Overview
PREP
Organisation
We have 4 Prep classes in 2009. The classes consist of between 17 -19 children. The students are usually taught in a team teaching environment; two teachers, two classes, sharing a large modern double classroom consisting of a small computer lab, separate bag room and wet area.
Philosophy
We believe that Preps is one of the most important years of a child’s schooling as we set the foundations on which the rest of your child’s education is built on.If a child leaves Prep:
- Feeling confident about themselves as learners
- Comfortable as important members of the school community
- Able to establish sound positive relationships with their peers
- Able to work independently and cooperatively in small groups or as a class
- Able to adjust to school routines
- And comfortable in the school environment
- Then we believe that they are well on the road to becoming successful learners.
Our aim is to ensure all Preps achieve these goals by providing a well-rounded program catering for the total child
- Physically
- Socially
- Emotionally
- and Educationally
YEAR 1 & 2
Organisation
The Junior School Year 1/2 classes in 2009 consist of 6 multi-age Year 1/2 classes.
Teachers plan together to
• provide programs which meet the needs of all students
• focus on students being actively engaged in activities they enjoy and learn from
• build knowledge and skills.
At Warranwood, each double room is well resourced with computers that are used by all students during Literacy blocks, Maths sessions and for research and communication.
Students visit specialist teachers for Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Japanese and Physical Education. Library sessions are taken in our large and well-resourced library by class teachers.
The first few weeks of the year focus on establishing relationships with and between students and teachers, ensuring our classrooms are supportive and well managed. Students participate in ‘getting to know you activities’ and discuss how they want to be treated. Often words like considered, fairly treated etc are listed. These words are then explored or ‘unpacked’, with detailed examples of what these types of behaviours entail and clearly modelled to students.
Swimming Program
Students participate in an intensive swimming program
Camping Program
All year levels in the Junior School participate in the camping program through Late Night Experiences.
Late Night Experience
The Preps have their Late Night during Book Week when students return to school in their pyjamas with their teddies and enjoy a performance group or storyteller before enjoying a cup of hot chocolate.
Years 1/2 have an evening which will follow a similar format. Students stay at school at 3.30pm and have afternoon tea before participating in organised outside games. Other activities are organised during the afternoon. In 2006 a Magician visited Year 1 and in 2007 Leigh Hobbs, the author of Old Tom books visited Year 2 and taught them how to draw his famous characters. Students then have pizza for dinner before being collected by their parents at 7.00pm.
Excursions are great fun and they are invaluable in demonstrating to the students how what they are learning about in the classroom is relevant to everyday life. The experiences they take away from excursions reinforce knowledge and open their minds to many previously unknown aspects of issues.
Star of the Week
Students are chosen to be their class Star of the Week and share their favourite possessions, photos, hobbies etc with the class. At the end of the week the class prepares a book or poster with messages to the Star of the Week which they take home and keep.
Principal’s Awards
These are presented to students at Monday morning assembly in front of the whole school community and recognise effort and achievement.
Citizen of the Month
One student from each year level is awarded a Citizen of the Month Award each month in recognition of personal qualities and achievements.
Junior School Council
Each class votes for their Student Representative Council member. These students attend meetings and discuss issues which relate to all students and often take on social service commitments and raise money both for the school and for charity.
Middle School -
Organisation
The middle school in 2009 consists of 6 year 3 / 4 classes.
Each class has approximately 24 students.
The 6 teachers work closely together as a team to plan an enriching program that challenges each individual student to reach their full potential.
Most classes are in a double classroom and teachers team teach in pairs to maximise the learning experiences for all children.
Each double classroom is well resourced with computers that are accessed by all students throughout the working day.
Students visit specialist teachers for visual arts, performing arts, Japanese and physical education.
Library sessions are taken by class teachers in our large and well resourced library.
In these years the curriculum focuses on developing the fundamental knowledge, skills and behaviours in literacy and numeracy and other areas including physical and social capacities which underpin all future learning.
Key characteristics of students at this level includes
• broadening their knowledge and interest in a range of disciplinary domains
• developing an awareness of common values
• embodying resilient attitudes to learning and social behaviour
• transforming ideas into objects and systems
• applying independent thinking strategies
• discriminating between the quality of information when forming opinions.
1. The learning environment is supportive and productive.
2. The learning environment promotes independence, interdependence and self-motivation.
3. Students’ needs, backgrounds, perspectives and interests are reflected in the learning program.
4. Students are challenged and supported to develop deep levels of thinking and application.
5. Assessment practices are an integral part of teaching and learning
6. Learning connects strongly with communities and practice beyond the classroom.
The first few weeks of the year focus on establishing relationships with and between students and teachers, ensuring our classrooms are supportive and well managed. Students participate in ‘getting to know you activities’ and discuss how they want to be treated. Often words like considered, fairly treated etc are listed. These words are then explored or ‘unpacked’, with detailed examples of what these types of behaviours entail and clearly modelled to students.
