Curriculum

English

Teachers at Hughesdale Primary School design explicit, personalised and engaging literacy experiences for all learners. Teaching teams work closely together in monitoring student progress and differentiating the curriculum, so that students are both challenged and supported in their learning, across all aspects of the English Curriculum.

The English Programme is characterised by:

  • Sustained, purposeful and engaging instruction for at least two sessions per day – ensuring students learn to listen, view, read, write and speak for varied purposes.
  • The teaching of a variety of comprehension strategies which support students to understand increasingly sophisticated multi-modal texts.
  • Immersion in diverse types of quality literature.
  • Explicit instruction in relation to writing, using the 6 + 1 Traits model and the Writer’s Workshop framework.
  • Explicit teaching and an inquiry based approach to explore spelling, using a repertoire of strategies.
  • A collaborative approach to learning and assessment, where student contributions are valued and learners are encouraged to reflect on their progress and set learning goals with their teacher.
  • Ongoing monitoring and assessment against the Victorian Curriculum, which informs future teaching and allows teachers to target individual students’ point of need.
  • Learning tasks that are purposeful and engaging.

More information on the Victorian Curriculum is available via the following link: https://victoriancurriculum.vcaa.vic.edu.au/english/introduction/about-english

Mathematics

Mathematics is taught consistently throughout the school in focused one-hour sessions, guided by the Victorian Curriculum and Hughesdale’s Instructional Model. This approach includes: 

  • A hook to engage students

  • Lesson focus made explicit through learning intentions

  • Whole class direct instruction and modelling

  • Time for independent deliberate practice, focused teaching groups, partner and group work

  • Feedback provided through one-to-one conferencing

  • Whole class reflection and opportunities to discuss successful strategies and misconceptions

 During a mathematics session students will participate in a range of learning situations covering number and algebra, measurement and geometry, and statistics and probability. Activities include: 

  • The use of manipulatives to develop an understanding of mathematical concepts

  • Open-ended, problem solving style learning activities

  • A variety of digital technologies to enhance learning, e.g. computers, interactive whiteboards and mathematical software such as Mathletics

Teachers use a range of ongoing assessment tools to monitor and assess student learning and plan for future teaching

Humanities

By the end of Level 6, students will have developed a solid understanding of important concepts relating to local and global environments, Australian society and their place as citizens in our democratic society.​

Each unit of work is related to a broad ‘Essential Question’, which allows students’ learning to be focused yet flexible.​

Students complete investigations, projects, homework tasks and Literacy and Numeracy-based activities related to their area of study. Each year level also participates in various excursions and incursions relating to their Humanities topics. These provide exciting, real-life experiences that engage students and stimulate their thinking and learning.

Homework

Homework provides a link between classroom learning and home. It provides opportunities for students to practise skills learnt in class, whilst developing their time management and organisational skills.

Digital Technologies

Foundation – Level 2 students

Students undertake Digital Technologies tasks as part of their weekly programs to develop their skills in the basic use of computers, word processing, coding, problem solving and engaging in the safe use of technology. In addition to weekly scheduled Digital Technology sessions, technology is also integrated into other curriculum areas within junior classrooms, including Literacy and Mathematics. Foundation, Level 1 and Level 2 students enjoy access to:

  • Foundation: pod of iPads and the computer lab
  • Level 1: pod of iPads and the computer lab
  • Level 2: pod of iPads and the computer lab

Levels 3-4

All students in Levels 3 and 4 have a bank of notebook computers in their classrooms, which are integrated into learning tasks. Alongside these, students also have access to the computer lab. This technology enables students to develop essential skills implemented from the Victorian Curriculum, such as understanding the concept of coding. Students also use computers on a regular basis to publish and present work through data representation. Each student is allocated a Google Apps for Education (GAFE) account, which allows them to collaborate, communicate and explore their creativity in a safe and monitored setting.

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Levels 5 & 6

​Level 5 and 6 students enjoy one-to-one laptops. These are kept in their classrooms for easy everyday access. All of our students are part of the GAFE (Google Apps for Education) program. This gives them access to their own Google Drive and the Google programs, so they can save and access their work from any computer or iPad in the school. Level 5 and 6 students participate in an Integrated Digital Technologies program. This means subjects such as coding, digital systems, data presentation and the rest of the Digital Technologies curriculum are incorporated into everyday studies.

