Teaching & Learning

Victorian Curriculum

F-10 is the curriculum for Victorian schools. It incorporates the Australian Curriculum and reflects Victorian standards and priorities. The curriculum is accessed from the, whilst resources and supporting information is available here. Victorian Curriculum F-10 website

Program Planning

Teams of teachers meet weekly to collaboratively plan learning sequences for our students. To do this they use student assessment data to plan for learning experiences that meet the needs of the students in their next learning progression. Teacher’s plan using the High Impact Teaching Strategies ( https://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/teachingresources/practice/improve/Pages/hits.aspx#link52 ).

Le Page’s instructional model is designed to allow for consistent and collaborative instruction across all year levels. Our instructional model is primarily based on the Gradual Release of Responsibility. The Gradual Release Model is a best practice instructional model where teachers strategically transfer the responsibility in the learning process from the teacher to the students (Fisher & Frey, 2013).

Reading

Lessons are 50 minutes. The structure of the lesson is 10 – 15 minutes of explicit teaching, 20 – 30 minutes of independent work, and 5 – 10 minutes of reflective practice. Within explicit teaching there is modelled and shared reading. There is a focus on comprehension and reading strategies relevant to each year level. During independent work students may take part in reciprocal or guided reading sessions with a teacher, independent reading or complete activities linked to the Learning Intention for that week or day, all based on learning outcomes from the Victorian Curriculum.

Guided reading

Writing

Lessons are 50 minutes. The structure of the lesson is 10 – 15 minutes of explicit teaching, 20 – 30 minutes of independent work, and 5-10 minutes of reflective practice. We study writing in 5-week blocks focusing on one genre and text type at a time. Over the 5 weeks of Writing, we follow this process:

 

  • Week 1 Content Creation
  • Week 2 Writing Process
  • Week 3 Content Creation
  • Week 4 Writing Process
  • Week 5 Publish & Celebrate

 

Content Creation Week is when we pull apart the genre and text type studied, and explicitly teach the language features, structural elements, and linguistic devices specific to the text type.

Writing Process weeks are where the students have a go at putting the language features, structural elements, and devices that they have learnt about into their own piece of work.

Handwriting is a component of the Victorian Curriculum. Students at each year level complete guided handwriting tasks for approximately 30 minutes per week.

What are the steps of the writing process? | Thoughtful Learning K-12

Little Learners Love Literacy (LLLL)

Little Learners Love Literacy is a Systematic Synthetic Phonics (SSP) program that is taught in our Foundation, Year 1 and Year 2 classrooms. Our literacy instruction is very structured and teaches children the 44 letter sounds and how we blend sounds to read and spell. We have invested in new sets of decodable readers for our beginning readers. Children use decodable readers to practise the sound-spelling relationships and use the decoding skills taught in phonics lessons. Reading for enjoyment is essential for children. Teachers share rich, authentic texts daily to promote reading for pleasure. We challenge children to read for 15 minutes a day in class, and nightly reading is encouraged.

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SMART Spelling

In Years 3 to 6, Spelling is explicitly taught using the SMART spelling approach.

This approach is designed to support teachers in the explicit and systematic teaching of spelling. Spelling is taught through spelling patterns and regularity. It is based around whole words with an emphasis on meaning and vocabulary development. Spelling rules are taught in the context of words in a way that builds on learning from prior years. SMART is an acronym for the sequence teachers follow to teach words to students (Say, Meaning, Analyse, Remember, Teach). Every week our Year 3 to 6 students follow the same process;

  • Monday: explicit lesson of 20 minutes, students select their own words (6 words minimum)
  • Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday: word study for around 10 minutes duration
  • Friday: test spelling words and dictation

Smart Spelling Teaching Resources | TPT

Numeracy

Each class at Le Page will complete five Mathematics lessons per week. These lessons are 50 minutes in duration and follow a specific instructional model. There is also an additional 50 minutes of maths throughout the week, to total 300 minutes of maths learning for the week in each classroom.

