As we draw closer to the end of term, it’s a joy to reflect on the rich and meaningful learning that has taken place across the school. Through our current PYP unit, How We Organise Ourselves, students have been exploring the ways they contribute to the communities they belong to, while also imagining what their ideal community might look like.

Our Year 5 and 6 students took this inquiry to new heights with the Fergie Street Landscape Project. In this hands-on, authentic learning experience, students worked collaboratively to design proposals for our outdoor space, which they then presented to our landscape designer. Their work integrated key mathematical concepts, including area, perimeter, and financial planning, as they created design briefs within a set budget.

These kinds of authentic learning opportunities are where the magic happens, where explicit teaching is transferred into real-world application. They give students the chance to see the relevance of their learning and develop skills that connect meaningfully to life beyond the classroom.

We are incredibly proud of the creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration students have shown this term, and they are excited to share their learning with you at our Open Morning on Wednesday 25 June at 9am.

Changes to Mathematics Reporting

The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) has recently updated the Mathematics curriculum, introducing Mathematics Version 2.0, with all Victorian schools required to begin using this revised curriculum by 2025. At FNPS, we began implementing this new curriculum in 2024, with student reporting under the new curriculum starting from Semester 1, 2025.

Previously, your child’s Mathematics report included results across three strands: Number and Algebra, Measurement and Geometry, and Statistics and Probability. Under Mathematics Version 2.0, teachers will now assess and report against a single, overall achievement standard; providing one consolidated score for Mathematics.

Because this is the first time reporting will occur under the revised curriculum, the Semester 1, 2025 report will show your child’s current level of achievement but will not include progress from the previous semester. From Semester 2 onwards, progress will once again be shown, now aligned with the new single standard.

These changes have been made to support more integrated and flexible teaching approaches, helping students make stronger connections within Mathematics and across other learning areas.

If you have any questions about your child’s Mathematics report, please don’t hesitate to contact their classroom teacher.

Junior Playground Update

The handover of our new Junior Playground is just around the corner, and the excitement is building! Last Friday, our Year 5 and 6 students engaged in a hands-on learning experience where they explored the sustainable design choices behind the playground’s development. They also learned about the selection of plants used in the space and how we will care for and maintain this new environment once it officially opens.

This week, our Prep to Year 4 students will also have the chance to contribute, participating in planting the native garden and deepening their understanding of sustainability and stewardship. Once planting is complete, the final playground inspection will take place; bringing us one step closer to opening this amazing new play space!

We can’t wait to celebrate the official opening of this beautiful new space with our school community.

The manifestation of this space is such a beautiful representation of the children’s ideas way back during the design phase. You can watch the original play space video by following the link below:

FNPS Play Space

Tuning Into Teens – Free Workshops

Tuning into Teens is a free program designed to support parents in helping their teenagers build emotional intelligence, a vital skill for lifelong wellbeing and success.

Emotional intelligence involves recognising and understanding our own feelings and those of others, identifying and naming emotions, using emotional insight to guide decisions and actions, and managing emotions in healthy, adaptive ways.

Offered by Kids First, this program is available to parents living in the Yarra, Darebin, Whittlesea, Banyule, and Nillumbik areas. It provides practical strategies for strengthening parent-teen relationships and supporting young people to better manage their emotions.

More information can be found on the Kids First website: Tuning into Teens (VIC)

Go gently,

Tania

Bookclub Issue 4 - out