Year 1/2

LITERACY

This year we are implementing the new Victorian Curriculum program Phonics Plus. This will run for the first hour each morning and will replace the Sound Waves program used last year. During this time, students will work in separate Grade 1 and Grade 2 groups (outside of their usual classroom) to ensure instruction is targeted to their learning needs.

Within our literacy lessons this term, students will focus on developing their understanding of stories by exploring characters, their actions and emotions, and the importance of positive friendships. Students will learn to describe characters, identify and sequence key events, and make connections to their own experiences.

In Writing, students will begin with recount writing, learning to retell events in order and develop their understanding of sentence structure, including the use of verbs and other key language features.

NUMERACY

We are looking forward to an exciting year of learning in Numeracy. This term, students will explore data by learning how to collect, organise, and interpret information. We will also focus on building strong place value understanding, including recognising the value of digits, representing numbers in different ways, and developing confidence with larger numbers. Towards the end of the term, students will begin exploring addition and subtraction strategies.

This year, our whole-school Open Learning program will no longer run. Instead, number skills and problem-solving will be embedded within daily classroom Numeracy lessons to ensure consistent and purposeful learning.

CORE KNOWLEDGE

This term, our Core Knowledge focus combines History and Geography, exploring local places and how they change over time. Students will learn about natural, managed, and constructed features, how places are cared for, and why people are connected to them. They will also explore how weather, seasons, and First Nations perspectives shape and care for Country. This unit supports students in developing a strong sense of place and responsibility for their environment.

SUPPORTING LEARNING AT HOME

To support your child’s learning at home, we encourage students to read each night for approximately 15–20 minutes. This may include independent reading, shared reading, or being read to. Talking about the book together—such as discussing the characters, key events, and the main message—helps strengthen comprehension and deepen understanding.

For Numeracy, families can support learning through everyday activities such as counting objects, recognising numbers in the environment, handling money, or measuring ingredients while cooking. These real-life experiences help reinforce number skills in meaningful ways.

SPECIALISTS

1/2B: Monday: STEM, Tuesday: Auslan, Wednesday: Art, Thursday: PE

1/2E: Tuesday: STEM, Auslan, Wednesday: Art, Thursday: PE

1/2K: Tuesday: PE, STEM, Wednesday: Art, Thursday: Auslan

PARENT HELPERS

If you are interested and available to help out in our learning environment, you are more than welcome to do so—we would love to have volunteer helpers!

Please send us a message on Seesaw to get in touch.

All volunteers are required to hold a current Working with Children Check.

1/2 TEAM

Teachers:

Elise Bradley 1/2E

Rachel Kent/ Kimberly Feher 1/2K

Mia Burridge 1/2B

Education Support staff:

Alley Cook

Charlotte Semple

Mukta Sharma

Sarah Petterson

Suzette Kauffeld

IMPORTANT DATES

28th January: First day of school
9th February: Hawthorn Football Club visit
10th February: History box incursion
17th February: School Photos
3rd March: Welcome BBQ
9th March: Labour Day
27th March: Easter Canteen
1st April: Colour run
2nd April: Hot cross bun, Easter raffle and last day of term.
3rd April: Good Friday
5th April: Easter