| V.E.L.S. | |
| Library | Music and Instrumental Program |
| Visual Arts | German |
| Health and Physical Education | Chess |
The Victorian Essential Learning Standards provide a new approach to organising the curriculum in schools.
The Standards identify what is important for students to achieve at different stages of their schooling, set standards for those achievements and provide a clear basis for reporting to parents and for planning programs.
This curriculum approach directly addresses:
The well stocked library includes fictional and non-fictional books, reference material, computerised catalogue and CD-Rom provision. Classes attend the Library with their teacher for one lesson each week.
In class lessons topics such as the use of the computer catalogue, author and illustrator studies and structure and format of books are undertaken. Every year relevant categories of the Children’s Book Council Book of the Year short-listed books are studied.
Premier’s Reading Challenge
The Reading Challenge has become an annual event. It involves all children from Prep to Year 9. The aim is to promote a love of reading. It is not a competition, but a challenge to each student.
Reading is a way of relaxing, and a way of learning about people, places and ideas. No matter your age or reading skills, there is always something more to be discovered by reading.
For students in Prep, Year 1 and Year 2, the challenge is to read or ‘experience’ 30 books. For Year 3 to 9 students it is to read 15 books. To participate in the event, parents complete and sign a consent form for their children to participate in this annual challenge. Once the children are registered they receive their username and password. From here you register the books and read.
Music and Instrumental Program
Instrumental and Vocal music provides students with many choices which can be pursued. These are targeted for appropriate ages, and children indicate their preferences at the beginning of each year. Choir is offered for Year 1/2, 3/4, 5/6 & Year 6 Chamber Choir. We also offer Marimba for Years 4, 5 & 6. The only costs involved are the tuition books and bus money for Choir members when performances are given in the local community.
Private Instrumental Tuition is arranged on a user pays basis and places are taken up at the beginning of the year. The visiting instrumental teachers are selected, not only because of their skills and qualifications, but also their ability to relate well to young children. We offer—violin, viola, cello, flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, drumming, guitar, piano and group keyboard. Private and shared (2 students) lessons are given on a weekly basis. The school Concert Band, Contemporary Band and String Ensembles comprise of students learning an instrument both in and out of school who are at an appropriate standard.
Parent Communication is highly valued and any of the instrumental teachers are available for discussion of a child’s progress or to answer queries but an appointment needs to be made.
A Parent Music Support Group is a vital link for the success of any music program. Please contact the music room if you have an interest in the music program and this group.
The Visual Arts program enables all children from Prep to Year 6 to participate in artistic experiences that foster individual creativity as they explore expressive, creative and communicative forms that reflect their own ideas and the world around them.
The program is organised into 2 dimensions, creating and making and exploring and responding. The creating and making component of making art work involves the children using their imagination and experimentation of materials in open-ended or teacher originated activities applying art elements, skills and techniques, equipment and technologies to complete original and interesting art works.
The exploring and responding component encourages children at all levels to respond to their own art work and art works of those around them. The children are encouraged to participate in discussions about the content, techniques and materials used in artworks, using arts language and to think about where these artworks fit into our history.
The infant grades participate in art lessons of fifty minutes duration each week and Year 3 to Year 6 have a 100 minute double lesson every fortnight.
Our new art room provides a warm, inviting space that encourages an atmosphere of personal satisfaction artistically while working with and appreciating the achievements of their peers.
The children’s work is displayed around the school and each child is encouraged to keep their work in an art book which is sent home at the end of the school year.
German is taught throughout the school at each year level. The school provides a LOTE German room equipped with a Television and computer with CD ROM to facilitate learning.
Classroom themes are incorporated into the German sessions at the junior levels. Children are encouraged to listen carefully and speak in German. As children progress to the senior grades, a greater emphasis is placed on developing their skills in reading and writing. Listening, understanding and speaking continue to be skills of great importance in senior years. An awareness of German culture and that of other German speaking countries forms an integral part of the program at all levels.
The program is enhanced by the inclusion of special activities in and out of the classroom. This year, Year 5 students enjoyed an interschool excursion to the puppet show ‘The 3 Little Pigs’. The opportunity to mix with other student learning German and attend a performance conducted in German is a valuable learning experience. The German Poetry Competition is coming up and we hope to have some keen Year 5 or Year 6 children competing again this year.
Parents and friends are warmly welcomed to support the program by becoming involved in activities, helping on special event days and in resource development.
Health & Physical Education at Essex Heights includes fitness, skills, movement, athletics, aquatics, modified games and sport. The Domain is underpinned by the School’s Health Wellbeing priority including a unique social competencies framework. The physical Education domain is a part of the Physical, Personal and Social Learning strand.
The program provides sequential fundamental and gross skill development, enhancing participation in games, and an understanding of ‘sport’ in its broadest sense. Confidence, success, social relationships and the development of self through programmed activity, underlie the far reaching benefits of Physical Education. The Health & Physical Education program will enhance each student’s opportunities to pursue life long interest in physical activity. As children progress from the fundamental skills the aim is to enable children to learn enough about sports in terms of rules and skills in order to join an outside school team either socially or competitively.
Aims of the program for students
Develop a love of physical activity through positive experiences and enjoyment with peers and sport educators
Encourage all students to be involved in lifelong physical activity, beneficial to the quality of their lives
Actively involve students in a varied and balanced program with Fundamental Motor Skills acquisition as the priority for juniors, enhanced by performing arts, athletics, movement and object control, games, and aquatics
Sport specific skill and game play development for middle to upper primary to prepare students for Interschool sport.
Maintain and extend appropriate levels of fitness, enhancing wellbeing
Develop social and personal skills leading to improved self esteem and social competence through playing games and interacting in small and whole groups.
Chess is an important part of our curriculum at Essex Heights Primary School. It is a game which enhances concentration, perseverance, creativity, critical thinking and problem solving skills. We cater for a wide range of abilities and age groups with our After School Club, Master Class, Junior & Intermediate Extension and Year 3 Coaching. Essex Heights Primary School has been the Victorian Champions for the last 10 years.
Last update: 11/11/2009