Curriculum

Our Curriculum Plan

Language

“One language sets you in a corridor for life. Two languages open every door along the way,” – Frank Smith.

Second-language acquisition and children

Learning another language is an exciting experience for children. While they have fun discovering new and unique ways of expressing themselves, they also exercise and strengthen their brains. Learning another language can:

Stimulate brain development

Learning another language helps develop essential areas of children’s brains; it helps them to think more creatively, connect ideas and solve problems more easily.

Significantly enhance English literacy skills

When learning another language children automatically compare and contrast the system of the new language they are learning with English; giving them an insight to how English works and accelerating their ability to read and write.

Improve memory, concentration and numeracy skills

Learning another language strengthens childrens’ memory for sequences and ability to concentrate while building connections; improving overall performance at school.

Encourage respect and understanding of other cultures

Learning another language sparks childrens’ curiosity for other cultures. It opens their minds to different ways of living and promotes harmony and respect. Learning another language is crucial to preparing children for their increasingly globalised future.

French at MSPS

The French program at MSPS runs from Prep to Year 6. All classes currently receive 50 minutes of French each week.

The focus at Montmorency South is for students to become active users of the language; to create a communicative climate focused on meaning, within which language acquisition can take place naturally. To achieve this, learning is developed through contexts that carry significance for the students; such as storytelling, music, games, social and cultural focuses, classroom rituals and celebrations.

French at MSPS also incorporates AIM Language Learning methodologies; including:

Gestures

Almost every word students learn is accompanied by a hand gesture which ensures that communication is kinaesthetically and visually represented whilst simultaneously being produced through speech. The gestures support students to produce the language constantly throughout each lesson.

“Pared-down” language (PDL)

Targeted vocabulary is selected according to frequency of use, function and ease of acquisition. With first language learning the word ‘hot’ is introduced, and understood in context by a child, prior to more specific language (i.e. warm, boiling, balmy or blistering) being introduced. PDL also places a high emphasis on oral use of verbs for communication, however it does not focus explicitly on the conjugation of verbs (i.e. I say, he says, we say) and the varying tenses (i.e. I say, I said, I will say, I would say, I was saying, etc.). PDL presents vocabulary in a way that parallels first language learning so each part of a verb is learnt as the need arises, in context.

“Learning another language is not only learning different words for the same things, but learning another way to think about things,” – Flora Lewis

Physical Education

Physical activity, sport and recreation play an important part in the lives of all Australians.

At Montmorency South, we promote the rights of all children in the school to participate in a healthy and active lifestyle.

It is our aim to develop students’ confidence in using movement skills and strategies to increase their motivation to become active as well as to improve their performance and maintain a level of fitness that allows them to participate in physical activity without undue fatigue. We also aim to build understanding of how training and exercise in areas such as strength, flexibility and endurance relate to physical performance.

To help with these outcomes, Montmorency South has a specialist physical education teacher to coordinate and deliver the physical education program.

Montmorency South also offers a range of specialised programs including:

Swimming

An intensive swimming program for children in Prep to 2 and an Open Water Learning Experience for students in Years 3 to 6. Swimming trials are conducted for students in Years 3-6 and successful children have the opportunity to compete at district and state level.

Athletics

A range of opportunities exists for children in Years 3-6 to participate in the athletics program, with successful children having the opportunity to compete at district and state level.

Perpetual Motor Program

The Perceptual Motor Program is an activities-based program designed to develop fine and gross motor skills and increase confidence in movement. This program is undertaken as part of the Preps’ P.E. sessions.

Coaching Clinics

During the school year, the children are able to participate in a number of coaching clinics.

Inter/Intra School Sports Program

The Summer Sport program involves Years 5 and 6 students.

Due to the number of students in our senior school (years 5 and 6), we have decided to run an Interschool and Intraschool Sport program.

Interschool involves students playing sport against students from other schools, whereas Intraschool Sport involves students participating in a range of activities as set out on the attached fixture.

