COLEDALE PUBLIC SCHOOL

INFORMATION BOOKLET 2017

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Dates & Times

2017 Term Dates

Staff Development Days

School Times

What does our School offer?

General Information

Communication

Reporting to Parents

Absences from school

Assemblies

Accidents

After School Care

Book Club

Change of Address

Change of Clothes

Chinese Lessons

Custody Arrangements

Health Issues

Head Lice

Library

Text books

Hats

Purchasing Uniforms

Labelling Equipment

Lost Property

SRC

Birthdays and Celebrations

Homework

Money collection

Canteen

P & C

Orientation

Enrolment

Complaints

Student Welfare Policy

Special Programs

Reading Recovery

Voluntary School Contribution

School Banking

Travelling to School

Curriculum

What will my child learn?

Australian Curriculum Timeline

WELCOME TO COLEDALE PUBLIC SCHOOL

This handbook has been prepared to provide you with a better understanding of the school and its programs. We hope you will find it informative and useful. Coledale Public School has served the local community since 1911 by providing a safe, secure, happy and supportive community based school. PRINCIPAL’S WELCOME Our school is committed to the provision of a caring learning environment which caters for the wide range of abilities, interests and learning styles of our students from Kindergarten to Year 6. We enjoy a reputation as an innovative school which focuses on providing highly effective programs and practices aimed at enhancing student learning. Our literacy and numeracy programs K-6 provide strong foundations for all learning. Interactive whiteboards, iPads and laptops are in every classroom. Your children will be utilising technology as an integral part of their school day. Across K-6 we provide learning experiences that cater for a wide range of abilities, interest and learning styles. We encourage our students to achieve their academic potential in an atmosphere that develops self-esteem and confidence and our strong Student Welfare programs ensure our students learn in a safe and nurturing environment. Our school also provides a range of academic, cultural and sporting activities. We offer opportunities in public speaking, debating, PSSA sport, environmental education and student leadership. Our students are supported physically with explicit teaching in the fundamental movement skills and a variety of sports. The strengthening of links between the school and its community is high on the agenda at our school. The partnership between you, your child’s teachers and the school, is very important. Parents are welcome and can always make an appointment to discuss their child’s progress or raise concerns. Parents are welcome at school to support the education of their children and do so in many ways – P&C and committee membership, assistance with reading, mathematics, visual arts, our environmental program, sporting programs, library work, working bees and helping in the canteen and uniform shop. Participation in these important aspects of school life provides parents with valuable opportunities for sharing expertise and involvement in decision making. On behalf of the staff and students I welcome you to Coledale Public School. It is hoped that your association with the school is long, happy and rewarding and that attendance at Coledale Public School will make a difference in the life of your child. Our Staff are committed to improving the learning of each and every student. We hope you enjoy taking this learning journey with us. Tanya Potter, Principal

Coledale Public School Mission Statement

Quality teaching and learning in a safe, happy and caring

environment

2017 SCHOOL PERSONNEL

Principal / RFF /EALD/ LAST Teacher Mrs Tanya Potter

Senior Administration Manager Mrs Jane Stalker

School Administration Officer Mrs Lauren Aitken – Tuesday, Wednesday

General Assistant Mr Ross Taylor

Assistant Principal (Relieving) Mrs Jen Dowling

Classroom Teachers Ms Tracy Gould Kindergarten Red Mrs Jen Dowling Year 1 Yellow Ms Yvanna Vernon Year 2/3 Green Mrs Kerrie Porter Year 2/3 Purple Ms Belinda Warwick Year 4/5 Orange Mr Scott Jones Year 5/6 Blue Mrs Jemma Munn Library/RFF

School Learning Support Officers Mrs Joanne Chilton and Mrs Carmel Donald

School Counsellor Mrs Jennifer Coote – Tuesdays (0.1)

