Principal's Message 

Loving God,

We thank You for guiding our school and our learning community. 

Bless our students as they grow in reading, writing, and understanding. 

Bless our teachers as they plan and teach with care and wisdom. 

May this literacy journey help every child reach their potential, 

strengthen their confidence, 

and bring our school closer together 

in learning and friendship.

Amen.

Literacy Trial 2025 - 2026

At St Andrew’s, we are always exploring ways to strengthen our students’ learning and ensure our teaching practices reflect current research and best practice. As part of this ongoing commitment, in 2025 we trialled straight Year 1 and Year 2 straight classes for literacy, i.e., Year 1 and Year 2 students not as Year 1/2 Classes for literacy.

This decision is informed by our use of the InitiaLit program and Ochre resources and aligns closely with the MACS Vision for Instruction, which places a strong emphasis on explicit teaching, high expectations, and targeted support for every learner. By grouping students within their year levels, teachers are able to focus more precisely on the curriculum content and literacy skills most relevant to each stage of development.

The single-stream structure allows teachers to:

• Deliver instruction that is closely matched to students’ specific learning needs and curriculum outcomes.
• Implement the InitiaLit program and utilise the Ochre resources effectively and with fidelity to their design.
• Use assessment data to inform teaching and provide timely feedback.
• Foster deeper collaboration within year-level teams, ensuring consistency of practice and shared professional learning.

For 2026 we will expand the trial to be across the school for literacy P-6. Students will remain in their home classes as composite groups for all other subjects, keeping the friendships, collaboration routines, and learning environment they know and enjoy. This approach ensures that students feel supported while still allowing for targeted literacy instruction that meets the needs of each year level.

This literacy trial reflects our school’s ongoing dedication to refining our approaches to teaching and learning so that every child is supported and challenged to achieve their best. We will continue to monitor the impact of this approach closely, gathering feedback from staff and students to inform our next steps.

Importantly, this approach has been considered in consultation with our School Advisory Council (SAC) and school leadership, ensuring that decisions reflect both professional expertise and community input.

Our ultimate goal is simple: to give every child the best possible chance to succeed, supporting their literacy growth while maintaining a strong, connected school community. This work reflects our commitment to the MACS Vision for Instruction, ensuring that learning is purposeful, targeted, and grounded in evidence-based practices developed and refined over recent years.

We thank our families for their continued partnership in supporting our vision for high-quality, evidence-informed literacy instruction.

Regards

Brian Martin

Principal