Curriculum Updates

Australian Maths Competition

Congratulations to the two students – Isaac T and Spencer F who were fantastic risk takers and took the challenge of the AMC on this year. Both students will receive an award at Assembly today for their efforts. 

Isaac T achieved a ‘Credit’ award, which places him in the top 55% of Grade 6s completing the competition this year. 

Spencer F achieved a ‘Distinction’ award, which places him in the 20% of Grade 3s completing the competition this year. 

Two tremendous achievements. Well done to both students. The competition is open to all students in Years 3-6 and is an opt in for students who wish to participate. 

Premier’s Reading Challenge

Certificates will be presented to students who completed the challenge this year. Congratulations again to these students for their efforts!

Pupil Free Day – Tues Nov 5th

Our staff, both teachers and ES will be learning about the new English Curriculum and Victoria’s Approach to Teaching Reading F-2. In the next few newsletters, I will endeavour to give you information regarding these new changes so that you can have an understanding of how our approach to teaching reading and the English Curriculum is changing to reflect this. 

As with all new learning, it is a gradual, careful process, rather than an event. 

The new English Curriculum Version 2.0 is designed to be clearer and easier to implement, with revised and refined content descriptions. It is now organised by strands only (Language, Literature and Literacy) which provides more fluidity between content descriptions and language modes (Reading, Writing and Speaking and Listening). Achievement Standards for each year level are still organised by language modes. 

The new curriculum reflects the research around the teaching of reading, and you’ll see greater detail than ever before in Substrands like Phonics and Word Knowledge. I’m sure you regularly hear the words phonics in the media and whilst we already have a phonics approach at Ceres, we will engage with the new resources the department is producing to support the implementation of the new curriculum. 

Maths at Home

Here is a terrific game that can be played on an iPad or computer to build estimation skills, subitising and multiplicative thinking. It can be used for any year level. There is a great video you can watch to get the gist of the game. Many students will have played this at school and I’m sure they’d love to show you how it works too. 

https://games.thinksquare.com.au/castle