Science

Students at GPS undertake weekly lessons in our dedicated Science room which engage them in the Victorian Curriculum. This includes Chemistry, Biology, Physics and Earth Science. They are encouraged to make links to their prior knowledge and experience so that learning becomes both relevant and meaningful to them, but also to think about ways that Science is used in the world around them.

Students develop their Science Understanding as well as Science Inquiry Skills. They are supported to work through a scientific method and then to develop their own experiments, beginning with a question (aim) and working through their own method to determine a conclusion. STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) based design activities are incorporated into the curriculum to teach students how to work collaboratively to solve problems.

Newly acquired robotics sets will be utilised across all levels of the school over the coming terms with extension classes made available in both robotics and coding at senior level. This is an exciting inclusion to our Science program and we are looking forward to seeing the creative ways that our students can use this technology. Along with our digital microscopes, they give students access to emerging technologies that they may be interested to continue in the future.

Visual Art Program

What do we teach?

All students attend Visual Art classes in the art room for one hour each week. These include the seven arts disciplines of drawing, painting, collage, construction, modelling, printmaking and threads and textiles. ICT is also used to research artists’ works, different cultures and as an alternative creative tool.

How do we teach?

Art projects are planned as units of work, providing the opportunity to develop a variety of skills sequentially over several sessions. Planning is aligned to the Victorian Curriculum and differentiated according to students’ needs.

How do we know our students are learning?

Visual diaries are used to develop ideas and maintain a record of student’s work. As they are used for several years, the students notice their own progression and form opinions about the improvement in their learning. Student progress is also monitored regularly through skills checklists and self-assessment tools.

How do we provide feedback to our students and families on learning progress?

In Visual Art, verbal discussion with students takes place throughout the creative process. Feedback is given specifically to promote deeper thinking and broaden horizons for each student. Families are welcome to visit the art room and some provide assistance during sessions. Two written reports are provided each year to every student and their family.

VISUAL ART EXAMPLES:

Foundation (Prep)

Years 1 & 2

Years 3 & 4

Years 5 & 6

Art Extension Program

All students attend Visual Art classes in the art room for one hour each week. These include the seven arts disciplines of drawing, painting, collage, construction, modelling, printmaking and threads and textiles. ICT is also used to research artists’ works, different cultures and as an alternative creative tool.

Art Show

Every two years, a whole school Art show takes place in the school hall. Each student exhibits at least one piece of work and families and friends are invited to share and celebrate. Senior students develop their leadership skills by taking responsibility for door donations and assisting families with purchasing artwork.

Art and Community

The Art program aims to promote that each student takes care and pride in their artwork. An appreciation of visual art is encouraged through the mounting and displaying of students’ individual work within the school and in community events throughout the Banyule and wider Melbourne area.

Art Incursions

From time to time, special guests are invited to share their knowledge with our students. These have included cartoonist Richard Galbraith, collage artist Susan Roth, environmental artist Felicity Gordon and ‘Learning by Doing’ woodwork workshops.

Art for Tiny Tots

As part of our Pre-schooler’s Program, pre-schoolers and their carer are invited to attend Art for Tiny Tots. These free sessions serve as an introduction to the art room, school environment and include morning tea.

Physical Education

Physical Education at Greensborough Primary has a strong focus on providing a comprehensive and sequential program aiming to improve the students’ skills, fitness, knowledge and overall outlook towards living a healthy lifestyle. Areas covered throughout the year include gymnastics, fundamental motor skills, ball handling, major and minor games, fitness and various team based sports. Lessons are activity based and have an emphasis upon engagement, teaching the correct technique, rules and developing knowledge progressively from Prep through to Grade Six.

Sporting Schools

We are fortunate enough to be able to access the ‘Sporting Schools Program.’ The program for primary schools helps to provide a range of sporting programs that will increase children’s interest and participation in sport. It also aims to create stronger links between children and local sporting clubs, nurturing a lifelong love of sport.

Sporting Schools offers funding each term to provide sports activities. We have been able to attain funding and select from a range of sport packages which have included; LaunchPad Gymnastics, Tennis, Tenpin Bowling, Touch Football, Athletics, Little Shredders (indoor skiing & snowboarding) and Table Tennis. These programs run both before school and during Physical Education lessons.

Interschool Sports

Senior Students are involved in our Interschool Sport program against other schools within the Schools Sport District during Term One and Term Two each year. The following sports are offered:

Term 1

Basketball – Boys & Girls

Cricket – Boys & Girls

Rounders – Girls

Bat Tennis – Boys & Girls

Term 2

Softball – Girls

AFL – Boys & Girls

Netball – Boys & Girls

Soccer – Boys & Girls

Other Sporting Events

Sporting Carnivals; Greensborough Primary also offers opportunities to be involved in Sporting Carnivals for swimming, athletics and cross country at school-based and district level which can lead to further opportunities within these domains.

