Around the Primary Classrooms
ELC
As we enter our first school holiday period for many of the children, we take this opportunity to reflect on what has been a truly beautiful and rewarding term in the Early Learning Centre.
Over the past weeks, we have been focusing on building a strong sense of identity and belonging within our space. It has been wonderful to see all children begin the year with such courage and enthusiasm as they learn, explore and form connections with both peers and educators.
A key focus for us this term has been around listening to children’s voices and intentionally capturing these through their play and everyday interactions. We want every child to feel heard and valued. You may have noticed throughout our learning environment the many sticky notes displayed, documenting the children’s thoughts, ideas and conversations as they unfold.
At the beginning of the term, our focus was on supporting children to feel safe and confident in their environment. This included learning where their lockers are, how to move safely within the classroom and how to develop friendships with the guidance and support of our educators.
A highlight of the term was our class self-portraits. Using mirrors, the children carefully observed their features and created thoughtful drawings of themselves. During this process, they engaged in rich conversations with educators, describing and celebrating the unique qualities that make each of them special.
We have also worked collaboratively to develop our ELC class guidelines. Through group discussions, the children contributed ideas about how we can be active, caring and engaged members of our community. It has been wonderful to see their sense of ownership and pride in creating a positive and inclusive environment.
Some of the things the children said were:
“Say stop, don’t do that”
“Pick up toys on the ground”
“Bring library book back”
“Turn our ears on”
“Use gentle hands”
“No running inside”
We are so proud of all that the children have achieved this term and look forward to continuing this journey together in Term 2.
Kinder
It has been a busy Term 1 in Kindergarten. We have settled in well to school routines and have achieved so much with many highlights.
We participated in daily phonics games, read and responded to storybooks, explored numbers and shapes with many hands-on activities, and have been learning about our feelings through the Zones of Regulation.
We are mastering our fine and gross motor skills with many fun activities inside the classroom and outside in the playground and grass area. We even attended Swim School and had a blast!
We enjoyed our Easter celebrations by participating in the Palm Sunday Liturgy, sharing a meal with our Prep friends for the Last Supper, creating Easter bags with our Year 10 buddies, and joining the other Primary classes for the Bonnet Parade.
What a term it has been. Well done Kinder!
Prep
What an exciting Term 1 we have had in Prep. We have welcomed new students, built new connections and learned lots of new things.
Some of our highlights have been the Swimming Carnival, Learn to Swim lessons, Palm Sunday Liturgy, Easter Bonnet parade and going to Nature Play!
Year 1
We’ve had such a fun and busy start to Year 1! Our reading and writing skills have grown, and we are beginning to explore vertical algorithms in Maths. We’ve really enjoyed extra activities like nature play and swimming. It has been wonderful getting to know one another, and we are enjoying building special friendships together.
Year 2
We’re not sure whether to call this term ‘lightning’, ‘the sprint’ or ‘a whirlwind’, but we do know that we’ve been busy learning and having fun in Year 2. Here are the girls’ highlights, in their own words.
‘We did a lot of work! My most favourite thing was the swimming carnival because I never did it before and it was amazing! I also liked the Easter Egg hunt when Miss Faz threw chocolate eggs.’ Ameya
‘This term I enjoyed so much, but I really liked the flower art work because we got to use watercolour pencils. I’m happy because Kirra’s flower won for our class. It was also brilliant to do the adverb poem.’ Arwen
‘I love the ‘We are Year 2’ wall because the artworks are all colourful and different. I liked doing artwork. We also did running with Miss French. I was a bit slow and hot.’ Evy
‘My favourite thing was the Zoo Dance because it was so much fun to do with my friends. I liked the line and colour art because art is so fun.’ Grace
‘I liked doing the Palm Sunday Liturgy because so many people were there. I was so nervous and then I became brave, so I was proud of myself.’ Avnoor
‘My favourite thing to do was illustrating the edges of my adverbs poem. My second favourite thing was the jigsaw puzzle. Miss Smith cut out our whole face into puzzle pieces and we made our jigsaw faces. It was the best.’ Sabiha
‘I liked the ‘We are Year 2’ artwork because it was fun. We got to cut out magazines and write our names with magazine letters. I also liked the Zoo Dance and Easter Bonnet parade, which were on the same Day.’ Ava
‘I loved reading Finding Serendipity because it’s very long and I could chill and listen to the story. We are already up to Chapter 8.’ Finley
‘I enjoyed the Stations of the Cross because Evy and I were excited to be in it. We were the women and the kids lining the streets to see Jesus. I also liked the Jack Jumpers visit to our school.’ Jasmina
‘My favourite thing was the Zoo Dance with Jess, because we got to do fun stuff like cartwheels. I also liked doing art.’ Cali
‘I liked our ‘2’ poster because I liked reading the things about everyone in our class, and I liked the colouring in. I loved the Easter bonnet parade. I made my bonnet with my Mum and I got some bonding time with her. Also, I won!’ Sophie
‘I really enjoyed the swimming carnival because I just love swimming. The Zoo Dance was outrageous and I can’t believe that there were so, so many people doing it!’ Hollie
‘Over the ten weeks, we have done so much. My favourite thing was the Jackjumpers visit. We played games with Jack Ant and at the end we got t-shirts.’ Madi
‘I love the Stations of the Cross because they were retelling the story of Jesus and how it happened. I loved the Easter egg hunt, because we got to see our Year 6 buddies and we got real chocolate eggs at the end. I also love Finding Serendipity because it is mysterious.’ Violet
Year 3
Term 1 has been a very busy and exciting time in Year 3! We have been actively engaged in reading, writing, and developing our Maths skills. One of the highlights of the term has been learning about the geography of Tasmania and Australia. We have enjoyed drawing maps, conducting research, memorising key facts, and even creating puzzles to support our learning.
