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Learning

Literacy

English at Thornbury Primary School: A Comprehensive Approach to Language Learning

At Thornbury Primary School, we understand the imperative of developing strong English skills, as they are crucial for accessing future educational opportunities. English proficiency is vital not just in our academic pursuits but also plays a significant role in our personal and social lives. It is the language through which we access all other forms of education, and thus, its mastery is of paramount importance.

Our English curriculum is intricately designed, incorporating three interrelated strands that support our students in their journey to understand and master Standard Australian English:

  1. Language: This strand focuses on building a robust knowledge of the English language and understanding its mechanics. It lays the groundwork for effective communication and language use.
  2. Literature: Here, students learn to appreciate and create literary texts, fostering a love for reading and writing. It encourages creative expression and critical thinking.
  3. Literacy: This strand is all about developing the ability to interpret and create texts for practical purposes, ensuring that our students can apply their language skills in real-world scenarios.

These strands are seamlessly integrated into all aspects of the English curriculum, including reading and viewing, writing, and speaking and listening, ensuring a holistic language learning experience.

Essential Features of English Learning

Join us at Thornbury Primary School, where we are dedicated to empowering our students with the English skills they need to excel in their educational endeavours and beyond.

Mathematics

Mathematics Vision Statement

At Thornbury Primary School students are curious and brave mathematicians who explain and show their thinking. They see mistakes as part of the learning journey and enjoy the challenge of solving real world maths problems.

 

Mathematics at Thornbury Primary School: A Structured and Engaging Approach

At Thornbury Primary School (TPS), we are committed to delivering a high-quality mathematics education through an evidence-based and structured approach. Our program aims to develop students' problem-solving, reasoning, fluency and understanding of the big ideas in number. Our instructional model, encompassing the stages of Review, Launch, Explore, Summarise, and Relaunch, ensures that students not only grasp but also retain mathematical concepts and skills that will prepare them well for their future.

Review: Building on Prior Knowledge

The Review stage is crucial for activating students’ prior knowledge and ensuring that previously learned information remains fresh and accessible. We believe that mathematical topics should not be taught in isolation or just once; instead, they are continually revisited and reinforced throughout the students' educational journey at TPS.

Launch: Introducing New Concepts

During the Launch stage, students are introduced to new mathematical tasks, setting the stage for exploration and discovery.

Explore: Encouraging Hands-On Learning

As students move into the Explore phase, they are encouraged to engage with concrete materials, utilise their prior knowledge, and collaborate with peers. Creativity is fostered, and different strategies and approaches to problem-solving are celebrated, creating a vibrant learning environment.

Summarise: Explicit Teaching and Application

The Summarise stage provides an opportunity for explicit teaching, allowing educators to target specific content areas. Students are then challenged to apply their newly acquired skills in a task, ensuring a deep understanding of the material.

Relaunch: Applying Learnings in New Contexts

In the Relaunch phase, students take their learnings to the next level, applying their skills in new and challenging activities, solidifying their understanding and proficiency.

A Curriculum Grounded in the Victorian Standards

Our approach to teaching mathematics is consistent across all year levels, with tasks that are rich, open-ended, and firmly grounded in the Victorian curriculum. We cover the content strands of Number and Algebra, Measurement and Geometry, and Statistics and Probability.

Fostering Proficiency and Understanding

We place a strong emphasis on developing the Proficiencies of Understanding, Fluency, Problem Solving, and Reasoning, ensuring that our students are not just learning mathematical procedures but truly comprehending and mastering the subject.

Join us at Thornbury Primary School, where mathematics is taught with passion, precision, and a deep commitment to student success. Discover the joy of numbers and the power of problem-solving with us!

Art and Craft

Visual Art at Thornbury Primary School

The visual arts program at Thornbury Primary School is offered to all mainstream classes for an hour each week in our very spacious and well lit art room. The children enjoy many different forms of art making including painting, drawing, ceramics, printmaking, threads and textiles, animation and other sculptural work. Generally, the art course is structured around a focus artist starting in term one with students gaining a deep appreciation of their art style through class discussions and art making. Displays form a large part of the student’s art practice and each year we have an arts festival where all students will have their works on display and is open for families to view. The students at TPS are encouraged to use their sketchbooks to develop their art ideas and explore different materials and techniques.

 

Steiner Craft at Thornbury Primary School

The Steiner Craft curriculum is offered to children for an hour each week and encourages children to use their heart, soul, mind and body to create handcrafted objects. The curriculum is structured with careful consideration of the stages of development of the child, and seeks to consolidate and build on techniques and skills learnt throughout each year level. Knitting, for example, is started in Class two with a simple knitted shape that is transformed into a soft animal toy and progresses through the child’s school life culminating in Fair Isle Knitting in Class 5/6.

Students learn valuable skills of stitching, embroidery, knitting and weaving while developing an awareness and appreciation of handcrafted objects for both their beauty and practicality. For instance, a recorder bag is made in Class 1 to house and protect the child’s recorder and is used throughout the ensuing school years.

 

Children create handcrafted objects that have a relationship to the seasons and, at times, to the main classroom lessons. For example, wet felting is often connected to the main lesson and completed during the first term when the weather is nice and warm while knitting and weaving are experienced in the colder winter months. Children learn to appreciate the beauty of nature and its forms, colours and textures by referencing organic forms and by using natural organic materials where possible in their craft practices.

