Year 1 News

From Yolanda Andrews, Year 1A teacher

A big step up

What a fabulous start to 2026 our Year 1s have had! It has been wonderful to see the children embracing our RISE values so naturally and helping to create a safe, happy, and positive learning environment for everyone at NMPS.

Their enthusiasm, kindness, and eagerness to learn have already shone through in so many ways. We are so proud of how confidently they have settled into routines, built new friendships, and approached each day with big smiles.

Just look at our happy faces below — we are so excited and truly looking forward to an awesome year of learning, growing, and achieving together at NMPS!

In Wellbeing, we have been focusing on The Zones of Regulation and exploring the different emotions we experience, how they make our bodies feel, and strategies we can use to calm ourselves when we are having a big feeling.

As part of our learning, the students created their very own Zone Superheroes to help us regulate our emotions — and what incredible champions they were! There was “Blue Aquaman,” who could blast you with cool air or water to help you rise up from Blue Zone feelings like tiredness or boredom. We also met “Yoga Girl,” who suggests stretching or practising yoga poses when you are feeling anxious, wiggly, or fidgety.

The creativity, empathy, and understanding the students demonstrated was amazing. It has been wonderful to see them building their emotional vocabulary and developing strategies to support themselves and each other.

In Literacy, a big focus has been setting up our Classroom Libraries. We have been exploring the differences between Fiction and Non-Fiction texts, making comparisons between their key features and discussing the author’s purpose. For example, we have identified which texts provide factual information and which tell a story with a beginning, middle, and end that is read from start to finish.

The students have also started grouping books into themes and have taken real ownership of establishing and maintaining our small libraries. It has been wonderful to see them handle the responsibility with such maturity and care.

It is a big step up from Prep, but these Year 1 students are more than ready for the challenge!

In Maths, we have loved switching our mathematical minds back on! We have been practising our skip counting through fun movement songs and building our fluency by playing exciting games such as Get Out Of My House and Race to 20.

The students have demonstrated fantastic cooperation skills and great enthusiasm when working with a variety of learning partners. It has been wonderful to see their confidence growing as they challenge themselves, support one another, and develop their number skills in such engaging ways.

We can’t wait to share more of our exciting learning experiences with you in the next edition! Stay tuned for more wonderful moments from our Year 1 superstars.