A message from the Head of Primary School
I would like to thank all parents for their assistance in getting their children organised for swimming and surfing lessons this week. The students have thoroughly enjoyed the activities and I have been greeted by plenty of smiles and laughter at both the swimming and surfing venues. I recognise the organisational challenges that these events present for families so I would like to thank everyone for clearly labelling items, ensuring students come each day with the correct equipment, and most of all supporting their children to participate in these activities despite any nervousness and apprehension.
Over the next fortnight our regular classroom routines are significantly disrupted by the swimming and surfing lessons. I do encourage, where possible, that home routines stay the same. In particular around the area of reading. Last week I met with school leaders from both the Catholic and Government sectors and it was heartening to hear that all educational sectors are trying their best to give students the best possible start to their education through reading.
A point worth sharing that was highlighted to us, is the advantage cycle that develops with students who read often. Students who read a lot build a broad and deep vocabulary and this in turn allows them to understand what they're reading better. This understanding allows them to read more complicated and enjoyable books which increases their motivation. Obviously, the more motivated they are to read, the greater the number of books they read and this then increases their vocabulary. The cycle snowballs positively from there.
I do understand that for children who find reading challenging, the opportunity to grow their vocabulary and comprehension skills requires a great deal of effort but the growth cycle applies the same. The more they read, the more extensive their vocabulary becomes, which makes reading easier, which in turn assists them in reading more. Reading routines at home play a valuable part in this process.
This week I encourage all families to take a deeper look at the children's reading practices at home and the environment they're choosing to do their reading in. The least amount of distractions there are for the student, the easier it will be for them to concentrate and to immerse themselves in the story line of the book. Please remember that our teacher librarian Mrs Franz is always available if you are seeking new and exciting titles for your children to read.
The year has flown by and we are now organising the Junior School Orientation Morning where students will meet their 2025 teacher. Please see the separate article within this Bulletin which includes information for parents.
Mark Douglas
Head of Primary School
