Literacy, Numeracy
& Key Life Skills
At SKYLAS Academic Programs and Tuition, we are dedicated to providing a holistic and enriching learning experience for children aged 3 to 5 years. Our qualified primary school and early childhood facilitators deliver our evidence-based programs that are designed to align with the NSW Education Syllabus for K‑2.
GO TO...
literacy
Our program focuses on literacy development with multi-sensory approach.
The Big 6 of Reading
Literacy
The science of reading is at the core of our evidence-based literacy approach.
There are many levels of teaching literacy skills correctly for all children, and especially in the early years.
SKYLAS ensures we cover all these areas with fun and explicit teaching methods, as we set children up on the right path to success in reading, writing and spelling.
With the correct approach in place, children will be decoding accurately without the need to use pictures to guess the words in a book.
Oral Language
–
includes all early years interactions a child encounters. The rich oral language from listening and talking amongst adults and peers provides the underlying foundation for all literacy development.
Phonological Awareness
–
is a broad term that refers to the ability to focus on the explicit sounds (phonemes) of speech as opposed to it’s meaning, and it has a number of different levels of components (rhymes, onset and rime, syllable, phonemes).
Phonics
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once children understand that words can be broken up into a series of sounds (phonemes), they need to hear the relationship between those sounds and letters being the system that the English language uses to map sounds onto paper.
Vocabulary
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is a key component of reading for meaning. If children know the meaning of a word, they are far more likely to be able to read it and make sense of it within a sentence.
Fluency
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is the pivotal point in reading development - that point where all the skills of learning to read are in place and occurring without over attention, so that energy can be focused on determining the meaning of the text.
Comprehension
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requires engagement with the text at a deep level, with adequate understanding of vocabulary and relevant background knowledge, these skills go far beyond simple word recognition.
Numeracy
We also dive deep into numeracy development
with a multi-sensory approach.
A MULTI-SENSORY APPROACH
NUMERACY
Building true number sense is central to our numeracy program.
Through hands-on, play-based learning, children aged 3 to 5 develop a deep understanding of numbers 1 to 20.
We focus on essential concepts including:
One-to-one correspondence (matching numbers to objects)
Number sequencing (knowing what comes before and after)
Subitising (recognising quantities without counting)
Patterns (spotting and creating logical sequences)
Tally marks (recording and organising information)
Part-part-whole relationships (understanding how numbers break down into smaller parts)
These foundational skills prepare children to confidently explore addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division before they start Kindergarten.
Number Sense
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concepts to promote flexible and critical thinking about numbers and how to use them.
Counting
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The ability to count numbers forward, backwards, from any number, skip counting and subsidising
Number Facts
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Application of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division
Math Vocabulary
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Comprehension of the terminology used in the classroom to ensure correct application when problem-solving
Calculation Techniques
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understanding of the procedures used to carry out math problems accurately, flexibly, and efficiency
WHAT OUR PARENTS SAY
Faith
Our Catholic Religion program helps young children develop a strong foundation in the Church’s teachings. Through the power of God’s Word, we nurture their understanding of faith, self-worth, and the beauty of their bodies as God’s creation.
We integrate Theology of the Body, teaching children the importance of caring for themselves through faith, healthy nutrition, and physical well-being. By combining spiritual lessons with movement and balance activities, we empower children to live out their Catholic faith with strength and joy.
If you prefer your child to participate in an alternate literacy or numeracy program during religion lessons, please let our team know, and we will accommodate your request with respect.
Fitness
At SKYLAS, we focus on Fundamental Movement Skills required for children entering into primary schooling.
These skills provide a foundation for more complex activities and skills your child will encounter in kindergarten.
Skills such as running, jumping, galloping, sliding, hopping, skipping, and leaping. Children also experience ball work such as catching, dribbling, kicking, striking with a bat, overarm and underarm throwing.
Throughout the year the children will have the opportunity to incorporate these skills into our literacy and numeracy obstacle courses and activities for practice.
TRANSITION TO
PRIMARY SCHOOL
As children approach the age of 5 years and prepare for primary education, our program is aimed to ensure a smooth and positive shift between our classroom and Kindergarten.
The learning outcomes at SKYLAS Academic Programs and Tuition are aligned with the NSW Education Syllabus. Our dedicated facilitators and the engaging learning environment we provide allow us to nurture the academic potential of each child’s abilities and we lay the groundwork for a lifelong love of learning.
What time does your school readiness program start and finish?
9:00am – 9:30am is our drop off window, filled with revision table activities to enhance learning.
9:30am – 12:00pm We start our day with Oral Language discussions, Zones of Regulations and then our solid Literacy Block.
12:00pm – 1:00pm Lunch, Catholic Faith Session and Fundamental Fitness skills and S.T.E.M activities.
1:00pm – 2:30pm Numeracy Block to complete our day.
2:30pm Pick-up time.
Are your SKYLAS programs and practices evidence-based or approved for early years?
Evidence-based instruction (EBI) involves classroom methods consistent with the most reliable scientific evidence instead of personal preferences, traditions, social media trends, or other external factors. EBI consists of practices that are consistently linked to positive learning results.
Our learning programs at SKYLAS are all based on EBI with a strong focus on the ‘science of reading’. We also ensure all learning is suitable for early years with a hands-on approach to activities, as per the recommended approach which aligns to the current Kindergarten curriculum for which we are preparing the children.
What are the minimum recommended days for my child to attend?
3-4 Years – minimum 1-2 days per week, depending on your child’s learning mode.
4-5 Years – minimum 2 days per week.
Is the 3-4years program different to the 4-5yrs program?
Yes! Our 3-4 years Possum’s group is the initial step to our program. Building a strong foundation of the basic school readiness skills in literacy, numeracy, fine-motor and independence which are extremely helpful for children to thrive and advance their skills in our 4-5 years Kangaroo’s group.
Is SKYLAS a childcare service?
We are a private tuition service, rather than a childcare service. CCB isn’t applicable.
Is there flexibility to assist children with orientation and settling in?
We ensure every child settles in at their own pace. We have a parent waiting room where you can visibly view your child’s learning whilst they know you are close by.
Or alternatively if your child is better engaged with you in the classroom, we invite you to join in on the learning tasks so your child can feel comfortable.
What does the Faith program involve?
God is at the centre of all our learning. The children are reminded of our Catholic Faith during daily prayer and faith discussions and teaching during lunchtime. We explore stories of the Bible and practise our daily acts of kindness towards our family, friends and school community.
How do I know if my child is ready to start at SKYLAS?
Good indicators to assist with your decision is starting at SKYLAS are when your child is independent in toileting and no longer requiring a day sleep every day. (If your child does still have a day sleep, then a shorter day is recommended to meet their needs).
We also provide a pre-assesment session which can assist with understanding their academic abilities and learning mode.
GET IN TOUCH
Do you have any questions about our services and programs? Or would you like to discuss the enrolment process? We invite you to get in touch.
