English

English continues to be a focus at Craigie Heights PS. The focus is Writing and Reading, with plans to further engage students in a range of meaningful and purposeful writing experiences, with staff participating in professional learning around the writing process; differentiating teaching and teaching text structures. Reading and Writing Literacy Specialists have been appointed to work alongside classroom teachers and education assistants. Students who are not meeting their potential will be targeted in a small group case-management approach in Years 2-6.

Teaching in the early years reflects explicit teaching of phonological and phonemic awareness skills to Kindergarten and pre-primary students and oral language skills to strengthen the development of foundation literacy skills. The implementation of an uninterrupted Literacy Block, analysis of students’ reading in Pre-Primary to Year 2 and Guided Reading sessions in all Pre-Primary to Year 6 classes has ensured teaching programmes reflect best practice in Literacy teaching.

The full implementation of the Australian Curriculum English was consolidated by teachers formally reporting against the Australian Curriculum in Semester 1 & 2 ‘Reporting to Parents’. All of the recommendations outlined by the School’s 2013 Annual Report, Business Plan 2013- 2015 and English Operational Plan were addressed in 2014 with a consistent approach across the school in Planning, Teaching and Assessment. Craigie Heights PS teaching staff along with teachers from the wider district attended professional learning in Australian Curriculum implementation for English facilitated by our teachers throughout the year.