CURRICULUM

The Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS) documents form the basis of the school's curriculum programs. Whilst a wide variety of additional resources, materials and texts are used by teachers, the school's curriculum structure and focus is based on the VELS documents.

The VELS include standards at six levels which span the stages of learning:

Years Prep to Year 4	Years 5 to 8	Years 9 and 10
Laying the Foundations	Building breadth and depth	Developing pathways

The curriculum has three interwoven purposes to equip students with capacities to:

• manage self and relations with others
• understand the world; and
• act effectively

To achieve these purposes, the curriculum is organised into three core inter-related strands. Each strand has a number of subject domains which describe the essential knowledge, skills and behaviours students need to prepare for further education, work and life.

Strand	Domain
Physical, Personal and Social Learning	Health and Physical Education Personal Learning Interpersonal Development Civics and Citizenship
Discipline-based Learning	The Arts English and Language (LOTE) The Humanities Mathematics Science
Interdisciplinary Learning	Communication Design, Creativity and Technology Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Thinking

Each of the Standards is organised into levels which describe significant stages in student development. With the exception of Level 1, which covers the Prep year, each other level spans two years of schooling.

Year level	Prep	1	2	3	4	5	6
VELS level	1	2		3		4

Curriculum programs are provided through a mix of classroom and specialist teaching, and strongly supported by a well-equipped school library, visual art and music centres and extensive resources and equipment.

We believe that all students can and will learn and grow by:

• Becoming motivated, inquiring and independent learners
• Achieving mastery of the curriculum, particularly in literacy and numeracy
• Enhancing decision-making, problem solving and critical thinking skills
• Learning to show tolerance, respect and consideration

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STUDENT LEADERSHIP AND WELLBEING

Overview

The school endeavours to provide challenging opportunities to enable students to develop interpersonal skills, leadership and teamwork. Within a supportive environment, the school encourages individual development and recognises achievement.

Student wellbeing is a priority at this school. We endeavour to:

• ensure that all students feel safe and secure within the school environment;
• provide an environment in which all students feel confident to seek support;
• teach social skills to enable students to be accepted, resilient, valued, make friends and solve interpersonal problems effectively;
• provide a challenging curriculum in a climate that fosters students' wellbeing and self esteem; and
• provide a clearly understood, accessible and consistent student wellbeing structure.

House System

• encourages the development of self-esteem, self-discipline, co-operation, leadership, loyalty and pride through membership of a school house; and
• encourages students to identify with those of different age levels and interests through the sharing of common activities and goals.

Student Council

Each semester a representative and deputy are elected from each Year 3 - 6 class to participate in the Student Council. Student Council meetings are held monthly at lunchtime in the music room. Student Council gives all students a voice in school organisation activities and decision making and provides important leadership opportunities.

Code of Conduct

The Canterbury Primary School Student Code of Conduct is linked to our school values of Care and Respect, Responsibility, Integrity, Commitment & Enjoyment.

The Code of Conduct:

• encourages students to develop self-discipline and a sense of self worth, to respect the rights and feelings of others and to take responsibility for their own actions;
• ensures that all students feel safe, secure and confident to seek support within the school environment;
• teaches social skills to enable students to be accepted, resilient, valued, make friends and effectively solve interpersonal problems; and
• provides students, staff and parents with a clearly understood, accessible and consistent student wellbeing structure along with an established set of principles for dealing with unacceptable behaviour.

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SPECIALIST PROGRAMS

Music

A full time specialist music teacher provides regular sessions for all classes. The program provides a variety of aural, visual and movement activities with opportunities given for creating, rehearsing and performing music. Students have access to a varied and exciting range of tuned and non-tuned instruments which are used throughout the program. Students have access to a varied and exciting range of tuned and non-tuned instruments which are used throughout the program.

Students learn to use instruments with confidence and skill in their accompaniment and creative activities. The school has two choirs which rehearse during school hours. The school also has an orchestra which rehearses before school on a weekly basis and performs to a wide variety of audiences.

An after school music program for which additional tuition fees are payable is offered in guitar, recorder, keyboard and other instruments as required.

Visual Art

A full time specialist Visual Art teacher provides regular sessions for all classes. The essential components of the Visual Art program are:

• creating and making
• exploring and responding

The seven main areas of the Visual Art program are: painting, drawing, clay modelling, print making, threads and textiles, construction and collage (with a balance provided between two and three dimensional activities). These areas are taken individually or combined with the students working at a level appropriate to their needs. An art club operates once a week for students from Years 3 - 6. One term of art club is offered to students who excel in specific aspects of art. There is open art room one lunch time each week as well as one open session during class time.