Middle School Programs :
• Camping Program: In 2009 the Middle School classes attended a 4 day camp in Beechworth.
• Swimming program all students learn swimming over an intensive five day program
• Excursion occurs each term related to the unit of work.
• Rotations. Middle school utilises the skills and expertise of individual teachers to teach a range of activities such as : sport, social skills, drama, art/ craft,
• Our HAWK program provides enriched educational opportunities for a range of highly achieving children.
• Environmental Program : Tree planting , recycling, worm farm, maintaining Warranwood Primary School wetlands.
• Student Representative Council
• Cross Age tutoring with level 2
• Level Productions which lead to evening performances at the Karralyka Theatre.
• Instrumental Music sessions with a range of instruments.
• Choir
• Taiko Drumming Group
• External enrichment programs offered eg. Gateways, Tournament of Mind
• Chess Club
Senior School -
ORGANISATION
There are 6 Year 5/6 classes that work closely together to plan a stimulating and exciting curriculum that caters for all students. most classes are in a double room using team teaching to enrich the learning experiences for all.
NEGOTIATED CURRICULUM
Senior School students take an active role in their learning through the Negotiated Curriculum approach. All students are asked about what they are interested in learning about and develop their own questions to be shared with the level. Students then vote on the topic they would like to study for that term and contribute to the context of their learning and how they will go about the tasks. this method as brought about the development of some exciting units of work including "Arts & Entertainment", "Space", "Ocean Environments", "Technology in the Future" and "Offences and Investigations - Forensic Science".
LEADERSHIP
Year 6 students are offered the opportunity for many leadership roles. We have two school Captains and two Vice School Captains,as well as six House captains for each of the four Houses, Wonga, Wellington, Eden and Yarra. The leadership group are responsible for running lunchtime games with the younger students and organising the House swimming and Athletics sports.
ELECTIVES
The Senior School students take part in an elective program once a week. this program is designed to teach students new skills and give them a chance to experience activities that are often outside the usual curriculum. recent elective groups have included mosaics, claymation, movie making, cooking, yoga, aerobics, peer coaching, drawing and drama.
WAKAKIRRI
Every second year one of the electives offered is Wakakirri- The National Story Dance competition. Students can choose to be performers, costume designers and creators or prop makers. The story line, dance routines, costumes and props are all developed by the students. This year our story was about triumphing over adversary. Children worked hard and successfully made it to the Victorian State Final. Warranwood Primary School came second in Victoria only missing out by a small margin. We were also awarded best public speaking and most creative use of "tap".
Camping Program -
PREP
The Prep students attend the Tony Bones performance during Book Week each year. The students come to school at 5.45pm in their pyjamas, watch the performance, have a teddy bear disco and then for supper have milo and a biscuit that they have decorated during the day. They go home at 7.45pm.
YEAR 1
In November the Year 1 students stay at school for a “late” experience. They play tabloid sports after school and enjoy a pizza dinner before going home.
YEAR 2
The Year 2 students stay after school after school and play games. They have tea at the school and go home after 7.00 pm
YEAR 3/4
The Year 3/4 students attend different camps each year, providing a variety of experiences. Students take part in a wide range of adventure activities inclduing a camp in Beechworth, which links the camping experience to the study of Australia’s history at the goldfields. In 2008 our Year 3/4 students stayed at an adventure camp at Bacchus Marsh.
YEAR 5/6
The Year 5/6 students follow a two year cycle of alternative camp venues. Odd years the students travel to Canberra in August/September to link their studies of Government to real life experiences in the nations capital.
In even years the students participate in an activity based camp at Campaspe Downs in Kyneton in March. Students take part in activities such as canoeing, archery, flying fox, bike riding and many sporting pursuits. The camps are a wonderful opportunity for new friendships to be made.
VISUAL ARTS
The school has a spacious fully equipped art room for the students to produce wonderfully creative pieces. Students are timetabled for Art sessions fortnightly on a rotating roster with Performing Arts. During Art sessions children are introduced to various forms of design techniques and are encouraged and guided to produce their own works of art.
Some of the topics students are introduced to are: cartooning, ceramics, drawing, jeweler, mask making, mosaic, pastil, painting, puppet making, sculpting, textiles and the list goes on.
Preforming Arts -
Performing Arts is comprised of music, dance and drama. The children spend lesson time on each of these disciplines. All children have a chance to participate in a concert performance each year. Junior School and Preps perform at school and the Middle and Senior School students stage a production at a local theatre. Our Senior School students also participate in Wakakirri every second year as part of an electives program.
INSTRUMENTAL LESSONS
The school has a comprehensive range private instrumental lessons; piano, group keyboard, guitar, violin, flute, saxophone and drums.
Lessons can be arranged during class time, break times or before or after school. The school also runs a music hire program so parents can access reasonably priced instruments for their children.
Welfare -
We believe that to make Warranwood Primary School a better place in which to work and play is the responsibility of teachers, parents, children and the general school community. We all want it to be a place where people can feel secure and be successful.
