New to school
Information for new families
Choosing a school for your child is an important decision for your entire family. In this page we aim to provide you with everything you need to know to understand how we approach the first year of school, and to provide you with what you need to know to make an informed decision.
OUR APPROACH TO LEARNING
With our New Entrant and Year 1 students, we follow a play-based approach to learning that will develop the key competencies, which are:
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Thinking
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Relating to Others
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Using Language, Symbols and Texts
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Managing self
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Participating and Contributing
A classroom environment is created that caters to diverse interests and offers rich play opportunities. Teachers actively seek information about the children’s interests in their class and plan for Discovery Time to provoke or invite children to participate in further learning.
Knowing the developmental stages of the children and their interests is key to enable teachers to further enhance the development of each child. We use a balanced approach with guided reading, math groups and writing groups happening daily.
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THE FIRST YEAR
All children and parents meet with the Principal for an enrolment interview and introduction to the school. The children then have 2-3 visits with their classroom teacher before they start school. For our New Entrant classes, the focus is on developing these five domains before formal academic skills are introduced.
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Talking and Social skills
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Listening skills
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Looking skills
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Moving skills (PMP)
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Print knowledge
Perpetual Motor Programme
The Perceptual Motor Programme (PMP) is a programme of movement activity designed to operate during the first three years of formal schooling. It concentrates heavily on the development of perceptions and language through planned activities. By implementing the PMP programme, our school hopes to improve the following areas; balance, working memory spaces, eye tracking, fine and gross motor co-ordination and fitness. PMP aims to allow the children to practise these varying skills in a variety of fun, sequential movement activities. Expected outcomes include positive effects on the children’s learning development e.g. children will be able to sit still for longer periods, follow instructions; motor tasks will become automated and use a pencil with the correct grip.
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TRANSITIONING IN FROM OTHER PRIMARY SCHOOLS
As with new entrants, every child meets with the Principal for an enrolment interview and introduction to the school. We find that children settle very quickly into our school life.
Our curriculum is broad, including the core subjects (reading, writing, maths) and non-core subjects (science, technology, health, physical education, and the arts). Each term of the school year there is a major Concept focus throughout the school to ensure that our curriculum is balanced. We use an inquiry process where students pose questions they are wondering/curious about related to the current Concept, then use their research skills to investigate and find answers. Students can develop their passions and interests through cultural activities, sports, Education Outside of the classroom (EOTC).
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