Teaching & Learning
Home Reading
Over the last two weeks at our P-2 and our year 5/6 assembly we acknowledged students in those year levels who have successfully completed 50 nights of home reading.
These students have also demonstrated a great deal of commitment and organisational skills by recording all books that they have read and submitting those details on time each week as part of the homework expectations. A huge congratulations to the following students:
| Theo S | Year 1 |
| Dash O | Year 5 |
| Isabelle B | Year 5 |
| Maddie S | Year 5 |
| Harper H | Year 5 |
| Jack B | Year 6 |
Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge 2026
The Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge is now open and we’re excited to be taking part!
This year’s Challenge theme is ‘Stories to discover. Stories to tell’. Stories can inspire and challenge us and help us grow. They open our eyes to new worlds and new ways of thinking.
Log in details will be sent home with your child shortly either in their home reading diary or homework book.
The number of books read can be varied for everyone's needs. All children who complete the Challenge will receive a certificate of achievement signed by the Victorian Premier and former premiers.
To learn more about the Challenge, visit Premiers' Reading Challenge | vic.gov.au You can also contact Nicole Phillips with any questions. Happy reading!
At Buninyong Primary School, we teach reading using a structured, evidence-based approach that develops all parts of the “Big 6”: oral language, phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. In the early years (Prep–2), there is a strong focus on building the foundations of reading through explicit teaching of sounds using programs such as Sounds-Write and Heggerty, alongside rich oral language and vocabulary development. Further information about Sounds-Write for parents and carers can be found here: https://sounds-write.co.uk/support-for-parents-and-carers/
As students move into Years 3–6, teaching continues to build on these skills, with an increasing emphasis on reading fluently, understanding more complex texts, and thinking deeply about what they read.
This approach is in line with the Department of Education’s position on the teaching of reading and reflects current research on how children learn best. These practices have been carefully phased in across the school since 2023, beginning with Prep to Year 2, and expanding into Years 3–6 last year to ensure consistency and strong outcomes for all students.
Please reach out to your child’s classroom teacher or Nicole Phillips (Assistant Principal- Teaching & Learning) if you have any questions.