Teaching and Learning
Setting Up for Success
This term has been all about setting our students up for a successful year of learning.
Across the school, teachers have been building strong classroom routines, clear expectations, and positive learning habits. We want every child to understand what it means to be an active learner - listening, participating, trying their best, and taking responsibility for their learning.
These foundations help students feel confident, settled, and ready to learn each day.
A Strong Focus on Reading
Literacy, especially reading, continues to be a key priority for our school.
Research shows that strong reading skills are the foundation for success in all learning areas. When students become confident readers, it supports their learning in writing, maths, inquiry, and beyond.
Over the past two weeks, we were also pleased to offer Prep and Year 1 & 2 Parent Reading Information Sessions. A sincere thank you to Mrs Kendra Anderson for leading these sessions and sharing valuable insights into how reading is taught at our school, along with practical strategies families can use to support reading at home.
To further strengthen our reading focus, we have introduced a whole-school ‘Nights of Reading’ reward program. Each classroom across the school has a visible display where students track their reading nights together. This has created a wonderful sense of shared motivation, with classes celebrating milestones and achievements as a team. As students reach significant individual milestones, they also receive awards and recognition at our whole-school assemblies.
It has been fantastic to see the enthusiasm building across the school as students take pride in their progress and encourage one another to keep reading. Thank you to our Literacy Leader, Ms Pip Atherton for leading this initiative, and to our families for your continued support at home.
Using Data to Support Every Learner
Teachers have spent the first couple of weeks of term reviewing student learning data, including last year’s reports as well as this year’s initial assessments and classroom observations, to understand each student’s current level of achievement, strengths, and next steps.
Using this information, we are developing Individual Learning Plans (ILPs) for students working approximately 12 months above or below expected level, ensuring learning is targeted and appropriately challenging. Over the coming weeks, teachers will be in touch with families with their draft ILPs to allow for feedback before finalising these for students.
Strengthening Our Teaching Practice
Behind the scenes, our teachers have been engaging in professional learning as we continue refining our whole-school Instructional (Teaching) Model.
Our model includes four key parts:
- Warm Up – Revising and practising important skills
- Launch – Clear and explicit teaching of new learning
- Activity – Guided and independent practice
- Reflection – Reviewing and consolidating learnin
This work is guided by the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model 2.0 and helps ensure teaching is consistent across all learning areas. By having a shared approach to high-quality teaching, students know what to expect in every classroom, and our teachers continue to grow and improve their skills.
Ash Bell
Assistant Principal (Teaching & Learning)