Primary Years

Our Primary program aims to provide a safe, fun and caring environment where children are encouraged to develop independence and a feeling of belonging to school. A priority for our College is the development of literacy and numeracy skills.

A daily classroom program includes:

• Dedicated 2 hour Literacy block including lessons in reading and writing that are targeted to individual student’s needs.
• Dedicated 1 hour Numeracy block, including specific lessons based on number, measurement, geometry and statistics and probability that are also targeted to individual student’s needs.

Other features of our Primary program include:

• An opportunity for all students to develop skills and knowledge in geography, history, thinking processes, design, creativity & technology, social and emotional learning and civics & citizenship as outlined in the Victorian Curriculum.
• Art lessons where students develop creativity while working with a variety of materials.
• Physical Education lessons where students develop co-ordination skills, game sense and the importance of living a healthy lifestyle.
• STEM lessons where students combine Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths to solve problems.
• Digital Technology – IPads, interactive whiteboards, computers, digital and video cameras and a range of software and web-based applications are used extensively to support learning in a variety of classroom activities and during designated
• ICT lessons.
• Science lessons where students perform experiments in a Science Laboratory and develop scientific literacy and inquiry skills in a variety of areas (Biological, Chemical, Physical & Earth and Space).
• Sport where students in grades 1 to 6 learn a variety of skills and rules of different sports, both team and individual based.
• PMP (Perceptual Motor Program) where students in Prep/Foundation develop motor skills while completing a variety of different physical activities.
• Excursions and Incursions – at least 2 excursions and 2 incursions are planned per year to give hands-on experiences and build a wider knowledge of the topics studied.
• Mad on Music Program is offered to students (extra charge) to provide opportunities to learn keyboard, guitar or singing.
• Grade 5/6 Camp for students to support their social development and build skills in team-work and communication.
• Better Buddies Program where students in Prep/Foundation work with a Grade 6 buddy to develop a multi-age friendship and work co-operatively on a variety of activities.
• Year 9 Reading Program where students in Year 9 regularly read to, and listen to, Primary students read, to further their skills and confidence and to promote a love of reading.
• Intensive swimming program is offered to all students.
• Dance program where all students learn a choreographed dance routine and perform at the Primary concert.
• Opportunity to participate in the Carwatha Football College Minipups (Prep-2) and Juniors (3-6) specialist soccer program.

Literacy

Literacy underpins everything we do throughout our educational years. At Carwatha College P-12 our philosophy is to empower students from a diverse range of backgrounds with the Literacy skills they will need in order to be successful in life. In Primary, our Literacy program includes a balance of reading, writing, spelling and oral language and is designed to be relevant to the contemporary learning demands of the 21st Century. In order to reach each student’s exact point of need, a variety of teaching strategies are used to personalise learning. This ensures that students are continually engaged in their learning and extended along the literacy learning continuum. Daily one hour workshops in reading and writing maximise students’ literacy learning opportunities.

During the reading workshop, students are immersed in a world of quality children’s literature including multi literacies. They select a collection of books appropriate to their individual interests and reading ability. They work with these books throughout the reading workshop where they apply their knowledge of the reading process when reading independently.Through explicit lessons teachers refer to ‘what good readers do’ placing an emphasis on the thinking processes that good readers use. They use a range of teaching strategies such as conferencing, focus teaching groups, independent activities and workshops to the target specific reading needs of students.

During writing workshops strong connections are made between reading and writing through the use of children’s literature. Writing conventions including grammar and punctuation are embedded and explicitly taught as part of the writing process. Throughout the primary years, students are exposed to a wide range of text types and multi literacies. Teachers use a range of strategies to personalise learning in writing. Children engage in the writing process by making choices and having a clear sense of purpose about what they write.

Prep/Foundation

A strong emphasis is placed on teachers reading to students for enjoyment, to develop phonological awareness and to familiarise them with the language of books. Students are explicitly taught reading strategies and they are given many opportunities throughout the day to independently practise these strategies with texts that are predictable and which have illustrations that strongly support the printed text.Children engage in writing activities on a daily basis. Teachers model writing and make connections between written and oral language. This leads to a growing awareness of the connection between letters and sounds as students begin to record their own thoughts and ideas in written form.

Grades 1 & 2

Through their growing awareness of reading strategies students learn to comprehend more complex text. They encounter an increasing amount of unfamiliar vocabulary.Daily writing workshops continue to provide students with opportunities to create a range of imaginative, informative and persuasive texts. They begin to work through the writing process, planning, composing, revising, editing and publishing.

Grades 3 & 4

Students participate in daily reading workshops where they have opportunities to independently read for pleasure. They are extended through texts involving complex sequences of events within a framework of experiences familiar to students. They engage in informative texts that present new content about topics of interest and topics being studied in other areas of the curriculum.Students deepen their understanding of text types through daily writing workshops. Their developing awareness of audience and purpose influences the choices students make about their writing. Students deepen their understanding of writing conventions through the writing process.

Grades 5 & 6

Daily reading workshops continue to provide opportunities for students to read for pleasure over extended periods of time. They engage in texts with more complex sequences and explore textual features such as characterisation, shifts in time, interpersonal relationships and ethical dilemmas.Through daily writing workshops, students engage in the creation of more complex forms of writing across a range of text types. Students experiment with how vocabulary choices can influence the effect on their audience.

Numeracy

At Carwatha College P-12 we believe Mathematics, is an essential part of our daily lives. Our Mathematics program is based on students developing appropriate skills and understandings and applying them in daily situations through personalised programs developed by teachers to address individual learning needs.

Our teachers provide students with explicit instructions during mathematical experiences which are both engaging and enjoyable for all involved. We encourage investigation and support our students with the development of their problem solving skills. Teachers provide hands on learning experiences for all students and integrate a variety of technology (computers, Ipads, Interactive Whiteboards etc) into their daily, one hour, Mathematics session.

An experienced Mathematics Intervention teacher is employed at the college to provide further assistance for students who need additional support with their mathematical understanding. A program is also offered for students who need to be extended in their learning.

We offer a range of activities throughout the year to ensure that our students are enthusiastic and motivated while learning Mathematics:

• Mathletics (Online resource) is available for all of our students to access in the classroom and at home. The interactive lessons and games keep our students engaged and support them with learning important mathematical concepts.
• Teams of students are offered the opportunity to represent our college in the Greater Dandenong Maths Games Day
• A family maths evening is offered to provide families with useful games and activities to use at home with their children
• Travelling maths kits are sent home with different students. These kits are full of games for students to play with their families.
• Individual student maths kits are given to each child to use throughout the school year. These kits contain important tools for students to use during their mathematics classes.