Raywood Primary School Newsletter

From the Office 

  News From the ActPrincipal 

The Science of Reading at Raywood Primary

 

At Raywood, our educators are committed to staying at the forefront of the latest research-backed teaching methods. We actively seek out and implement the most effective, evidence-based strategies to ensure our students receive the highest quality education. By embracing proven approaches grounded in science, we equip our students with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in the future.

This commitment extends to our approach to English, where we use structured, evidence-based methods to build strong literacy skills. From foundational phonics to critical thinking in reading and writing, we ensure our students develop confidence and competence in all aspects of language learning.

What Is the Science of Reading?

The science of reading is a research-backed approach to teaching children how to read. It is based on decades of studies by neuroscientists, cognitive psychologists, linguists, and education researchers, who have used MRI brain scans to analyse how the brain processes reading. These studies, dating back to the 1980s, have revealed the specific neural pathways involved in learning to read and how the brain repurposes areas responsible for language and visual recognition​. This research has led to the conclusion that reading must be explicitly and systematically taught. Today, the science of reading is recognised as the most effective way to teach reading to all students, including those with dyslexia, language delays, and other learning challenges​.

The Simple View of Reading

Reading is made up of two essential components:

  1. Word Recognition (Decoding) – This involves recognising letters and connecting them to sounds to read words.
  2. Language Comprehension – Understanding the meaning of words, sentences, and ideas in a text​.

Together, these two elements lead to reading comprehension. If a child struggles in one of these areas, reading becomes difficult.

The Five (or Six) Key Skills of Reading

To develop strong reading skills, children need to master:

  1. Phonemic Awareness – Recognising and manipulating the individual sounds in words.
  2. Phonics – Learning the connection between letters (graphemes) and sounds (phonemes).
  3. Fluency – Reading words accurately, quickly, and with expression.
  4. Vocabulary – Knowing the meaning of words.
  5. Comprehension – Understanding what is being read.
  6. Oral Language (sometimes included as the sixth key skill) – Developing spoken language to support reading and writing​.

How Do Children Learn to Read?

Children learn to read in a structured way, progressing through different stages:

1. Learning Sounds and Letters (Phonemic Awareness & Phonics)

  • At this stage, children learn that words are made of sounds and that each sound corresponds to a letter or letter combination.
  • Activities like clapping out syllables and rhyming games help children hear sounds in words​.

2. Blending Sounds to Read Words (Decoding)

  • Children begin sounding out words by blending individual sounds (e.g., /c/ /a/ /t/ = "cat").
  • They also learn common spelling patterns to read more efficiently​.

3. Becoming Fluent (Reading Words Automatically)

  • With practice, children start to recognise words quickly without sounding them out.
  • This frees up their brain to focus on understanding the meaning of what they read​.

4. Understanding What They Read (Comprehension)

  • As children become fluent, they focus more on making sense of sentences and stories.
  • Vocabulary, background knowledge, and sentence structure play a big role in comprehension​.

Why Phonics-Based Instruction Works Best

Scientific research shows that a structured approach called Systematic Phonics is the most effective way to teach reading. This means:✅ Teaching letter-sound relationships in a logical order.✅ Practising these skills regularly with reading and writing activities.✅ Moving from simple to more complex words​.

Many struggling readers have been taught using methods like "three-cueing", where they guess words based on pictures or context instead of decoding them. Research has shown that these methods are ineffective compared to systematic phonics​.

How Parents Can Help at Home

  • Read Aloud Every Day – Even if your child is not yet reading, hearing books read aloud builds vocabulary and comprehension.
  • Practise Letter Sounds – Use flashcards or simple word games to reinforce phonics.
  • Encourage Blending Sounds – Help your child sound out words instead of guessing.
  • Support with Decodable Books – These books use only the sounds and words your child has learned, helping them build confidence​.

At Raywood, we are dedicated to ensuring every student becomes a strong, confident reader. By using evidence-based instruction, we give our students the best possible foundation for lifelong literacy success.

