write their names and correctly form the letters they have learnt so far. It has been fantastic to see students becoming more confident and independent in their writing, while taking increasing pride in their work and achievements.

We are extremely proud of the effort students are putting into developing these important foundational literacy skills.

Maths

In Maths, our Prep students have been developing their understanding of numbers through hands-on learning experiences focused on part-part-whole relationships. Students have been exploring different ways to make numbers to 10 using counters, dice, five-frames, and ten-frames. They have been practising combining smaller numbers to make larger numbers, matching number pairs, counting on, and finding “how many more” are needed to make a target number. Through games, partner activities, and whole-class discussions, students are building confidence in recognising number patterns and explaining their mathematical thinking.

As part of our daily reviews, students have also been revisiting previously taught concepts such as patterns, subitising (recognising numbers without counting), numeral formation, and counting collections. These fast-paced review activities help strengthen fluency and build confidence with early number concepts.

Over the coming weeks, students will begin learning about 2D shapes. They will explore circles, triangles, rectangles, and squares by identifying, naming, drawing, and creating shapes using materials such as playdough, sticks, pipe cleaners, and classroom objects. Students will also become “shape detectives” as they search for shapes in their environment and discuss the features of each shape, including straight and curved lines.

Throughout our Maths sessions, students are encouraged to use mathematical language, share their thinking with peers, and apply their learning through engaging hands-on tasks and games. We are so proud of the way students are building confidence, persistence, and problem-solving skills during Maths lessons.

SEL

Over the past two weeks in Social and Emotional Learning (SEL), Prep students have been developing important strategies to help manage their emotions and build resilience.

In Week 4, students learnt a special chant to help them stay calm, confident, and keep trying when tasks feel challenging. We practised using the chant when feeling stuck, worried, or unsure, encouraging students to be brave and persevere through difficult situations. This strategy was especially helpful during Athletics Day, where students demonstrated our school value of Daring by having a go at all activities, even when they felt nervous or challenged.

In Week 5, our learning focused on recognising and understanding tricky emotions such as feeling sad, angry, or worried. Students discussed different ways they can calm themselves when experiencing big feelings and explored who they can ask for help when needed. Through stories, class discussions, and role-play activities, students are continuing to build their emotional awareness and confidence in expressing their feelings appropriately.

It has been wonderful to see students supporting one another, showing resilience, and developing positive strategies to manage their emotions both inside and outside the classroom.

Integrated

In Integrated Studies this fortnight, Prep students have been learning about families and the important people in their lives. Students explored the different members of a family and discussed how families can look different for everyone. Through class discussions, drawing activities, and sharing about their home lives, students have been developing their understanding of how family members are connected and care for one another.

Students practised naming the members of their family and talking about the special roles people play within their family. They also enjoyed sharing stories and making connections between their own families and those of their classmates, helping to build respect and appreciation for different family structures and experiences.

It has been lovely to see students confidently sharing about the important people in their lives and engaging thoughtfully in our classroom conversations.

Athletics Day

What an amazing day we had at our very first Prep Athletics Day! We are so proud of all our Prep students for showing courage, enthusiasm, and persistence while participating in all the different events and activities throughout the day. Students did an incredible job listening to instructions, trying their best, cheering on their peers, and demonstrating our school values. It was wonderful to see so many smiling faces, positive attitudes, and students having fun while being active.

A huge thank you to all our families who came along to support, cheer on students, volunteer, or help throughout the day. Your support and encouragement helped make the day so special and successful for our Prep students. We truly appreciate the time and effort from our wonderful parent community. Well done, Prep students — we are so proud of you all for completing your very first Athletics Day!

Home Learning

Reading

practise recognising and saying the sounds: m, s, t, a, p, i, f, o, r, c, d, h,
practise saying the letter names for these letters
read simple CVC words such as map, sat, tip, sip, fat
read aloud to a family member, pointing to each word as you read
complete take-home readers each night and record in reading diary
use the InitiaLit eLibrary for additional reading practice
practise tricky words regularly

Writing

practise writing the letters: m, s, t, a, p, i, f, o, r, c, d, h,
focus on correct letter formation while saying the sound aloud
write simple CVC words that have been practised in reading
practise writing their name independently
explore writing in different ways (paper, sand, chalk, crayons)

Maths

practise counting from 0–20
recognise and name numbers 0–20
practise writing numbers 0–20
count small collections of objects (e.g. toys, blocks, household items)
Number Formation 0 - 20

Sponsors of Grayling