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Bring Your Own Device Program (BYOD)

​At Hughesdale Primary School we recognise our students need to develop a range of skills that support them as 21st century learners and to meet the outcomes in the Digital Technologies curriculum. By increasing number of devices available in classrooms the benefits and opportunities for this teaching and learning can be expanded. By providing our students with the richest possible experiences to develop the skills required in our information-based economy we are ultimately setting them up for success for life beyond the classroom. Our students need to be given opportunities to solve problems creatively, work with others, communicate via a range of mediums, use their creativity skills to demonstrate understandings, as well as overcoming challenges in creative, imaginative ways. The BYOD program exists for students in Years 4, 5, and 6 (with the option to enter in Year 3). We have partnered with Learning with Technologies to provide a purchasing portal that hosts the devices we recommend as best suiting your child’s learning needs from Years 3 to 6 at Hughesdale Primary School.

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Benefits of teaching and learning in a 1:1 environment

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  • Teachers can flip and differentiate learning, building our students’ capacity to self-direct and have ownership over their own learning.
  • Increased collaboration during partner and group work using shared digital spaces.
  • The development of students’ creativity and ability to present their learning in variety of ways.
  • Providing practical opportunities for students to explore the capacity of information systems to innovatively transform data into digital solutions.

Visit the BYOD section of our website for more information.

Resilience, Rights, and Respectful Relationships

Resilience, Rights, and Respectful Relationships is an initiative to support schools and early childhood education settings promote and model respect and equality. It also supports educators to teach our children how to build healthy relationships, resilience, and confidence.

​In 2016, Respectful Relationships education became a core component of the Victorian Curriculum from Foundation to year 12, and is being taught in all government and Catholic schools and many independent schools.

​At Hughesdale Primary School, we believe everyone in our community deserves to be respected, valued and treated equally. We know that changes in attitudes and behaviours can be achieved when positive attitudes, behaviours and equality are embedded in our school.

​Resilience, Rights, and Respectful Relationships for us is about embedding a culture of respect and equality across our entire community, from our classrooms to staffrooms, sporting fields, fetes and social events. This approach leads to positive impacts on student’s academic outcomes, their mental health, classroom behaviour, and relationships between teachers and students.

​Respectful Relationships is taught at all levels of the school through the modules of Emotional Literacy, Personal Strengths, Positive Coping, Stress Management, Problem Solving, Help Seeking, Gender and Identity and Positive Gender relations.

​Students take part in weekly lessons where role play, games and team learning are a focus.

​To learn more about this program please feel free to contact the school.

Languages (French)

Languages (French) Teacher: Tahn Watson

Bonjour et Bienvenue!

​Hello and Welcome!

​Our French program introduces not only the language but the culture of French-speaking countries and communities. It aims to foster children’s curiosity and help deepen their understanding of the world. It also offers a carefully planned sequence of lessons, ensuring progressive coverage of the skills required by the Victorian Curriculum.

​We offer a very unique French early years literacy program.

Supporting French skills for dual language or bilingual learners with a large collection of engaging, translated books at a variety of reading levels. Helping emerging bilinguals build confidence while increasing their comprehension and fluency in the target language. French Translated Leveled Books are used and listed at the same levels as their English counterparts to support students’ biliteracy.

​We inspire pupils to develop a love of languages and to expand their horizons to other countries, cultures and people. Aimed at helping children grow into curious, confident, and reflective language learners and to provide them with a foundation that will equip them for further language studies.

 A full range of resources, including display materials increases the profile of languages across our school. The learning environment is consistent with key French vocabulary displayed, spoken and used by all learners. Whole-school and parental engagement ensures that French is loved by teachers and pupils across school.

Library

Library Technician: Gretel Holmes

Hughesdale Primary School Library is a welcoming space which provides students with opportunities for wide reading, personal growth and enjoyment. 

The collection contains picture books, chapter books for the junior school and novels of all genres. Non-fiction books are available on a wide range of topics and are used in the classrooms to support the curriculum and extend the students’ knowledge.

The Library is open three lunchtimes each week for drawing, games and quiet reading to provide an alternative to outdoor play. 

Students have a weekly scheduled 50-minute library session with an opportunity to borrow books for home and school.

The Library also hosts special events such as: 

• Book Character Literacy Parade & Activity Day (biennial) 
• famous author visits 
• Scholastic Book Fair

Click here to browse HPS’ Library Catalogue

Performing Arts

Performing Arts Teacher: Nadine D’Monte

The Performing Arts program at Hughesdale Primary School gives students practical opportunities to respond to their worldly experiences and engage with historical, social and cultural perspectives.

Dance, Drama and Music are integrated throughout the program, giving the students a way to communicate their ideas through performance. Performances take place for the class audience and range to the wider community audience during assembly, concerts and production. The Performing Arts program helps to develop students’ confidence, expression, musicality, speaking and listening skills.

