Year 1/2

Welcome Back to term 3!

We hope you and your family had a relaxing and enjoyable break! As we return to the classroom, we’re looking forward to reconnecting with the students and settling back into our school routines. It’s always a joy to hear the stories and adventures the children have experienced over the holidays, and we can’t wait to see their smiling faces and renewed enthusiasm for learning.

We started the year focusing on student wellbeing through our Bright Beginnings program. As part of this, we will continue exploring Respectful Relationships in term 3, where students will:

• Positive coping
• Problem solving- recognise there are many ways to solve a conflict
• Stress management- identify and describe personal coping skills
• Help seeking
• Gender norms and stereotypes

Our goal is to create a caring, confident, and safe classroom environment where all students can thrive throughout the year.

Reading

This term, students will be engaging with the CAFE reading program, which focuses on four key areas of reading development: Comprehension, Accuracy, Fluency, and Expanding Vocabulary. This approach is designed to support and extend each student’s individual reading journey.

Throughout the term, students will:
• Participate in small, focused reading groups
• Set personalised reading goals to guide their growth
• Engage in targeted activities that strengthen phonological awareness, text comprehension, and vocabulary
• Use individual book boxes filled with levelled texts tailored to their reading stage
• Complete reading tasks that are matched to their ability to develop confidence and skill

These strategies are aimed at nurturing capable, confident, and enthusiastic readers who are equipped with the tools they need to thrive.

Writing

This term, our literacy focus will be centred around strengthening students’ phonics knowledge and developing their writing skills through a range of engaging activities.

We will be using the Soundwaves phonics program to support students in building essential reading and spelling skills. Phonics is a key part of early literacy development—it helps children understand the relationship between letters and sounds, break down words into manageable parts, and gain confidence in both reading and writing. A strong foundation in phonics leads to more fluent reading and improved comprehension, supporting learning across all areas of the curriculum.

In writing, we will be focusing on the following areas:

• Constructing grammatically correct sentences
• Continuing to practise The Big 3: capital letters, full stops, and finger spaces
• Expanding vocabulary through more interesting and descriptive word choices

Students will also be exploring a variety of text types, with a particular focus on procedural writing and persuasive texts.

As part of our procedural writing unit, students will learn to:

• Write a clear goal or introduction explaining what is being made or done
• Create ordered, numbered steps to guide the reader through a process
• Use command verbs (e.g., Cut, Mix, Fold, Glue)
• Include time connectives (e.g., First, Next, Then, Finally)
• Choose precise vocabulary to explain actions and materials (e.g., teaspoon, fold in half)
• Write in the present tense (e.g., Stir the mixture until smooth)
• Add descriptive language such as adverbs and adjectives (e.g., carefully, gently, thick paper)

We are excited to support students as they grow in confidence and creativity as young writers this term!

Numeracy

This term in Numeracy, our students will engage in a range of meaningful and hands-on learning experiences designed to build strong mathematical foundations and confidence in their abilities.

One of our key focuses will be on developing number sense through the Open Learning Program. This whole-school initiative supports students in deepening their understanding of numbers, with a particular emphasis on place value—how numbers are built, ordered, and used in everyday situations. The program allows students to work in flexible, ability-based groups, ensuring they receive targeted teaching and support at the level most appropriate to their learning needs. This approach encourages steady progress and helps students achieve key numeracy milestones at their own pace.

We will also be exploring the four mathematical operations:

• Revising and consolidating knowledge of addition and subtraction,
• Introducing and building confidence with multiplication and division.

Through a combination of explicit instruction, engaging activities, and real-life applications, students will develop a deeper understanding of how these operations work and how to apply them in a variety of contexts.

Another area of focus will be Location and Transformation. In this unit, students will investigate concepts such as position, direction, movement, and mapping. They will learn how to describe and interpret movement and location using everyday language and simple grid maps.

Throughout all Numeracy lessons, students will be supported with the use of hands-on materials, clear and structured teaching, and opportunities for problem-solving and reasoning. Our aim is to foster a positive attitude towards mathematics and help every student develop the skills and confidence they need to succeed.

We look forward to a term full of growth, exploration, and achievement in Mathematics!

Inquiry

This term in Inquiry, Year 1/2 students will explore how different objects move and what affects their movement. They’ll investigate how the size and shape of objects—like balls, blocks, and tubes—can influence whether they roll, bounce, or slide. Students will compare similar objects of different sizes, such as tennis balls, marbles, and basketballs, to observe how they move differently.

Through hands-on activities, students will experiment with how varying strengths of pushes and pulls can change an object’s motion. We’ll also explore toys from different cultures that rely on push and pull forces, helping students see how science connects to everyday life.

Specialist Subjects & Wellbeing Programs

Each week, students will take part in Art, Physical Education, S.T.E.M., and Auslan (LOTE) lessons, which will also be integrated into their regular classroom learning.

To support their social and emotional development, we will continue using the Play Is The Way (PITW) and Respectful Relationships programs. These programs will help students:

• Develop a strong sense of identity as learners
• Explore and understand their emotions
• Engage in fun and challenging activities that encourage teamwork and problem-solving
• Learn how to turn values into positive actions in everyday life

These lessons will help students build confidence, resilience, and strong social skills throughout the year.

Be sure to read our Year 1/2 term newsletter for the latest news, upcoming events, and important dates. This term, we’re excited to capture and celebrate your child’s learning journey through regular updates. Thank you for your ongoing support—it plays a vital role in your child’s success. If you have any questions or would like to connect, we’re always happy to hear from you. Please feel free to contact your classroom teacher.

Thank you,

From the 1/2 team