From the Head of Junior School

Welcome Back to School

Our Welcome Back Assembly was a wonderful way to begin the new school year together. Dr Middleton joined us to warmly greet the students and wish everyone a great start to the year and of course, the children remembered that he’s always ready for fist pumps and high fives! We were delighted to have so many families with us for our first assembly, and we hope even more of you will join us throughout the year as our Year 6 leaders step into the space and plan and organise our assemblies this year.

Assemblies this year will be held every two weeks. Our next Junior School Assembly will take place on Thursday, February 13th at 8:30am in The Hall. Please add this to your diary and feel welcome to join Dr Middleton and me for a coffee on the balcony afterwards.

A Wonderful Start for Our New Students

Our new students have settled in beautifully. I was incredibly proud of their courage last week as they took their first steps into new surroundings. New beginnings can bring both excitement and challenges, and to our new families, please know that our team is here to walk alongside your child as they navigate their first weeks.

If you feel your child would benefit from extra support in these early days, please reach out to your class teacher, Mr Nunura, or myself. We are here to help.

Connecting Our Community

This year, I am excited to continue working with our staff to find new and meaningful ways to welcome our parent community into the life of the school. At times, opportunities for visits or classroom experiences may arise at short notice. I kindly ask for your understanding as we explore these possibilities.

I would also love to hear your ideas about how we can build stronger connections with our Junior School community. Please feel free to email me or come and find me. I truly value your input.

Classroom Connection Evening

Our staff are already preparing for our annual Classroom Connection Evening, where you will have the chance to meet your child’s teacher, explore their learning space, and even participate in some hands‑on activities.

Even if you’ve had older children move through the Junior School, I strongly encourage you to attend this year as our approach will look and feel different. With connection as a key priority in 2026, this evening is an important opportunity for us to share not only how we will support your child’s academic growth, but also their social and emotional development. Connection, belonging and communication remain central to our work.

More information will be sent shortly, but please save the date: Thursday, 12th February, 6:00–7:30pm

Hub Clubs

A reminder that Hub Clubs (previously our After School Care program) runs Monday to Thursday, with pickup strictly before 5:30pm. A $20 per afternoon fee will be added to your account for booked sessions. Bookings can be made via: tphsasc@tphs.nsw.edu.au

We are pleased to share that the new home for Hub Clubs is The Discovery Hub, with the Pre‑K room being used this year. We are currently finalising the recruitment of our new coordinator, and we thank Mia Christensen for stepping in during this transition.

To support the safety of all students, especially those with allergies, please send only fruit or plain crackers for afternoon tea. Any other food will be placed back into your child’s bag, and we will offer a piece of fruit instead.

Please also remember that parents must sign their children out upon pickup.

As we head into a wonderful year ahead, please don’t hesitate to say hello, reach out, or email me with any question big or small, it’s always best to go straight to the source rather than navigating WhatsApp threads, I’m sure!

Looking forward to talking with you all over the coming weeks.

Upcoming Events

Week 2 - Friday 6/2 - PHPA Welcome Drinks

Week 3 - Thursday 12/2 6pm - PreK-6 Classroom Conversation Evening

Friday 12/2 - 8.30am K-6 Assembly – The Hall – Coffee on the balcony afterwards

Week 4 - Wednesday 18/2 Junior School Swimming Carnival (Years 3-6)

From the Junior School Curriculum Co-ordinator

Welcome back and a warm welcome to the start of 2026. I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful Christmas and a restful break over the new year. There has been a great sense of excitement among staff this past week as we prepared our classrooms and planned our teaching programs for Term 1. I would like to take this opportunity to share some of the programs being introduced in 2026 and what they mean for your child’s learning.

We are pleased to share that from 2026, all K–2 classes will be implementing the InitiaLit program as part of our English curriculum. InitiaLit is a research‑driven literacy approach developed by educators and researchers at Macquarie University. This program, used from Foundation to Year 2, helps students establish a strong foundation in reading and writing through structured lessons that build phonics knowledge, comprehension, spelling and writing skills. It equips every child with the confidence and early literacy understanding needed for long‑term success.

We are equally excited to introduce PreLit in our Pre‑K classrooms. PreLit is a complementary early‑years program designed to nurture crucial pre‑literacy skills before formal reading instruction begins. Through short, engaging sessions, students develop oral language, vocabulary, story comprehension and phonological awareness; skills that support a smooth transition into early reading.