Each class follows the schools maths instructional model which begins with a short tune-in focused activity followed by an explanation of the learning intention. Teachers will then lead their classes through the lesson with explicit teaching of relevant mathematical concepts as detailed by the Victorian Curriculum.

Learning activities are student focused and targeted at students learning needs using hands-on manipulatives, games and activities to support understanding.

A focus is on providing activities that are open ended and based on real-life experiences and are designed for both independent and small group work. After explicitly teaching the ideas, students have an opportunity to put their learning into practice to consolidate their understandings.

Lessons conclude with some reflective practice, where students reflect upon their learning throughout the lesson, share any misconceptions, and discuss how the learning intention was realised.

Using student assessment and teacher judgements, students are provided with targeted lessons and activities to develop their understanding and confidence in all areas of the Victorian Curriculum.

 

Science

Science lessons and units of study are planned by professional learning teams to meet the Science outcomes outlined in Victorian Curriculum. Each lesson is 50 minutes in duration and students will complete one session per week. A scope and sequence approach is practiced.

Science Resources For Primary School Teachers | ClickView

ICT

We have suites of laptops and desktops that are used for explicit technology learning and to compliment the teaching and learning in the classroom. Technology is integrated during all lessons and explicit skills are taught as outlined by the Victorian Curriculum.

Humanities

Humanities lessons are planned in teams to meet the outcomes outlined in the Victorian Curriculum. Each lesson is 50 minutes in duration and students will complete one session per week. Each term we rotate through the following Humanities domains-

  • History
  • Geography
  • Civics & Citizenship (Grade 3 – 6 only)
  • Business & Economics (Grade 5 – 6 only)
  • Humanities and Social Sciences : ESH360

Capabilities (Resilience Development)

Capabilities lessons are planned in teams to meet the outcomes outlined in the Victorian Curriculum. We align these outcomes with The Resilience Project and The Leader In Me programs we run at our school. Each lesson is 50 minutes in duration and students will complete one session per week. Each term we rotate through the following Capabilities domains-

  • Ethical Understanding
  • Social and Personal Understanding
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • What is SEL? - Casel Schoolguide

 

Social and Emotional Learning

Schools can play a pivotal role in providing students with the opportunity to gain greater social and emotional awareness and to practice interpersonal skills as they learn and grow. Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) can help students develop the understanding, strategies and skills that support a positive sense of self, promote respectful relationships and build student capacity to recognize and manage their own emotions and make responsible decisions.

Further, according to the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) quality teaching of SEL promotes student satisfaction, success and academic engagement, outcomes and achievement.

For more information, see Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL)

SEL can teach children and young people the competencies and skills they need to effectively manage their emotions, behaviour and relationships with others. The Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth notes that schools who ensure that SEL is part of their teaching and learning can give students the opportunity to build the resilience to deal with change and unpredictability, an essential skill for positive mental health.

For more information, see Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth

SEL can be taught explicitly in the classroom. To support schools in teaching these skills, a suite of teaching and learning activities developed as part of Building Resilience – A Model to Support Children and Young People are now available. CASEL identifies five broad headings under which SEL falls

  • Self-awareness
    identifying and recognizing emotions; recognizing personal interests and strengths; maintaining a well-grounded sense of self-confidence.
  • Self-management
    regulating emotions to handle stress, control impulses, and motivating oneself to persevere in overcoming obstacles, setting and monitoring progress toward the achievement of personal and academic goals; expressing emotions appropriately.
  • Social awareness
    being able to take the perspective of and empathize with others, recognizing and appreciating individual and group similarities and differences.
  • Relationship skills
    establishing and maintaining healthy and rewarding relationships based on cooperation and resistance to inappropriate social pressure, preventing, managing, and constructively resolving interpersonal conflict; seeking help when needed.
  • Responsible decision-making
    making decisions based on a consideration of all relevant factors, including applicable ethical standards, safety concerns, and social norms; the likely consequences of taking alternative courses of action; evaluation and reflection.

