Classroom News 

Foundation

To Our Wonderful Foundation Families, 

Congratulations to all our little Foundies and their families on completing the very first week of primary school! We have been so impressed with how smoothly the students have settled into their new routines and how they arrive each day with bright smiles and a readiness to learn. 

Each morning begins with fun and engaging developmental activities that help set a positive tone for the day and support cooperative play. From there, we transition into our formal learning sessions. 

Term 1 is an incredibly exciting time, filled with many new experiences and opportunities for growth. We focus on establishing school routines for Reader’s and Writer’s Workshop, Maths, and our Inquiry unit, Understanding Me. Throughout the term, we place a strong emphasis on developing kind, respectful, and cooperative social skills to support friendship building. Students are also learning to navigate the school bell, recess and lunch times, and the many transitions that occur throughout the day. 

In Writing this term, our focus is on developing students’ imaginative ideas. Children use their five senses, along with their thoughts, feelings, and wonderings, to generate ideas and descriptive language. Early writing may include drawings, letter-like symbols, and attempts at matching sounds to letters. As students build their phonics knowledge through spelling lessons, their writing begins to flourish, with increased confidence and sentence fluency. Our Writer’s Workshop model supports the full writing process and allows us to extend and challenge each student at their individual level. 

Students have begun practising spelling words using a combination of sound, sight, and kinaesthetic strategies, including forming letters with playdough and other sensory materials. They are starting to apply their knowledge of letters and sounds in their writing. This week, we have focused on the letters Mm and Ss and the sounds they make. To further extend learning, some students will also explore how letters work together to make new sounds. Repeated exposure in a variety of ways is key to developing strong letter–sound knowledge and spelling skills. 

In Reading, we use a mentor text that is read and revisited across the week. Each session has a different focus, such as predicting, retelling, or exploring deeper comprehension. While most students engage in independent reading, teachers work with small groups to support decoding, fluency, and comprehension. Regular reading at home using take-home books is one of the most effective ways to support your child’s reading development. Thank you for making time most evenings to listen to your child read — your support is greatly appreciated. 

Library lessons have now begun, and students have borrowed books for their independent reading routines, alongside our classroom libraries. Please remember to return library books in their bags so students can continue borrowing each week. 

In Maths, each session begins with a partner fluency game to develop mental maths and problem-solving skills. Early in the year, we place a strong focus on counting accurately and efficiently, as well as developing an understanding of place value. Students use a wide range of hands-on materials to build and model their thinking. They are encouraged to represent these models through drawings before moving on to number sentences or written responses. Class discussions provide valuable opportunities for students to share and learn from each other’s problem-solving strategies. 

Important reminders: 

● Please ensure your child brings a hat and water bottle to school every day. 

● Check that all personal belongings are clearly named. 

● Wednesday is testing day for the first five weeks of the term — please check with your classroom teacher if you are unsure. 

● Please complete the Parent–Teacher Exchange form on Compass and make an appointment if you would like additional time to share information with your child’s teacher. 

● Encourage your child to independently put their bag away each morning and change their take-home reader. 

● Please continue to check Compass regularly for important dates and updates throughout the term. 

Thank you for your continued support of our Foundation learning programs at Blackburn Primary School. We truly value open communication and encourage you to reach out via Compass at any time — working together ensures the very best outcomes for your child. 

With gratitude and kindness, 

Vicky, Wendy, Simone and Alannah