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Our Curriculum

The curriculum at Lyndhurst is based on the Victorian Curriculum, which governs all government schools in Victoria.

 

The early years program (Prep-2) is based on Kathy Walker’s play-based learning system. This play-based learning is heavily focused on providing children with a strong foundation of essential literacy and numeracy skills through utilising a child’s natural propensity to learn through play to engage them.

 

At the higher levels (year 3-6), children are gradually transitioned to an “inquiry-based” curriculum, also working with researcher, Kathy Walker who provides a strong pedagogical framework. Inquiry based learning is all about building lifelong learners. It is focused on giving children the skills and abilities to be able to increasingly take control of their own learning and to give them to time to study, learn and think more deeply.

 

The program at Lyndhurst is individualized and personalised. Gone are the days when teachers teach to the middle group and hope the others will catch on. Education is focused on each child’s point of need based on clear evidence and a strong, cooperative family partnership.

Literacy

Literacy learning forms a core component of the Lyndhurst Primary School Curriculum.

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Inquiry Based Learning

Inquiry-based learning is a student centred or active learning approach that takes, as its starting point,

the natural process of inquiry, building on this to develop information processing and problem-solving

skills.

Numeracy

Numeracy forms a core component of the Lyndhurst Primary School Curriculum.

Outdoor Education

At Lyndhurst, we are strong proponents of a quality outdoor education program as we believe there are great physical, social, emotional and indeed spiritual benefits for children from such a program. A camps program is a key component of a broader outdoor education program at Lyndhurst.

Investigations

We have strongly established a “play-based” curriculum in the Early Years (Prep-2) at Lyndhurst. Many parents may wonder what this means. The curriculum is be based on the work of Kathy Walker. You can read more about Kathy and her work at…. www.earlylife.com.au.

Specialists' Programs

Physical Education

At Lyndhurst primary school, we focus on providing a PE program that ensures students are as active as possible in a fun and safe environment. In the early years, from Prep to 2, the curriculum program focuses on developing student’s Fundamental Motor Skills and their ability to apply these to minor games.

 

In the middle and senior years, the curriculum focus shifts towards a ‘game sense’ approach, where students develop their ability to participate in a range of sports, applying the skills they developed throughout the early years. Students also begin to develop an understanding of the tactics and strategies involved in playing these sports.

Senior students also have the opportunity to participate in district sports including Cross Country and Athletics

 

  • Swimming

  • Cross Country

  • Athletics

  • Weekly Interschool sport and Lightning Premierships

  • Bike ed

  • Swimming lessons

  • Beach safety program

 

Things that can be done at home include:

 

  • Try to get 60 mins of exercise per day. Go for a bike ride or a walk. Play at the park

  • Practise movement skills that you have been taught in your class during the week.

  • Try to follow the Healthy Eating Pyramid.

Music

At Lyndhurst Primary School all children learn music as part of the specialist program. Each year they learn a variety of musical concepts, skills and instruments. The music program follows the Victorian Curriculum guidelines and incorporates the Musical Futures concept of teaching which seeks to transform young people's engagement in music through imitating the real-world practices of professional musicians. Lyndhurst Primary School has 2 fully equipped music rooms which contain tuned and un-tuned instruments as well as full band set ups for children to practice and play music together. Students have the opportunity to learn a wide variety of instruments as well as singing, dancing and acting. The music program offers extra curricula activities such as the ukulele orchestra and years 3 to 6 senior choir. Lyndhurst Primary School has performed in the mass choir for the Victorian State Schools Spectacular for many years which is a televised event

 

Here are some things you can assist your child with to theirMusic skills:

 

  • Listen to a diverse range of music with a focus on lyrics and meanings. For example, Classical, Country, Rock and Roll, etc..

  • If you have an instrument at home practise with it every day or learn a song or dance.

  • Create your own body percussion rhythm.

Science

Science is carried out by students in Years 2 to 6. Students undertake Science lessons for one semester per year. The focus of the Science program has been to inspire students to question and explore a changing world.

 

Students curiosity is encouraged and through the scientific process of asking a question, conducting an experiment, and learning from the results they are supported to use that information to make more educated observations about the world around them. The program aims to teach students that science is a part of their everyday lives and can help to explain many of the things they experience.