Physical Education

Two specialist Physical Education teachers provide regular sessions for all students. In addition to normal P.E. lessons the school offers the following programs.

Bike-Education
The Bike Education program, conducted over ten weeks, is offered at Year 5. This course covers practical riding skills, road laws and bike mechanics. Students participate in on-road activities as part of the program.

Platoon P.E.
Class teachers present a skill-based program designed by and reinforcing the work of the physical education teacher.

Sport
Sport is taken from Years 3 - 6. Years 3 and 4 concentrate on the skills aspects of several sports (cricket, netball, T-ball, softball, etc.) while in Years 5 and 6 the skills are applied in these major games.

Inter-school Sport
Year 6 students participate in District inter-school sport.

Athletics
Years 3 - 6 students participate in athletics sports in Term 3.

Sport Electives
Year 6 students are offered a sport electives program which provides the opportunity to try sports which are not normally offered as part of the regular curriculum. These include such sports as Squash, Badminton, Water Polo, Golf and Ice Skating.

Swimming
Year 3 students participate in a 10 week swimming program which covers stroke development, water safety and survival skills.

Water Familiarisation
Prep, Year 1 and Year 2 students are offered a water familiarisation program in December.

Library

A full time specialist Teacher Librarian provides regular sessions for all classes which develop library skills, promote literature and enable students to borrow resources. The Library is used extensively for research purposes by classes and groups of students.

The Library program aims to introduce students to a wide variety of literature and to promote reading as a worthwhile leisure activity. A developmental program of library skills, basic research and study skills is taught in co-operation with class teachers. Students become increasingly confident and independent users of reference materials including the use of Learning Technologies for research activities.

The Library contains a comprehensive collection of fiction and non-fiction books, audio-visual materials including CD-ROMs and teacher reference material. There are networked computers for student instruction in the use of the internet for research purposes.

Italian

A full time specialist Italian teacher provides regular sessions for all classes. Each class has one hour of Italian per week.

The Italian program is designed to develop an awareness and appreciation of the Italian culture and language. The program exposes the students at all levels to the language, culture and people of Italy and their contributions to Australian society. It provides students with opportunities to use the language in meaningful and culturally appropriate situations and comprises the four language skills: listening, speaking, reading and, to a lesser extent writing. Oral work is encouraged in chants, poems, role-plays, dialogues and mini plays. Where possible, Italian is integrated with other curriculum areas.

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BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

Performing Arts

An Arts Festival and Production are held in alternate years. The Arts Festival involves all students in the school while the Production involves students from the Senior Unit. Both feature an extensive program of Drama, Music, Dance and Visual Art.

Camps and Excursions

Students in Years 4, 5 and 6 attend a three day school camp. The camping program teaches students to explore new environments, improve socialisation skills with teachers and peers and apply skills already learnt at school.

Excursions are linked to classroom programs and activities. The excursion program takes students out of the school and into the community where appropriate, and also brings significant guests and performances into the school. Excursions are planned to coincide with and enhance the curriculum. Excursions motivate students to participate in and gain from a variety of learning experiences.

Homework

Homework complements and reinforces classroom learning, fosters good lifelong learning and study habits, and provides an opportunity for students to be responsible for their own learning. Homework expectations vary according to the age and level of the student.

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CLASSROOM PROGRAMS

Teachers at each year level jointly plan activities using the Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS) and support material to cater for a wide range of abilities, developmental levels and learning styles. They work closely together, sharing skills and ideas to ensure that classes at their particular level are provided with appropriate and challenging programs and activities. In planning their programs, teachers take account of the individual learning needs and styles of each student in their class.

Of 25 hours class time per week, students work with their classroom teacher for about 20 hours. The classroom program includes studies in the following subject domains:

English

• Writing
• Reading
• Speaking and Listening

Mathematics

• Number
• Measurement, Chance and Data
• Space
• Working Mathematically
• Structure

Integrated Studies

Integrated Studies incorporates all other VELS domains and is taught on a thematic basis throughout the school. This approach emphasises the development of observation, research, recording and presentation skills. Integrated Studies are also enriched through many English and Mathematics activities.

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)

Students have access to a wide range of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). All classrooms are equipped with computers and printers and have internet access. Students have regular access to the computer laboratory, where new skills and software are introduced and taught. All students must have a current ICT Code of Conduct in order to gain access to the school's network and computer equipment.

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