Overview
The Victorian Curriculum F-10 provides the framework for curriculum development for Foundation – Year 10. It is structured as a learning continuum that enables teachers to identify the student’s current levels of achievement and then deliver teaching and learning programs that support progression of learning. The curriculum integrates the ‘Towards Foundation Level Victorian Curriculum’ directly into the curriculum and is referred to as ‘Levels A to D’.
The Victorian Curriculum F–10 includes eight learning areas and four capabilities. The curriculum achievement standards are provided in 11 levels for English and Mathematics and in five or six bands for all the other learning areas and capabilities. Curriculum covers all the arrangements the school makes for students’ development and learning. It includes the course content, student activities, teaching approaches, the way in which teachers and classes are organised and decisions on the need for and the use of facilities and resources.
The core purpose of Elizabeth Street Primary School as defined in the Strategic Plan is to empower all students to embrace learning. Our commitment is to continue to develop and support resilient and curious lifelong learners who aim to achieve their personal and academic best.
Our school values are: Respect, Responsibility and Resilience.
Elizabeth Street Primary School will meet the minimum standard with:
- Year level curriculum planners which can also show time allocation for each area
- An explanation of how and when curriculum and teaching practice will be reviewed
- An outline of how the school will deliver its curriculum is found in teacher examples of weekly overviews and planning documentation examples, as well as Elizabeth Street Primary School Scope and Sequence documents
- A time allocation for each of the eight learning areas
- A documented strategy to improve student learning outcomes
Curriculum Guidelines
Elizabeth Street Primary School will recognise and respond to diverse student needs when developing its curriculum programs and curriculum plan.
Elizabeth Street Primary School will comply with all Department of Education and Training guidelines about the length of student instruction time required in Victorian schools.
There will be a broad offering of programs to meet demand, designed to enhance effective learning, and improve student outcomes.
Teaching and learning programs, resourced through Program Budgets and the curriculum will be regularly reviewed and adaptions made to suit the ever-changing needs of our students and the community.
All teachers will use the Victorian Curriculum, subject Scope & Sequences and curriculum mapping documents to guide their curriculum planning.
Elizabeth Street Primary School provides a comprehensive curriculum with a strong focus on literacy and numeracy. In addition to the comprehensive classroom programs offered in literacy and numeracy, an integrated classroom curriculum program addresses the curriculum areas of Science, Humanities/History, Technologies/Design Technology, STEM, Civics and Citizenship, and Health. These curriculum areas are also cross referenced with the literacy program to ensure sufficient time is allocated to address the content. Specialist teachers provide instruction in the Arts, ICT and other areas based on student interest and staff skill set.
Interdisciplinary, personal and social learning are addressed within these curriculum areas and supported by a range of school camps. The school is an active participant in district sport competitions as well as providing opportunities for students to participate in externally provided camps.
Program Development
The school will identify and cater for the different needs of particular cohorts of students when developing its curriculum plan. In developing its curriculum plan the school will provide a broad range of educational pathways to ensure improved student outcomes.
The school will implement the Framework for Improving Outcomes (FISO), a model for continuous school improvement. Key components include:
- Evaluate and diagnose
- Prioritise and set goals
- Develop a plan
- Implement and monitor
Program Implementation
Through professional learning sessions the school’s staff will determine the curriculum programs for the following year, based on provision needs and departmental policy requirements.
To facilitate curriculum planning and implementation, scope and sequence documents, assessment schedules, curriculum mapping documents and planning templates will be used.
The use of Information and Communications Technologies will be integrated across the curriculum to support the improvement of teaching and learning outcomes and adheres to Department of Education and Training School Policy & Advisory Guide ‘Using Digital Technologies to Support Learning and Teaching’ and the school’s own endorsed policy.
Student Wellbeing and Learning
Elizabeth Street Primary School will embed student wellbeing in all learning experiences by aligning student welfare and curriculum policies and creating an educational environment and curriculum that is inclusive and meaningful to all students:
- providing an integrated and comprehensive curriculum approach that incorporates the personal and social issues of students into their daily learning experiences
- providing a flexible, relevant, inclusive and appropriate curriculum
- accommodating student developmental needs within the Victorian Curriculum
Students with Disabilities
The Department of Education and Training and Elizabeth Street Primary School are committed to delivering an inclusive education system that ensures all students, including students with disabilities, have access to a quality education that meets their diverse needs. Elizabeth Street Primary School will liaise with the Department of Education and Training where necessary to provide suitable programs and resources to support the delivery of high quality schooling for students with disabilities.
Curriculum and Teaching Practice Review
The school’s curriculum will be audited on a yearly basis to ensure currency with the Victorian Curriculum. Curriculum audits and review will inform future curriculum planning and implementation. The school’s leadership team will oversee teacher practice and work to create a culture of learning, collaboration and continuous improvement. Giving and receiving productive feedback will be a key component of teaching practice improvement. The implementation of Professional Learning Communities will support teachers to utilise student learning data to reflect upon and improve their teaching practice.
