Message from the Principal 

INQUIRY LEARNING IN ACTION

Our photos this week, highlight the Year 3 and 4 students and their fantastic inquiry skills that are being developed as part of our unit “How did it Grow? Where did it Go?” 

Last week they learnt about how the Wurundjeri people were able to use animal skins (fibres) and sinew from possums and kangaroos to keep warm at night, carry their babies, tell stories of their family and as a drum skin for music. 

The students loved using Aboriginal family symbols to create their own family stories, which they then designed on their own faux possum skin cloak wristband. 

The conversations in the classrooms were buzzing and they have all walked away with so much knowledge about how indigenous people used animals (fibres) for a range of different things.

Last Friday our staff had a very productive and stimulating day of learning and planning around the Big 6 + 1 elements of the English curriculum. This professional learning was delivered as part of our goal around improving student growth which centres around the balanced approach our staff use at Greenhills to teach reading, writing, speaking and listening. 

At Greenhills, we know that reading is a foundational life skill and a source of pleasure and wonder. It provides access to information, generates imagination, builds knowledge, enables creativity and shapes opinions. 

Our “balanced” approach that we use to teach reading is supported by the strongest evidence and is in full alignment with what is expected to be implemented in all Victorian government primary schools from 2025. 

The essential elements of reading that we teach are known as the ‘Big 6’ (Konza, 2014). Each of these 6 elements form part of a structured and balanced literacy approach: 

• Oral language – knowing and using spoken words to express knowledge, ideas and emotions 

• Phonemic awareness –which is the knowledge of sounds (phonemes) 

• Phonics – knowing the sound (phoneme) and letter (grapheme) relationships 

• Fluency – reading accurately and at an appropriate rate with expression 

• Vocabulary – understanding words in isolation and in context 

• Comprehension – making meaning from text which includes developing knowledge of grammar.

During the day our staff completed a “safari” to first locate the Big + 1 and then develop a deeper understanding of each element and how to plan and teach these at each specific level from Prep to Year 6. 

The day was led by Krysten O’Leary and Nigel Dunne, our two learning specialists. Each of our School Improvement Team leaders, who lead the planning and delivery of the curriculum at each level of our school also played a key role during the day, sharing their knowledge of each of the Big 6 and leading their teams through a detailed and collaborative planning session. 

WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE AT OUR SCHOOL?

An example of the way our staff work together to implement the Big 6 + 1 is across all three of our Prep classes. Our Prep team of Abby, Suzanne, Andrea and Jess work with Sharon Draper (Literacy Specialist) to deliver a daily routine of explicit phonics instruction and phonemic awareness. This is based on a specific scope and sequence. 

Our students use a balanced blend of decodables, readers and quality picture story books throughout literacy sessions. We encourage students to record and celebrate their daily reading through a reading diary and this is the most important part of our home learning program across the whole school. Our Oxford Star Words are an example of high frequency words that are the beginning of building vocabulary. We also ensure we have a rich array of engaging picture story books and non-fiction texts in our reading corners for students to enjoy and read independently.

We know that curriculum days can be challenging for families and involve additional organisation around children being at home during the school term. Thank you for your support of our staff professional learning, we appreciate being given the time and space to have these days together as a staff team and we certainly make the most of every minute we get.

SEMESTER 1 - STUDENT REPORTS

From 4pm on Wednesday 2nd of July, you will be able to access your child's Semester 1 Report via Compass. This report forms one element of our Continuous Reporting Program and follows the student work samples and matching teacher assessments that have been shared throughout this term and last term. 

Our effort behind Continuous Reporting is to provide parents and carers with more frequent communication about your child/ren’s progress and assist you to develop a deeper understanding of how you child is assessed throughout the school year. Whilst our Continuous Reporting process continues to be developed and refined, we don’t want you to have to wait until a semester report before you find out about your child’s learning progress.   

This semester, Janine, Brad and myself have been impressed by the effort that our students have put into their learning. Whilst we keep a close eye on the academic outcomes, we also looked carefully at the assessment of each student’s effort and attitude which are based around our G.R.E.A.T. values. To us, these are the most important indicators of future success and being able to fulfil potential.

I was also really impressed with the way our students have reflected on their learning through detailed and insightful comments in the “Student Self-Reflection” section. This part of the learning cycle, which is known as metacognition, is critically important. By supporting our students to develop agency in their learning (which can be learnt) our students can improve their learning outcomes.