For more information see

Building Resilience A Model to Support Children and Young People

Building Resilience Social and Emotional Learning Activities

Queensland Department of Education and Training ‘Social and Emotional Learning’

CASEL‘ SEL Skills and Competencies’

Building resilience in children

 

Capabilities Curriculum Overview

Weeks Terms 1-4
1-2 7 Habits

Aligned to Ethical Understanding

3-6 Resilience Project

Aligned to Personal and Social Capabilities

7-8 Cultures of the World

Aligned to Intercultural Understanding

9-10 Problem Solving/STEM

Aligned to Critical and Creative Thinking)

Indigenous Perspectives 2023

By December 2023, we aim to include Indigenous perspectives into classrooms and school environment by the following: 

 

Addition of the Torres Strait Islander Flag  

 

Completion of a $200,000 inclusive garden of indigenous themes e.g. Bunjil sculpture, giant circular nest, native plants, totem poles

 

An Indigenous themed painting on the back wall near the garden. 

 

Acknowledgement of Country

Large stickers displayed throughout the school.

 

In addition to the standard Acknowledgment of Country at assemblies, a weekly personal acknowledgement is also shared 

 

Acknowledgement of Country at the start of each day in all classrooms – each grade creates their own personal acknowledgement 

 

Social Media

Post mindful and positive references to Indigenous Australia and its peoples on the school’s Facebook, website and newsletter 

 

Continue to feature Indigenous artworks in the newsletter under the Acknowledgement of Country statement 

 

Language Maps

Aboriginal Country/Australian Indigenous languages maps in classrooms displayed and referred to e.g. during circle time students share where they travelled and point out the traditional owners of such places… Teachers and Brooke. Brooke to check in with Officeworks for lamination of language maps. 

 

Continue to purchase Indigenous themed picture-story books and display, share and enjoy 

 

Garden

Create a Bush Tucker garden in Inclusive garden project

 

Indigenous Art

Update Indigenous art projects and displays e.g. student handprints (united/together themes) and student story-telling using Indigenous symbols Shelley has created Naidoc week (July 2 – July 9) and sorry day (May 26) activities and artwork.

 

Sorry Day May 26th

Activities and assembly – students share and reflect on pre-colonisation, the impact of contact, and the need for ongoing reconciliation (May 27 – June 3) in post-colonisation. Invite elders, aunties/uncles as guest speakers (link sent to staff – thanks Courtney) YABBA

 

NAIDOC Week

Activities to include Indigenous games in P.E.

 

Professional Learning Teams

Review Aboriginal Perspectives in the Vic. Curriculum, and plan and facilitate learning experiences with an emphasis on acknowledgement, empathy, understanding (making connections) and respect.

 

Foundation

Students about Reconciliation and Sorry Day and what it means to Australia and its history. Also have a NAIDOC Week Inquiry focus. Foundation has a range of Dreamings stories that will be read to the students throughout the year. Sorry Day and Reconciliation Day & NAIDOC week are highlights of the year and taught at an age appropriate level.

 

Year 1 and 2

A large number of indigenous texts are used throughout the year to support reading comprehension and language development and are used as opportunities to view others texts and views through an indigenous lens. Years 1/2 students also learn about the significance of Reconciliation and Sorry Day throughout the annual events.  

 

Year 3-6

Year 3 to 6 students embrace an inclusive approach to their inquiry and literacy studies each term by incorporating the history, culture, and contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Through engaging activities and resources, students gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for the world’s oldest living cultures. They explore Indigenous artworks, traditional stories, meaning of totems, and the range of Indigenous language groups in Australia while fostering a sense of connection to the land and its heritage. We make sure to include Indigenous texts in our literacy lessons to explore the history of Indigenous peoples. Throughout the year students are also introduced to important events like National Reconciliation Week, NAIDOC Week, and Sorry Day, where they learn about significant aspects of Aboriginal culture and history.

 

Year 3-6 Excursion – Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies.