​The students are given opportunities to play many instruments including percussion, recorder and ukulele. There are also optional private music lessons available for piano and guitar that take place each week.

​The school choir meet once a week and perform at various occasions including school assembly.

The senior students have been given the opportunity to be part of the Victorian State school Spectacular as mass dance and mass choir performers.

​The Performing Arts program allows students the challenges and simulation to express themselves creatively.

Physical Education

Physical Education Teacher: Nick Lowrie

Each week, students further develop fundamental motor skills, a sense of teamwork, enjoyment in physical activity and a respect for umpires and officials during specialist Physical Education sessions. In Foundation, this is known as the Perceptual Motor Program (PMP).

The sequential program from Foundation to Level 6 includes ball handling skills, gymnastics, a comprehensive two-week swimming program at the GESAC indoor-heated pool, athletics, and major and minor games.

In Levels 3/4, students engage in an extra hour of organised sport, which teaches children the rules and skills involved in major games such as touch football, baseball, circle-ball, netball, basketball and volleyball. This prepares students for Level 5/6 where the students participate in an inter-school sport competition.

​In Term 4, Level 4 and 5 students engage in Bike Education, which focuses on safety and the skills required when handling a bike in different situations and conditions. Athletics and swimming competitions/trials are held each year, with children proudly representing the school, district and zone at different levels of the competition.

Visual Arts

Visual Arts Teacher: Leonie Anglim

Hughesdale Primary School values children’s creativity and imagination and offers a sequential and well-resourced arts program.

This program allows children to represent what they see, think, feel, value and imagine through making and responding to the Visual Arts. Students explore drawing, construction, threads and textiles, painting, print-making, art using computers, modelling and appreciation of the Visual Arts. Students investigate other cultures and there is a strong focus on reducing, reusing and recycling.

Assessment and Reporting

At Hughesdale Primary School a variety of assessment tools are used both to improve student learning outcomes, and to monitor student progress by providing important evidence of improved learning outcomes i.e. assessment ‘for’ and assessment ‘of’ learning.

Assessment for learning is designed to enhance teaching and improve learning. At Hughesdale Primary School we believe that assessment is an essential and integrated part of teaching and learning and that a range of assessment approaches are necessary to identify what a student knows and can do. By accurately pinpointing “where to next” students are supported with personalised learning goals to extend their learning.

​Assessment is ongoing and helps teachers to shape high quality teaching practices and appropriate learning experiences which will develop students’ knowledge, skills and understandings and promote effective learning. Through professional learning teams, the results of assessment also contribute to the continuing development of a whole school approach in support of improved student learning outcomes.

​Teachers access assessment opportunities in the context of everyday classroom activities, as well as through explicitly planned assessments to document progress.

Assessment outcomes allow teachers to report effectively to parents on their child’s progress in an ongoing manner.

​Hughesdale Primary School provides all parents with regular online access to their child’s assessment feedback and results with ‘Continuous Online Reporting’, an online facility accessed through the School’s Learning Management System, Compass.

Continuous Online Reporting reflects Hughesdale Primary School’s effective integration of ICT into education planning and delivery. The system increases responsiveness to individual learning needs, provides better-quality and timelier information to parents, and improves classroom and administrative efficacy.

​This system is founded on a wealth of research in assessment/reporting and student learning. It draws on the work of Professor John Hattie from the University of Auckland and his analysis of 180,000 studies representing over 50 million students, which found that ‘informative feedback’ had the greatest effect on student learning.

​Students at Hughesdale Primary School receive feedback through discussing strengths and areas for future learning. Continuous Online Reporting also makes feedback available to parents in a secure online environment. Parents can view results for key assessments, as well as progress and participation indicators, without waiting until the end of term. The online assessment information is not designed to replace semester reports, but rather to complement them by providing a fuller picture to parents.

Students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 participate in the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN), which tests literacy (reading, writing and language connections) and numeracy skills. The results of these tests, in conjunction with a range of data from other assessment strategies and data collection, give you information on how your child is progressing and where s/he could benefit from greater challenges or extra help.

National Assesment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN)

​National assessment and reporting are the responsibility of the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). In Victoria, NAPLAN is administered by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA). For more information, see www.nap.edu.au, call 1300 895 563 (ACARA) or email info@acara.edu.au. 

​Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA)

​The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) sets the guidelines for what students learn and when it is reported on from Prep to Year 12 in all Victorian schools, following the Victorian Curriculum. 

For more information see www.vcaa.vic.edu.au, call 1800 134 197 or email vcaa@edumail.vic.gov.au.

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Aaron Richards and Hannah Southin

Assessment and Reporting coordinators