We love hearing about how teachers and schools are building on our units and linking them to their local contexts. Thank you to Lysterfield Primary School in Victoria, who reached out to share the story of Sandy, Australia’s very own war horse. Sandy was the only horse out of 136 000 horses sent to WW1 to return home to Australia.  Not only did Lysterfield PS students read and enjoy War Horse, they then connected with the Sandy the War Horse Committee and visited a statue of Sandy in nearby Wodonga. They even had a visit from Ross, the president of the Committee, dressed in military regalia and sitting astride his faithful horse, Jasper. We’re pleased that you and your students found the War Horse unit so engaging and that it led to learning more about Australia’s history.

SpringMath is coming to Australia and New Zealand! Ochre Education has entered an exclusive agreement with SpringMath Accelerate to be the provider of SpringMath, a complete, patented mathematics MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Support) solution, in Australia and New Zealand. This partnership will provide F–12 educators with access to SpringMath's proven combination of universal screening, targeted classwide intervention, progress monitoring and individual intervention to close persistent maths gaps. The SpringMath approach is based on 20 years of research led by Dr. Amanda VanDerHeyden. In randomised controlled trials, students using SpringMath are half as likely to fail mathematics assessments. Students in the United States and Canada reached skill mastery milestones over 1.4 million times during the 2025–26 school year. ‘Our partnership with SpringMath Accelerate brings together two evidence-based organisations with complementary strengths and a shared purpose: equipping teachers and school leaders across Australia with the tools to help students thrive in maths.’ – Caroline Reed and Reid Smith, Co-CEOs, Ochre Education – Impact Teaching Group SpringMath is designed to supplement core mathematics curriculum and can be used alongside the Ochre Tier 1 maths curriculum and other evidence-informed Tier 1 programs. Ochre's team of maths experts will deliver ongoing implementation support to schools and schooling systems. SpringMath will be offered to Australian schools progressively from the 2027 school year. Be the first to hear when SpringMath is available in your state or jurisdiction. Register your interest, together with information about your context and needs: ap1.hubs.ly/H01hzqF0 Join Dr Amanda VanDerHeyden and Dr Reid Smith in person in Melbourne for a half-day discussion. MTSS Structures in the Mathematics Classroom Friday 18 September, 9:00am – 12:30pm City of Melbourne Bowls Club Early bird $45 per ticket Book: ap1.hubs.ly/H01hzqG0 #MTSS #Maths #SchoolImprovement #springmath

What helps common assessments work across classes? Join Reid Smith, Co-CEO of Ochre Education, for a free webinar on developing and using common assessment tasks. Mon 11 May, 7:00–7:45 pm AEST Practical steps for whole-school consistency. Register: ap1.hubs.ly/y0PvS90

Is your secondary school’s ICSEA below 1000? You may be eligible for fully funded places in the Teach Well Secondary Maths & Science Masterclass Series plus a free year of Impact Assessment in 2026. Places are limited – apply now: ap1.hubs.ly/y0PCBf0