Our Teaching and Learning Program
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We are committed to providing
a high quality education for all children. Through an integrated curriculum
approach, the school follows and implements the recommendations of VELS, (the Victorian Department of Education's learning standards) and has a strong
focus on developing competencies and confidence in literacy and numeracy.
Policies and programs are consistent with recent educational research,
present government policies and relevant needs of its students. The school places great value on its long history; we celebrated 150 years of educational excellence in 2004. The
very positive student behaviour reflects the school's warm ethos, whereby
students display care, concern and consideration for themselves, others
and property. Each student is encouraged to strive for his/her best.
Quality in Schools Program
Heidelberg
Primary School participated in a two-year Quality
in Schools Program with Business Excellence Australia over 2001 and 2002. The program
has enhanced the school's capability to produce independent learners,
whose love of learning makes them learners for life. A team of five teachers attended workshops and seminars to study the underlying
principles and bring these back to the school to improve current practices
with the aim of enhancing the learning environment for all students.
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Start-Up Learning Program (Thinking
about learning and learning about thinking!)
Every class begins the year with an intensive program
called the 'Start-Up Learning Program'. It immerses
the students in a variety of activities that teach them how to learn. The program creates the right conditions for learning in every
class and ensures that all teachers and students are working towards the
same goals. The model is based on successful programs that have been
implemented at other Quality schools. The program covers four key areas: 1) Who
am I? 2) What are my strengths and skills? 3) How do I learn best? and 4) How do I interact
with others?
Students
are introduced to a variety of tools that help them work towards continuous
improvement. This puts into practice
the skills and strategies that the Quality Team learned and passed on to other teachers through their involvement in the Quality in Schools program. Students are also introduced to a thinking curriculum covering learning intelligences, understanding why, what and how we
learn at school, Edward de Bono's 'Thinking Hats' and strategies for thinking
about learning.
"You Can Do It"
: Program Achieve: All teachers have been trained in this
program. Its main purpose is to provide all children with the 'Foundations
of Achievement' and social/emotional well-being in school, work and the
world of tomorrow. At Heidelberg Primary School we believe that we
have the capacity to positively develop all children's potential regardless
of any negative influences from their background and/or peer culture through
teaching the four foundations of Organisation, Persistence, Confidence and Getting
Along, together with the eleven habits of mind that will encourage a positive
mindset for life. |
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Literacy
English language learning is an ongoing process.
Students learn through a range of meaningful purposes and contexts which
extend and enrich listening, oral language, reading, writing and thinking
abilities. Language learning involves students having access to a broad
range of text types, good models of language, frequent demonstrations
of linguistic structures and features, and the development of a range
of strategies for using language. Early Years of Literacy principles and
practices are implemented through a daily literacy block. Ongoing assessment
ensures that students progress steadily and confidently, working with texts
matched to their ability. All students have access to a wide range of texts
and borrowing from the school's library is strongly encouraged. All classroom
teaching incorporates frequent demonstrations of reading, writing, speaking
and listening. A Reading Recovery program operates for students in Grade
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Numeracy
Our teaching
reflects the fact that mathematics is an everyday activity. A range of learning
strategies are used, including whole school or level activities, co-operative
learning, individual and group tasks. In this way, number skills and
computational skills are reinforced throughout the day to ensure success
in mathematics learning. Grade 5 and 6 children have participated in external
mathematics competitions such as the University of
NSW Mathematics Competition, with great success. Family maths
nights have been a popular way of showing parents that the mathematics our
children are learning is meaningful. Prep to Grade 2 classes participate in an Early Years numeracy program. |
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Integrated Studies (Humanities)
Through an integrated curriculum, students complete units of work
that develop skills required to investigate, analyse, synthesize, interpret and communicate
information related to the various cultures that make up our society, the protection of our environment, and an understanding of their place in the world. Learning about the environment and contemporary societies
without prejudice or animosity prepares our children for a rapidly changing world. We encourage our students to participate effectively
in their society and to understand the nature of other cultures; this
automatically reflects the school's equal opportunity policy. |
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Science
With a specialist
science teacher we bring a strong focus to environmental and technological
issues. We have a dedicated science learning area and value this very important component of the curriculum.
Our Grade 3 to 6 students have achieved excellent results in the Australasian Schools
Science Competition for many years. |
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Technology and Computing
Computers
are a part of the experience of all children at Heidelberg Primary School. Each classroom has several eMac
computers allowing immediate access to the school's intranet, the world wide web, educational software and printing facilities. We also have a dedicated computer
room housing iMacs and a colour laser printer. Internet access gives us
the opportunity to communicate with schools across the world using email
and allows children to search the multitude of web sites which contain
educational information. |
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The Arts
Visual Arts and
Music are highly valued at Heidelberg Primary School. All students participate in a Visual Arts program designed to foster creativity and imagination
whereby children express their understanding
of the world. Performing arts is an integral part of early years teaching and learning and the younger students are always proud to perform at assemblies and school functions. Keyboard lessons are also offered to all year levels during school hours. Visits by
performing artists are regular highlights for the children. A school production is developed and performed in odd-numbered years, while dancing lessons culminating in a school community dance evening are provided in even-numbered years.
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Cultural Studies
Cultural Studies gives students the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the language, lifestyles and traditions of other cultures. For example, the Spanish, German, Japanese and Egyptian cultures have all been studied in detail. |
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Health and Physical Education
The school sets
out to encourage the enjoyment of physical activity and we participate
in a wide variety of team and individual inter-school sporting events.
A Perceptual Motor Program is run for Prep, Grade 1 and 2 students and all students participate in Physical Education each week. We are fortunate to have a heated indoor swimming pool, an extremely rare asset among government schools. All grades have access to the pool, where learn-to-swim
and water safety programs are conducted in a safe and caring environment
throughout the year. As a part of our program on health, we emphasize the student's
own worth, and their understanding of the worth of others; their dignity
and rights as individuals, and as members of groups. Students develop an understanding
of the use of food to provide nutrients for growth, energy, repair and
regulation of the body's physical functions. |
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Camps and excursions are a
thoroughly enjoyable and valuable component of the integrated curriculum. The camping program includes: |
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Prep: |
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Breakfast at school |
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Grades 1 & 2: |
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Sleep over at school (usually October) |
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Grades 3 & 4: |
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Beach camps in even-numbered years, bush camps in odd-numbered years. |
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Grades 5 & 6: |
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Shipwreck Coast (Warnambool) in even-numbered years, Canberra tour in odd-numbered years.
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Integration
Heidelberg Primary
School provides a stimulating learning environment for all children.
Each child is given as great an opportunity as possible to develop
their own potential. We aim to provide disabled children the opportunity
to associate with their non-disabled peers to their mutual advantage
by:
i) placing disabled
students in an appropriate grade level.
ii) providing support
to the class teacher and the student in the form of an integration aide.
iii) adapting existing
class programs to suit the needs of the student.
iv) providing for
social interaction between the student and his/her peers.
v) using other
educational services which will enhance the student's learning. |
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