P & C President Margie Rahmann

P & C Treasurer Lynn Tamsitt

P & C Secretary Lauren Boers

LOCATION 699 Lawrence Hargrave Drive, Coledale NSW 2515 COMMUNICATION Mailing: PO Box 253, Thirroul NSW 2515 Telephone: (02) 4267 1885 Facsimile: (02) 4268 1438 Internet: www.coledale-p.schools.nsw.edu.au Email: coledale-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au Further information for parents on all aspects of NSW public schools can be found at: https://www.schoolatoz.nsw.edu.au/ SEACLIFF COMMUNITY OF SCHOOLS Coledale Public School is a proud member of the Seacliff Community of Schools (Seacliff COS). A total of tens schools join to create the Seacliff COS. Our sole purpose is to improve the educational opportunities for all of our students by sharing resources and expertise amongst our local High School and the nine feeder Primary Schools. Our member schools are:

Bulli High School Coledale Public School

Waniora Public School Scarborough Public School

Bulli Public School Stanwell Park Public School

Thirroul Public School Otford Public School

Austinmer Public School Helensburgh Public School

The cliffs behind, the sea in front, our future ahead

SCHOOL YEAR DATES 2017 Term 1 Classes For Years 1-6 Monday 30th January 2017 For Kindergarten Thursday 2nd February 2017 Classes cease Friday 7th April 2017 Term 2 Classes begin Wednesday 26th April 2017 Classes cease Friday 30th June 2017 Term 3 Classes begin Tuesday 18th July 2017 Classes cease Friday 22nd September 2017 Term 4 Classes begin Monday 9th October 2017 Classes cease Friday 15th December 2017 School Development Days (Staff Only) T1 – Friday 27th January 2017 T2 - Monday 24th April 2017 T3 - Monday 17th July 2017 T4 – Monday 18th Tuesday 19th Dec 2017 http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/calendar/

SCHOOL TIMES School times are 9:00am – 2:45pm. The school playground is supervised from 8:30am. Students should not attend before 8:30am, unless they are at Wildcare, our onsite before and after care program.

8.55 Morning bell and assembly

9.00 am - 11.00 am Session One (Crunch and Sip taken during morning session).

11.00 am - 11.40 am Lunch

11.40 am - 1.25 pm Session Two

1.25 pm - 1.45 pm Fruito (we encourage healthy eating – a piece of fruit or vegetable)

1.45 pm - 2.45 pm Session Three

WHAT DOES COLEDALE SCHOOL HAVE TO OFFER?

Located in one of the most attractive locations in NSW for any school, with superb panoramic views being

nestled between the magnificent Pacific Ocean and the Illawarra Escarpment. On site before and after school care is available.

Coledale Public School offers spacious, grassed playing areas and playground equipment, it has easy access to the beach and rock platform for field trips and a perfect view from our whale watching platform.

A family atmosphere exists with school members sharing, supporting, caring and co-operating with each other. This creates a great school spirit with a positive and supportive attitude displayed by pupils.

Students have the opportunity to be involved in the daily running of the school through various jobs and responsibilities. This in turn develops their leadership skills and self-confidence.

We have a well-resourced Library. Our computer lab can accommodate a class of 30 students. We strive to give our students opportunities to be 21st Century learners.

A strong emphasis is placed on catering for the needs of all students. The teachers of our school are committed to presenting quality teaching that provide students with the opportunity to achieve their potential. Lesson task are differentiated.

In our small school, teachers and students are more familiar with each other. The students engage in peer support activities that help to develop close relationships among all students. Students have a buddy in the younger years and we also have buddy classes.

Our small school provides opportunities for maximum involvement and participation in extra-curricula activities such as PSSA sport, Choral Festival and other school and community events.

Our school has an Award winning Kitchen/Garden program. Students in 3-6 learn and actively care for our organic garden. As garden leaders they share their knowledge with their buddy student in K-2. This allows all students to have a ‘hands on’ approach in our environmental program. Garden produce is also available for sale, when plentiful, to our community. Composting and worm farms are also utilised by the students to help with sustainability. Parents are welcome to assist with our garden.

