School of Foundations
Celebration of Learning
We have had the pleasure of facilitating our Celebrations of Learning with our Kindergarten and Year 1 families this term, and what a joy it has been. These sessions provide a wonderful opportunity for our students to take the lead; sharing their learning, explaining their thinking, and proudly “teaching” their parents. It is always so special to see the confidence and excitement our students bring as they showcase their growth, and the genuine pride from families as they engage in the learning alongside them.
We look forward to continuing this important connection between home and school with our upcoming Celebrations of Learning in Term 2:
Term 2 Schedule* Week 2 – 30th April, 8:40–9:20am: Year 2* Week 8 – 11th June, 8:40–9:20am: Stage 2 (Gringotts and Magicians)* Week 10 – 25th June, 8:40–9:20am: Stage 2 (Diagons and Hogwarts)
We look forward to welcoming our families back into the classroom to share in these meaningful learning moments.
SOF Assemblies – Celebrating Our Learners and Building Community
Our SOF assemblies continue to be a highlight of school life, providing a meaningful opportunity to celebrate our learners while strengthening our sense of community. Each assembly is proudly hosted by a different class, and it is always wonderful to see how excited and proud our students are to present and share their learning with their peers and families. These moments allow students to step into leadership, build confidence, and showcase the rich learning experiences taking place across our school.
Assemblies are more than a celebration; they are a powerful way to bring our community together. Through shared experiences of storytelling, performance and reflection, we strive to foster a strong sense of belonging and connection among students, staff and families.
At last week’s assembly, hosted by Year 2, we were treated to a fun and engaging message centred on learning and respect. Our much-loved Monkey Mascot, made a special appearance; getting himself into all sorts of “cheeky” situations while demonstrating what it looks like to be actively engaged in learning and to show respect to others. Through this creative and memorable approach, students were encouraged to reflect on their own behaviours in the classroom and playground, and to strive to contribute positively to our school community.
We look forward to welcoming families to our Term 2 assemblies and continuing to celebrate the wonderful achievements, growth, and spirit of our students together.
Celebrating Multicultural Themes
Our Year 12 Leaders recently worked alongside our Year 2 students in a vibrant, hands-on inquiry art experience exploring cuisines from around the world. Through creativity, craft and collaboration, students engaged in meaningful learning while building connections across year levels. It was a joyful opportunity to celebrate culture, spark curiosity, and strengthen our sense of community.
There’s always so much happening in the School of Foundations, and we love sharing these stories with you! Thank you for being part of our vibrant school community; we look forward to celebrating more learning, achievements, and special moments together during Term 2.
Nicole Emerton
SOF Head of School (Acting)
Kindergarten
Term 1 Week 9
English
Our Kindergarten students have been enthusiastically exploring the world of phonics as they begin their reading and writing journey. Over the past few weeks, the children have been focusing on the letters M, A, S, and T. Through a range of engaging and hands-on activities, they have been learning to recognise each letter, practise forming them correctly, and connect them to their corresponding sounds.
Mathematics
In Mathematics this week, we have been learning to add two numbers together to make 5 or 10. Students were challenged to find many different ways to make 5 or 10. Kindergarten students needed to share their thinking using the sentence ____ and ___ makes 5/10. We had some amazing hard thinkers who found lots of different ways of adding numbers together. Some students even recorded their hard thinking!
Religion
In Religion, Kindergarten students have been exploring Mark 10:13-16 Jesus Blesses the little children and Proverbs 17:!7. We have looked at how these passages can teach us about being a good friend through Jesus’ example. Kindergarten participated in a role play to act out the bible passage. We were so proud of how they acted out the passage and how they reflected on how Jesus helps us to be a good friend to others.
Science
Our Kindergarten students have been exploring different types of chairs around the classroom and learning about their purposes and materials. Students discussed why certain materials are chosen and how they make chairs comfortable and strong. To extend their learning, each child designed and labelled their own chair, thinking carefully about its purpose and what materials it could be made from. It has been wonderful to see their creativity and understanding of how everyday objects are designed.
