Greetings from Shaun
NAPLAN 2024
In the upcoming week starting from March the 11th, 2024, our Year 3 and 5 students will embark on their NAPLAN assessments. Teachers have spent the past weeks preparing students for what to expect during these assessments and guiding them on navigating the tests through digital platforms.
The assessments will primarily be conducted online, with the exception of the Year 3 writing test, which will remain on paper. To familiarise students with the online format, they have been supported to participate in coordinated practice tests ahead of the official testing period.
After running the practice tests this week we have decided to stagger the tests. Please note that this is different to the original schedule sent out previously.
The updated test schedule will be:
Wednesday 13th March
9:15am - Writing for Grade 3 and 5
Thursday 14th March
9:15am - Grade 5 Reading
11:30am - Grade 3 Reading
Friday 15th March
9:15am - Grade 3 Language Conventions
11:30am - Grade 5 Language Conventions
Monday 18th March
9:45am - Grade 3 Numeracy
11:30am - Grade 5 Numeracy
Wednesday 20th March
Catch up tests as required
Please ensure your child brings their fully charged device to school daily.
Please note that Year 3 tests will last for 40 – 45 minutes, while Year 5 tests will span 42 – 50 minutes.
Should you have any queries regarding your child's participation in the NAPLAN tests, feel free to reach out to your child’s teacher.
For additional information, please refer to the NAPLAN Information Brochure for Parents and Carers below:
NAPLAN Information Brochure for Parents and Carers
You can also access sample tests on the NAPLAN website's Public Demonstration Site: (https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/public-demonstration-site ).
Victorian Curriculum 2.0 Update
The VCAA is in the process of revising the current Victorian Curriculum F-10. The revisions aim to develop a more streamlined curriculum and provide access to higher-quality teaching and learning resources. The overarching structure of the Victorian Curriculum F–10 will not change – the current learning areas, capabilities and cross-curriculum priorities will remain.
This is the first major update to the Victorian Curriculum since it was introduced in 2017 and means our teachers will work together to unpack the updated curriculum, identify changes and the impact on our teaching and learning programs.
For each curriculum area, the roll-out will include two stages: familiarisation and implementation. Mathematics is the first area released, with familiarisation beginning at the end of last year, and schools starting to implement it this year.
Some of the major changes to the Mathematics curriculum are:
- The content is now organised into 6 strands - Number, Algebra, Measurement, Space, Statistics and Probability, where previously content was structured into 3 dual strands and 13 sub-strands,
- A stronger emphasis on the proficiencies of Understanding, Fluency, Problem Solving and Reasoning.
- Changes to the sequence of content to strengthen the developmental progression of key mathematical concepts, skills, procedures and processes.
We have already begun unpacking the new maths curriculum; updating our scope and sequence documents, working through Department resources and planning professional learning sessions for our staff.
Maths at Northcote Primary
This week our teachers have spent another 3 days working with Carmel O’Beirne, our mathematics consultant. Carmel has been working with teachers in classrooms, planning meetings and PLC meetings. On Friday (today) we are spending a full day with Carmel working on Multiplicative Thinking.
Multiplicative thinking involves the capacity to work flexibly with the concepts, strategies and representations of multiplication and division in a wide range of contexts.
Today our teachers are unpacking this key ‘big idea’ in mathematics, experiencing games and activities that support the development of this skill and working collaboratively around planning and assessment for our upcoming maths units.
Don't forget that Monday is a public holiday, so we have a short week in the lead up to the much anticipated Northcote Primary School Fete for 2024. I can't wait to see you all there!
Take Care,
Shaun.