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 about how students are progressing in their phonics development. Phonics is the relationship between letters and sounds and is a vital foundation 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 (PAT R and PAT M). Year 1 will be completing PAT M only. This assessment is 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.
Home-School Communication
A valued element of school life is the presence of regular communication between home and school. All staff at Henley Beach are committed to ensuring parents and caregivers have the opportunity to discuss their child's learning progress. Teachers can be contacted at any time throughout the term, or alternatively, your child's teacher may also contact you if they have any areas that they wish to talk with you about. In light of COVID-19 guidelines, a level of flexibility with the format of these catch ups is necessary (eg. a telephone call) which can be negotiated between yourself and your child's teacher. If you would like to speak with your child's teacher, please contact them via email, Seesaw or calling the front office.
2022 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 2022), 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 2021 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
Donna Nitschke, our school’s Student Wellbeing Leader, will be retiring at the end of this year. Donna has filled this role for the past 2 years and has been a very important support person for our students, families and staff. A process will commence shortly for filling this position and once it has been finalised, the outcome will be shared with the school community.
COVID-19 Update
Please be aware that the current expectations and guidelines remain in place.
