Curriculum

Overview

Our Inquiry Units (see approaches to learning) provide rigorous learning experiences through the 8 areas of study: Maths, English, Society and Environment, Health and Physical Education, Science, Technology, The Arts and LOTE (Greek language)

Information and Communication technologies are embraced across the curriculum. Every class has an interactive whiteboard. Primary and Middle School classes have access to lap tops on a daily basis and all classes can access our computer suite of 30 standalone computers. The use of multi-media (eg: digital cameras) is incorporated into our Inquiry Units ensuring students are confident users of a range of tools to enhance their learning and methods of communicating.

Torrensville Primary is embracing the implementation of the Australian National Curriculum and have already started to incorporate the achievement standards for maths and science as part of our planning.

Literacy

Literacy is currently a whole school priority and we are developing whole school agreements around our teaching and learning practice. Research shows that consistent approaches to the teaching of literacy supports students learning. For example guided reading is a consistent approach Reception to year 7 and Jolly phonics a consistent program reception to year 3/4. We use the teaching and learning cycle to explicitly teach the functions of language and writing genres.

Two specialist teachers work along side teachers in the class room to ensure individual needs of students are accommodated. So you will often see two teachers in your child's class. We provide an early intervention program for Reception to Year 2 students (see approaches to learning).

Numeracy

Through the states ‘Maths for All project’ staff have had intense training in current teaching and learning practices in numeracy. Numeracy requires meaningful concepts for numeration and computation to provide:

Understanding of number

Fluent processes in numeration and computation including renaming, rounding, automatic access to basic facts and a range of algorithm for computation with larger numbers

A capacity to draw on these concepts and fluent processes to solve problems

Reasoning about the methods and solutions in problem solving.

We have a rigorous assessment process involving the PAT maths tests developed by the Australian Council of Educational research. This along with many other formative assessment processes and the NAPLAN test ensues we can clearly identify "What is Known”, “The gaps” and “What needs to be known.” As with literacy, explicit instruction is a central strategy to good teaching practices in numeracy. We also embrace learning tasks which are open enough to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate their understandings in a range of contexts.

Specialist Programs

Students engage in music and or performing arts once a week with a specialist teacher. We offer an instrumental music program through the Learning Through Music company on Thursdays; specialist teachers provide half hour lessons at a reasonable cost. Students learn Greek as their language other than English. Greek mother tongue is also offered.

As part of our Inquiry Units students are involved in alternative extra curricula / learning opportunities to ensure they are exposed to activities that can expand their experiences. For example specialists sports, wheel chair sports, archery, self defence, gardening, specialist CSIRO science programs cooking and coordination.