Teaching & Learning
Curriculum
At Caulfield South, it is our goal to prepare students to meet the challenges of an ever-changing global society. We strive to equip our students with the knowledge, skills, values, understandings and courage to undertake a positive, productive and rewarding role in the world. To achieve this end, we aim to develop independent, confident and resilient learners.
At CSPS academic excellence is valued. In addition to this, through the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP) framework we also focus on developing highly literate and numerate students, we provide weekly opportunities for learning in:
- Visual Art
- LOTE (Italian)
- Physical Education
- Music
Our instrumental music program includes a school orchestra and a drum corps which performs at many public events.
Our school utilises a multi-faceted approach to developing and maintaining a whole school focus on literacy and numeracy, including intervention when appropriate. We ensure that we utilise the current research on effective learning and teaching to inform our teaching program.
The Primary Years Programme has an overlying framework for its curriculum. Six transdisciplinary themes are covered each year, in conjunction with the Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS). Our school uses these guidelines to plan student learning programs, assess student progress and report to parents.
The most significant and distinctive feature of the IB Primary Years Programme is the six transdisciplinary themes. These themes form the basis of our Inquiry Units which are meaningful, relevant and have global significance.
They include-
- Who we are
- Where we are in place and time
- How we express ourselves
- How the world works
- How we organise ourselves
- Sharing the planet
These themes help teachers to develop a programme of in-depth inquiries which investigate significant, relevant ideas, identified by the teachers, and requiring a high level of involvement on the part of the students. These inquiries are substantial, in-depth and usually last anywhere from two to six weeks.
Sustainability
Our Vision
Our vision is to make sustainability part of the norm at Caulfield South Primary School.
We endeavour to create a whole school behavioural change regarding how we manage waste at our school.
ResourceSmart
We work within a supportive network to assist us in planning, implementing and creating sustainable programs at Caulfield South Primary School.
History of ResourceSmart
ResourceSmart AuSSI Vic is Victoria’s approach to the Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative (AuSSI). More than 1000 schools in Victoria have signed up since 2003. In 2011, the Government committed over $8 million to build on the ResourceSmart framework.
Green Machine
We have an active Green Machine consisting of 10 staff members and 24 keen students from grades 4 to 6.
Green Machine
In 2020 and 2021, we have been focussing on maintaining our school program during numerous lockdowns and completing the core module for the Victorian statewide program ‘ResourceSmart’. Here are a few items that we have achieved in this time.
Prior to the lockdown in 2021 the Green Machine team decided to take action on what they saw was a major letdown in the community, reusable and recyclable items going into landfill. Items such as bread tags, batteries, plastic bottle tops could be reused or repurposed into something else. So the senior students in Green Machine (Yrs 4-6), who had completed the Year 4 unit on Waste made our Recycling Station, which is in the office for the community to access. One box of batteries and a full box of textas has already been taken to the appropriate depot to be disposed of properly.
To reduce the amount of waste going to landfill at our school we are continuing the Nude Food Program to encourage students to minimise the amount of waste they are bringing to school every day. Each classroom has a small landfill bin, recycling bin, soft plastics bin and compost bin to help sort their rubbish.
The gardens in the barrels outside the SLC have continued to be planted seasonally. We sold some produce in late summer and also sold some lemons from our school tree at our little lemon stall.
The programs that we have implemented at school through completing the ResourceSmart Schools waste and core modules are making a difference on a whole school scale with a reduction in the schools waste to landfill since commencing the Green Machine Program. Completing our Core module in November 2021 will set our future direction as we work towards renewing our Water and Biodiversity modules in 2022. ResourceSmart Schools has guided our practices in the areas of curriculum, campus, culture and community and continues to provide clear goals moving forward.
Waste Sort Poster
Planting
Recycling Station
Library
The acquisition of language is a dynamic, life-long and social process that permeates all learning. Our library resources support language learning at Caulfield South P.S. This assists development in English, as well as the various mother tongues and the additional language, Italian.
We celebrate our differences and encourage students to be proud of their culture. Our students are encouraged, through the teachings of the Learner Profiles, to be open-minded so they understand and appreciate their own cultures and personal histories. The use of mother tongue is supported by the school providing books in the diverse languages represented in our community. These books are housed in the school library which consists of a junior library in the main building and a senior library in the Senior Learning Centre.
Book borrowing and research are supported and the library is open at lunchtimes on designated days for students to visit for quiet reading and reflection.
Having 2 library spaces gives students greater access to to the resources which are now used as part of our teaching and learning program on a daily basis.
Learning Technologies
21st Century education integrates technologies, engaging students in ways not previously possible, creating new learning and teaching possibilities, enhancing achievement and extending interactions with local and global communities. (MCEETYA ICT in Schools Taskforce, ‘Contemporary Learning’ document in Learning in an Online World, 2005).
At Caulfield South Primary School, teachers use technologies and multi-media as part of a range of strategies to engage students in purposeful learning and to prepare them for an ever-changing world. ICT assists in creating powerful learning and teaching to improve student learning outcomes.
eLearning planning supports the impact of the ICT domain of the Victorian Curriculum.
