Prep Learning Community 

At Newtown Primary School we firmly believe in ensuring that we set up our students for the best start possible to their schooling years. We do this by ensuring all students learning within environments that are calm and orderly and that foster a love of learning.

Each day starts with a morning Literacy block where we teach a minimum of 10 hours of English per week. Days often begin with independent reading (15 minutes across the whole school) to create a love of literature in which students will read a ‘just right text’. 

Our Prep students bring a ‘take home book’ home with them on a daily basis to reinforce reading strategies taught in the classroom which may link directly to Cued-articulation and or a phonics approach that see our students immersed in a scheduled letter/sound program.

Students engage in fluid reading groups where they work in groups at ‘point of need’ which are differentiated to individual students. Students move to different groups when they are ready for the next skill in their learning.

Students are exposed to a variety of genres in writing and are encouraged to be creative and passionate about what they write. There is a strong emphasis on digraphs and letter blends to assist with spelling as well as developing sentence fluency.

Within our Numeracy block, we teach a minimum of 5 hours of Mathematics per week. Lessons are again at ‘point of need’ for all students are hands-on, connected to real-world experiences and where possible relate to real life. 

Additionally, students are involved in investigations with Mathematics lessons to test their thinking and skill application knowledge. 

Being the little people that they are, there is a large focus on supporting all foundation students to learn how to communicate, negotiate in a respectful manner and to socialise with peers. This includes how to resolve minor conflicts when outside also. We facilitate a Year 6 Buddy program in which foundation students are paired with a year 6 students who supports the social skill development of our students. 

Emotional regulation is a key learning for the whole school curriculum. A model selected for helping children learn and experience emotional regulation is The Zones of Regulation, which we practice in all year levels and do extensive work around. 

Each term we have a new theme for integrated studies which seeks to support student understanding of other core curriculum areas such as Science, Geography, History and others. As an example of what is covered; 

Science:

• Students can experience the joy of scientific discovery and nurture their natural curiosity about the world around them.

Intercultural Understanding:

• Students learn to value their own cultures, languages and beliefs, and those of others.
• Students learn about diverse cultures in ways that recognise commonalities and differences, create connections with others and cultivate mutual respect.

Design and Technology:

Students will have the opportunity to create designed solutions at least once in each of the following technologies contexts:

• Engineering principles and systems
• Food and fibre production
• Food specialisations
• Materials and technologies specialisations.