Foundation 2026

WELCOME TO YOUR FOUNDATION DIGITAL NOTICEBOARD

Welcome to the WPPS Online Foundation year level digital notice boards. These websites will be used for Term outlines, parent reminders and class-related matters. All forms requiring payment will only be issued via Compass.

You may contact us at the following email address:

Kathryn Skantzos kathryn.mananis@education.vic.gov.au

Term 1 Overview

Scan QR Code or use the link here to stay up to date with Foundation

Hello Foundation Families!

A warm welcome to Term 1, particularly those families that are new to Wattle Park Primary School. This term is an exciting start to your child's school life at Wattle Park and we look forward to sharing this journey with you.

We are currently in the process of establishing important classroom routines and enjoying getting to know your child's individual strengths, interests and needs. The major emphasis of our program in Term 1 is to provide the children with a variety of activities and opportunities to develop the attitudes and skills necessary to make a smooth transition into school and to learn various school and classroom routines and expectations. It is also about meeting new people and starting to learn to be independent.

Play-based learning forms a big part of the Foundation Year, particularly in Term 1. It is during this time that students get to know each other and explore their new environment. It is also the time for developing their skills of cooperation, negotiation and communication. At first, it may not seem very different from Kindergarten, but please keep in mind that the first few weeks of school are a transition period for the students and an opportunity for us to get to know their different personalities.

For the first four Wednesdays of February, the Foundation students are not required at school unless they have their Foundation Entry Assessment. We use these initial assessments and observations to identify and make informed decisions regarding the needs and starting points of learning for each child. Each child begins their Foundation year with varied knowledge, skills and experiences, and we aim to teach to their point of need.

I hope you find the following information about the upcoming term helpful to you. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact me. I look forward to working collaboratively with you to make school a positive and enriching experience for your child.

Kathy Skantzos

Morning Routine

When the music at 8.50am is played, this is time for students to come into the classroom, put away their bags, change readers and hand in any notices. Parents may also wish to take the opportunity to briefly pass on information to their child's teacher during this time.

Late Arrivals & Absences

If your child is absent, we require you to log this absence on Compass. In addition to this, any student arriving after 9.00am or leaving the school before 3.30pm requires a late/early leaver's pass. This is to be completed at the office and presented to the classroom teacher. Students must be collected by an adult if leaving the school.

Classroom Materials

We would greatly appreciate it if your family could please donate a box of tissues and a bottle of hand wash to share with the students in your child’s class.

Hats

As part of our SunSmart Policy, students are required to wear their school hats until the end of April. "Remember in September; Put it away in May"

EXTRA ITEMS FOR SCHOOL BAG:

Students MUST have a broad-brimmed hat in Term 1. Please make sure that you pack spare underwear, socks or other uniform items for those little accidents. Place these items in a plastic bag in your child's school bag.

Nude Food

All students are encouraged to bring 'Nude Food' lunches. A Nude Food lunch has no foil, glad wrap or any other packaging. Please unwrap and throw any rubbish out at home to help us significantly reduce the amount of rubbish scattered throughout our school.

What's Happening In The Classroom

English

This term Foundation students will consolidate their alphabet knowledge and develop their understanding that texts are made up of words and groups of words that make meaning. The children will be involved in reading sessions that focus on developing their ability to use various strategies to help them become a skilled reader. Small guided reading focus groups will be introduced as part of the Foundation reading program. During this time the students will have the opportunity to discuss unknown words, be introduced to strategies to help improve their reading and be involved in discussions about the books they have read.

The Foundation students will continue to complete writing tasks aligned with our Spelling program. They will continue to learn the difference between a letter, word, and sentence with the appropriate punctuation needed to create a sentence. As the children become more confident they will begin to take risks in their writing and be willing to 'have a go' before asking for assistance. Students will be encouraged to apply letter/sound relationships and sound out unknown words. Correct letter formation, pencil grip, and posture will continue to be a focus.

Our approach to literacy is grounded in explicit, systematic instruction of essential skills, including word reading, spelling, oral fluency, handwriting, and syntax. Drawing on the latest evidence-based practices, we will use a variety of texts to model comprehension, explicitly teach vocabulary, and continue building students’ background knowledge across subject areas.

Spelling

Students will be introduced to the SOUNDS WRITE spelling program. This is a structured synthetic phonics approach, which is based on the science of reading. Students will complete a variety of multisensory, code-orientated activities on a daily basis to provide for a sequential method of learning.

Our daily Sounds-Write phonics lessons are designed to strengthen students’ reading and spelling skills. As they progress through the year levels, students will continue to apply, develop, and refine these foundational literacy skills in increasingly complex ways.

Through the Sounds-Write program, students gain essential conceptual knowledge, including:

Letters are symbols (spellings) that represent sounds.
A single sound can be represented by one, two, three, or four letters.
The same sound can be spelled in multiple ways (one sound – different spellings).
A single spelling can represent more than one sound (one spelling – different sounds).

In addition, students build on key phonemic awareness skills:

Blending – combining individual sounds to read words.
Segmenting – breaking words into their individual sounds.
Phoneme Manipulation – adding, deleting, or changing sounds within words.

These skills form the foundation for confident, accurate reading and spelling as students continue their literacy journey.

How to support your child at home:

reading daily with your child
continue to encourage your child to write for authentic purposes. They can write

cards, shopping lists, invitations, labels, and recounts of special events.

support your child to write by assisting them with sounding out the words, rather than

spelling the words for them

encourage them to draw pictures and then label the picture and/or write about what hey have drawn
model writing practice. Ensure your child sees you writing for particular purposes to

show them that there is a need to learn how to write

talking about stories that happen in your own family's life. Telling stories orally helps to support the structure of stories in written form
encourage their fine motor development by providing opportunities to complete threading, colouring in, play-doh, craft, and cut and paste activities.

Mathematics

During Mathematic sessions, students will have opportunities to learn through 'hands-on' activities and to develop links between everyday language and mathematical concepts. We will use a range of concrete materials including counters, unifix cubes, dice and other collections of objects, and develop their understandings through various number rhymes, songs and stories. Term 1 will have a large focus on counting and building a strong number sense for the numbers to ten and beyond. We will also be exploring patterns, informal measurement, data collection, simple 2D shapes and initial understandings surrounding time (e.g. yesterday, today, tomorrow and the days of the week). We will provide opportunities for students to share their mathematical understandings. This will assist them in expanding their mathematical vocabulary, reasoning and problem-solving strategies.

Integrated Studies

Our integrated studies unit this term 'All About Me' will help us to get to know the children and for them to get to know their school, teachers and classmates. Students will learn school routines and classroom norms and expectations, and there will be a strong focus on the school's values. Students will learn how to stay safe and how and when to seek help in their classroom, school and the community. There will be visits from representatives from the local Police Service, Responsible Pets and Fire education programs.

Interwoven within our 'All About Me' unit, the students will participate in science lessons that focus on the biological science strand. The children will be learning the basic needs of all living things, and that humans have five senses, which are used to explore and respond to their environment and surroundings.