Stage 1
Term 1 Week 9
English
In writing, we are having fun creating our own animal posters! Students are learning to include information about an animal’s appearance, classification, diet, habitat and fun facts. They are using headings, subheadings, text boxes and full sentences with capital letters and full stops. We are also adding describing words, pictures and colour to make our posters bright, clear and exciting to read! Well done!
Mathematics
Year 1 students have been exploring length, volume and capacity through hands-on learning experiences. Using concrete materials such as blocks, cups and containers, students have been measuring and comparing objects using informal units. They have practised describing which objects are longer or shorter, and which containers hold more or less. 📏🧊🥤
In mathematics, students have also been learning about combining numbers using strategies such as doubles, near doubles, number lines and collections. These strategies help students build confidence with addition and develop flexible ways of thinking about numbers. ➕🔢
Religion
This term in Religion, Stage 1 students have been learning about God’s Creation and our responsibility to care for the world and others. Through reflections in their FIAT diaries, students connected their faith to real-life experiences, including Mufti Day and our school disco, considering how their actions can help others and show care for God’s Creation.
Students also worked collaboratively to create a class prayer for Creation, reflecting on gratitude, the teachings of Jesus, and ways they can make positive choices to care for the Earth and people around them.
Science
This term in Science, Year 1 has been learning about the unit Material World. Students have been exploring the properties of different materials and discovering how combining materials can create new and interesting things.
This week, Year 1 focused on how materials change when they are combined and learned that some changes cannot be reversed. Before beginning the experiment, students were required to write down their predictions about what they thought would happen when the materials were combined. After making their own playdough, they recorded their observations about the changes they noticed once the experiment was complete. Students really enjoyed the activity and had a wonderful time learning through the experiment.
The Net Stage 2 Term 1 Week 9
English
Over the past few weeks, Stage 2 students have been strengthening their sentence writing skills by focusing on correct punctuation, grammar and vocabulary choices. They have been practising how to edit and improve their sentences to make their writing clearer and more engaging.
In writing, students have been developing persuasive texts by clearly stating their opinions, providing strong reasons, and using emotive and powerful language to convince their audience. They have also been working on revising and editing their work to enhance clarity and impact.
We are proud of the progress students are making as thoughtful and confident writers.
Mathematics
This week in Maths, students have been developing their understanding of multiplicative relations by representing multiplication as equal groups and arrays. They have explored multiplication facts for 2, 4, 5 and 10 and connected multiplication with division using fact families. Students have then applied this learning to solve word problems involving multiplication and division and explained their reasoning using mathematical language.
Religion
Over the past few weeks in Religion, students have been exploring the meaning of the Eucharist and its connection to how we live out our faith in everyday life. Through reflecting on The Last Supper, including a powerful artwork that places Jesus among children in need, students have been encouraged to see how Jesus’ message is still relevant today, especially in caring for others.
We have discussed the importance of human dignity, learning that every person is created in God’s image and deserves to be treated with love and respect. Students have explored how Jesus modelled this through service, inclusion, and compassion, and how we are called to do the same.
The students have also been learning about Project Compassion through Caritas Australia by exploring case studies, films, and images that show how communities around the world are supported. They made connections to the Eucharist, understanding that it means giving thanks and sharing what we have with others, and reflected on how this relates to helping those in need. In preparation for the school disco, students discussed how the event will raise funds for Project Compassion and how their participation can make a difference. After the disco, students reflected on how they contributed and also considered other ways they can continue to help others.
Making a Difference to Others & Celebrating Who We Are
Our recent school disco was a wonderful success, raising funds for Caritas and supporting those in need around the world. Students have been learning about ways to respond to hunger in a spiritual and meaningful way, showing compassion and care for others which links with our disco project..
Stage 2 students have also been preparing for Multicultural Week by creating cultural puzzles that reflect the diverse backgrounds they come from, celebrating the richness and diversity of our school community.
