Specialists

Visual Art

The Visual Arts program at Montmorency South Primary School is taught by a qualified Specialist Art teacher, with each student participating in one 50 minute session each week. The program offers students in Foundation to Year 6 an opportunity to explore and experiment with a wide range of skills, techniques and process with a focus on the artistic elements of colour, line, shape, pattern, texture, space and form. Students express their ideas, observations and imaginations through the use of a wide range of media such as drawing, painting, textiles, printmaking, collage, construction and digital art. The program also exposes students to artworks from a range of places, times and cultures, including artwork by Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander people. Students often have the opportunity to participate and contribute to whole school collaborative artworks and installations. Student work is displayed in the classroom, around the school and on SEESAW and every student brings home a folio of completed artworks at the end of each year.

French

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 an environment 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, cultural focuses, classroom rituals and celebrations. There are also strong connections to the literacy learning within the classrooms.

French at MSPS incorporates aspects of the AIM Language Learning methodology and the Extensive Instruction Process (EPI). These includes

  • Use of gestures where all words are accompanied by a hand gesture. 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) where targeted vocabulary is selected according to frequency of use, function and ease of acquisition. With first language learning a word is introduced, and understood in context by a child, prior to more specific language being introduced. PDL also places a high emphasis on the use of common verbs for communication, however it does not focus explicitly on the grammar aspects. Instead, vocabulary is presented in a way that parallels first language learning where it is learnt as the need arises, in context.

Physical Education

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. 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 specialist physical education teachers to coordinate and deliver the physical education program.

Montmorency South also offers a range of specialised programs including:

  • An intensive swimming program for children in Prep to 2
  • An Open Water Learning Experience for students in Years 3 to 6.
  • A Swimming carnival is held for students in Years 3-6 and successful children have the opportunity to compete at district, division and state level.
  • A range of opportunities exists for children in Years 3-6 to participate in the athletics and cross-country programs, with successful children competing at district, division and state level.
  • Inter/Intra School Sports Program for students in Years 5 and 6
  • We also have numerous other events which expose the students to a variety of sports and activities.

Performing Arts

Thanks to our experienced industry professional staff and a dedicated Performing Arts space, students have multiple opportunities to develop their skills in all disciplines of Performing Arts: Music, Dance and Drama.

Students participate in weekly Performing Arts sessions from Prep to Year 6. All children learn the ukulele from Year 2. Our instrumental program during school hours includes:

Keyboard and guitar on a user pays basis.  See https://montysouth.vic.edu.au/current-families/additional-programs/ for more information on these programs

Children in Years 3-6 are able to join our school choir and/or advanced choir; both of which participate in a number of performances during the year. A major musical written especially for our students by our staff or a standard Hal Leonard musical is performed biannually for the whole school.

In the alternate years, we add an exploration of indigenous perspectives and art forms, led by our Reconciliation coach, to our usual program.

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