All staff will participate in the staff performance and development process in which goals are aligned with the school’s Annual Implementation Plan and the Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) standards. The school will utilise DET policy and guidelines, online resources, internal and external expertise, mentoring, coaching, and peer observation to support staff to continually improve their method and practice of teaching.
The school will utilise DET policy and guidelines, online resources, internal and external expertise, mentoring and coaching, peer observation and collegiate feedback to continually improve their method and practice of teaching. The implementation of Professional Learning Communities will support teachers to utilise student learning data to reflect upon and improve their teaching practice.
Student Learning Outcomes
The school’s four-year Strategic Plan will set out the school’s direction, goals, targets and key strategies for improvement. The school’s Annual Implementation Plan will outline incremental stages of the Strategic Plan implementation, monitoring and evaluation, broken down into 12-month targets. An Annual Report will provide the community with information about the school’s performance in implementing improvement strategies and how resources have been used.
Data Collection
The school will continuously monitor student outcomes using a variety of formative and summative assessment strategies and tools that include: (eg. NAPLAN, English Online Interview, Mathematics Online Interview, Essential Assessment, Fountas and Pinnell Assessment, PAT-R and other benchmarking tools deemed necessary at any point in time). Specific timing is outlined in the Assessment Schedule.
Data Analysis
All teaching staff will implement the school’s assessment schedule. A variety of approaches will then be used to analyse data at an individual, group, cohort and/or school level.
The leadership team will work with teachers (at an individual, team or whole school level) ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the importance of data, how to interpret it and how to use data to plan for continued improvement in both teaching and learning.
The use of data will inform curriculum planning including the identification of goals, targets and key improvement strategies in the School’s Strategic Plan and Annual Implementation Plan
Data will also be used to determine student support options including for those at risk, developing an Individual Learning Improvement Plan, provision of extra teaching support and/or referral for further assessments.
Data Achievement and Reporting
Data will be reported in different ways according to the audience.
For students: Feedback will be given about current learning and areas for future learning. This will be done through student/teacher conferences, teaching groups and setting learning goals.
For staff: Both informal and formal data will be used to inform planning and teaching on both a short and long term basis. Trend data will also provide relevant information about the school’s continuous improvement journey.
For parents: Student reports and Student led conferences will provide an opportunity for teachers to provide feedback regarding student achievement. Written reports are provided at the end of Term 2 and Term 4. Student work samples will provide parents with ongoing feedback on their child’s learning each term.
For community: Student learning outcomes data will be reported in the Annual Report to the School Community provided to the DET.
Links and Appendages
Links to DET School Policy & Advisory Guide:
- Curriculum
- Framework for Improving Student Outcomes
- Assessment and Reporting
- Using Digital Technologies to Support Learning and Teaching
- Student Wellbeing and Learning
- Students with Disabilities
Time Allocations Per Learning Area
The curriculum, Foundation to Year 6 is based on the Victorian Curriculum.
The timetable is structured on a weekly basis. Each learning session depends on grade level and subject. The breakdown of the weekly cycle is as follows.
Foundation – Year 2
| Learning Areas | Hours per week |
|---|---|
| English | 12 |
| Mathematics | 5 |
| Science | 1 |
| LOTE | Under review |
| Targeted Specialist | 1 |
| Health and PE | 1 (1.5 every second week) |
| Visual Arts | 1 |
| Humanities/Inquiry | 2 |
| Assembly / Reflection | 1 |
| Technologies | 1 +Integrated into a range of curriculum areas |
| TOTAL | 25 |
Year 3 – Year 4
| Learning Areas | Hours per week |
|---|---|
| English | 12 |
| Mathematics | 5 |
| Science | 1 |
| LOTE | Under review |
| Targeted Specialist | 1 |
| Health and PE | 1 (1.5 every second week) |
| Visual Arts | 1 |
| Humanities/Inquiry | 1 |
| Assembly / Reflection | 1 |
| Technologies | 1 +Integrated into a range of curriculum areas |
| TOTAL | 25 |
Year 5 – Year 6
| Learning Areas | Hours per week |
|---|---|
| English | 11 |
| Mathematics | 5 |
| Science | 1 |
| LOTE | Under review |
| Targeted Specialist | 1 |
| Health and PE | 2 |
| Visual Arts | 1 |
| Humanities/Inquiry | 2 |
| Assembly / Reflection | 1 |
| Technologies | 1 +Integrated into a range of curriculum areas |
| TOTAL | 25 |
POLICY REVIEW AND APPROVAL
| Policy last reviewed | 2025 |
| Approved by | Principal |
| Next scheduled review date | 2027 |