Twilight Sports; We hold an annual Twilight Sports night which gives families and friends the opportunity to gather over a friendly BBQ dinner (run by our parents and friends committee), while the students and their siblings participate in fun activities to earn points for their respective Houses. This night is a great occasion to meet other families and friends within our community.

Swimming; Students from Prep through to Year 6 are able to attend swimming lessons held at WaterMarc. The program caters for all levels of abilities and consists of 6 to 9 weeks of 1 hour sessions. The students walk to the venue learning important road safety along the way.

Professional Background

As well as teaching, I have also been working in the health and fitness industry for the past eight years and I am currently running a small group Personal Training business. This spurs my passion for health and wellness and I feel very lucky to be able to share my passion with the students at Greensborough Primary.

The Library

At Greensborough Primary School we are fortunate to have a well-resourced and attractive library, staffed by a qualified teacher librarian. Our library is a welcoming, flexible learning environment where children can also meet at lunchtime, talk, relax, read and play.

Students attend the library on a weekly basis. The students are able to borrow resources for both leisure as well as research purposes.

The library program aims to introduce students to a wide variety of literature and to promote reading as a worthwhile leisure activity. The children explore literature in its variety of forms. Children are strongly encouraged to develop consistent borrowing habits. A developmental program of library skills, basic research and study skills is also taught.

The library has an excellent collection of materials including current picture story books, junior and senior novels. We also have a collection of senior picture story books that are designed for older readers.

The library is also available for research purposes by class and groups of students when normal library classes are not in operation.

‘Research suggests that having a qualified school librarian, a well-developed library collection, and a collaborative co-teaching between the teacher-librarian and teaching staff all elevate student learning.’

Book Week

Book Week is the week when the Children’s Book Council of Australia announces the winners for the best of Australian children’s literature that was published in the previous year. We celebrate this event at Greensborough Primary School by holding a special Book Week event. This is a very special week at G.P.S where the children, staff and parents are involved in celebrating the best of Australian books.

Book Week is celebrated with a variety of different events. We hold a Multi Age day where the children work in groups comprised of children from Preps- Grade 6 taking part in activities based around the shortlisted books. We also hold our annual Book Fair where the library becomes a book shop for a week. There is lots of excitement as the children get to browse the shelves looking for something that they could buy.

The children also hold shared reading session with other classes and take part in quizzes at lunchtime. There is a competition every year and winners receive a voucher to spend at the Book Fair. The culmination of Book Week is our Book Parade where the children have the opportunity to dress up as a book character or book title. Sometimes the preschoolers and even the parents also dress up! It is a family friendly event.

Premiers’ Reading Challenge

For over a decade the Premiers’ Reading Challenge has inspired children to read widely and discover the hidden joys within the pages of a book. In 2013, the Challenge expanded to include young children from birth to five, in recognition of the strong evidence base that shows reading to young children promotes brain development and language learning. The Challenge is not a competition; it’s a personal challenge for children up to Year 10 to read a set number of books over a set period of time. Children who complete the Challenge will receive a certificate of achievement. Greensborough Primary School takes part in the Challenge and we encourage all children to take part.

LOTE Mandarin

Nihao! Together let’s explore cultures different than our own and develop a bilingual skillset that will help you throughout your lives!

The Mandarin Program at G.P.S.

In learning another language, students:

communicate in the language they are learning
understand the relationship between language & culture
develop intercultural capabilities
understand themselves as communicators

At Foundation, our Mandarin Program looks at:

Through active listening, action-related talk and games, the students become more familiar with the sounds and spoken words of Mandarin Chinese. They learn that the systems of writing and speaking in Chinese are different from English.
The students learn greetings, self-introductions, songs and other simple routines.
The topics studied included ‘Numbers’, ‘Colours’ and ‘Family’.

In Grades 1 & 2, our Mandarin Program looks at:

Students are introduced to common Chinese characters associated with their immediate personal experience. They participate in class routines, structured conversations and activities using teacher-modelled tones and rhythms.
Students learn words and phrases through stories, songs, role-play and language games.
They have access to various multimedia resources to increase their understanding of the tonal nature of the sounds in Mandarin Chinese.

In Grades 3-6, our Mandarin Program looks at:

Students learn to communicate with others about themselves and family.
They practise using appropriate pronunciation, tone and gesture and model questions to develop responses.
They learn about the Chinese Zodiac. They share information about their own zodiac animal sign in Chinese and discussed in English the cultural significance of such information.
They explore the importance of the Five Element Theory in Chinese culture. They trace, copy and write individual Chinese characters.
The students have access to various multimedia resources to further extend their knowledge of the Chinese language and culture.
During Chinese New Year, Dragon Boat Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival, the students learn about how certain traditions and customs are practised in the Chinese community. The students also had an opportunity to taste the festival food, such as sticky rice dumplings and moon cakes.