The students will identify and connect with elements of Aboriginal cultures. Understand that each Aboriginal person has connection and identifies with their culture in their own way and holds responsibility for caring for the land through a totemic system. Explore ways of keeping ancient knowledge and tradition alive through a selection of activities including Tiddalik Stories, Ochre painting, Ngarra /Traditional Dance, Merri Merri Cultural Walk, and participating in Marngrook game. Discuss the role of students to embed the knowledge they have gained into their school activities

 

Cultural Studies F-6

Intercultural capability enables students to learn to value their own cultures, languages and beliefs, and those of others. Students learn about diverse cultures in ways that recognise commonalities and differences, create connections with others and cultivate mutual respect.

Auslan

Our Auslan program is run by Auslan Education Services. The program is delivered in video form and signed by a variety of Deaf and Hard of Hearing people. Each lesson is planned by a VIT registered teacher, 45 minutes long and is linked to the Victorian Curriculum. 

 

The students take part in one lesson a week, facilitated by the classroom teacher. Each lesson also has a Sign Reference sheet with the Signs from each lesson, drawn by Deaf Illustrators, that the students can take home and teach their families or practise with. 

 

This comprehensive and accessible Auslan Teaching Program is a step towards bridging the communication gap between Hearing and Deaf Australians and is specifically tailored for kindergartens, and school- setting age groups, Prep to Grade 6.

 

For more information please visit: https://auslaneducationservices.com/ 

 

 

Culture Studies

 

In Culture Studies lessons, students begin to understand what culture means around the world. Through a fun, interactive, engaging and very hands on program students really love learning about many different cultural practices around the world.

 

They are introduced to comparing and looking at the similarities and differences between their own culture and other cultures around the world. They come to understand that cultures are passed on through generations of families and communities through experiences and stories, that represent their values, beliefs and what is considered normal within their culture. Students begin to understand that different cultural groups can have different practices, such as the food they eat and how it is made, the language they speak, the clothes they wear, the music and arts they create and the religious traditions they observe.

 

By understanding different cultures around the world students develop an awareness and realise the importance of the need to be respectful of other people and their cultures and identify that we are all different, but we can all work together to be successful.

 

At Le Page when exploring a culture, student learning may include-

– Location on the world map and shape of country

– The flag and what the colours or symbols represent for that county

– How people live, where and how

– Language greetings

– Different foods that people eat

– Celebrations throughout the different cultures

– What people wear within different cultures

– Stories told that are passed down through generations

– Art, games, sports, music and entertainment

 

 

Visual Arts

In Visual Arts lessons, students are introduced to and learn how to create art through asking questions, planning, using their imagination, exploring, experimenting, learning new skills, different techniques, responding, presenting, and sharing their artwork creations. Students are encouraged to have fun, experiment, explore with hands on materials, unique styles that represent the individual student.

 

Our students develop skills through the seven areas of art-

  • drawing
  • painting
  • collage
  • printmaking
  • modelling
  • construction
  • threading
  • textiles

 

Through these skills students learn about visual art elements, such as colour, form, line, shape, space, and texture, which then explores the art principles of scale, proportion, unity, variety, rhythm, balance, volume and perspective.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Visual Arts
Foundation – Year 6

Term 1

Drawing

Painting

 

Term 2

Collage

Printmaking

 

Term 3

Modelling

Construction

 

Term 4

Threading

Textiles

Performing Arts

In the Victorian Curriculum, The Arts is a learning area that draws together related but distinct art forms. While these art forms have close relationships and are often used in interrelated ways, each involves different approaches to arts practices and critical and creative thinking that reflect distinct bodies of knowledge, understanding and skills. The curriculum examines past, current and emerging arts practices in each art form across a range of cultures and places. The Victorian Curriculum – The Arts comprises five subjects – Dance; Drama; Media Arts; Music; and Visual Arts (Visual Arts component is covered by Shelley Bradley)

Performing Arts
Foundation – Year 6

Term 1
Music
Drama
Media Arts
Assessment

Term 2
Drama
Dance
Assessment

Term 3
Dance
Assessment

Term 4
Music
Drama
Assessment

 

Physical Education

At Le Page Primary School, we have a strong focus on developing student confidence and competence. We do this through a wide variety of games and sports, with the intention of fostering a love for movement and activity, which in turn leads to positive health outcomes.

