It is lovely to see the arrival of some Spring weather on our return to school this term! Welcome back to one and all! Term 4 promises to be filled with many exciting opportunities for learning, celebration, and connection across our school community.

In the weeks ahead, students will be engaged in rich learning experiences as they consolidate their growth throughout the year. Teachers are continuing to plan collaboratively and use data to support each child’s individual needs, ensuring a strong finish to the academic year.

We are also looking forward to a number of important events that bring us together as a community, including our end-of-year celebrations, transition programs for 2026 classes, and the final assemblies and liturgies that help us reflect on the journey of 2025.

As always, I thank our families for your continued support and partnership. Your involvement in school life makes a real difference and helps to create a warm and welcoming environment for our students.

The Power of Reading at Home

At St Joseph’s, we know that one of the simplest yet most powerful ways you can support your child’s learning is through regular reading at home. Research consistently shows that while formal homework tasks in the primary years offer limited academic benefit, daily reading for pleasure has an enormous, lifelong impact.

A landmark study by Sullivan and Brown (2015), published in the British Educational Research Journal, found that reading for pleasure significantly improves progress in both vocabulary and mathematics between the ages of 10 and 16. Remarkably, the benefits of reading were found to be more influential than parental education and were not dependent on social background. Put simply: the single act of reading regularly has the power to transform a child’s learning more than many other factors outside school.

Key findings from this study include:

• Reading for pleasure is strongly linked to growth in vocabulary and mathematics.
  
  
• Its effect on learning is greater than having a highly educated parent.
  
  
• The benefits are cumulative – building over time and compounding year after year.
  
  
• Reading is a key form of cultural capital that helps close attainment gaps.
  
  

That’s why our Homework Policy , which has recently been revised and updated, places reading at the very centre of learning at home. We ask that all students engage in regular reading throughout the week:

• Prep - Year 2: 10–15 minutes per night
  
  
• Years 3 - 6: 15–30 minutes per night
  
  

It’s not just about the minutes spent on a task. Reading should be enjoyable and shared. This might look like reading aloud, listening to your child, sitting side-by-side during quiet reading, or talking about favourite characters and story twists. Everyday opportunities also count- reading recipes, instructions, news articles, or exploring digital texts together.

St Joseph's Wonthaggi Homework Policy

Reading Diaries -More Than Just a Log

Every student has a Reading Diary, and these are checked regularly by teachers. The diaries are not just a way to monitor minutes read — they provide valuable insight into a child’s reading habits, preferences, and progress. Teachers use them to:

• Track progress and ensure students are reading consistently.
  
  
• Notice patterns, such as favourite genres, increasing stamina, or areas where support may be needed.
  
  
• Celebrate effort by acknowledging and praising students who are engaging well with their reading.
  
  
• Guide classroom practice, tailoring book recommendations and strategies to suit each child’s needs.
  
  

Parents and carers also play an important role by writing brief comments, signing entries, or sharing observations about their child’s reading experience. This feedback helps teachers build a fuller picture of each student’s reading journey.

In this way, Reading Diaries become a three-way partnership between child, family, and school — helping us work together to nurture confident and motivated readers.

When schools and families work together, children thrive. By making reading a daily habit at home, you are giving your child not only an academic advantage but also the lifelong gift of curiosity, imagination, and joy.

Family Mass

We warmly invite all families to join us for Family Mass at St Joseph’s Church on Saturday, October 25 at 6:30 pm. Our school choir will be singing, making it a wonderful opportunity to come together as a school community to celebrate, pray, and enjoy the gift of music.

After Mass, you are welcome to stay for tea, coffee, and a snack, and we encourage you to bring a plate to share. It promises to be a lovely evening of friendship, connection, and community — we can’t wait to see you there!

Joanne Coldebella
Principal