Xie xie! (Thank you!) “

Curriculum

Values & Philosophy

GPS is a learning community that provides a safe, healthy and caring environment for everyone. It is expected that we all behave in a way that allows us to learn in a happy, engaging and cooperative environment while demonstrating the GPS values.

The aims of the T.E.A.M. Learning Program are:
To create a Classroom Learning Plan
To create a consistent approach across the school
To build a classroom ‘community’
To improve the learning culture across the school

The values that form the basis for our learning are –

Cooperation
Achievement
Respect
Empathy

At the commencement of each year, every class participates in our TEAM Start Up Program (Together Everyone Achieves More).

The school’s motto, ‘Teaming For Excellence’, emphasises the importance of our school values and working collaboratively to achieve success.

Curriculum

Greensborough Primary prides itself on ensuring that every student in the school is given the opportunity to reach their maximum academic and social potential.

Classroom programs are strategically differentiated to ensure every student is working in their ’zone of proximal development’ and they are given the maximum opportunity to achieve positive academic outcomes and be a successful learner.

From Grades Three to Six students are involved in the Spelling Mastery program which is a research based ‘Direct Instruction’ program which scaffolds the skills and understandings required to be a successful speller. Students are then able to apply these skills in classroom based writing programs.

All students in Grades One to Six are involved in the Magic Maths Program where, for three hours per week, they work in highly focussed, ability based groups. In these groups students develop strong Number skills working through the Scope and Sequence established in the Victorian Curriculum. These skills are then applied in differentiated classroom Applied Number sessions.

The whole school has a common Inquiry focus each term which fosters curiosity, questioning and problem solving skills, whilst also giving students the scope and independence to pursue individual direction and exploration.

Extension programs are offered in Literacy, Mathematics, Science and Visual Arts. Intervention programs are provided to accelerate Literacy outcomes with the Corrective Reading Program and Grade 1/2 Literacy Support programs being highly successful strategies to enhance student confidence and outcomes.

Multi-Age Learning at GPS

At Greensborough Primary School, classes from Year 1 are organised in multi-age groupings that support the school’s strong philosophy of catering for individual development.

Children who begin school are in straight Foundation (Prep) classes. Currently we have one Prep class, two Grade 1/2 classes, two Grade 3/4 classes and two Grade 5/6 classes. The multi-age classroom is composed of children of different ages intentionally grouped for learning.

The multi-age classroom recognises that all children develop and learn at different rates and supports the view that learning is a continuous process, and that we learn from and with other people.

At Greensborough, Multi-Age learning also occurs in the:

Spelling Mastery Program

From Grades 3 to 6, students are involved in the Spelling Mastery program which is a research based ‘Direct Instruction’ program which scaffolds the skills and understandings required to be a successful speller. Students are then able to apply these skills in classroom based writing programs.

Magic Maths Program

All students in Grades 1 to 6 are involved in the Magic Maths Program where, for three hours per week, they work in highly focussed, ability based groups. In these groups students develop strong Number skills working through the Scope and Sequence established in the Victorian Curriculum. These skills are then applied in differentiated classroom Applied Number sessions.

Buddy Program

Our Buddy Program is very popular and our Grade 6 students build a special relationship with our Prep students to promote an easier transition from kindergarten to school. The Buddy Program offers Preps someone who is familiar to them in the school yard and they know their Grade 6 buddy will always look out for them. The Prep and Grade 6 students spend time working together each term, on fun activities. Helping our Preps feel comfortable in our school environment and building great relationships is a high priority at Greensborough Primary School.

Science of Reading

At Greensborough Primary School we are using an evidence-based synthetic phonics approach to learning to read. (Synthetic phonics means synthesising or blending sounds to make words)
This is a structured approach to reading in line with ‘The Science of Reading’. This means that children will learn phonics skills in a sequential and systematic way. They will learn the 44 sounds in the English language along with the letters that represent
those sounds. As they learn new sounds and letters, they apply this knowledge through reading enjoyable books called ‘decodable books.

Within the classroom the children engage in two hours of literacy daily, where reading, writing and speaking and listening are focussed upon. During this time building knowledge
of phonics is at the fore front of lessons, through structured activities where students are guided to learn how to segment and blend unknown words, using their ever-growing knowledge of phonics. Side by side their understanding of phonics, students develop
their handwriting skills, spelling and grammar knowledge, with explicit teaching, in small focus groups and with structured writing practice.

We implemented this program in 2024 and have seen amazing results in our Early Years classrooms.

