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Our Learning & Celebrations
Literacy
Phonics Plus
In Phonics lessons this term, our Prep students have been focusing on the consonant digraphs ck, th (voiced and unvoiced), and wh. Students have been learning to recognise these letter combinations, identify the sounds they make, and use them when reading and spelling words.
Through explicit teaching, and decodable texts, students have practised blending and segmenting words such as duck, thick, moth, and whip. They have also been building their confidence in applying these new sound patterns when reading independently and writing simple sentences.
Alongside their phonics learning, students have continued practising high-frequency words to build reading fluency and automatic word recognition. Some of the words we have been focusing on include out, come, some, love, as, has and I’m. Recognising these words quickly helps students read more smoothly and confidently.
You can support your child's learning at home by encouraging them to spot ck, th, and wh words in books, signs, and everyday conversations. Practising high-frequency words together through reading, flashcards, or simple games is another great way to reinforce their learning and build confidence.
Old Fashioned Dress Up Day
Prep Students Step Back in Time!
On Thursday, 16 July, our Prep students enjoyed a wonderful step back in time as they dressed in old-fashioned clothing and experienced what school life was like in the past.
Throughout the day, the children explored a range of traditional games that were once popular in school playgrounds, including marbles, pick-up sticks, skipping, quoits, elastics and hopscotch.
They also practiced their handwriting on chalkboards and enjoyed singing and dancing to some old-fashioned music. The Preps had a fantastic time discovering that simple games can be just as much fun as today's favourites!
The day provided a valuable opportunity for students to compare life at school then and now, while developing an appreciation for the past through hands-on experiences. It was wonderful to see the children's enthusiasm and curiosity as they embraced this special learning experience.
The Preps looked absolutely gorgeous in their old-fashioned clothing! A big thank you to our Prep families for helping the children dress the part and making the day such a memorable success.
100 Days of Prep
On Wednesday 22 July, our Prep students celebrated a very exciting milestone, 100 Days of Prep! It was a wonderful day to recognise 100 days of learning and all that the children have achieved since starting school.
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The children enjoyed a range of fun activities throughout the day. One of the highlights was decorating their 100 Days crowns with their Year 5 Buddies. It was lovely to see the students working together and sharing in the celebration.
The Preps also made colourful '100' placemats using collections of 100 items they had brought from home. We saw all sorts of creative collections, including buttons, feathers, stickers, pom-poms, pasta, beads and many other interesting items. The children enjoyed counting, sorting and arranging their collections before decorating their placemats.
To finish our celebration, we headed outside for some fun blowing bubbles on the mounds. At the end of the day, our Year 5 Buddies formed a special guard of honour as the Preps left school. We also enjoyed some music and dancing together on the deck before heading home.
It was a fun day celebrating 100 days of learning, friendship and growth. We are very proud of all that our Prep students have achieved and look forward to the exciting learning still to come this year.
What we Are Learning Next Literacy
Phonics Plus
Introduce the sound representations ‘ll’, ‘ss’, ‘ff’ and ‘zz’.
Students apply their knowledge of grapheme–phoneme correspondences (GPCs) to read, spell and write words such as bell, dress, puff and buzz.
Students practise handwriting new graphemes and revise previously taught GPCs in dictated sentences.
Students read decodable texts to practise GPCs and high-frequency words, build fluency and develop meaning.