GENERAL INFORMATION:

COMMUNICA

A WELCOMING SMILE Your first port of call to our school will usually be with our School Administration Manager or our School Administration Officer. We are currently very fortunate to have Mrs Jane Stalker (SAM) with Mrs Lauren Aitken (SAO) as our clerical staff. COMMUNICATION The school places great importance on communication between teachers and parents. The staff is always willing to speak to parents about matters pertaining to their child. Please contact the school and arrangements can be made for a suitable time to meet. Newsletters are emailed fortnightly. The newsletters contain information about school programs and activities. Community noticeboards exist in our school corridor and at the entrance to the school grounds, with many community activities advertised. We have a very informative website that is updated weekly. You will find all notes and newsletters on it - http://www.coledale-p.schools.nsw.edu.au/ REPORTING TO PARENTS Written progress reports are provided at the end of semester 1 and 2. A snapshot report and plan data are issues at the end of each Term. Parents may also discuss their child’s progress at any other time by contacting the school and making an appointment to speak with the class teacher.

ABSENCES FROM SCHOOL In NSW students must attend school regularly. This means all children between the ages of 6 and 17 are legally required to attend school. Attendance is recorded daily and a ‘roll call’ is usually conducted before the first lesson of the day begins. For the benefit of all children, parents or carers should ensure their child attends school regularly. Any absence from school should be explained within seven days of absence. Similarly, schools are required to inform parents promptly of any unexplained absences or suspected truancy. If children miss out on school they miss out on vital information, their learning routine is broken, they can lose confidence and they miss out on building up friendships. All students are legally required to attend school every day, including sports days unless:

Your child has an unavoidable medical or dental appointment (preferably these should be made after school or during holidays).

Your child is required to attend a recognised religious holiday.

Your child is required to attend an exceptional or urgent family circumstance (such as attending a funeral).

Your child is sick, or has an infectious disease. If you are having difficulty getting your child to attend school regularly, you might like to talk to the school principal or the school counsellor.

If you can only arrange your family holiday during school time, you should inform the school principal in advance and request leave for periods of more than one week. You can ask the school to provide work that can be completed while your child is absent. You will find the Exemption form on our website under notes. Late arrival and early departure must been completed through the school office. Parents are requested to attend the office with their child or visit the office before collecting their child. ASSEMBLIES Whole school assemblies are held each morning under the COLA. Our weekly assembly is held held on Monday afternoons at 2:30pm where class and class wards are issued. Parents are most welcome to attend. In week 5 and 10 of term we have a more formal assembly, held in the Library. These assemblies are hosted by a class each week. OUT OF HOURS SCHOOL CARE – ‘WILDCARE’ We are fortunate to be able to provide before and after school care and holiday programs to our students. This is managed by Mrs Carmel Donald. If you require permanent or casual care please call her on 0419 693 863 or 4268 6037. ACCIDENTS If an accident happens to your child, an attempt will be made to contact you immediately. It is very important, therefore, that the school has up-to-date information about where you or another person whom you nominate can be contacted during the day. In the case of serious accidents, an ambulance will be called immediately. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT that all medical details and information about your child be forwarded to the school on the Medical Information Sheet. Please also let the school know of any change in telephone numbers or addresses as soon as possible. MEDICINES Some children may require medication at school. Please discuss your child’s medication requirements with his/her teacher and the School Administration Manager. Following prior arrangements, all medication should be sent to school with written instructions as to the dosage required and the time that the medicine is to be given. HEALTH ISSUES Sick Children Please keep your child at home if he or she is sick. A child who isn’t healthy finds it difficult to concentrate. If a child becomes sick or has a minor injury at school, office staff will deal with the problem. If the sickness or injury is more of a concern, parents will be contacted immediately. It is important that the school has a contact person/s who could be rung in the event that you can’t be contacted. If you or your nominee can’t be contacted, the school will continue to act in the best interests of the child. A note is required if your child has been absent stating the date, child’s name and reason for being absent. Medication The Department of Education and Training has strict guidelines for the administration of medications to school students. These procedures are put in place for the safety of your child. For students on long term medication Parents/Carers must complete and have the treating doctor complete the following forms annually:

Letter from parents authorising the school to medicate and outlining the dosage and times medication is to be given;

Letter from the doctor confirming medication and dosage (if dosage changes a new note must be sent)

Form from doctor giving reasons for medication (These are available from the school).

Asthma and Anaphylaxis plans should be shared with the school. These need to be updated yearly.

