Prep-2 Sector 

PREP

In Prep the last few weeks have been busy! In week 4, our classes were buzzing with curiosity and discovery as we welcomed families into classrooms for our Science Open Morning. It was a wonderful opportunity for parents and carers to experience the learning that’s happening every day in our classes.

Our students were thrilled to share their hands on activities with their parents, and it was fantastic to see so many grown-ups rolling up their sleeves to take part. 

Open morning like this gives the opportunity for parents to experience what their children are learning in the classroom but give the students a chance to share their space with their parents. 

Thank you to all the parents and carers who came along — your enthusiasm and encouragement made the morning extra special. 

We look forward to welcoming you again soon for more shared learning experiences.

Last week, we also celebrated one of our favourite events of the year – Book Week! The school was transformed into a celebration of stories, characters, and creativity.

Throughout the week, children took part in a range of reading-themed activities including buddy reading across year groups, Treasure Hunt incursion, short story competition, storytelling and book cover competitions.

One of the highlights was our Book Week Parade, where students and staff arrived in fantastic costumes inspired by their favourite stories. From classic fairytale figures to modern-day heroes, the imagination on display was incredible!

Book Week reminded us all of the power of reading to inspire, entertain, and connect us — and it was a joy to see the children so engaged and excited about books.

Thank you for your continued support in helping us create such enriching experiences for our learners!

In our Literacy, students have been diving into the wonderful world of Pamela Allen, a much-loved author known for her engaging stories, rhythmic language, and memorable illustrations. Books such as Alexander’s Outing, Potato People and Grandpa and Thomas have been firm favourites in the classroom!

As we explore these stories, students are continuing to build important reading strategies. One key focus has been on making predictions – using clues from the text and illustrations to guess what might happen next. It's been wonderful to see students becoming more confident in explaining their thinking and adjusting their predictions as the story unfolds.

We’re also working on making connections as we read – both text-to-self connections (relating the story to their own experiences) and text-to-text connections (comparing themes, characters, or events across different books). This helps deepen comprehension and encourages children to think critically about what they’re reading.

Pamela Allen’s stories provide the perfect platform for these skills, with relatable characters and everyday scenarios that spark discussion and curiosity.

We encourage you to continue the conversation at home by asking your child:

• “What do you think will happen next?”

   

• “Does this story remind you of anything that’s happened to you?”

   

• “Have you read another book that’s similar to this one?”

Your support at home plays a big part in helping children grow as thoughtful, enthusiastic readers!

The Prep Team

Year 1

What a busy and exciting term it has been in Year 1!

In Mathematics, we’ve been diving into addition and subtraction, exploring a variety of strategies to help us become confident problem-solvers. The students have been practising doubles, friends of 10, counting on, counting back, and even using the split strategy. It’s been wonderful to see their mathematical thinking grow stronger each week.

In Reading and Writing, our focus has been on poetry and rhyme. The children have enjoyed reading classic nursery rhymes, identifying rhyming words, and even creating some of their own. Their creativity has really shone through!

Last week, we had an amazing time celebrating Book Week. Our Year 1s teamed up with their buddy class for a special reading lesson. Together, we read The Garden of Broken Things and then worked side by side to design our very own “special garden” using arts and crafts. The room was filled with colour, creativity, and lots of smiles—it was truly a highlight of the term!

In Science, our curious learners have been investigating animals and their habitats. We’ve been exploring why habitats are so important, and how animals need food, water, shelter, and space to survive. The students are now eagerly counting down to our upcoming Zoo Excursion, where they’ll get the chance to see real-life examples of these habitats in action.

It’s been a fantastic term so far, filled with learning, creativity, and excitement—we can’t wait to see what the rest of the term brings!

'You can if you think you can'

The Year 1 Teachers

Year 2

We have had wonderful few weeks full of learning, creativity, and meaningful experiences in the classroom.

In Week 4, we celebrated Science Week, and it was a real fun. The students were so excited to welcome their parents and families into the classroom for a special science lesson. Together, we explored patterns in nature, observing things like insects and flowers. It was fascinating to see the unique and beautiful patterns found in the natural world. Sharing this learning experience with families made the day even more memorable.

In Week 5, we enjoyed the fun and colour of Book Week. The children came dressed in a wide variety of creative costumes, proudly representing their favourite book characters. Our Book Week Parade was full of excitement, and it was wonderful to see so many smiling faces—both students and families—as we celebrated a love of reading together. We captured lots of great photos and made special memories throughout the day.

In the classroom, we have been building our skills in a range of learning areas. In Maths, students have been learning to use directional language—such as "face to south" "make a quarter turn" and "go forward"—to give and follow instructions. They have used these skills to explore and understand different types of maps and can now describe locations around the school and in the local community with confidence. We have also been using jump strategies to solve addition and subtraction problems quickly and effectively, and students are beginning to apply these strategies in real-life situations.

In Writing, we are continuing our Author Study on Bob Graham. We have been reading his books and learning how authors communicate ideas through not only words, but also pictures, layout, colours, and shapes. This helps students deepen their understanding of storytelling and the messages behind each story.

In Science, we have been exploring the different ways that objects move. We have looked at how different strengths of pushes and pulls affect movement. 

It’s been a busy and engaging time of learning, and we are proud of how much we have learned over the past few weeks. We look forward to continuing this exciting journey together.

Yr 2 Team