THE VICTORIAN LEARNING STANDARDS

The Victorian Essential Learning Standards (also known as VELS or the Standards) are being introduced from 2006. The Standards provide a new approach to curriculum from Prep to Year 10. They outline what is important for students to learn so that they progress in their learning from Prep to Year 10. Students' achievements in these years prepare them for their final years of study and the world of work.

The Victorian Essential Learning Standards include standards at six levels broadly associated with years Prep to 10 areas of learning. All the standards are designed to engage students, build their confidence, offer varied approaches to learning and challenge them to achieve.

The priority is to give young people programs that provide them with opportunities to demonstrate achievement of the standards as they move from Prep to Year 10.

Specialists are appointed to teach Music, Art/Craft, Library, Italian, and Reading Recovery and Reading Intervention. Many children elect to undertake studies in Piano and/or Violin, which are offered in school time. Through participation in programs such as Tournament of Minds, Maths Olympiad and music / drama productions all children are encouraged to utilise their special talents and achieve at their own levels of expertise and development. The school is proud of the academic, social and sporting achievements of its students inside and outside the school environment.

To actively support the curriculum areas, enrichment programs are provided such as:, Swimming, Christian Religious Education, School Chaplain, house system, buddy program, excursions and camping program, Bike Education, Junior School Council and Leadership programs, interschool and state wide sporting events, school choir, recorder and junior school council and perceptual motor program.

CURRICULUM PROVISION

Donburn Primary School provides a comprehensive learning program in the eight prescribed learning areas.

English
Effective communication through reading, writing, speaking and listening will be developed and encompassed within all that the students do. Creative and critical thinking and independent research skills will also be developed.

LOTE
Italian - the ability to use a language other than English (LOTE) and move between cultures is essential for full participation in the modern world.

Mathematics
The mathematics program will emphasise skills as well as understanding and promote an awareness of mathematics as an integral part of everyday life. Course content will cover space, number, measurement, statistics, and mathematical tools and procedures.

The Arts
An appreciation of and ability to express ideas and feelings through involvement in art, music, drama and literature.

Science
Science education aims to develop students’ abilities to pose questions and provide answers about the physical and biological world. Content will cover natural and processed materials, the physical world, earth and beyond, and life and living things.

Studies of Society and Environment
Aims to ensure access by students to the shared cultural and collective experience of all Australians and to prepare students to be objective participants in society. The students will be encouraged to develop skills such as analysing, classifying and reasoning to manage the earth’s resources and to preserve the environment.

Health and Physical Education
Opportunities will be given for students to develop a range of personal skills to enable informed healthy lifestyle choices to be made. Children will develop personal fitness, physical skills and the opportunity to participate in a range of sports. The focus is on health, physical education and sport, home and family, outdoor education and road safety.

Library
The Library is an essential teaching and resource centre supporting all school curriculum areas. Children learn independent research skills, as well as fostering a love of literature and general knowledge.

Learning Technologies
The integration of Learning Technology across the eight Key Learning Areas is a relevant approach to achieving learning objectives. Learning Technology offers an exciting and challenging way of enhancing student learning. The vision of the school in Learning Technologies is to be at the ‘cutting edge’ of effective use of Technology in assisting learning.

Transition Program
The school resources a five week long Transition Program each year, which is conducted on Friday afternoons during Term 4. The objects of the program are to build self-confidence and knowledge of the school environment. Staff enjoy the opportunity to establish quality relationships with young students before they commence school in the following year. This program has been highly successful, ensuring for each student a very positive beginning to schooling.

Swimming
Each year a swimming program for children in years Prep to 6 is organised by the school. Qualified Aqua Swim Instructors at the Aquarena Centre teach small groups of children swimming and survival skills. All children are encouraged to be part of this excellent program. Times for swimming instruction are notified well in advance to enable parents to budget for the instruction costs incurred.

Perceptual Motor Program
Children in their first two years at school participate in a PMP program designed to improve co-ordination, balance, and body and space awareness. Parent help is essential for the organisation of this program.

Buddies Program
Each of the Prep children has a Grade 6 “buddy”. Buddies ease the transition from Pre-school to school by providing an older friend in the playground. Learning experiences, where Grade 6 children tutor or help the Preps, is valuable for both age groups as it fosters leadership, co-operation and caring in our school.

Interschool Sport
Children in Grades 5 and 6 all participate in a range of summer and winter sports with other local schools during Terms 1, 2 and 4.

Sports played include Rounders, T-ball, Softball, Bat Tennis, Soccer, Newcombe, Cricket, Football and Netball. Students from Grades 3 to 6 are involved in House athletic sports and a House cross-country event. Successful teams and competitors have an opportunity to compete at Zone and then State levels.

Choir and Recorder Group
These activities are optional. Practices are held during the school day and at recess times. Performances by these groups are given at assemblies, special school functions and an opportunity to perform to larger audiences is given, for example, Education Week performances.

Instrumental Music
Tuition is available for piano and violin. Lessons are usually taken in school time with parents paying all fees.

Special Theme Days
Whole school activities are a feature of the school program. All children are involved and multi-age groups are often utilised. Parents are always welcome to participate in these days.