Assistant Principal

26 July - Feast of St Anne & St Joachim - Jesus’ Grandparents

On Sunday, we celebrated the Feast of Saints Anne and Joachim, the grandparents of Jesus. Tradition tells us that Anne and Joachim were a faithful and holy couple who longed for a child. After many years of prayer and trust in God, they were blessed with a daughter, Mary, who would one day become the mother of Jesus. Their story reminds us of the power of faith, perseverance and God's plan for each of us.

Saints Anne and Joachim played an important role in nurturing Mary's faith and helping her grow into the woman who would say "yes" to God's call. Through their example, we are reminded of the significant influence grandparents have in the lives of their families. They share wisdom, offer support and pass on values and traditions that help shape future generations.

Today, grandparents continue to play an invaluable role in family life. Many provide care for their grandchildren, support working parents and create loving connections across generations. Their guidance, encouragement and unconditional love enrich the lives of children and strengthen family bonds.

We are also reminded of the well-known saying, "It takes a village to raise a child." Just as grandparents help nurture and guide young people, teachers, families and the wider community all play a role in supporting children as they learn and grow. Together, we form a caring village that helps every child flourish.

As we celebrate the Feast of Saints Anne and Joachim, let us give thanks for all grandparents and the special place they hold in our lives. We pray that God blesses them for the love, care and wisdom they generously share with their families and communities. We look forward to celebrating our grandparents in the coming weeks.

Parents As Partners - Reading Workshop

Supporting Your Child's Reading Journey

This Friday, parents and carers will have the opportunity to learn more about how they can support their child's reading development at home. The session will highlight that reading is one of the most important skills children develop in the primary years and that the ultimate goal of reading is comprehension. At school, students are supported to read accurately, fluently and with understanding so they can access learning across all curriculum areas.

During this session, we will explore the Simple View of Reading, which explains that successful reading development requires both strong word-reading skills and strong language comprehension and emphasises the importance of oral language development. There will be conversations about the importance of everyday experiences, encouraging curiosity, asking questions and exploring the world around them because these rich interactions help build vocabulary and knowledge - both essential for reading comprehension. We will also explore the role of phonics in reading instruction and the change in recent years and the utilisation of decodable readers, which contain only the sounds and spelling patterns that students have already been taught. 

The session starts at 2:15pm and will finish in time for our Week 2 Friday Assembly - I look forward to seeing you there!