At Thornbury Primary School we work towards a common goal of a differentiated learning approach as we recognise that all learners are individuals.
While Literacy and Numeracy are core aspects in the Victorian Curriculum, we also believe that learners should express creativity, through various means, towards life long learning experiences.
We are passionate about preparing students for life in the 21st century. To prepare our students for the unknowns of tomorrow, the most important thing is we teach, inspire and allow them to become great learners. The ability to learn is the most fundamental skill we must develop in our students. In our classes students have ownership of their work, set their own personal learning goals, receive feedback on their effort as well as their achievements, and they are challenged every day.
The Victorian Curriculum can be found at victoriancurriculum.vcaa.vic.edu.au
Thornbury Primary School began its Steiner curriculum in 2006 after three years of preparation. We now have students from Foundation to Grade Six and have much to celebrate and be proud of. The clip below gives an overview of some aspects of the program.
The Steiner craft curriculum fosters in the child an artistic feeling that promotes harmonious rhythm and balance, and a sense of colour and aesthetics. The child develops a deep connection to the joy and satisfaction of making something with their own hands whilst developing their hand–eye coordination and manual dexterity. The child also develops a practical intelligence based on the will, discipline, cooperation, organisation and self-direction to complete a worthwhile task.
Our Steiner curriculum is within a State system and must adhere to the rules, regulations and laws of State education. Teachers in the Steiner program integrate the Victorian Curriculum, which can be found at victoriancurriculum.vcaa.vic.edu.au, with aspects of the national Steiner curriculum, which can be found at www.steinereducation.edu.au
To view our program in further detail please view ‘The Steiner Curriculum at Thornbury Primary School‘
Students at Thornbury Primary School have a wonderful opportunity to study one of the oldest living cultures in the world through the Koorie Language and Culture classes, taught by Terri Lee-Fitzpatrick.
Throughout the year, Terri teaches an Indigenous Studies program that links in with each class’ inquiry unit/main lesson, and provides an Indigenous perspective to what students are learning. The program also focuses on key Indigenous events throughout the year, such as Sorry Day, Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC, as well as significant local and national Indigenous individuals or groups. Also covered in the program, and appropriate to curriculum requirements for each grade level, are any relevant historical and contemporary issues that are connected to these events and people.
Through acceptance of different cultures students grow more tolerant of each other. This program is unique to our school and is being monitored by other schools interested in Indigenous issues.
Terri also assists students to practice and consolidate aspects of the Woiwurrung language (spoken by the Wurundjeri people) that have been introduced at our school. It is hoped that she will be able to introduce new language in the near future, with the support of the Wurundjeri Council.
We use Compass for all our school communications, it is essential that you have access to this platform. You will have received the login procedure for COMPASS in the mail.
We support local and sustainable/ethical suppliers and cost effective choices for families. We have a variety of options for children with our uniform policy including department store blue t-shirts and back trousers.
All student clothing at TPS must meet our Sunsmart and Student Wellbeing policies including closed toe shoes and covered shoulders. All students require a Sunsmart hat to play on high UV days. We have a "No Hat, Shade Play" strategy which does restrict some areas of play without a hat.
We use PSW Online to supply our TPS logo uniform. You can collect from the store in Kew or have them delivered to the school (or your home during the holidays for a small delivery fee).
We also provide school based uniform options including our Deadly Hoodie and NAIDOC T-shirt. These are available from our Uniform shop (at school).
Families are encouraged to send their child to school with healthy food that contains minimal wrappings or preferably nude food:
Students are given at eating time in classrooms before play time begins.
TPS has a Drop off and Pick up Zone on Hutton Street at the front of the school. Be aware of the two minute parking restrictions that apply; drivers are not to leave their vehicles.
TPS has a locked bike shed where students' bikes and scooters can stay in for the day.