Learning Communities
Primary
Our Primary program is flexible and designed to cater to the individual needs of our students.
We provide a varied, holistic and enriching program with a primary focus being on developing their literacy and numeracy skills. To further differentiate the needs of our students, the Literacy and Numeracy classes are on rotation across all Primary year groups to ensure all students are being challenged. We also have a range of specialist classes for our students to further enrich their learning experience. We constantly integrate strategies that help our students develop and enhance their emotional and social wellbeing.
Literacy Programs
There are ten literacy periods a week. We follow Sound-Write and Cafe Reading programs across P-Year 6 to enhance students’ phonetic understanding and their reading skills. Students engage in literacy rotations each morning and are grouped based on ability levels. Students are tested through both ‘Sounds Write’ and ‘Fountas and Pinnell’ to determine grouping. Rotations activities include; Writing, Spelling, Phonics, Reading and Comprehension. Students create stories using the Seven Steps writing program. They regularly visit the library to access a variety of books and texts.
Maths Program
There are five Maths lessons a week. We integrate Play-Based Learning in our Maths lessons for our younger students. We use Top Ten Maths as a foundation program for our Primary students, in which it provides a structured learning progression to meet the diverse learning needs of our students. We use a variety of games and activities to keep our students engaged and interested in Maths.
STEM/Inquiry
Students experience the joy of scientific discovery and nurture their natural curiosity about the world around them. In doing this, they develop critical and creative thinking skills and challenge themselves to identify questions and draw evidence-based conclusions using scientific methods. Students investigate topics from biological, chemical, Earth and space, and physical sciences. Students complement their classroom learning with Inquisitive, an interactive online learning platform for Primary students.
Digital Technologies
In Digital Technologies class, students learn the basics of using a computer. In addition, they also learn how to create different media using various software/applications.
Genius
In Genius, our students undertake a long-term project of their interest. The students undergo a Design Thinking process to learn what it takes to complete a project. Our teachers provide the necessary guidance and materials to help them to realise their individual projects. Some of the past projects include a speaker out of paper, a cement stool and making teddy bears for the Royal Children Hospital.
Language Other Than English: Indonesian
Our Primary Indonesian classes aim to develop the students’ ability to communicate in Indonesian; their understanding of Indonesia and its relationship to Australia; as well as their ability to reflect on their own culture and language. Students are actively involved in their Indonesian learning where they select and reflect on language learning strategies. They create games, posters, videos, booklets and role-plays to demonstrate their learning.
Health and Physical Education (PE)
Physical activity is a major component of a healthy lifestyle.
Physical Education provides a balance of engaging activity (including self-directed play), skills development in minor games and formal sports. The major components of K-6 PE are learning Fundamental Movement Skills (locomotive movement and object control). PE at Lavers Hill K-12 College focuses on building cooperation and teamwork across the year levels, as well as providing opportunities for them to participate in competitive sport/game when appropriate. House swimming and athletics carnivals are run annually to provide opportunities for students to compete in a friendly and safe environment. The winners are then selected to represent LHK-12 at district and state levels.
Library
We have access to The Mobile Area Resource Centre (MARC), where our Primary students receive Library lessons every fortnight. MARC provides literacy-based programs to our students with access to a broader range of texts and educational resources that may not be available at our school.
Perfoming Arts
K-10 Performing Arts classes encompass drama, dance and music. These classes are designed to build on students’ skills and confidence in performance by giving them the opportunity to work collaboratively and creatively. In performance of a scripted play, our main focus is that our students participate effectively in the group collaboration process, and as a performer makes decisions on how to make the emotional life of the character believable. Every two years, this school endeavours to stage a production, which all school communities are involved in.
Visual Arts
Our Visual Art program covers two main areas: Creating and Responding to Art. Students are given the opportunity to become familiar with many techniques and to experiment with a variety of new materials. Students are encouraged to build an “arts vocabulary” so that they can confidently talk about their own art work and the artwork of others. They learn to look at and recognise art from other cultures. They become familiar with the art elements using various techniques.
Swimming
Our Prep-Year 6 students have weekly swimming lessons at our Lavers Hill campus swimming pool. The class is taught by fully qualified AustSwim Teachers. Through the Swimming lessons, students gain confidence in water safety and appropriate use of the pool.
Students work through their Active Swim levels, which have them working on different swimming strokes, as well as survival strokes.