Curriculum

Student well-being is at the heart of everything we do. Children are supported in many ways in order for them to feel safe and connected to their peers and the wider school community. Programs to support students’ well-being include:

• Flying Start (Kinder Transition)
• You Can Do It! Program
• Junior School Council (JSC)
• MAGIC Groups (whole school Multi-age well-being program)
• Restorative Practices and Zones of Regulation
• School Leaders Program
• Big Friends Little Friends (Year 6/Prep)
• The Reliance Project (Partner School)

We know that education is most successful when schools and families work together in partnership. We welcome parents and families to help in classrooms, in our gardens, on excursions and at sporting events.

Literacy education is not just about mastering reading and writing skills; it’s about fostering a lifelong love for learning and communication. Students are equipped with the foundational skills needed to navigate the complexities of the written word with confidence and fluency. From phonics and decoding strategies to comprehension and critical analysis, our approach emphasises both the mechanics and the joy of literacy.

Reading

All students at Templestowe Valley Primary School participate in Reader’s Workshop every day. During these sessions students learn effective strategies for life-long reading.

What does a reading session at Templestowe Valley look like?

The reading session starts with the teacher identifying the learning intention and success criteria, followed by a mini-lesson where the teacher demonstrates important strategies for reading using a variety of rich texts; both fiction and non-fiction.

The reading strategies taught are derived from the CAFÉ Reading system. The students are taught specific strategies in comprehension, accuracy, fluency and expanding vocabulary. A significant part of the Reader’s Workshop is devoted to the students reading independently and practising reading strategies with their self-selected just right books. Teachers conference with students. They work one to one with students to discuss and set reading goals. Students have an opportunity in Reader’s Workshop to respond to text read and think about the reading they have done.

Writing

In Writing, students take part in daily Writer’s Workshop. This builds students’ fluency through continuous, repeated exposure to the process of writing.

What does a writing session at Templestowe Valley look like?

Similar to Reader’s Workshop, students take part in a mini-lesson at the beginning of each writing session where the teacher models the craft of writing using rich mentor texts, with a focus on one of the 6+1 Writing Traits. Students develop an understanding and work through the Stages of Writing used by successful writers: Planning, Composing, Recording, Revising, Editing and Publishing.

Following the explicit teaching, students are given opportunities for independent writing time, including the use of Writer’s Notebook as inspiration to guide their ‘free choice’ writing. During this time, the teacher conferences with individual or small groups of students to discuss and enhance their writing and set individual goals. Concluding the session, students share their work on the ‘Author’s Chair’ and seek feedback from their teacher and peers.

Speaking and Listening

In Speaking and Listening, students are given ample opportunities to take part in whole class discussions, small group work and oral presentations each term. This enables students to develop their oral language in a variety of situations.

At Templestowe Valley Primary School we want all children to be confident problem solvers and enthusiastic Mathematicians. Students are given lots of opportunities to explore and investigate Mathematics in their everyday lives. They also learn the ‘language’ of Mathematics and how it applies across other learning areas at school and in their lives more broadly.

Maths is very ‘hands-on’ in the classroom. During Mathematics lessons students use materials, such as blocks, dice, playing cards, counters, Lego, Play-Doh and many other things to help them solve mathematical problems and reinforce their skills and learning. Students are taught specific strategies and skills, which enable them to work confidently and independently to solve problems, work towards finding an appropriate strategy and actively participate in the language of Mathematics.

The three strands of learning taught throughout the school are Number and Algebra, Measurement and Geometry and Statistics and Probability in line with the Victorian Curriculum.

Teachers use The Mathematics Workshop to guide the planning and implementation of the maths lesson. They begin with an introduction to establish the learning intention and success criteria, set the scene for student learning activities designed to allow students to learn and develop their skills and knowledge, as well as participate in a variety of hands on tasks. Explicit teaching of skills and strategies including problem solving skills are an integral part of learning. Teachers are regularly assessing students’ skills and understandings both informally and formally. Lessons conclude with a reflection. It is at this time that the student reflects on the learning intention and success criteria and how they have worked towards achieving success or questioning areas of concern.