For students on short term medication If possible parents should:

Arrange for doctor to prescribe medication to be taken outside school hours OR

Request a single dosage bottle from the chemist – which must have the same information as the original bottle – and a daily dosage sent to school with your child OR

A letter from the parent authorising medication to be given No child is permitted to have medication with them, except asthmatics. Students in Yrs 3 – 6 may have inhalers with them. In this case an asthma management plan would need to be on file at the school. The issuing of medication is on a voluntary basis, and our SASS staff have volunteered to issue medication. However, it is the child’s responsibility to remember to present themselves to take their medication. On excursions, a teacher will administer the medication. Infectious Diseases Certain common illnesses and conditions spread rapidly among students. From time to time it is necessary to exclude students from school in order to avoid the spread of infectious diseases to others in the school. The following table is a guide to the length of time students are required to be away from school for common childhood health complaints. If you are in any doubt about the correct procedure, please talk to your local doctor or contact the Health Department.

Disease/Condition Exclusion and/or Treatment

Chicken Pox German Measles Hepatitis Measles Mumps Scarlet Fever Whooping Cough Scabies Ringworm Conjunctivitis Impetigo Meningococcal Slapped Cheek Syndrome Pediculosis (headlice or nits)

7 days after first spots 5 days after rash appears Doctor’s Certificate needed 5 days after the rash appears 10 days after first swelling 7 days after symptoms 3 weeks or Doctor’s Certificate Until signs disappear or Doctor’s Certificate Until treatment has begun or Doctor’s Certificate Until all discharge stops Until treatment has begun and sores must be covered Until signs disappear or Doctor’s Certificate Not applicable Not excluded but must be treated

Protection Against Infectious Diseases The Department of Health recommends that children entering school be immunised against childhood diseases. This is especially important as your child will be coming into contact with many other students and infections can spread easily. Children starting school who have not already had booster immunization should have:-

One booster injection against diptheria, tetanus & whooping cough

One booster dose of polio vaccine A child should also have an injection of measles vaccine if he or she has not previously had measles or been immunised against measles. An Immunisation History Statement must be given to the school before a child can be enrolled. Anaphylaxis Anaphylaxis is a severe and sudden allergic reaction. It can occur when a susceptible person is exposed to an allergen (such as a food or an insect sting). Reactions usually begin within minutes of exposure and can progress rapidly over a period of up to two hours or more. Anaphylaxis is potentially life threatening and always requires an emergency response. It is the responsibility of the parent to notify the school that their child is at risk of an anaphylactic reaction. This notification should occur either at the time of enrolment, or if the student is already enrolled, as soon after diagnosis as possible. As with other serious health conditions, it is important that schools provide support to assist the parent in the management of their child’s health. For this support to be effective it is important that:

A partnership is established between the parent and the school to share information and clarify expectations

Every reasonable effort is made to minimise the exposure of students at risk of an allergic reaction to known allergens within the school environment.

An emergency response strategy is developed and implemented.

If written information provided by the parent confirms that their child has been assessed as being at risk of anaphylaxis, an individual health care plan must be formulated by the Principal in consultation with the parent and staff. The individual health care plan must incorporate an emergency response plan and a plan for the avoidance of known allergens based on advice from the student’s parent and medical practitioner.

Head Lice Head lice, nits (pediculosis), is a recurring problem in all schools. Very few students escape having head lice at some time during their years at school and nits are not particular about which head they invade! Please help the school to keep this problem under control by following a few simple routines.

Check your child’s head for lice once a week in cooler weather and every day during the summer. Check carefully in the week before school commences.

If you do find lice, ask the chemist for the correct shampoo to treat them. As a precaution you will need to treat all other children in the family. Bed linen, pillows, hairbrushes, cushion etc. will also need to be washed thoroughly and aired in the sun.

Notes will be sent home to notify parents if an outbreak occurs. CHANGE OF ADDRESS It is most important that the school is notified if you change your address, telephone number (at home and at work) or your emergency contact number. Please notify the school office of any changes in writing. CHINESE LESSONS Chinese lessons are conducted each Thursday morning 8 – 8.50am with the South Coast Chinese Language School for those students who are interested.

