We have an incredible team of staff in our school who help to make our school a place of welcome, care and learning. This is especially true of our Learning Assistants, who we celebrated in this National Learning Assistant Appreciation Week and acknowledged their incredible contribution to our school. Their care, dedication, and support enrich every classroom and make a real difference in the lives of our students. We are deeply grateful for all that they do each day to help our learners thrive.

MISSION

FATHER'S DAY STALL & BREAKFAST HELPERS - THANK YOU !!

A massive thank you to all those who assisted with the Father’s day stall conveyed by Erin Maker, Alison Ralph, Kate Roods and Lauran Vallim. And a special thank you to the parents and helpers who prepared 500 croissants for the Father’s Day breakfast as well: Kath Bailey, Jodie Brindle, Simone Roods, Laura Harrison, Krystal Cerato, Emily Daley, Suzanne Cash, Jessica Cassegrain, Melissa Caruso and Olivia Pursell. These events simply wouldn’t be possible without your support.

KINDERGARTEN CELEBRATION OF THE WORD

NEXT FRIDAY...

TELL THEM FROM ME PARENT SURVEY

YOUR FEED BACK MATTERS

Thank you to all the 150 parents and carers who took part in our recent Tell Them From Me survey. Your honest feedback is invaluable in helping us improve our school community. Each week this term we will share some feedback from the data collated.

PARENTING TIP:

WHOSE VOICE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ?

It’s normal for kids to hear negative comments as they spend more time in social settings. Teaching them whose voice matters most: their own first, then family, then friends, and finally classmates, helps them keep unkind words in perspective so they don’t stick.

LEARNING

THE HEADS UP ON READING FLUENCY

Reading fluency is much more than simply “reading fast.” It’s about reading smoothly and accurately, with natural expression, so it sounds like talking. When children read fluently, their brains don’t have to work as hard to figure out each word. This frees them up to focus on understanding the meaning, building vocabulary, and enjoying reading rather than finding it hard work.

We are placing a special focus on strengthening our students’ reading fluency. Fluency is the bridge between word reading and comprehension. The two go hand in hand: fluent reading supports understanding, and good understanding supports fluent reading. Skilled readers combine their ability to recognise words, use punctuation effectively, and apply oral language skills to make their reading flow naturally.

Fluent readers have moved beyond “sounding out” every word. They can recognise many words instantly (their sight vocabulary), which takes the pressure off their working memory. This means more brainpower is available for thinking about what the text means, rather than using all their energy on decoding. The best way to build this fluency is through regular, purposeful oral reading practice - because, like any skill, the more children practise, the more confident and capable they become.

There are three core components of fluency:

• Rate (speed) – When we talk about speed in reading fluency, we are talking about how quickly your child can recognise words within a text. If they are often pausing to sound out words or asking for help with identifying words, then they likely need to work on their speed. However, speed also relies on another skill, accuracy. 

• Accuracy (correctly decoding words) – Accuracy has to do with actually being able to recognise words in a text correctly. This skill relies on the amount of vocabulary that your child has built, as well as their skills in phonics. Speed and accuracy are closely related skills that work together in order for your child to read smoothly. 

• Expression (prosody: intonation, stress, volume) – Expression is your child’s ability to read texts like spoken language. They are able to recognise when to change their tone, accent, and pitch when they read aloud. This is a reflection of their reading comprehension as well.

You can help improve your child’s reading fluency at home by practising some strategies every day that can help them build the different skills needed to achieve fluency:-

• Read aloud every day (10 minutes is plenty). Consistency beats length.

• Use familiar texts - Rereading a just-right book or decodable text strengthens accuracy and speed.

• Echo reading - You read a sentence/paragraph first; your child “echoes” it back, matching your pace and expression.

• Choral reading - Read a page together, in unison - great for building confidence.

• Phrase it - Lightly run a finger under groups of words (not every single word) to model natural phrasing.

• Spotlight tricky words - If a word trips them up, pause and revisit it together, then reread the sentence smoothly.

• Pair print with audio - Listening to a quality audiobook while following the text can model expression and pacing.

• Celebrate progress - Notice smoother reading, better phrasing, or fewer pauses - specific praise motivates!

PEER SUPPORT

This week in Peer Support, children explored different ways to say “thank you” to the people who support us. They discovered how to express gratitude in several languages, including German, Italian, and even Japanese! Through fun games and activities, the children learned the importance of saying “thank you” to those who help us. Throughout the week, encourage your child to think about the things they are thankful for every day.