Specialist Programs

Science

Art

Physical Education

Library

Chinese

Extra Curricular

Greensborough Primary School provides students with the opportunity to participate in a variety of extra-curricular activities.

Camping Program

The Camping Program is a sequential program that begins in the Early Years with the Prep/One Breakfast. Students come to their classrooms before school, dressed in their pyjamas, to enjoy a special breakfast with their peers. In Grade Two, the students are invited to a ‘Grade Two Sleepover’ where they sleep over at school and take part in games and activities, as well as involvement in the preparation of their dinner. As students move into Grade Three, they are given the opportunity to attend a 3 day camp with all Grade 3-6 students. These camps are an excellent opportunity to develop independence, resilience, teamwork and develop peer relationships. In the past students have visited Airey’s Inlet, Mt Evelyn, Emerald and Hanging Rock (along with many other destinations) as part of the Camping Program.

Swimming Program

The Swimming Program is held annually in Term Four at Watermarc, just a short walk from the school. All students are invited to participate in an 8 week intensive program that targets student’s individual swimming ability, with small groups and experienced swim instructors.

Private Music Lessons

Private Music Lessons are offered at the school, with many students taking up lessons for keyboard/piano, guitar or drums. An experienced music teacher visits the school each week for small group or individual lessons and the excellent knowledge acquired throughout the year is displayed at the end-of –year concert.

Inter-school Sport

In Term One and Term Two, Grade 4-6 students are involved in Inter-school Sport matches against other local schools. In the summer season, students pick from Basketball, Cricket, Rounders or Bat Tennis. In the winter season, the options change to Netball, AFL, Soccer and Softball. Students wear allocated uniforms and games are played at local schools and sporting grounds.

Tennis

A tennis coach visits each week for private lunchtime lessons for those interested, with all equipment provided for student use.

Learning Enhancement

Our aim is to offer every child the opportunity to develop to their full potential.

Extension Programs

For gifted students, we provide experiences within the classroom which emphasize higher order thinking skills and concepts. External enrichment programs such as G.A.T.E.ways are also offered.

At Greensborough Primary, we offer Extension Programs in:

STEM (Science Technology Engineering Mathematics)
Literacy
Spelling
Visual Art
Numeracy

Intervention Programs

Students identified as being at risk are involved in intensive small group teaching to further develop their skills and understandings.

At Greensborough Primary, we offer Intervention Programs in:

Maths
Spelling
Reading

G.A.T.E.WAYS

G.A.T.E.WAYS (Gifted and Talented Education) is another program offered to students, with students selected by their teachers for programs that relate to their special skills and talents. For example, students with a talent for Mathematics may be selected to attend a maths program at a specified venue. These programs may run over one or two full days or a number of weeks at a selected time.

VHAP

Greensborough Primary School is proud to offer the Victorian High-Ability Program (VHAP). The Victorian High-Ability Program (VHAP) enables high-ability students to be challenged and extended in a supportive environment. VHAP consists of ten-week online courses in Mathematics and English for both primary and secondary levels. Students engage in synchronous Webex classes with their teachers. They can also engage with the course material on VSV Online outside of the class time.

The VHAP classroom provides students with the opportunity to:

explore and express their ideas freely
make their own decisions about their work
be inspired and challenged by each other
gain confidence in their choices and abilities
feel excited by their learning

In the VHAP English course, students explore links between reality and fiction by observing the world around us and our journeys into fictional worlds. VHAP English empowers students through cultivating confidence and a willingness to take academic risks.

In the VHAP maths course, students embrace the “why” of maths, not just the “what”. Students and teachers dive into the philosophical implications of a variety of mathematical topics.

There are opportunities for differentiation within the course. Students can choose to work at a pace comfortable for them or be extended.

VHAP promotes development of key skills such as teamwork, collaboration and resilience.

The program is a safe space for high-ability students to stretch their wings, encounter change and challenge, and confront fears around making “mistakes.”

Students who partake in this program at Greensborough Primary School always reflect positively on their experiences and are proud of their achievements.

Tournament of Minds (ToM)

Tournament of Minds (ToM) gives select students from Grades 5 & 6 an opportunity to partake in an International educational program that ‘challenges the world’ to develop creative problem-solving skills. Tournament of Minds (ToM) is a program that gives students the opportunity to solve authentic, open-ended challenges that foster creative, divergent thinking whilst developing collaborative enterprise, excellence and teamwork. Each year, a collaborative Tournament of Mind groups attends La trobe University to present a spontaneous and long-term project related to The Arts, Language Literature, Social Sciences and STEM.

Being a member of Tournament of Minds (Tom) is a fantastic accomplishment for students and one that they look back on fondly.

Additional Programs

Music, Lego, Coding, Tennis, Friendship tree