CHANGE OF CLOTHES Occasionally students may have an accident at school and it is necessary to provide them with a change of clothing. It is sometimes difficult to keep enough clean clothing in the correct sizes at school to cater for the demand, so it is advisable, particularly for younger students, to have a spare pair of underpants, socks and shorts in their bag for emergencies. STATIONARY K- 1 students are provided with stationary. Students in Years 2-6 should come to school with their stationary supplies – pencils, pens, glue sticks, rubbers, ruler and scissors. A list will be supplied to each class at the beginning of the year. These need to be replenished throughout the year. CUSTODY ARRANGEMENTS If you have residence orders (formerly called custody orders) made by the Court, we need to have a copy of the order. A note will be made on our records because it is important for us to know exactly what arrangements are in place for your child. Similarly, if there are any variations in custody/guardianship orders, copies should be supplied to the school.

TRAVELLING TO SCHOOL

BUS TRAVEL A southbound Green’s service bus leaves the school at approximately 2:57pm. Students who need to catch this bus are supervised by a teacher until the bus leaves the school. There is a northbound Green’s service bus; which leaves the school at approximately 2:45pm. Children who catch the north bound bus cross the road at the lights to wait on the western side of Lawrence Hargrave Drive. Primary children who live in a 1.6 km radius distance (or 2.3 km walking distance) from the school are entitled to free bus travel but an application form (available from the school) must be completed. This application takes approximately 3 weeks to

process. Please note students who misbehave on the bus may lose their free travel passes. PEDESTRIAN SAFETY An automated traffic light crossing is positioned on the southern boundary of the school. Students and parents need to ensure they use the crossing with caution and be vigilant when crossing, as Lawrence Hargrave Drive is very busy. All staff and parents should utilise the pedestrian gate as they enter the school grounds. Parents and visitors should not drive their cars into the school grounds unless they have sought permission to do so. BICYCLE SAFETY Bicycles must be walked into and out of the school grounds and placed in the bike rack located at the back of the library block. The bicycle rack area is then out of bounds for all children until 2:45 pm. The school will do its best to supervise bicycles but can take no responsibility for theft or damage. Students are best to lock /chain their bikes. Students under the age of 10 are not encouraged to ride their bikes to school unsupervised. Skateboards and scooters should also be stored at the bike rack. Please note helmets must be worn for all bicycle, skateboard and scooter riders throughout the state.

PARKING Parents should observe all road rules around the school. The children should be dropped on the eastern side of Lawrence Hargrave Drive where possible. A carpark is located just to the north of the school.

SCHOOL LIBRARY The school library is a well-equipped resource centre of the school. Children at Coledale P.S. have the advantage of being able to use the library facilities most days of the week. Students are encouraged to borrow books from the library on a weekly basis. Each class will be notified of their library day in their class news. TEXTBOOKS Students will be required to purchase textbooks for their own use each year. The number of texts used and the costs are kept to a minimum. The school purchases these texts in bulk so that the savings can be passed on to parents.

PURCHASING UNIFORMS Our uniform shop is open Fridays 2.30-3pm by Heidi, the P&C Uniform Coordinator. If you can’t make these times you can put in an order form, with payment, into the money collections green box and your order will be processed and given to your child. Cheques to be made out to ‘Coledale P&C’. HATS A sun protection policy is in place at school throughout the whole year. Children not wearing a hat with a peak or brim must play in the shade while in the playground. There are a number of styles of our school hat on sale from the Uniform Co-ordinator – cap, bucket and broad rim. Children are also encouraged to use sunscreen. Students are encouraged to apply sunscreen before school and also have a roll-on sunscreen in their bags to re-apply during the day.

NO HAT NO PLAY!

SPECIAL RELIGIOUS EDUCATION (SRE) This is part of the curriculum in government schools. The teachers who provide SRE have to be authorised by their religious persuasion and many of them have completed special training. At Coledale, SRE teachers visit the school once a week on Tuesday mornings 9:00 – 9:30 am. We offer four different classes - scripture, Catholic, Ethics and non- scripture. We trust that your child will benefit from the religious education opportunities provided. Any concerns or questions about the content of the SRE classes should be referred to the relevant contact person.

LABELLING AND LOST PROPERTY Labels should be checked regularly to ensure that they have not washed or worn off. Staff ensure labelled items are returned to the owner. Unlabelled clothing and items are placed in lost property. This facility will be emptied regularly so hygiene is maintained. A lost property container is found near the southern entrance of the main building. To prevent the loss of property, please ensure that all items are clearly marked with your child’s name.