The key in all of this is to remember that a student's ability to become a self-regulated (i.e., metacognitive) learner is understanding that one's ability to learn is a skill that develops over time rather than a fixed trait, inherited at birth. Students who believe that the ability to learn can improve over time have greater levels of achievement, even after controlling for prior achievement (Henderson and Dweck, 1990). These students set reasonable learning goals for themselves and have the self-efficacy to choose and use productive learning strategies such as our High Impact Learners Agency Traits (HILAT’s). These strategies then result in learning gains. Moreover, students can be taught that their ability to learn can improve over time; those who learn this simple lesson show increased motivation to learn and improved grades (Aronson et al., 2002; Blackwell et al., 2007).

Here is a selection of some sections from different student reflections from our 2025 Semester 1 Reports. I think you will agree that they provide clear evidence of our student’s increasing ability to articulate the specific HILAT’s they are using in their learning in different subject areas, and most importantly their growing commitment to being responsible learners and develop strong student agency dispositions. 

“The highlight of my semester has been in reading because I like to learn new words. I am proud of learning about being open to the new because it means trying something you've never done before. 

I am working on using the five finger retell after reading and including spaces between words when I'm writing. I acted with courage when I sat on the floor and listened to the teacher”

Prep SB Student

“A highlight from Semester 1 has been running in... you guessed it, Cross Country. I was so nervous when we got out of the bus, but I decided to act with courage, even though I was shaking out of control. We lined up, the whistle blew and zoom, we ran. Lots of people tripped over. At the end, when we crossed the finish line, I had come 36th out of more than 60 people who raced. I was so tired, but I made it. 

A learning achievement that I've been most proud of has been the work I have been doing for our very interesting Inquiry unit. I have been learning ‘How did it grow and where did it go?’ I've learned how to make bread and it was marvellous! A learning goal I'd like to achieve next semester is to improve my 3x tables because I can get mixed up. 

The way I learn best is to just relax and know that if I make a mistake, not to freak out, but to just take a big deep breath. Then I take the teacher's advice and listen to feedback. I also like helping others by giving them feedback too, especially with spelling. We all work together”.

Year 3MH Student

“One of the biggest highlights from Semester 1 was definitely going on camp. The experience stood out to me because the activities really brought out our leadership and teamwork skills. An example of this was during the Amazing Race challenge we did. We were placed in teams with people we didn’t usually hang out with or know very well, which pushed us out of our comfort zones. It taught us how to communicate and support each other, even if we weren’t close friends. I really enjoyed it, it was fun, exciting, and gave me a chance to connect with new people.

Looking ahead to next semester, I’m really looking forward to Earn and Learn. When I was in Year 4, we got to visit the Year 6s stalls and buy things from them. It looked like so much fun, and I remember thinking how cool it would be to create a stall of my own in year 6. Now that it’s finally our turn, I’m excited to work in a group, come up with ideas, and learn how to manage a mini business. I think it will be a great learning experience and something I’ll enjoy a lot.

I think that I learn best when I’m working in a small group of around 2–4 people. I found this clear to me during our Adapt or Die documentary project, where my group researched capybaras. I was responsible for finding photos and videos of the capybaras while others focused on writing and presenting. Because we got to choose our group members, I felt more comfortable and focused, and we worked really well together. Being in a smaller group helps me stay engaged and share ideas more confidently.

One of my learning achievements that I have been most proud of this semester has been completing all my English tasks and being able to have a deeper understanding of my novel Restart , especially when we had our second task each week that changed and then came back to it and get to see our improvement although we haven’t come back to it yet because it comes back in term 3 I feel excited. I also feel proud of how much more organised I’ve become. Last year, I often felt like I could have tried harder or managed my time better, but this year I’ve improved a lot in that area and it’s helped me succeed.

Next semester, one of my main learning goals is to participate more in class discussions. I want to get better at putting my hand up and sharing my thoughts with the class. I believe that by asking more questions and contributing to conversations, I can deepen my understanding of what we’re learning and become a more confident learner.

Lastly, I showed courage in maths when I faced a really challenging equation. At first, I tried to solve it on my own, but when I got stuck, I went to a classmate and decided to ask him for help. That made a big difference and reminded me that it’s okay to ask for support after giving something a go. From now on I’ll continue to be brave by trying first and then seeking help when I need it”. 

Year 6JH Student

You can see what I mean! How wonderful are they and this is just a very small sample!? It is very clear that our whole school focus on student agency is starting to take shape.

I encourage you to download and print your child’s report and then read it with them. In particular, have a close look at the Learning Confidence / Attitude section completed by both the teacher and the student. You might like to discuss any differences that you notice between these two assessments and unpack more of what that could mean with your child. 

SIBLING ENROLMENT FORMS

This is the final call for any sibling enrolments for Prep in 2026. Early next term, we will be sending out confirmations of enrolments to families. It is vital that if you have a student starting school next year that you put in an enrolment form.

James Penson,

Principal.