Curriculum

Victorian Curriculum

The Victorian curriculum outlines what is essential for all Victorian students to learn during their time at school from Foundation to Year 10. It includes all learning domains and provides a single, complete set of common state-wide standards which schools use to plan student learning programs, assess student progress and report to parents.

Classroom programs cater for a wide range of student abilities. Teaching and learning activities target the needs of students working above, at and below the expected level.

They involve students in the use of information technology tools including computers, iPads, electronic whiteboards and the use of the internet.

Students practise working and learning in teams and develop habits to support their learning.

The curriculum is organised as follows:

Australian Developmental Curriculum

The Prep classrooms at Horsham Primary School run a program called the Australian Developmental Curriculum. For 3-4 days of the week, children spend the first two hours of the day involved in “investigations”. Each classroom has a reading corner, a writing centre, dramatic play area, collage table, sensory table, interest table and a construction area. The rest of the day is spent on specific Literacy and Numeracy sessions and specialist programs.

The Australian Developmental Curriculum is a child-centred approach that takes into account the interests of children and promotes creativity through open-ended tasks. Key aspects of the approach include:

• Promoting knowledge, understanding and skills through hands-on construction, creations and dramatic play.
• An increase in rich oral language for all children.
• All children, regardless of gender, are actively engaged in their learning and behavioural issues can be reduced.
• Integrating Literacy and Numeracy into all learning experiences.
• A belief that each child develops and matures at his/her own biological rate. Some will mature more quickly (and in some areas more slowly) than others.
• An emphasis on social skills through role play, problem solving, dealing with conflicts, negotiating, turn taking and speaking and listening to each other.