We are proud to offer both PreLit and InitiaLit, knowing that these evidence‑based programs give our students the strongest possible start during these vital early years of literacy development.

Another program which is being implemented this year is the Spelling Mastery program for Years 3-6. Spelling Mastery is a structured spelling program to support students as they develop accurate and confident spelling skills. The program teaches spelling in a systematic way, helping students recognise common patterns, understand word structure and apply strategies that make spelling more predictable. Lessons build gradually, giving students frequent practice and opportunities to apply what they have learnt in reading and writing.

By guiding students through phonemic, morphemic and whole‑word approaches, Spelling Mastery supports all learners, whether they need additional reinforcement or extension. This consistent, research‑informed program helps students strengthen their spelling foundations and develop skills that will benefit them across all areas of literacy. For this approach, students will be moving across different grades and classes, based on their current needs. This will take place every Monday to Thursday for 25 minutes before lunch and will be a great addition to our English curriculum for Stage 2 and Stage 3.

Parents of students in Years 3–6 may have noticed a Spelling Mastery Workbook Levy included in their Box of Books stationery order. If you have not already done so, please check that this item was part of your child’s order. Families who purchased their stationery through another supplier can still visit the Box of Books website to order the Workbook Levy separately. All Spelling Mastery books will be delivered directly to the school and handed out to students for use in their spelling lessons.

Below are the Box of Books ordering instructions if required:

Visit Box of Books Shop to log into your existing parent/guardian account or create a new account if it is your first purchase.
Add each student (including school email) nominating their school and year group. Pittwater House student emails are: studentfirstname.studentlastname@tphs.nsw.edu.au
Select the items you wish to purchase from the booklist shown.
Use the checkout to complete payment. Textbooks will be delievered directly to the school.

If you have any questions regarding your child’s stationery orders, please email me at ciara.loughland@tphs.nsw.edu.au and I will be happy to assist.

I look forward to sharing more about our teaching and learning programs at Pittwater House in upcoming editions of HouseNews.

From the Junior School PDHPE Co-ordinator

Junior School Sport began on Day 1 of the school year for students in Years 1–6, setting an energetic and enthusiastic tone for 2026. We were fortunate to enjoy beautiful weather, creating perfect conditions for students to get moving, reconnect with friends, and engage fully in their sport activities.

Across the campus, some students participated in training sessions and trials as part of the selection process for upcoming PISA competitions, where we compete against other local independent schools each Friday. It was wonderful to see students approach these sessions with enthusiasm, resilience, and a willingness to challenge themselves. Many demonstrated excellent effort, teamwork, and a positive attitude, regardless of outcome.

Students who were not training or trialling for PISA took part in a range of engaging sport activities, including throwing and catching games, skipping, and other movement-based challenges. These sessions focused on skill development, participation, and enjoyment, ensuring all students were active and involved.

A strong emphasis was placed on sportsmanship, with students encouraged to support one another, listen to feedback, and try their best. These values remain central to our Junior School Sport program and were clearly evident throughout the day.

Parents will be advised shortly if their child has been successful in being selected for a PISA team. We thank families for their ongoing support as students navigate this exciting and sometimes challenging process.

We look forward to a fantastic year of Junior School Sport, filled with growth, teamwork, and enjoyment.

Save the Dates:

Date	Event
Friday 6 February	PHPA Drinks
Thursday 12 February (6pm)	Classroom Connection Evening
Wednesday 18 February	Swimming Carnival (Years 2 – 6)
Thursday 2 April	Last Day of Term 1
Tuesday 21 April	Students Return Term 2
Friday 24 April	ANZAC Day Assembly
Friday 8 May	PHPA Mother’s Day Lunch
Monday 15 June	Years 2 – 6 Athletics Carnival
Tuesday 23 June	Junior School Performing Arts Evening
Friday 26 June	Last Day of Term 2
Tuesday 21 July	Students Return Term 3
Tuesday 21 July	Foundation Day Assembly / Relay
Friday 18 September	Last Day of Term 3
Tuesday 13 October	Students Return Term 4
Tuesday 8 December	Last Day of Term 4

Library News

From the Teacher Librarian - Junior School