Curriculum at Ararat North Primary School
Ararat North Primary School leads the way in the 21st century curriculum provision. All programs are developed from the Victorian Curriculum to give students the skills they need for work and life: literacy, numeracy, scientific knowledge and skills, resilience, respectful relationships, the use of digital technologies and the capacity for critical and creative thinking and expression.
In meeting the requirements of the Victorian Curriculum, Ararat North Primary School provides the following:
Ararat North Primary School leads the way in the 21st century curriculum provision. All programs are developed from the Victorian Curriculum to give students the skills they need for work and life: literacy, numeracy, scientific knowledge and skills, resilience, respectful relationships, the use of digital technologies and the capacity for critical and creative thinking and expression.
In meeting the requirements of the Victorian Curriculum, Ararat North Primary School provides the following:
- Daily two hour English lessons for all students. These lessons include provision of distinct reading, spelling and writing skills sessions.
- Implementation of best practice Reader's and Writer's Notebooks and the highly successful VCOP program. Reader's and Writer's notebooks serve as a means to encourage students to value reading and writing, where responses, ideas, pictures, thoughts, goals and 'seeds’ for longer projects can be stored. VCOP is a methodology for raising standards in writing across all ages and ability levels. Through games, activities, writing tasks, conversations and discussions, students will learn not only where their abilities lie in a fun and engaging way, but also the steps they need to take, in order to continue to improve grammar, handwriting, spelling and punctuation.
- Daily Mathematics classes with a rigorous small group rotation system. This system ensures a very low teacher to student ratio so that all children are able to work on their Mathematics with assistance close at hand. Our daily Mathematics program includes aspects of written Mathematics, practical Mathematics (such as measuring), number facts drills and Mathematics through technology.
- Provision of Specialist Science classes for all students at the school.
- Provision of Specialist French classes for all students in Years 4, 5 and 6.
- Explicit teaching of values through the School-wide Positive Behaviour Support program. This program aims to create a positive school climate, a culture of student success and an open, responsive management system for all school community members. All students are actively encouraged to embrace our school values of Resilience, Respect and Responsibility.
- Provision of access to up to date, high quality technology. Ararat North Primary School provides iPads and laptops for children to utilize both in specialized technology classes and in day to day work/study activities. One device per student is standard across the school.
- Specialist Health and Physical Education classes. Ararat North Primary School places high priority upon providing all students with the tools to become lifelong healthy individuals. Our school has a specialist Health and PE teacher who implements systematic training in strength, flexibility and endurance building, athletics, competitive team games, non-competitive sports activities, use of a huge range of sports equipment, sports leadership and sportsmanship. All children participate in a term-long swimming program each year and students from Years 3 to 6 are offered school camp experiences.