SRC Student Representative Council is made up of students (being voted by their peers) from each class. Kindy is represented by Year 6 students. The SRC organise fundraising events and special events. The elected students are also the student voice when completing school planning, evaluation and policy development. BIRTHDAYS & CELEBRATIONS We are more than happy for your child to celebrate their birthday with their class. If you are bringing in cake for the class to share we do ask that it be in the form of cupcake style. This makes it a lot easier for the class teacher to hand out (no knives or plates etc are required to be in the classroom). HOMEWORK POLICY At Coledale, we believe some homework is beneficial as a tool for children to revise work covered in class. It also establishes good basic study habits for the future years. By presenting gradual amounts of homework over the years in primary school, children should be prepared for and able to cope with varying amounts of homework in secondary school. The indicative time commitment for homework (including readers) is:

Kindergarten: 10 min per day

Stage 1: 15 min per day

Stage 2: 20 min per day

Stage 3: 30 min per day Home Reading: all students K – 6 are encouraged to read each night during the school week. This is recorded in their home reading diary. Home reading forms part of the formal homework. Students in Years 3-6 are also encouraged to record their reading in the Premiers Reading Challenge to gain further awards.

MONEY COLLECTION Parents are asked to place permission notes and money for excursions, concerts etc securely in an envelope with the child’s name, the amount included and the purpose of the payment, clearly marked. Envelopes should then be placed in the green post box outside the Administration Office. Direct deposit is also accepted by visiting the school website at http://www.coledale-p.schools.nsw.edu.au/ and clicking the ‘Make a Payment’ button on the toolbar. Cheques can also be used and should be made payable to “Coledale Public School” unless otherwise stated. If parents are experiencing difficulty with meeting payments, they should make contact with the Principal to discuss alternative payment options about the possibility of accessing limited Student Assistance Funds. CANTEEN A non-profit “Healthy Eating” canteen is operated each Friday by voluntary helpers. Children should submit their orders online at ouronlinecanteen.com.au before 9.00am on Thursday mornings. A paper bag with child’s name and class should be placed in the letterbox outside the kitchen. Price lists are sent home at the commencement of the school year or whenever a price increase occurs. Replacement price lists are available from the office or on our website. P & C ASSOCIATION P & C Meetings are held once a month on the third Tuesday. Business matters, social arrangements, fundraising and information relating to your child’s education are discussed. The Annual General Meeting is held in March each year. ORIENTATION An orientation program is held at the end of Term 3 and throughout Term 4 for children enrolling in Kindergarten in the following year. Please contact the school for further details and dates.

ENROLMENT Application to Enrol forms are available from the school. Students residing within the school’s local boundaries qualify for automatic enrolment. Students residing outside the school’s boundaries may apply for enrolment; however the success of the application for an ‘out of area enrolment’ is dependent on the recommendations of the School Enrolment Committee. Boundaries are north to Denmark St and south to Headland Ave. COMPLAINTS If you have an issue that you would like to discuss with either the Principal or class teacher please feel free to make an appointment to discuss this. You can call the office or send an email to the school and we will make arrangements for a meeting.

STUDENT WELFARE POLICY The Student Welfare Policy is available on our Website. This includes our Discipline Code, Anti-Bullying, Coledale Cool Kids Program and our Discipline Policy.

SPECIAL PROGRAMS Reading Recovery, Multilit Program, Environmental education – Living Classroom- Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden, After School French Language lessons – please see office for contact details. READING RECOVERY We have a Reading Recovery program offered to Year 1 students that need support with their reading. This program is shared with Otford and Scarborough Public Schools. SCHOOL BANKING We offer School Banking, through Commonwealth Bank. Banking is collected every Wednesday morning. Bank books must be dropped at the office prior to 9am. These will then be returned same day. PUBLIC SPEAKING/DEBATING Each year the children have the opportunity to participate in Public Speaking. Speaking is part of the curriculum in English and Stage 3 children prepare for the Seacliff Community of Schools Debating Competition each year.

SCHOOL UNIFORM

Hats, Sports shirts, Royal Blue Sloppy Joe, with Coledale emblem, Blue short sleeve shirt with Coledale

emblem and Royal blue track pants are available from the school office.