 

Here are some things you can do to assist your child to develop their skills:

 

  1. Undertake an experiment with your child. Try to base it on concepts they are curious about. Youtube has a lot of examples of kid's experiments. There are several Science shows on ABC and Netflix. Or use Google to search for experiments.

  2. Encourage your child to think about everyday events and ask questions about them. For example, Why is the sky blue? Why is there day and night? 

  3. Try to visit cultural institutions such as libraries, zoos or museums as well as experiencing the wonders of nature to continue develop your child's natural curiosity. 

Art

At Lyndhurst Primary School all children are offered a rich and creative Visual Arts program. The curriculum program follows the Victorian Curriculum guidelines. Each year students explore a variety of art skills and techniques in a range of art mediums. We believe that all children can create and experience Art. Students are encouraged to learn by doing, and to become independent learners. Lessons are designed so that students include their own personality and interests into their artworks.    

Our art room is well resourced and students are fortunate to be able to create clay sculptures which are then fired with the school kiln. When possible we also offer lunchtime Art Club for students to further develop their artistic interests. This is organized and run by the Art Captains. Students’ artworks are proudly displayed throughout the school, celebrating their creativity.

 

Here are some things you can do to assist your child to develop their skills:

 

  • Expose your child to a variety of areas in Art. Drawing and painting are great but try to develop skills in other areas too such as using Air Dry clay for sculptures, collage, photography, etc.

  • Encourage your child to share the techniques they used in Art classes with you. Can they teach you how to create something similar to what they did at school?

  • While observing and experiencing art, get your child to think about what the artist’s intentions were when creating the work. Was the artist attempting to get you to feel, think or question?

Spanish

Students at Lyndhurst learn Spanish from Prep to Grade 6. The Spanish program follows the school’s philosophy of play-based & inquiry learning, giving students the opportunity to practise their language skills in fun and engaging interactions in the classroom.
 

Prep students are introduced to the Spanish language and culture through games and songs. They learn basic language skills such as how to greet people and say how they are feeling, as well as colours & numbers that are continually referred to and practised when learning new topics. By the end of the year, Preps are familiar with the sounds of the Spanish language.

In Grade 1/2, students are introduced to language used in their daily routines such as days of the week, months of the year, weather & seasons and clothing. They learn how to describe themselves as well as animals and develop an understanding of masculine and feminine language rules in Spanish.

 

By Grade 3/4, students are introduced to project-based learning, and draw on previously learnt language to add to their understanding of new topics. Projects include making digital books about the family, making invitations to a “fiesta”, making visual representations of their house & making puppet shows. The projects encourage students to use their individual strengths and skills to show their learning in a range of forms.

 

Grade 5/6 students investigate culture through research projects, songs, and videos. They participate in class meetings to discuss issues affecting the Spanish speaking world and learn how to express their views on a range of topics. Students continue using their creativity to present role-plays and puppet shows and learn valuable language-learning skills which will prepare them for learning any language in the future. 

 

Here are some things you can do to assist your child to develop their skills:

 

- Encourage your child to practise vocabulary that they have learnt at school in their home environment

- Encourage your child to access the resources on their Spanish Google Classroom (G 4 – 6)

- Culture is very important and we encourage parents to share their culture with their children. Challenge your child to make comparisons between the language you might speak at home and the language they are learning at school.

Digitech

At Lyndhurst Primary School, the use and exploration of Digital Technologies have been embedded into the school’s learning culture. While these knowledge and skills are promoted in class, we also have dedicated classes that focus on coding, data/information and digital systems.

 

The school has run a successful Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program since 2014, which currently sees students in years 4, 5 and 6 bring their own Windows computer to school every day as part of their learning. Anywhere, anytime learning allows our students to get the most out of what they learn in class.

 

Here are some things you can do to assist your child to develop their skills:

  1. Join up to Scratch and start coding with tutorials

  2. Start looking for algorithms that you can see in your everyday life. Can you find a new one everyday?

  3. Become a maker, whether it is baking with your parents, building a lego house for your toys or planning out a cubby house for the backyard.

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