Early Years
Year Prep to Year 4
The purpose of primary school is to give your child a foundation of knowledge, skills, attitudes and values necessary for further learning. At Ivanhoe Primary School there is a particularly strong emphasis on students achieving high standards in literacy and numeracy. There are also opportunities for the development of physical, creative and analytical skills as students are encouraged to explore their world.
Teachers with their group of students, develop a stimulating learning environment where your child will be challenged and supported. Best practice for teaching and learning for this stage of learning occurs with a daily two-hour literacy block and a one-hour numeracy block. This is supported by the Parent Helpers program, use of individual learning plans for students requiring additional support and the expertise of Literacy and Numeracy coordinators.
To gain a profile of your child’s learning needs interviews, assessments, ‘hands-on’ tasks and focused observations are used by the teacher to tailor a program that best suits a young child’s education. Prep teachers conduct a one-on-one literacy and numeracy interview with each child during term one. This information is used to determine the starting points for teaching each child. Further assessments are conducted throughout each year to demonstrate and build upon new skills and knowledge. At times your child will work with the whole class and at other times be grouped for particular teaching sessions with children who have similar needs. As your child develops, he or she will learn to work independently and cooperatively with different groups of children.
For children who require additional assistance in Reading and Writing, Reading Recovery provides specialist teaching during year one. Identified students have an individual daily program for approximately 15 to 20 weeks. Once students reach the required literacy standards they are discontinued from the program but are regularly monitored by their class teacher and the early years coordinator. Our teachers aim to create a safe and happy environment where children are valued, praised and encouraged to ‘have a go’.
Middle Years
Year 5 and 6
Teachers at Ivanhoe Primary School understand that students learn best when they feel that what they are learning is relevant to their lives and where close working relationships exists between teachers and students.
The middle years of schooling aims to give your child solid grounding and depth in a variety of subjects and skills to assist with transition into a secondary school setting and support future choices. There is also a focus on promoting independence, responsibility and citizenship.
As an Innovations and Excellence school, our middle years teachers work with neighbouring primary schools and a secondary school to design and implement quality teaching and learning programs designed to maximise student participation. Strong literacy and numeracy skills remain a key component with further opportunities for students to experience new learning beyond their immediate surroundings and community. Our middle years teachers are encouraged to use innovative ways to support students who are ‘learning for the future’.