 

STEM

Welcome to STEM at Thornbury Primary School where learning meets innovation in our dynamic program!

At Thornbury Primary, we believe in inspiring the next generation of thinkers, creators, and problem-solvers through the hands-on exploration of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Our engaging curriculum integrates cutting edge technology, including BBC Micro:bits, Spheros, Tello Drones, Ozobots, Makey Makey Invention Kits, Makedo Invent tools and a 3D Printer.

Through exciting projects and interactive lessons, students dive into the fascinating world of STEM, igniting their curiosity and sparking their creativity. From coding challenges to robotics competitions, our program empowers students to develop critical thinking skills, collaborate effectively and embrace innovation.

Join us at Thornbury Primary and unlock the endless possibilities of STEM education!

Language and Culture

Woiwurrung at Thornbury Primary School

Thornbury Primary School has a unique Language & Culture Program whereby students are provided with a wonderful opportunity to learn Woiwurrung, the language of the Wurundjeri Woiwurrung people, custodians of the land upon which our school is built.

In 2012, Woiwurrung was phased in to replace Italian in the school’s LOTE program. This change evolved out of a long-established Indigenous Studies Program which had complemented Thornbury Primary School’s culturally inclusive curriculum, as well as from our parents’ desire for their children to learn an Aboriginal language instead.

Through the Language & Culture Program, students learn aspects of the Woiwurrung language such as general vocabulary around common topics e.g. greetings/farewells/introductions, classroom instructions, family/people nouns, body parts, local plant and animal names, weather and seasons, local place names, etc. They develop an understanding of Woiwurrung phonology (sounds) and orthography (spelling system) as well as a basic awareness of simple grammar structures. Student learning also extends to developing an understanding that there are many different First Nations languages.

Our Language & Culture Program provides students with learning experiences designed to deepen their knowledge and understanding of Wurundjeri Woiwurrung people’s custodianship, place and history within the lands upon which our school community lives, works and plays. Through the different topic areas covered each year, our Language & Culture Program is also designed to deepen students’ interest in, engagement with, and understanding of First Nations people’s historical, current and ongoing connection to Country/Place and culture.

Music

At Thornbury Primary School we value music education and aim for every student to learn and experience music as they grow through our school. We believe that music experiences can help with literacy and numeracy and that participation in group music-making develops valuable skills in listening, cooperation and being part of something that is bigger than ourselves. We also think it is fun!

Music is experienced and celebrated at TPS in a number of formal and informal ways.

Where music is explicitly taught at TPS

Everyone

Steiner Classes

Where music is experienced and implicitly learned at TPS

Everyone

Steiner Classes

The Classroom music program is Kodaly and Orff inspired, particularly in years F-4 and then moves to more experiences like those in Musical Futures.

Guides

T.I.M.E (Thornbury Instrumental Music Experience)

Sign up here for Private Music Lessons.

PE

Physical Education at Thornbury Primary School

At Thornbury Primary School, Physical Education (PE) is a specialist subject, engaging all students on a weekly basis. Our curriculum, aligned with the Victorian standards, ensures a progressive development of skills across all grades, fostering both individual growth and collective achievement.

Our PE program emphasises the importance of teamwork, communication, and cooperation, instilling a sense of belonging and community within our students. Through a variety of games and activities, we aim to create an inclusive environment that celebrates both individual and team successes.

Feedback and motivation are crucial components of our learning process, aiding in the continual improvement and skill progression of our students. Assessments are conducted regularly, providing opportunities for students to advance at their own pace and explore the many layers of wellbeing and success that sport offers. 

Fundamental skills and fitness are at the heart of our program, with a focus on both team and individual sports, including football and athletics. Our students have the opportunity to participate in interschool sports, athletics, swimming, and cross-country events across the district.

For our younger students, we offer the Perceptual Motor Program (PMP), designed to enhance their motor skills in a supportive setting. Additionally, our school boasts a basketball team that trains year-round, fostering a sense of pride and camaraderie among its members.

At Thornbury Primary School, we recognize the vital role that physical education plays in the holistic development of our students. We are committed to providing a diverse and inclusive PE program, ensuring that every child enjoys sport as well as the experiences and the physical and emotional benefits they offer. Join us in celebrating the power of movement and the joy of play!

Gardening

The TPS Gardening program is a nature-based learning experience, which is hands-on and immersive. It weaves together themes of Caring for Country, Health and Wellbeing, Nature Play and STEM. Designed on research that nature-based play and learning can improve children's mental health and cognitive development, the program introduces children to basic understandings in botany, ecology, and horticulture. First Peoples knowledge of plants and their uses for food, medicines and fibres is embedded. It is Victorian Curriculum and VEYLDF aligned.

During each session, a key environmental focus is explored, followed by a choice of age-appropriate real-world tasks such as digging, planting, weeding, watering, composting, sweeping, raking and chook care. Children are also invited to participate in open ended nature play experiences, for example loose parts play, cubby construction and sensory, imaginative play

Whilst cooking is not a core component of the program due to current access to suitable facilities, children are encouraged to harvest and taste food produce, and occasionally prepare simple recipes to share.

The objective of the program is to provide an opportunity for children to:

Parents and caregivers are invited to support the program – some ways to do this are listed below: