Teaching and Learning

News from Miss Howden P/1

We are now in the second half of the term, and our Prep students are ready to attend school for the full week! It has been incredible to witness their growth—both socially and academically—over these first few weeks.

Our Preps have now learned their first set of sounds in our phonics sequence and are ready to start applying this knowledge to reading and spelling words. The practice that has taken place both at school and at home has played a vital role in developing their fluency and automaticity in recalling these sounds. This foundation will support their transition into authentic decoding, making them more confident and capable readers.

It is important to remember that we do not want our students to memorise words—we want them to use their phonics knowledge to decode and encode (spell) words independently. If your child brings home a decodable text, encourage them to apply their understanding of sounds to read the words. You can support them by prompting with questions such as:

• What sounds do you recognise in this word?
• Can you blend the sounds together?
• Does that word make sense in this sentence?

Evidence shows that when students are explicitly taught to use their phonics knowledge—rather than relying on memorisation—they develop stronger reading and spelling skills. This approach equips them with the tools to decode unfamiliar words, enhancing their reading confidence and long-term literacy success.

Thank you for your ongoing support in your child’s learning journey. Your involvement makes a real difference, and we look forward to celebrating more achievements as the term progresses!

The Prep/1/2 Team🐨💛

News from Mr Collins in Years 2/6

In the 2-6 room we have just completed a practice NAPLAN Writing Assessment. Whilst the results are not marked, the practice provides each of the kids with some reassurance about what it will actually be like on the day and how to use their time wisely. The real NAPLAN assessments begin on Wednesday the 12th of March. 

PE/ Fitness with Mr Collins

Over the last 5 weeks we have seen an enormous amount of improvement in both the participation and abilities of the kids during both Fitness and PE sessions. We have now pregressed to playing actual games of Tball in PE and in our fitness sessions we are practicing different movement based skills in relay formations. Soon we will begin training for the Cross Country run at the end of term. 

Art with Miss Lehre

Exploring Art with Ernesto Neto!

In Art, we’ve been diving into the world of contemporary artist Ernesto Neto, known for his immersive and tactile creations. Inspired by his work, we got hands-on with a unique medium—slime! Using a simple mix of cornflour, water, and food colouring, students experimented with textures and movement to create weird and wonderful artworks on canvas. It was a messy, creative, and exciting experience, bringing art to life in a whole new way!