Each Friday morning in term 1, students will take part in either the Intraschool or Interschool Sport program, depending on what team they are allocated to.

Please feel to come and watch your child participating and cheer on the team. Games generally start at 9.30am and will finish by about 10.40am.

Students should wear shorts, school polo and runners. Students in the basketball team will be given a singlet to wear at the start of the term to look after bring each week.

Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden

SAKG Information And Contact Details

Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden recipes are now accessible through Compass to all Monty South families.

Log in to Compass, click on the communities icon then click on school documentation and you will find the MSPS recipe book. Recipes are indexed by category.

Special programs at Monty South

Prep Investigations

Prep Investigations is a science-based program where students are given an opportunity to complete true investigations. Students are taught the steps and are given freedom and flexibility to take their investigations where their interests lay.

Literacy and maths is heavily embedded in the program.

Writing is a big focus of Prep Investigations and many more genres of writing will be accessible for children through the real life experiences they will be participating in throughout this program.

The learning space has been set up to replicate the design process the children follow. These are the steps the children will become familiar with:

1. Planning: Where we think about what we would like to make and we draw and label what we are making. We also think about what we might need.
2. Research: Where we can use books and iPads to learn new things about what we want to make.
3. Resources: Where we collect everything we need to make our project. Sometimes we might forget things but we can always come back to this space.
4. Create/explore: Where we make our design or carry out our experiments.
5. Reflecting: Where we sit down and think about all the things we like about our design.

During terms 1 and 2, the children complete the same projects as either a whole class or in small groups to support them through the process. In term 3 the children are given the opportunity to decide what they would like to create or explore.

The aim is for them to be able to carry out their project with minimal teacher input.

The following are examples of projects the students might like to explore:

• Creating a house for a special toy
• Designing clothes for toys
• Investigating paper aeroplanes
• Exploring how to make a volcano erupt
• Building tall but stable towers

This investigative format allows the children to take their ideas wherever they like – thus catering for individual abilities and interests.

Other Extension Programs

• Extension maths
• GATEWAYS
• Tournament of the Minds

Extra curricular programs

Montmorency South provides a range of extra curricular activities for children to participate in. These programs are usually implemented as a response to parent requests and in consultation with school teaching staff. Childrens’ participation rates in the program are high. Currently we are able to offer the following programs:

School Hours

Ensemble program
The ensemble group meet on a weekly basis.

Individual music tuition program
Children receive individual tuition on a weekly basis in keyboard & strings.

After school hours

Chess Club, Kelly Sports Program, and other programs.

Some of these activities are user pays, and provided that the school has enough willing students we will continue to provide and expand the breadth of these activities. New suggestions are always welcome and can be offered to our Principal.

Sustainability

Montmorency South is continually working towards making our world a more sustainable place.

Our sustainability program is highly valued in the school and wider community.

The school endeavours to provide students with a wide range of knowledge in various environmental and sustainability areas, as well as catering for individual interests and needs of students.

ELFS (Environmental Leaders For Sustainability) is a voluntary group of students from Prep to Grade 6 who have an interest in the environment and making our school a more sustainable place. The school environmental captains lead the other students through small environmental projects throughout the school. The Environmental Captains for 2021 are Koko Finger and Kolby Gilbert

Environmental programs and projects that take place at Montmorency South include:

• Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program
• The preservation of the school’s Biodiversity Reserve
• Environmental and sustainability based curriculum programs
• Participation in events including Ride2School Day, Walk2School Day and National Tree Day
• Participation in Kids Teaching Kids programs run locally and state wide.
• Active members/participants in local TEN (Teachers Environment Network) meetings.
• Reconciliation Action Plan

MSPS uses its sustainability program to connect with the school and wider community. We have many dedicated helpers from the community helping with our Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program and with other programs and projects throughout the school.

iPad Information

2023 Apps List

iPad Expectations 2023

iPad Guidelines 2023