Save the date:

This term the Grade 3-6 students will have a visit from the School Nurse Program. Topics covered in 3/4 will be hygiene, healthy lifestyle etc and in 5/6 will be the same as well as personal development. The school nurse program regularly delivers these programs and we are very lucky to have them coming to us!

We will have a parent information session. All parents P-6 are encouraged to attend and there will afternoon tea provided and a staff member will be present to supervise children if you are un able to make other arrangements.

This term in Maths

Prep – Year 2

Part–Whole: Students learn to break numbers and objects into parts and understand how these parts combine to make a whole.
Measurement (Length, Mass, Capacity): Students explore and compare everyday measurements using informal and formal units to describe length, weight, and volume.
Counting and Place Value: Students develop strong number sense by counting, ordering, and understanding how digits represent different values in numbers.

Year 3/4

Financial Mathematics: Students investigate money concepts such as earning, spending, saving, and making simple financial decisions.
Length, Area and Perimeter: Students measure and calculate the size of shapes and spaces using appropriate units and strategies.
Operations (Multiplication and Division): Students build fluency with multiplication and division facts and apply them to solve practical problems.
Angles: Students identify, compare, and describe angles in everyday contexts and geometric shapes.

Year 5/6

Length, Area and Perimeter: Students solve more complex measurement problems involving larger units and compound shapes.
Fractions, Decimals and Percentages: Students connect and apply different representations of numbers to solve real-world problems involving parts of a whole.
Angles: Students measure, classify, and apply angle knowledge to investigate shapes and solve geometric problems.

Times Tables Rock Stars & NumBots - Fun at home

At school, students have been using Times Tables Rock Stars and NumBots to build their confidence and fluency in mathematics—and we’d love to see this continue at home!

Times Tables Rock Stars is a fun, fast-paced online program that helps students practise and master their multiplication facts. Through games and challenges, students improve their speed and accuracy, which is essential for success in many areas of maths.

NumBots focuses on addition and subtraction, helping students develop strong number sense and quick recall of basic facts. It’s designed to build understanding in a step-by-step way, making it perfect for strengthening early number skills.

Both programs are highly engaging, with rewards, levels, and challenges that keep students motivated while they learn.

We encourage all students to spend a few minutes each day practising at home. Regular use can make a big difference in building confidence, improving fluency, and supporting classroom learning. We are already starting to see some big improvements from the students at school!

Students have passwords and usernames for these programs. If your child needs help to get this working at home, please see your child’s teacher.

Term 2 Literacy

Across the school this term, students will be exploring narrative texts through reading and writing. We will also begin developing an understanding of poetry, including reading different poems and creating our own.

Amidst great excitement Grade 5/6 are introducing their Book Clubs. Thank you to those who have looked for and returned our missing books. Please remember to take a look for school texts at home.

Practising Reading Fluency at Home

Oral reading fluency is the ability to read smoothly, with expression and at an appropriate pace. Practising fluency helps children become more confident readers and supports their understanding of what they read. The activities below can be done using any book your child brings home from school.

Fluency Strategies

Repeated Reading - Have your child read the same short text or page aloud 3–4 times. Each time, encourage them to read a little smoother, with better expression and fewer pauses.

Echo Reading - Read a short section of text using clear expression and pace. Your child then “echoes” you by reading the same section and trying to match your tone and speed.
Paired Reading - Take turns reading a book with your child. You might alternate by page or paragraph. This allows your child to hear fluent reading and also practise reading independently.

Choral Reading - Read the text together at the same time. Try to match your pace and expression as you read together.

Rochester Primary School Newsletter

Respect, Resilience, Responsibility

Term 2 Week 2 · 30 Apr 2026

In this issue