Curriculum General

Lightning Reef Primary School is committed to providing a comprehensive and inclusive curriculum that is individualised to meet each child’s learning needs and interests. ​We believe in setting high expectations for all students. Our teaching practice is based on current research and supported by a range of teaching and learning initiatives.

ENGLISH

At Lightning Reef Primary School, we proudly promote a consistent approach to the teaching of Literacy. We implement the Workshop Model on a daily basis, which includes clear Learning Intention & Success Criteria; Explicit teaching through Shared or Modelled Reading or Writing; Independent Application along with small focus groups, before concluding with refection of new learning and/or improved application of strategies or skills.

Our daily Reading Workshop values Independent Reading and personalised reading goals.  Independent application allows students to practise letter/sound knowledge, decoding new words or phrases and applying Fountas and Pinnell Comprehension strategies while teachers work closely with individuals or small groups on targeted strategies. We continually monitor student progress through the use of Guided Reading sessions, Conferencing and Individual Reading Tests such as Running Records and comprehension conversations.

In Writing, we explicitly teach the structure of various text types, while focussing on the traits of effective writers. We link writing to real experiences or visual prompts in order to provide students with a reason to write that is both meaningful and engaging. Throughout each lesson, students are also learning about, applying and reviewing their knowledge of grammar and punctuation. The SMART Spelling programs allows for a consistent and sequenced approach to learning spelling patterns.

MATHEMATICS

Lightning Reef Primary School has a school wide approach to mathematics that reflects the needs and diversity of our learners. Mathematics lessons include clear learning intentions and success criteria, explicit teaching, independent application tasks and refection. Through this structure, we are able to provide students with the opportunity to develop strong number sense, fluency and problem solving skills.

Teachers access a whole-school scope and sequence plan linked to the Victorian Curriculum to ensure the Numeracy program is thorough and rigorous. They collaboratively plan units of work ensuring that targeted, focussed teaching occurs at students’ point of need, determined by student data. Units provide time for students to learn and master new skills before applying them to real life problem situations. We strive for all students to meet their full potential in Numeracy and ensure that students are supported through the use of engaging, focussed lessons including the use of open ended tasks.

SPECIALIST SUBJECTS
All students participate in the following specialist subjects each week:

  • Visual Arts
  • Performing Art – Music and Drama
  • Physical Education

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS

  • Students participate in a wide range of district sports, camps and excursions/incursions related to classroom work
  • Swimming program
  • Bike Ed program in Year 3 and 4
  • Year 6 students participate in the Passions and Pathways Program.
  • Buddies