Teaching and Learning

Learning to Write with Confidence

The Syntax Project

The Syntax Project is a whole-school, explicit approach to teaching sentence construction, supporting students from Prep to Year 6 in developing a deep understanding of how language works.

In the early years, students begin by exploring the fundamental building blocks of sentences, developing their awareness of sounds, words, verbs, and simple sentence structures. They learn that sentences must make sense and carry the key elements needed to communicate meaning clearly.

As students progress through the school, their understanding becomes increasingly sophisticated. They develop the skills to expand sentences by adding detail across the key dimensions of who, what, when, where, why, and how; use conjunctions to connect and extend ideas; and construct more complex sentence structures with confidence.

In the upper years, students engage with advanced grammatical concepts, including subordinate and relative clauses, precise punctuation, and a diverse range of sentence types, all of which serve to strengthen and enrich their writing.

Through explicit, structured teaching and purposeful practice, the Syntax Project equips students with the knowledge and confidence to communicate their ideas clearly, accurately, and effectively across all areas of learning.

Spelling and Dictation

Across the school, spelling and dictation are an integral part of how we build strong literacy skills from Prep through to Year 6. Each week, students at every year level practise connecting spoken sounds to written letters, deepening their phonics knowledge and growing confidence with common words. Dictation brings these skills together in a structured, purposeful routine where students listen carefully to a word, phrase, or sentence, then write it down, drawing on everything they know about spelling, capitalisation, and punctuation all at once. 

Dictation is much more than a spelling test. Here's why it is such a powerful learning tool:

• Applies knowledge in context: students write words within sentences, bridging the gap between practising sounds and writing independently.
• Builds focus: because students aren't required to think up what to write, they can give their full attention to spelling and handwriting.
• Reinforces writing conventions: capital letters, full stops, and correct spelling become habits through regular, purposeful practice.
• Supports immediate feedback: teachers can correct errors on the spot, ensuring students build accurate skills from the very start.

A Spotlight on Our Prep Students

We couldn't be prouder of how far our Prep students have come since the beginning of the year. The growth they have shown as communicators, readers, and writers has been truly wonderful to witness, and it is a testament to the effort and enthusiasm they bring to their learning every single day.

Through the Syntax Project, our Preps have been building strong foundations in oral language and sentence construction, exploring language through engaging picture books, structured routines, and colourful visual supports that make learning both meaningful and fun.

Students have been learning to create and expand sentences by answering simple but powerful questions: Who? What? Where? These questions help children understand how words work together to express ideas and make meaning. Through repeated oral practice with their peers and teachers, our Preps are developing real confidence using correct sentence structures, and that confidence is now shining through in their writing.

It has been a joy to watch these foundational language skills take root. Our Prep students are growing into clear, capable communicators, and we are so excited to see where their learning takes them throughout the rest of the year.

We are incredibly proud of every single one of our Preps and the wonderful effort they put in each day. Please enjoy the beautiful examples of their work below. They really do speak for themselves!

Dimi Sfetsas and the Prep Team