 

 

That's all for this week- Ayshia Howden 

News from Bree in the office

Cluster Swimming Sports 3-6

The cluster swimming sports will take place on Friday, February 28th, at the Elmore pool. This event is for students in grades 3 to 6.

Permission forms and additional details are available on uEducateUs.

 Please log in and give permission as soon as possible. 

Thank you!

Swimming Program 2025

 

Whole School Swimming Success! 🏊‍♂️🌊

Our whole school has made a fantastic start to swimming lessons this year! It has been wonderful to see all students growing in confidence in the water, learning new swimming techniques, and practising important water safety skills.

A special shoutout to our new Preps, who have done an amazing job on their very first excursion! They have embraced the experience with big smiles, loving their time in the water and showing great enthusiasm for learning new skills.

Parents are welcome to come and watch their child’s swimming session. Students will be in the pool from 1:45 to 2:30pm, so feel free to come along and cheer them on!

We are excited to see everyone continue to build their skills over the coming weeks. Well done to all our swimmers! 🏊‍♀️👏

 

The upcoming swimming dates are as follows:

 

- Tuesday, 18 February

- Tuesday, 25 February

- Tuesday, 4 March

- Tuesday, 11 March

- Tuesday, 25 March

 

It’s important for your children to come prepared, so please ensure that they pack a swimming bag each week containing the following essentials:

- Bathers (swimsuit)

- A towel

- Goggles

 

The Raywood Team

 

CAMPS, SPORTS & EXCURSIONS FUND (CSEF)

 

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE INFORMATION FOR PARENTS

 

Every Victorian child should have access to the world of learning opportunities that exist beyond the classroom. The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund helps ensure that no student will miss out on the opportunity to join their classmates for important, educational and fun activities. It is part of making Victoria the Education State and the Government’s commitment to breaking the link between a student’s background and their outcomes.

 

CAMPS, SPORTS & EXCURSIONS FUND (CSEF)

 

School camps provide children with inspiring experiences in the great outdoors. Excursions encourage a deeper understanding of how the world works while sports teach teamwork, discipline and leadership.  All are a part of a healthy curriculum. CSEF is provided by the Victorian Government to assist eligible families to cover the costs of school trips, camps and sporting activities.

If you hold a valid means-tested concession card or are a temporary foster parent, you may be eligible for CSEF. A special consideration category also exists for asylum seeker and refugee families. The allowance is paid to the school to use towards expenses relating to camps, excursions or sporting activities for the benefit of your child.

 

The annual CSEF amount per student is:

•  $154 for primary school students

 

 

HOW TO APPLY

 

I have distributed an application form along with detailed information regarding the Camps, Sports, and Excursions Fund (CSEF) to all students' families. If you are uncertain about your eligibility for this funding, I strongly encourage you to complete the application form regardless. If the application is deemed unsuccessful, I will receive a notification explaining the reasons.

 

If you applied for CSEF at our school last year, you do not need to fill out a new application form this year, unless there have been significant changes in your family circumstances. A new form is required only under the following conditions:

 

- New student enrolment's: This applies if your child has either started school for the first time or has transferred to a different school this year.

- Changes in family circumstances: This includes instances such as alterations in custody arrangements, changes in the family name, updates to your concession card number, or if you have new siblings who will be starting school this year.

 

If you have any questions or are unclear about any aspect of the application process, please do not hesitate to reach out to me for assistance.

 

 I'm here to help ensure that all students have access to the benefits available through CSEF.

 

 

East Loddon Food Share

We are excited to announce that East Loddon Food Share will be returning to our school on Wednesday, February 19th. They will set up their distribution area in our stadium, where they will be available to serve our community from 11 AM to 1 PM.

Please remember to bring your own reusable bag, each bag requires a donation of $5. This donation helps support the Food Share program.

A wide selection of both fresh produce and shelf-stable food items will be offered. This is a great opportunity to stock up on essential groceries while supporting a wonderful cause. 

 

We look forward to seeing you there!

 

 

 

Thank you, Bree.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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