 

Students are encouraged and supported to develop their skills and knowledge in four key areas of games including-

  • Target games
  • Invasion games
  • Net and Wall games
  • Striking and Fielding

 

Other areas included throughout the PE program include-

  • Dance and movement
  • Bike education program
  • Swimming
  • Cross Country
  • Athletics

 

What are the objectives of the primary PE curriculum?

  • Social and personal development
  • Physical and motor development
  • Knowledge and understanding
  • Creative and aesthetic development
  • Development of health-related fitness
  • Development of safety

 

 

 

 

Health

Health Education focuses on topics and language designed to make sure students are healthy and safe at your school, and in the community.

The primary focus of our health program is to provide education in the Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships.

Respectful Relationships

Respectful Relationships education is a core component of the Victorian Curriculum from foundation to year 12. It is all about embedding a culture of respect and equality across the entire school community.

Topics include-

  1. Emotional Literacy
  2. Personal Strengths
  3. Positive Coping
  4. Problem Solving
  5. Stress Management
  6. Help Seeking
  7. Gender & Identity
  8. Positive Gender Relations

For more information you can visit the Department of Educations Victorian Curriculum Outline at https://www.vic.gov.au/respectful-relationships

 

Other programs within the health program include-

  • Drug education
  • Sexuality education
  • Traffic safety (Bike Education)
  • Health promotion
  • Hand hygiene
  • Swimming and water safety

 

 

 Green Team Garden Club

 

Our Green Team are a proactive group who are passionate and enthusiastic about the environment. Supported by Kelli Colvin and Anna Ottersbach, students plant, grow and harvest vegetables and herbs providing an engaging, hands-on, real life learning experience.

Our Chooks

In 2023 we welcomed four beautiful chickens. These ladies are well cared for by our students, including our Green Team.

Lunch Clubs

Lunch Clubs are Student led (Teacher Supervised) activity groups run at lunchtimes for students who wish to participate. They provide opportunities for students to practise different skills and demonstrate all the ways they have genius. Some of our lunchtime clubs include

Cooking club

Green Team, Garden club

Computer club

Footy tipping club

Library club

Robotics (through an external provider)

Coding (through an external provider)

Chess (through an external provider)

 

Pet Therapy Dog – Princess

Children working with therapy dogs experienced increased motivation for learning, resulting in improved outcomes.

Therapy dogs are being used to support children with social and emotional learning needs, which in turn can assist with literacy development.

Research into the effects of therapy dogs in schools is showing a range of benefits including the following –

  • increase in school attendance
  • gains in confidence
  • decreases in learner anxiety behaviours resulting in improved learning outcomes, such as increase in reading and writing levels.
  • positive changes towards learning and improved motivation
  • enhanced relationships with peers and teachers due to experiencing trust and unconditional love from a therapy dog. This in turn helps students learn how to express their feelings and enter into more trusting relationships
  • Princess our schools Therapy Dog currently attends school on Wednesday mornings.

Gould League’s Sustainability Excursion Centre

“Supporting schools to embed sustainability since 1909”

 

Gould League’s one-of-a-kind Sustainability Education Centre now resides within Le Page Primary (since 2016) and provides an immersive learning environment for students visiting on excursion.

The Centre’s engaging themed rooms include the following:

  • The Incredible Shrinking Machine – an amazing journey to the secret inside workings of a compost bin complemented by a sound and light show.
  • Wastelands – provides an interactive exploration through the world of natural resources, rubbish, littering and recycling.
  • 3R’s Room – features a modern mini-mart, an ‘Olde Worlde’ shop, e-waste display, recycling relay bins and more.
  • Worm Room – home to our working worm farms to sift through and explore!
  • Microscope Pit – for observing living things up close in real time with a TV Video Microscope.
  • Drama Room – where science and sustainability concepts come to life complete with an array of costumes and props.
  • Minibeast garden – perfect for observing and collecting urban biodiversity of the plant and invertebrate variety.
  • Plus some friendly resident Stick Insects!

Gould League equips teachers to integrate science, geography and sustainability into their curriculum, connects students with their natural world and empowers the community to live more sustainably.