Curriculum

Off to a Great Start! 

All classes begin each year with a two week program on establishing a positive learning culture with consistent expectations across the school. The Off to a Great Start! program focuses on developing shared values, attitudes, skills and community goals that will prepare the class and school for success. All learning activities are designed to develop the theme. Home-school links are an integral part of this process which is continually reinforced and revisited.

Teaching and learning

All teachers use the Australian Curriculum to plan, teach, assess and report in:

• English
• Mathematics
• Science
• Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS): Geography, History, Civics and Citizenship Years 3-6, Economics and Business Years 5-6
• The Arts: Drama, Dance, Music, Visual Arts, Media Arts
• Technologies: Digital Technologies, Design and Technologies
• Health and Physical Education (PE)
• Languages: Auslan

We currently have specialist teachers in PE/gymnastics, Science, Performing Arts and Auslan.

All teachers use the South Australian Teaching for Effective Learning framework (TfEL) to ensure teaching methodologies incorporate the most recent evidence and understandings about learning and teaching that maximise student engagement and achievement.

Learning support

Our highly skilled and experienced SSOs (school services officers) work 1 to 1 with students who have an identified learning disability. They also run our literacy and numeracy intervention programs to support children with specific learning needs. We have a teacher to support students for whom English is an additional language or dialect (EALD) and an Aboriginal Education teacher to support our indigenous students. We also provide a range of programs to support individual and group wellbeing.

Extra-curricula activities

Performing Arts
Students have the opportunity to participate in the Festival of Music choir, a school based music education program. Students perform at the Adelaide Festival Theatre, usually in September each year.

Sport
We have netball and soccer teams where students have the opportunity to play in out of school hours competitions, SAPSASA and knockout events. We also have a gymnastics team which competes each year in the Gymnastics SA Schools Challenge. The focus of all physical activities is enjoyment, participation, teamwork and the building of self-esteem and confidence.

Children’s University
Managed by the University of Adelaide, Children’s University provides high quality, voluntary educational experiences for children aged between 7 and 14 years out of school hours. Children choose which activities they would like to participate in and collect stamps in their Passport to Learning as they go. They are rewarded for their participation with certificates presented at formal ceremonies held in high profile locations, such as Bonython Hall at the University of Adelaide. Children graduate in caps and gowns just like the adults do and celebrate their achievements with friends, family and teachers.

There is a registration fee involved payable to Children’s University. More information can be found by contacting the school coordinator.