Literacy and Numeracy

Why Maths Fluency Matters (and How You Can Help at Home)

Maths fluency is like muscle memory for the mind—when basic number facts come automatically, students can lift heavier thinking without breaking a sweat. It frees up brainpower for problem-solving, reasoning, and real-world maths.

How parents can help build fluency:

• Practice little and often: Just 5–10 minutes a day of quick recall (e.g., times tables, number bonds) can make a big difference.
• Use maths games: Card games or board games
• Talk numbers in real life: Let your child calculate change at the shop, measure ingredients while cooking, or estimate how long tasks will take.
• Celebrate effort, not just answers: Encourage persistence and praise improvement to build confidence.

Fluency doesn’t mean speed alone—it’s about confidence, flexibility, and understanding. Your support at home can really help it click!

National Simultaneous Storytime 

On Wednesday 20th May many classes at St James participated in National Simultaneous Storytime. Students enjoyed reading and discussing The Truck Cat by Deborah Frenkel and Danny Snell. Every year a picture book, written and illustrated by an Australian author is selected to be read simultaneously in libraries, schools, pre-schools, family day cares, childcare centres, bookshops, family homes and many other places around the country.  

In two years time Tinka will be annoying but still loved. Tinka will feast on meals like meat and fish.  Tinka will have babies and care for them. Everything is home to Tinka.

By Poppy 1A

In two years time Tinka will be having babies and feed them and take them to cat school. The family like her because she is very nice and she cuddles them.

By Isabelle 1A

Victorian Premiers' Reading Challenge

To log into the Challenge go to https://vprc.eduweb.vic.gov.au/home

Go to Student login, then VPRC login and follow the prompts.

Happy Reading!

Book Covering

 If any parents are able to help with book covering we would really appreciate it.  Please see Louise Matthews or Jo Matarazzo, in the Library. 

louise.matthews@sjvermont.catholic.edu.au (Literacy Leader)