Children are also asked to wear a hat during outside activities.

Please mark all clothing with your child’s name.

BOYS SUMMER UNIFORM Mid blue short sleeve shirt Grey shorts Grey socks Black shoes

GIRLS SUMMER UNIFORM School dress or Royal blue shorts/skorts Sky blue polo shirt White socks Black shoes

BOYS WINTER UNIFORM Royal blue sloppy joe Royal blue track pants or grey trousers Mid blue shirt or sky blue skivvy Grey socks Black shoes

GIRLS WINTER UNIFORM Winter school pinafore Sky blue skivvy Royal blue sloppy joe OR Royal blue sloppy joe Royal blue track pants Sky blue skivvy Navy stockings or white socks Black shoes

BOYS SPORTS UNIFORM Yellow and blue sports shirt Royal blue shorts White socks Joggers

GIRLS SPORTS UNIFORM Yellow and blue sports shirt Royal blue pleated sports skirt OR Royal blue shorts/skorts White socks Joggers

THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM

As a parent of a primary school student (K-6), it’s important to know what your child will be learning so you can support them at home. During this stage, you and your child’s teachers will be the most important influences on your child’s education.

What will my child learn?

A child in K-6 will typically spend 80 per cent of their time in a 9 am to 2.45 pm, five-day school week learning the

syllabus. The remaining 20 per cent of school time is spent on activities at the school’s discretion. This could include

languages, additional school sport, concert rehearsals, religious education and special projects.

English and Mathematics makes up about 50 per cent of the school week – this is equivalent to at least 12 hours

each week. Other subjects are spread across the remaining time.

Primary school is split into four stages – Early stage 1 – Kindergarten Stage 1 – years 1 and 2

Stage 2 – years 3 and 4 and Stage 3 – Years 5 and 6

Each stage has six key learning areas.

1. English 2. Mathematics 3. Science and Technology 4. Creative Arts

5. Human Society and Its Environment (HSIE) (History and Geography)

6. Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE).

Each key learning area is taught within the NSW curriculum, which Education Standards developed.

In Years 3 and 5 your child with sit for the National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN). There

are four tests covering numeracy, reading, writing and language convention (spelling, punctuation and grammar).

Integrated units

Your child’s teacher may refer to integrated units as part of their class program. This means material from more

than one syllabus is being taught in a single unit – for example, designing, making, writing and illustrating,

researching, presenting research, reading, using music and dance.

This could involve several learning areas such as English, Science and Technology, Human Society and Its

Environment, and Creative Arts. Teachers have found that this approach can deepen students’ understanding and

enjoyment of what they are learning

Teachers may integrate some outcomes and content from different learning areas around a common issue, idea or

theme – for example, ‘How can we look after the places we live in?’, ‘Why and how did Australia become a nation?’,

‘What was life like for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples before the arrival of the Europeans?’.

An example of an integrated unit, which could be taught in Year 5 or Year 6, is:

‘How do places, people and cultures differ across the world?’

Special needs

The NSW syllabuses are inclusive to the learning needs of all students.

Students with special education needs in primary school usually work towards the same content and outcomes for

English, Mathematics, Science and Technology, Human Society and Its Environment, Creative Arts and Personal

Development, Health and Physical Education.

Your child’s teacher may need to adjust their teaching, learning and assessment activities for some students with

special education. Decisions about adjustments are made through a collaborative planning process that involves the

student, parent/carer, teacher and other professionals.

Disability provisions are available for students with special education needs for the NAPLAN tests conducted in Years

3 and 5.

For more information parents may wish to visit the NESA (NSW Education Standards Authority) website

which can be found at http://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au

Time allocation for Key Learning Areas

The NSW Education Standards Authority recommends spending the following time on teaching each of the K–6 KLAs.

As a guide, 6%-10% is approximately 1.5 to 2.5 hours in a typical teaching week. The 'additional activities' might

include scripture, school sport or debating. You may also use this time to expand on work being done with the core

curriculum. As a guide, 6%-10% is approximately 1.5 to 2.5 hours in a typical teaching week.

Teachers have flexibility to use these guidelines in accordance with the policies of their school system or authority.