Curriculum and Learning
This week all year 1 students will undertake a Phonics Screening Check (PSC). The phonics screening check is an assessment tool that will provide information around how students are progressing in their phonics development. Phonics is the relationship between letters and sounds and is vital in learning to read. There are 40 words in the PSC which includes a mixture of real words and invented words. Children who can decode the invented words should have the skills to decode any other unfamiliar words using similar patterns of consonants and vowels. Teachers will be conducting the assessment with their class and following the test will spend time analysing their students’ data to develop interventions where needed.
Another testing program that will be undertaken from next week will involve yrs 2-7 students completing a reading and mathematics assessment and year 1 students completing a maths assessment (PAT R and PAT M). These assessments are completed online and teachers will have immediate access to student achievement. The information gained from these assessments will enable teachers to identify areas of strength and development at both an individual and class level.
If you have any queries regarding your child’s achievement in these assessments please speak to their class teacher.
Year 7 to high school
2021 will be a very unique year for our school when we will be fare-welling both our yr 6 and 7 students at the end of the year. Our upper primary staff have commenced planning for next year and over the coming weeks will be meeting with next year’s grade 6 and 7 students to get their thoughts on how they can be supported to have a successful year. As a part of this process there will be an opportunity for families of these students to give feedback on how we can work together to ensure they have a positive and rewarding final year at Henley Beach.
A partnership initiative aimed at strengthening the transition of students to high school has involved upper primary teachers from our school and Henley High School facilitating classroom observations. This is a valuable opportunity for the participating teachers to build an understanding of each other’s context with a view to identifying strategies to help with the transition of students at the end of their primary years.
2021 Planning
Future enrolments are an important factor that helps inform the school’s class and staffing arrangements. In order to support our planning for next year, for families of Reception students (starting in 2021), if you have not already contacted the school regarding your child’s enrolment, could you please do so as soon as possible. Alternatively, we require families to inform us if their child will be leaving Henley Beach at the end of 2020 as soon as possible. This information helps us plan our class structures for next year. Also, if you know of families who are considering enrolling their children at Henley Beach, please encourage them to contact the school.
Staffing News
Lucinda Mann, current reception teacher, will commence her maternity leave at the end of next week and we wish her all the best. Nikol Vikov, who currently teaches in this class one day a week, will be taking on this position full time.
A valued part of our school’s staffing is the presence of a Student Wellbeing Leader. This role has a strong focus on supporting student engagement and wellbeing. Department for Education funding for this position is in place for the next 2 years which has enabled the school to recently advertise this job. Appointing a person for this period of time (2021 and 2022) will ensure continuity of the work that is undertaken within the school community. The successful applicant will be known early next term.
School Sport
It has been great to hear about and see our students participating in school basketball and football sporting competitions this term; a special mention to our footballers who braved a very chilly day on the weekend to play their games! I would also like to acknowledge the incredible level of support provided by families through parents taking on coaching roles along with other family members cheering on the players. The success of school sport relies on this support and I encourage families to help out where possible. For term 4, students have the opportunity to play in a cricket competition. Further details about this will be sent out via skoolbag, including a nomination form.
2020 Parent/Caregiver Survey
In the coming weeks the Department for Education will be providing information to schools regarding the 2020 parent/caregiver survey. The survey will be able to be completed via an online link (this will be provided to families via Skoolbag it becomes available for distribution). Please take the time to complete the survey as the information provides an important part of our school improvement processes and will help inform future priorities.
ICT resourcing update
The school’s ICT support person has conducted an audit of the school’s current number of student devices (laptops and ipads) and teacher teams have also submitted information relating to their class needs for the future. This information will be used to inform our planning with a view to purchasing additional resources for students to use in their learning.
