Learning and Teaching
Empowering Student Voices Through Writing
Dear Parents,
At St Joseph’s, we are excited to share that our 2025 Annual Action Plan will focus on strengthening our students' writing skills across all year levels. Writing is a vital part of literacy development, and this focus will help our students express themselves confidently, creatively, and effectively. Our plan will support students in becoming better writers through a range of initiatives:
1. Building Writing Stamina
Students will have dedicated time each day to practice writing across different forms and genres. This will foster confidence and creativity as they develop their voice.
2. Explicit Teaching of Writing Strategies
Teachers will implement proven strategies that focus on planning, drafting, editing, and publishing. Students will be guided to develop clarity, structure, and creativity in their work.
3. Using Student Voice and Choice
We want our students to feel ownership of their writing. They’ll have opportunities to choose topics that are meaningful to them, helping build a love for writing.
4. Celebrating Writing Achievements
Throughout the year, we will celebrate students’ writing efforts through classroom displays, writing showcases, and sharing with the school community.
How You Can Support at Home
Families can play a role in this exciting journey.
Encourage writing at home by:
- Keeping a journal together
- Writing letters to friends or family
- Sharing stories or creating comic books
- Writing and sharing book reviews
We are looking forward to an inspiring year where every student feels empowered to express themselves through writing. Together, we can nurture a community of creative, confident writers!
NAPLAN 2025
Please read the information below about Naplan which will begin for our Year 3 students on Wednesday 12th March and for our Year 5 students it will begin on Thursday 13th March.
NAPLAN provides schools, parents, and education authorities with valuable insights into how students are progressing in key learning areas. The results help:
✔ Identify strengths and areas for improvement for students
✔ Support teachers in tailoring their teaching strategies
✔ Inform school and government education policies
Students will be assessed on:
- Reading – Understanding and interpreting different types of texts
- Writing – Constructing a well-organised and meaningful written response
- Language Conventions – Spelling, grammar, and punctuation
- Numeracy – Mathematical reasoning, problem-solving, and number skills
NAPLAN is just one part of a child’s educational journey. While it provides useful insights, it does not measure creativity, effort, or personal strengths. The best way to support your child is by fostering a love of learning and encouraging a growth mindset.
Thank you for your continued support .
Kind regards
Megan Barber