Another highlight has been learning Auslan sign language with Mrs Mason. We can now confidently sign “Good morning” and “Good afternoon, teacher,” as well as our names, the alphabet, and some lovely songs.
It has been a wonderful term, and we are excited to move into Term 2 to continue learning and growing together.
Year 4
This term, Year 4 students have been diving into the fascinating world of ecosystems! They have been learning how living things - including plants, animals, and even tiny microorganisms - interact with each other and their environment.
A key focus has been on food chains, which show how energy flows from one living thing to another. Students discovered how plants act as producers, using sunlight to make their own food, while animals are consumers that rely on plants or other animals for energy. We also explored how decomposers, such as fungi and bacteria, play an important role in recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.
Year 4 visited the Hobart Zoo to learn more from Talei our fabulous guide who also tested us on what we had learned. It was indeed a wonderful experience for the students.
Year 5 Navy
What a busy and exciting first term it has been in 5 Navy. It has been so wonderful to build connections with our classmates - old and new. Our class has ‘stepped up’ in taking responsibility for sports and play equipment at lunchtimes. We have begun developing stamina in class time and we have been working towards consistently producing work we can be proud of. We have created some wonderful artwork around our growth mindset mottos. It has been a busy and productive term.
Year 5 White
It has been an action-packed start to the year in Year 5 White, with students settling beautifully into their new routines and building a supportive classroom community. A major focus this term has been fostering a collaborative spirit, particularly during Maths where students have worked together to solve complex problems and extend conceptual understanding and application of multiplication, division, perimeter and fractions. Our classroom has been brightened by stunning self-portraits inspired by the vibrant art style of Romero Britto, showcasing the students' incredible creativity and use of bold patterns. In preparation for NAPLAN testing, everyone showed great dedication to refining their writing stamina and boosting their typing speed. Beyond the classroom, Learn to Swim provided a fantastic opportunity for students to build their water safety skills. Academic exploration continued with a deep dive into Health, where students considered the importance of digital safety, and Science, where they have begun investigated the particle structure of different states of matter. It has been a productive and high-energy term, and Year 5 White should be very proud of their hard work and achievements!
Year 6 Navy
It has been a jam packed and exciting start to the year in 6 Navy! Students have enjoyed Learn to Swim, MJR Day, Spirit of Jesus moments, and Easter celebrations, including the Easter Bonnet Parade and a fun egg hunt with our Year 2 buddies.
In the classroom, we have explored creative writing, novel studies, and key maths concepts such as order of operations, missing numbers, and fractions. Our learning has also included ANZAC studies, the Stations of the Cross, and Jesus’ resurrection. A highlight this term has been our leadership speeches and the appointment of our 2026 Primary Leaders.
As Mrs Fazackerley begins her maternity leave, we look forward to welcoming Mrs Burrows-Cheng in Term 2. We are excited for all that lies ahead!
See below for some highlights from our 6 Navy students:
'This term we did an Easter egg hunt with our buddies, which I liked because it gave us a chance to bond with them.' Amelie Perera
'In Term 1 we had the Easter Bonnet Parade where everyone could show off the bonnets they created. It was really fun!' Georgia Beets
'My highlight of this term was maths groups because they were challenging and helped me improve my maths skills.' Elsie Jennings
'I enjoyed making memories with the class, like making lolly salad and celebrating Mrs Faz’s birthday.' Susie Stephens
'The swimming carnival was super fun and most people really enjoyed it.' Laine Robbins
'My highlight was MJR with Marty and Mitch because they made it fun and interesting. I still remember the phrase ‘be an eagle, not a turkey!' Emmy McLennan
Year 6 White
Year 6 White have made a fantastic start to the year, demonstrating enthusiasm, creativity and a strong commitment to their learning throughout Term 1. The class began by establishing a shared charter to guide their learning, before focusing on building independence, with students confidently taking on teaching roles within the classroom. In English, they thoroughly enjoyed reading The Rivet Boy, bringing the story to life through discussion, drama and creative projects. Mathematics saw the consolidation of key skills alongside the introduction of new concepts, while Art provided a space for reflection and self-expression through a range of engaging pieces. A strong focus on empathy helped students deepen their understanding of connection, perspective and compassion, contributing to a supportive classroom environment. Alongside their academic achievements, the term was filled with music, games and shared experiences, highlighting that learning can be both meaningful and fun.