Our web based computer resources, Matrific, Mathletics and Problemo allow students the opportunity to reinforce their mathematical skills both at home and at school. These provide support for students needing additional assistance and enable extension for gifted students. Open-ended tasks and problem solving opportunities are provided to extend students as well as participation in programs such as ICAS, Math Olympiad and Maths Games.

All students have 1 hour lesson of Physical Education per week.

Students in Foundation – Year 2 focus on PMP and developing their Fundamental Motor Skills (run, jump, hop, skip, leap, one and two-handed strike) in fun and engaging games.

Students in Years 3-6 learn Sport Specific Skills; tactics, umpiring and rules of most sports.

All students participate in a 5 week Gymnastics Program delivered by BTYC Gymnastics in our school hall. Students use a variety of equipment, including parallel bars, single bar, beams, mini tramp, wedge mats and large crash mat for safe landing.

PE and Sport

At TVPS, students in Years 3-6 have the opportunity to compete in Swim Trials, Cross Country, Athletics Day and Hooptime Basketball. Students compete in the Doncaster District and progress through Division, Regional, State and even Pacific Championships.

All students in Years 5-6 compete in the Doncaster District Summer and Winter Sports. Students train with their team every Thursday and compete in 4 round-robin competition days in total. Students choose a sport from the following list:

Summer Sport

• Cricket
• Basketball
• Softball
• Hotshots Tennis
• Rounders

Winter Sports

• Netball
• AFL
• Soccer
• Tee Ball
• Volleyball

The Sport Program for Years 5-6 also provides opportunities for competitive Tennis (Term 1), Girls AFL (Term 2), T20 Cricket (Term 4). In Term 4, students participate in SEPEP (Sport Education for Physical Education Program). SEPEP is a student led sports competition whereby all students have a role in the competition. The roles include, umpire, coach, captain, first aid officer, sports board, tribunal officer, publicity officer, equipment manager and all students are players in their team. The competition usually consists of 8 weeks of competition and 2 weeks of finals.

The Visual Arts program is held in a large and spacious classroom attended by each grade for one hour per week.

The program consists of the various aspects of the curriculum including painting, drawing, collage, printing, modelling, construction, clay and textiles. The school has a modern updated kiln and has a designated kiln room where the students’ clay models can be fired.

Art is frequently related to topics held in the classrooms such as producing a teddy bear to tie into the Foundation theme of “Teddy Bears Picnic”. Literature is also connected to Art with a special emphasis before and during the annual Children’s Book Week. Visual Arts is valued at school with students’ work displayed about the buildings.

The Performing Arts program at Templestowe Valley Primary School provides students with a creative, engaging and encouraging environment where they learn, perform and develop skills in all aspects of performance.

Drama

Students are exposed to a range of dramatic styles to develop their performance skills including improvisation, mime, character work, puppetry, masks, role plays and script work. They use their imaginations to create original and scripted performances, as well as learning about stagecraft and design.

Music

Students learn about music theory and appreciation. Beginning in our Foundation year the skills of beat, pitch and rhythm are introduced, and these skills are continued through to our upper years. Students learn to perform using various instruments, including percussion, ukuleles, keyboards and guitars. Singing, music notation and listening are all integral components of the program.

Dance

Students develop their movement and co-ordination through various dance styles, including contemporary, jazz, cultural and creative dance. Dance is incorporated into school performances, assemblies and special events.

At Templestowe Valley Primary School, the Mandarin Program provides learners with language skills, and also a cultural awareness of the Chinese speaking community.

Mandarin is delivered and practised through a variety of activities including role-plays, typing/speaking/listening practice with ICT tools, research projects, class discussions, real-life text analysis, competitions, songs and language games.

Sustainability is integrated across the curriculum and through school initiatives such as the school garden, recycling programs, and energy conservation projects. Students are encouraged to take responsibility for the environment and participate in activities that promote environmental awareness and stewardship.

The school’s garden program enables students to learn about growing plants, composting and healthy eating. Sustainability is a whole-school priority and is embedded in learning, leadership opportunities and school culture.