To support eLearning the school makes use of:
- eSmart Cyber Safety and Wellbeing Program
- Interactive whiteboards and TVs
- Cameras
- Computers, Chromebooks and iPads in classrooms
- Web-conferencing equipment
- Online portfolios through SeeSaw
CSPS implements a 1:1 Chromebook program in Year 4 to 6, to further support eLearning. The Chromebooks used for the program are economical devices and we have policies and protocols in place to help protect student safety online. Our CSPS eLearning Team has developed a school blog to support parents and students in eLearning and cyber safety.
Year 2 and 3 students use school owned Chromebooks to support Literacy, Mathematics and PYP inquiry learning.
Year 4, 5 and 6 students are invited to purchase Chromebooks as part of the 1:1 Chromebook Program.
Student Chromebooks have access to Google Apps for Education to support learning, including Gmail, Docs, Sites, Forms and Google Classroom. A small bank of school owned Chromebooks are available to support children and families unable to participate in the 1:1 Chromebook program.
We encourage parents to access this valuable support through the following link:
https://sites.google.com/caulfieldsouthps.com/digital-technologies/home
The Italian program is taught by a qualified teacher of the language. Each grade from Prep-6 receives an Italian lesson each week. It is taught in a sequential and cumulative process. The program is linked where possible, with classroom units of inquiry, through whole class and small group activities.
The Italian program follows the AusVELS and the PYP guidelines. Students are encouraged to speak in Italian.
Spoken and written texts include information with high frequency and familiar vocabulary. Students decode new words by making predictions, (based on context), using bilingual dictionaries and online electronic word banks. They read illustrated texts and are able to write short descriptive sentences using appropriate word order.
Aural tasks involve students listening to short dialogues or descriptions, selecting information and demonstrating comprehension by performing various activities, for example, by completing charts, locating information and matching phrases/pictures/ sentences.
Students are immersed in the culture and the language of Italian through an annual Italian Day celebration.
Physical Education
A comprehensive physical education programme is provided by a highly skilled physical education specialist teacher whose enthusiasm encourages a high level of participation, engagement & learning.
The physical education programme includes-
- Formal weekly physical education sessions
- Annual intensive swimming programme in an indoor heated pool at Star Fish Swim School (P-2) and Glen Eira Sports and Aquatic Centre (3-6)
- School camping programme
- House Sport Carnivals
- Interschool Sport which gives students the opportunity to represent CSPS at District through to State level
- Strong involvement in community initiatives such as The Premier’s Active April, Walk to School Month, Walk Safely to School Day and National Ride to School Day.
Our school promotes healthy, active lifestyles in an effort to contribute to the future good health and wellbeing of our students and therefore our society.
Performing Arts
Children attend weekly specialist performing arts sessions as part of our curriculum programme. This involves a wide variety of music, dance and drama, where children are able to develop their creative talents. As well as during these sessions, there are many other opportunities for children to perform and shine such as:
- Whole School assemblies
- Junior School assemblies
- Junior School Concert
- Whole School Concert
- Lunchtime concerts
- Orchestra
- Soiree
- Choir
The School Drum Corps attracts many children from Years 5 and 6 who are given wonderful opportunities to perform in public:
- ANZAC Day March
- Grand Final Parade
- Cup Day Parade
- Remembrance Day
- Various local regional events
Visual Arts
At Caulfield South Primary School we offer an exciting Visual Arts program based on learning through inquiry. Students have the opportunity to explore and manipulate a range of media when creating 2D and 3D artworks. They are also encouraged to reflect on, monitor and plan their thinking and making as they develop a range of skills and techniques.
Students communicate ideas, feelings, experiences and observations through a variety of visual arts activities such as drawing, painting, puppet making, ceramics, collage, printing, sculpture, textiles and construction. Wherever possible, the arts program supports classroom units of inquiry developing conceptual understanding, enhancing positive attitude and the taking of action. The arts program also includes independent units of inquiry that support a positive learning environment conducive to the creative experience.
Our artist in residence has supported our ‘Year 6 Legacy Project’ over the last few years. This project aims to improve the aesthetic look of the playground and the school environment in general. Students have worked closely with an artist to produce hand-painted tiles above the drink taps, eye-catching murals on the portable classrooms and an octopus sculpture near the oval. The students have also used recyclable and reclaimed materials to create 3D flowers and amazing animals. The school’s Junior Library has recently undergone a transformation, decorated with an array of 2D and 3D installations featuring well-loved storybook characters.
Overall, Visual Arts at Caulfield Primary School promotes creativity, student engagement, problem solving, critical thinking, as well as social interaction.
Extra Curricular
- Instrumental music
- Science Talent Search
- Green (Sustainability) Machine
- Junior School Council
- Choir
- Orchestra
- Drum Corps
- Musical events
- Coding Club
- Reconciliation Action Plans Team (RAP)
- Leadership Program including ‘Buddy’ program
- Prep Breakfast
- Year One evening Dinner
- Year Two Extended Day Program
- Year Three to Six Camping program
- Chess Club provided by Chess Ideas
- Hot Shots Tennis provided by Fit for Kids is run before school
- SOCCERWISE is run after school
- Jewish Studies classes provided by the United Jewish Education Board (UJEB) run before school
- Excursions and incursions to support student learning
- Hebrew Immersion Program (HIP) – held three mornings a week before school