Literacy

At Eastbourne Primary School, our teaching and learning practices are grounded in the science of learning, with a strong focus on the science of reading. We use evidence-based, explicit instruction to ensure every student develops strong foundational literacy skills.

All students from Foundation to Year 2 participate in InitiaLit, a comprehensive, systematic synthetic phonics program designed to teach reading and spelling in a structured and cumulative way. Teachers across these year levels are fully trained in the InitiaLit approach to ensure consistent and high-quality instruction.

To support ongoing growth and identify students who may require additional help, we use DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) for regular benchmarking and progress monitoring. This data allows us to make informed decisions about teaching, intervention, and student goal setting.

Students who require additional support receive targeted intervention through the MiniLit program, a small-group evidence-based intervention designed to reinforce essential reading skills.

In Years 3 to 6, students continue to develop their reading, spelling, and language knowledge through Spelling Mastery, a structured, explicit, and cumulative program that builds on earlier phonics and word study skills to strengthen spelling accuracy and vocabulary development.

Students at Eastbourne also develop their writing through explicit instruction, teacher modelling, and engagement with quality literature. They are supported to write with purpose – to persuade, inform, and entertain – and engage in regular one-to-one conferences with teachers to set goals and receive feedback.

We are proud of our strong literacy outcomes, including outstanding NAPLAN results. In 2023, our Year 3 students performed above both similar schools and the state average in reading, writing, grammar, and punctuation.

Speaking and Listening is also a key focus area. All Foundation students are screened for speech and language needs, and those requiring support access our Speech Pathology Assistance Program. This program has led to significant improvements in both student learning and self-esteem.

Each classroom has a well-stocked class library for independent reading, including decodable books, picture storybooks, novels, magazines, graphic novels, and nonfiction texts. Our take-home reading program is supported by a wide range of decodable texts to promote daily reading practice and foster a lifelong love of reading.