A Welfare Committee was formed with the purpose of providing a happy, safe, supportive environment, which meets the needs of individual children throughout their primary school experience. It works towards forming a partnership between children, teachers and parents based on mutual respect. It clearly defines commonly agreed rules which protect our rights and remind us of our responsibilities.
The school implements a variety of structures and programs to promote student wellbeing such as:
- A Whole School Approach to Welfare
- Distribution of “We Care At Warranwood” booklet
- Ongoing Professional Development for teachers
- Ongoing commitment to School Policy
- Development of Whole School approach to behaviour management both inside and outside the classroom.
- Classroom Support Programs through outside agencies
- Parenting Programs organised through outside agencies
- Monitoring of external facilities and playground equipment
- Sunsmart Policy and Program
- Social Skills Program at each level of the school
- Recognition of Excellence e.g. Citizen of the Month, Principal Awards, Personal Achievement Awards, Canteen Awards.
- Peer Mediation
- Buddy System operating between Years 5/6 and Preps
- Cross Age Tutoring – Year 4 with Year 2 and Year 3 with Year 1
- Student Representative Council (Junior Prep -2) (Senior 3-6)
- Leadership Program for Senior School (Years 5/6)
- House Captains running activities outside at lunchtime
Language Other Than English - Japanese
Learning Japanese at Warranwood offers students the opportunity to develop skills, confidence and the enjoyment of speaking, reading, writing and listening to Japanese by exploring cultural aspects of Japan and its people. Students are provided with learning experiences that are child centered and in the target language as much as possible. Learning Japanese offers students the opportunity to:
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broaden their awareness of the international community
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understand how language works as a system
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gain direct insight into another culture and how this influences the language
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improve their general knowledge
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take advantage of the range of post-school options where Japanese can be used
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50min LOTE lessons from Prep – Yr 6 with a specialist teacher
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A full time Japanese Assistant Teacher
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‘Warrior Daiko’ - a taiko (Japanese drum) group
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Video Conferencing sessions with Japan
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OzJapan email friends club
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Origami Club
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Japanese vocabulary related to the Integrated Topic studied in the classroom
- Access to Interactive Whiteboard
Sport Program -
All classes from Prep to Year 6 have a weekly 50 minute PE session with a specialist teacher. To supplement this program classroom teachers timetable further PE sessions within their weekly programs. All sessions are based around the development of the Fundamental Motor Skills (FMS) of catching, throwing, kicking, dodging, leaping and jumping, striking, running and ball bounce. These skills are introduced and developed in a sequential order throughout the year levels. The program culminates with Level 4 students taking part in Interschool Sport. Sport and other major games conducted within the school allow students to display their Fine Motor Skills, they promote good sporting behaviour and students can develop game strategies.
It is important for all students to develop Fine Motor Skills so, as young adults they will be skilled to take part in a huge array of sporting and leisure activities.
While we place emphasis upon all children taking part and having an equal chance to improve we do encourage and support more able students by giving them the opportunity to take part in individual sporting trials conducted by the Victorian Primary Schools Sporting Association (VPSSA).
A House system operates within the school. Students in Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 all take part in annual Swimming Sports, a Cross-Country event and Athletic Sports. Each carnival has a house focus with every child, regardless of their ability, earning points towards their house. The carnivals are based around the VPSSA models. Students then have the chance to represent the school at District, Zone, Regional and State level.
INTERSCHOOL SPORT
Warranwood Primary School participates in the Ringwood District Sports Association inter-school competition. Students are encouraged to learn skills of major games and co-operate in a team, in Summer and Winter. Sports include netball, football, soccer, cricket, basketball, softball, bat-tennis and volleyball. Successful teams in their division have the opportunity to extend themselves in the wider metropolitan finals that determine the State Champions.
Swimming and camping programs are run at various levels throughout the school. Many other health related topics, including drug education, sex education, leadership, cross-age tutoring, peer mediation, bike education, diet and healthy lifestyle are conducted within classroom programs.
Extra Programs -
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC
Warranwood offers music lessons during school hours in the following instruments. lessons run for between 20 - 30 minutes and can be individual or group sessions depending on the instrument.
PIANO - Helen Simon - Wednesdays
Elaine Neely - Mon/Tues.Wed/Thurs
KEYBOARD - Diana Matthews - Mondays
GUITAR/ BASS GUITAR/DRUMS - Garry Hayes - Mondays
Instruments are available for hire at very reasonable rates.
Obtain an enrolment form at the school office.
PADDY'S MARKET
Each year Warranwood conducts a student run market to raise money for a target project. Senior school students organise stalls including goal kicking, nail painting, sponge tossing and donut eating. Other levels hold stalls such as second hand toys, lollies, books and show bags.
The market gives the students the opportunity to plan, organise, price and run their particular stall.
The session is full of colour, fun and enterprise providing valuable funds for the school and wonderful learning experiences for the students.
