Our Curriculum

Lower Plenty Primary Instructional Model

The school instructional model acts as a guideline or set of strategies on which our approach to teaching is based.

Our instructional model is underpinned by the ‘whole-part-whole’ methodology of Swanson and Law (1983).  This practical methodology offers a helpful framework for student learning.

Our instructional model aims to:

• Effectively ensure all students have equal access
• to our educational programs.
• Support our school to develop a shared language about
• teacher practice
• Engage and motivate teachers to consider how their teaching practice can best support student learning.

Write to Read

Write 2 Read is implemented at Lower Plenty Primary from F to 6.  It is based on multi-sensory learning of essential skills in all instructional literacy areas: listening, speaking, spelling, reading, writing, handwriting and comprehension.  Quality professional learning is provided for teachers by an expert Literacy consultant (Marian Dunne) resulting in more targeted teaching, and a greater ability to tailor teaching to individual needs.

W2R is based on the knowledge that the 26 letters of the English alphabet make up 70 phonograms or sounds. These in turn make up the English Language. The Write To Read program gives students essential information about phonics and provides comprehension strategies needed for proficient reading. The phonograms are taught using rhymes and codes which assist children to identify which letters are required to spell words. When reading children use their knowledge of Phonological Awareness to effectively segment, blend, analyse and manipulate sounds.

Reading

‘We can’t learn to swim without swimming, to write without writing, to sing without singing, or to read without reading.’

Reader’s Workshop is a framework for reading instruction that provides children with authentic reading experiences that focus on the strengths and needs of each individual child. The basic philosophy behind the Reader’s Workshop approach is to allow children to spend an extended amount of time reading authentic (self choice) texts that interest them on a daily basis and to provide opportunities to talk about literature and to develop a life-long interest and passion in reading.

Writing

At Lower Plenty Primary School our writing framework consists of a range of proven elements that when combined, create a rigorous and engaging foundation for the teaching of writing. The building blocks of our approach consist of utilising Big Write and VCOP, as well as Writer’s Notebooks to generate ideas.

Through the use of VCOP children will develop 4 main aspects of their writing

V – Vocabulary – Words that make you go ‘WOW’

C – Connectives – Words that connect sentences together

O – Openers – Effective ways to begin sentences

P – Punctuation – Power punctuation

The language of mathematics is international. The basic skills of mathematics are vital for the life opportunities of our children. Our aim is for all children to think mathematically, enabling them to reason, solve problems and assess risk in a range of contexts.

At Lower Plenty Primary School, our Mathematics Mastery curriculum has been developed to ensure every child can achieve excellence in mathematics. Children can experience a sense of awe and wonder as they solve a problem for the first time, discover different solutions and make links between different areas of mathematics. It provides pupils with a deep understanding of the subject through a concrete, pictorial and abstract approach. This ensures pupils fully understand what they are learning.

We aim that all pupils:

• Become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics so that they develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately.
• Can solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of problems with increasing sophistication, including in unfamiliar contexts and to model real-life scenarios.
• Can reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry and develop and present a justification, argument or proof using mathematical language.

We believe that ability within Mathematics is not fixed. We are developing the mindsets of children and adults alike to develop a Growth Mindset and a ‘We Can’ attitude to Mathematics. We believe that through quality first teaching and intelligent practice, children learning together and immediate intervention that all children have the potential to ‘go deeper’ and broaden their understanding of mathematical concepts.

Our definition of Mastery: At Lower Plenty Primary School we have a core set of principles and beliefs for achieving mastery in mathematics. This includes a belief that all pupils are capable of understanding and doing mathematics. Pupils are neither ‘born with the maths gene’ or ‘just no good at math.’ With good teaching, appropriate resources, effort and a ‘can do’ attitude all children can achieve and enjoy mathematics. Mathematics is mathematics and the key ideas and building blocks are important for everyone.

Mastery is not just being able to memorise key facts and procedures and to answer test questions accurately and quickly. Mastery involves knowing why as well as knowing that and knowing how. It means being able to use one’s knowledge appropriately, flexibly and creatively and to apply it in new and unfamiliar situations.

For all maths concepts teachers need to ensure that children are “challenged through being offered rich and sophisticated problems.” After developing fluency, children need to show that they can apply their knowledge in mathematics and then move on even further to prove they have mastered the concept.

Mastery teaching and learning: In every Mathematics lesson you will see the following:

• ‘Quality first’ teaching; tailored to meet the needs of the learners in each class, and immediate intervention to address gaps in learning where necessary,
• Resilient learners with Growth Mindsets and a ‘We Can’ attitude to Mathematics, whatever their previous level of attainment,
• Teachers using high-quality questioning to explore children’s understanding and develop it further,
• Teachers making use of misconceptions to further understanding of key concepts,
• Teachers using a range of methods to explore key Mathematical concepts which appeal to pupils’ different styles of learning, employing concrete/pictorial/abstract representations of Mathematical concepts,
• Learners being given the opportunity, through careful planning, to ‘linger longer’ on and ‘go deeper’ in mathematical concepts,
• Pupils learning together
• Development of fluency, reasoning and solving.

The school’s Program of Inquiry emphasises the importance of learning and practicing transferable, 21st century skills and understandings in a transdisciplinary way. That is, students learn about key understandings from Inquiry Units in all connected subjects they engage with throughout the term, such as using English to research, Mathematics to conduct data analysis or Science to test hypothesis.

Within each inquiry unit students are explicitly taught the six pedgagogies recommended within the New Pedagogies for Deep Learning Project.  These are:

1. Collaboration
2. Creativity
3. Critical Thinking
4. Citizenship
5. Character
6. Communication

The Foundation (Prep)  and Grade 1/2 Inquiry Units for 2021 are:

The Grade 3/4 Inquiry Units for 2021 are:

The Grade 5/6 Inquiry Units are:

• Chrome Books Program (Year 2-6)
• Leadership Program
• Foundation Buddy program
• Cross Age Tutoring
• Student
• Support/Intervention Program
• Interschool Sport
• Swimming
• Outdoor Education Program (P-6)
• Chess Club
• Guitar, Drums and Keyboard Lessons – extra fee
• Various Sporting Clinics
• Students at Risk Support Program
• Student Choice Clubs
• Bi-Annual School Concert
• Ready Steady Go Sports Program (Saturdays)
• Vegetable Garden Club
• IXL – Maths and English Program