Prep News
Welcome to our Prep newsletter! We are excited to share our amazing learning and journey together. Please check the timetable below for your child's weekly Specialist times, including Library and Curious Corner.
š Important Dates & Reminders
All important dates and events are available on our Compass Calendar. Please check the calendar regularly to stay up to date.
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- March 20th - Harmony Day - (Wear a touch of Orange)
- April 2nd - Happy Hat Parade
- April 2nd - Last day of Term 1 (dismissal at 2.30pm)
- Term 2 Save the dateĀ May 8th 9:15-10:15 PREPĀ Motherās Day/ Special person morningĀ Ā
- Please remind students to bring their āred bagā back to school with Library books inside ready to return on your childs allocated Library day.
Students are required to bring their take-home bags to school daily. Please always check inside these for important information, notices or student work.Ā
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- Please support your child's reading journey by practising reading with the ā'Letter Tiles', 5 minutes daily. Begin at 2 letter words (e.g. it, an, in) and slowly build up to 5 letter words (e.g. snips, spins, spits.)
LiteracyĀ
In Literacy, Prep students have continued theirĀ Word Work by reviewing VC and CVC words. We have been working hard to master all the SATPINM sounds and are now beginning to blend and read words independently! We are so amazed and proud of our students and what they have achieved in Term 1.
Thank you for your continued support and for using the Letter TilesĀ with your children at home. This practice provides your child with the repeated exposure that is so important for reading success. We certainly have noticed their amazing progress in the classrooms during Reading Goal sessions.
During ourĀ LiteratureĀ unit, Prep students have been engaged with the traditional, and not so traditional, Little Red Riding Hood tale. This fortnight we have continued our unit by discussing what is the same and different between the two versions. Some of the most interesting comments have come from our comparison of Little Redās character. In the traditional tale she is shy, scared, and rescued, while in the version by Roald Dahl, Little Red is brave and clever, saving herself from danger.
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Preview -Ā
Next week in our Literature unit, Prep students will be reading the traditional tale The Three Billy Goats Gruff. As we explore the story, students will be learning about the key parts of a narrative, including the characters, setting, problem, and solution. We will discuss how the goats solve the problem with the troll and think about how the characters feel at different points in the story. Students will also compare the characters of the three goats and the troll, describing their different traits and actions.
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Little Learners Day
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Wow! What a fantastic Little Learners Day! Our Prep students had so much fun coming to school dressed in their amazing costumes. It was wonderful to see so much creativity and excitement as students proudly shared their outfits with their classmates.
The day was a great opportunity to reflect on and celebrate how far we have already come in Prep. Our students have been working hard learning about many different letters and their characters, and Little Learners Day was a fun way to recognise and celebrate this learning.
The food was delicious, and the Preps loved spending the day celebrating with their peers. There were lots of smiles, laughter and excitement throughout the day.Ā
Mathematics
Ā In Maths, students have begun a new unit onĀ Counting and Place Value.Ā They are developing their understanding of numbers by counting collections using concrete materials such as counters, teddies, toy fruits, bugs and pencils.
A key focus has been accurate counting usingĀ one-to-one correspondence, where students match one number word to each object as they count to ensure items are not skipped or counted twice. This helps students understand that each object is counted once and that the last number said tells how many items are in the collection. Students are also practising reading, recognising and writing numbers up to 10.
Students have also been learning to compare quantities, identifying which collection hasĀ more or less.Ā We have used dominoes and dot patterns to support this learning and to practise subitising, recognising small quantities instantly without counting, such as the dots on a dice.
Students have also explored the idea ofĀ āone moreā using five frames and counters, helping them see how numbers grow and how quantities and collections can be built.
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Preview -Ā to finish off the term, we will complete our unit onĀ Counting and Place Value. Students will continue developing their skills in comparing collections and identifying which groups haveĀ more or less. They will also practiseĀ subitising numbers, recognising how many objects are in a small group without counting each one individually, such as dots on a dice or domino. Additionally, students will keep building confidence inĀ reading, recognising and writing numbers up to 10, while using hands-on materials to represent and compare quantities. These activities will help strengthen studentsā understanding of numbers and develop their early number sense.
Wellbeing- Friendology and BuddiesĀ
Last Friday, we caught up with our buddies to spend some time getting to know each other a little better. The Grade 5 and Prep students worked together to complete their āAll About Meā posters, sharing information about their favourite foods, shows, hobbies and interests.
As they worked, students had the opportunity to practise their drawing, communication and sharing skills while learning more about one another. It was wonderful to see the older students supporting their younger buddies and helping them express their ideas.
We noticed many similarities between our buddies, which sparked great conversations and plenty of smiles. It was a fantastic way to build connections and strengthen our buddy relationships.
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Preview - In our upcoming Friendology lesson, students will be learning about the important message: āBe a Firefighter, not a Firelighter!ā This lesson teaches students how to recognise and manage āFriendship Firesā when conflicts or misunderstandings happen with their friends.
Through this session, students will learn step-by-step strategies to help resolve conflicts, respond to hurt feelings, and communicate in positive and respectful ways. These skills help students build stronger friendships and develop confidence in managing social situations.
The goal of the lesson is to empower students with the tools they need to calmly āput outā friendship fired (problems) rather than make them bigger.
Homework
Prep 2026, Additional Homework
LiteracyĀ
Learning to read is a complex and gradual process that requires consistent practice both at school and at home.
- Enjoy reading to your child nightly using books from your home, local library and school library.Ā
- Practise the āLetter Tilesā SATPINM sounds and building wordsĀ nightly. Please watch the video if unsure.Ā
- Practice writing your name, numbers and SATPINM letters (both lowercase and uppercase).
Mathematics
Numbers and mathematical concepts are everywhere in the world around us, engage your child by:
Playing board games and using a dice
- Reading and writing numbers 1-20
Meet the teacherĀ
Name:Ā Mr Wight
Things I like:Ā Playing tennis, camping, hiking, being in nature and laughing
In my spare time:Ā Play tennis, clean up our gardens and spend time with my family
Favourite Colour:Ā Green
Pets:Ā My dog Charlie (he is 13) and our 2 cats Marvin and Milo
Ā BirthdaysĀ
Student Awards
Prep A
Lenny
BodhiĀ
Zali
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Prep B
CharlieĀ
OlieĀ
Rose
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Prep S
Saskia
Archer
Beau
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Please note that Prep students are now attending assembly and will start receving Ā 'Student of the Week' awards. Parents and carers of the selected child will be notified by email (this will be for their first award only).
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Have a wonderful weekend,
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The Prep Team
Mrs Sandeman, Miss Bouloukis and Miss Sweetten.