Program List
Our specialist teachers are well respected, experienced and passionate in their chosen field and this is evident by their history of success.
English
At Parkfield Primary, with continuing diligence, we are providing a literacy program that encompasses the Australian Curriculum, is engaging and ensures success for all students. Staff at Parkfield continue to strive for fidelity with whole school approaches. Some strategies that we have implemented to improve literacy outcomes are:
- A Specialist English Teacher and English Coordinator.
- The provision of comprehensive professional learning based on teacher need and school literacy priorities.
- An agreed whole school approach to the teaching and learning of English.
- An equitable, strategic and coordinated approach to the allocation of funding and resources.
- The differentiation of the English curriculum so that the diverse needs of all students are successfully met.
Mathematics
Our whole school instructional approach is based on current learning theory and First Steps in Mathematics. The First Steps in Mathematics Key Understandings and Leaning Activities are used by teachers to provide focused learning experiences through a hands-on approach that scaffolds learning and allows students to construct their own mathematical knowledge.
The transition to teaching the Proficiency strands of the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics has been made easier by our whole school approach that has focused on developing understandings and providing opportunities for children to share and explain their mathematical thinking – reasoning. Fluency and Problem Solving are proficiency strands that teachers are now focusing on across the content strands.
Japanese at Parkfield
Parkfield Primary School offers a Japanese Language program from Year 2-6.
Japanese has been part of the Parkfield Primary School program for well over 18 years. The program is co-ordinated by our experienced language teacher who has been teaching Japanese for 22 years. The program is innovative, vibrant, challenging and held in a dedicated Japanese class room. The Japanese room holds a rich array of authentic materials and resources that the students are exposed to for meaningful experiences. Students are able to develop a love of learning another language in a safe, caring and motivating environment through games, songs, art and play through a holistic approach to teaching. Students also benefit from the visit of a native Japanese teachers assistant once a week that further deepens the experience of Japanese language and its culture.
Parkfield Primary School is the host school for a unique program known as “Japanese Extension Class. “(JEC). This is open to the greater Bunbury North Network of Primary Schools. Successful applicants attend a two hour intensive block of Japanese studies at Parkfield once a week, for extension in Japanese, where they are immersed in rich language and cultural experiences. The class is taught by three Japanese speakers at the same time, two of whom are native speakers. It is a one of a kind program running, supported by the network of Principals in the Bunbury North.
Music at Parkfield
Music is a full-time teaching area, consisting of 18 general class lessons from Years 1-6. Senior and Junior Choir are timetabled for ½ hour every week. The newly formed Concert Band rehearses for an hour weekly.
Class Music methods focus on a mixture of Kodaly and Orff approaches- listening, singing, moving, playing, reading/writing. The students are encouraged to use a variety of tuned instruments to help achieve these skills/concepts including ukuleles, xylophones/glockenspiels, recorders (descant, alto, tenor, bass), keyboards, boom whackers as well as non-tuned percussion. The skills/concepts follow the WA Scope and Sequence.
Ukulele (Wednesday 8.15-8.45) has a solid core from Years 5 and 6. The addition of beginner Year 4’s in terms 3 and 4 is a big success, bringing the total to over 30 members. The senior players are regular players as the Assembly Band. The full ensemble performs at the Performing Arts Assembly in Term 3, a Senior Assembly at the beginning of Term 4 and the Christmas Sing-along in late Term 4.
D.R.U.M. (Thursday 8.18-8.45) also has a regular core of Years 4, 5, and 6 students with between 25-30 members. Still focussing on ‘ownership’ of the pieces they perform, their skills are soundly developed and confidently played at The Performing Arts Assembly and the Christmas Sing-along.
The IMSS program has grown to 1x Year 5 beginner flute, 2x beginner clarinet/ brass and 1x Year 6 flute/clarinet/brass. Percussion has also been offered this year with one beginner class in Year 5 and one beginner class in Year 6.
Physical Education / Activity at Parkfield
The Physical Education Program at Parkfield aims to promote the benefits of regular physical activity while providing students with the opportunity to further develop their physical and interpersonal skills. We believe in the importance of developing Fundamental Movement Skills and Game Strategies, while incorporating the Bluearth Program, in order to maximise the health and wellbeing of our students so they will develop a positive attitude/sufficient skill level to enable lifelong achievement in physical activity.
Students at Parkfield participate in a one hour PE lesson and a one hour sport session per week. To further encourage students to get physically active we provide supervised activities on the oval before school and students are encouraged to borrow sports equipment from the sports shed at recess and lunch.
Sport Development Officers Sports Carnivalare also organised to visit our school to run sport clinics and provide more opportunity to develop students’ skills knowledge and to be physically active.
Parkfield has a number of school based carnivals that are held throughout the year. They are, the House Swimming Carnival, House Cross Country and House Junior and Senior Athletics Carnivals. At an Interschool level, Parkfield is part of the Bunbury Public Schools Sports Association (Tuart Division). We successfully compete in Cross Country, a Winter Carnival and Athletics.
Visual Arts at Parkfield
Students from Years One to Six visit the Visual Arts room once a week and participate in a wide range of exciting and motivating projects with the specialist teacher.
The sequential nature of the program provides students with the opportunity to imagine, design, create, communicate and share their artwork and ideas. Students engage creatively with the curriculum through drawing, painting, collage, printmaking, textile, clay and construction activities. Through these projects they develop an understanding and awareness of the Elements and Principles of Art. The students are also introduced to a wide range of different art styles, artists and cultures during our lessons, helping to develop their knowledge of, and appreciation for, the Visual Arts and the world around them. Studio practice skills are also taught, ensuring that the students develop safe, responsible and respectful attitudes towards themselves, peers, teachers and resources.
An opportunity to participate in our Lunchtime Art Club is also offered to students in Years Three to Six who have a particular interest in the Visual Arts. Past projects have included; batik-style cushions, papier-mâché cacti, printmaking, mosaic displays for the school, weaving, pompom animals, clay gnome homes and mask making. We have also utilised this time to work on community projects such as the Wildways Banners with Perth Zoo and the local Boomerang Bags initiative.
Importantly, the students learn that the Visual Arts is not just about producing a finished product. The development of their confidence and imagination whilst working on an artwork is extremely important, and the enjoyment that can be gained from experimenting with new art mediums, or mastering new skills, is a valuable aspect of the program.
Science at Parkfield
Science as a Specialist Teaching Area was initiated at Parkfield in 2016. The specialist teacher delivers Science lessons to all students from Years 1-6. Primary Connections, a program developed by the Australian Academy of Science, is the major science program used at Parkfield and focuses on developing students’ knowledge, understandings and skills in both science and literacy and is an innovative approach to teaching and learning.
The Primary Connections programs utilise an inquiry-orientated teaching and learning model.
- Students are provided with interesting hands-on experiences of scientific phenomena and then use their prior knowledge and literacies to develop explanations.
- Students are engaged actively in the learning process.
- Students have opportunities to represent and re-represent their developing understanding.
- Students develop investigations skills and an understanding of the nature of science.
Students will also be provided with opportunities to integrate Science with other STEM areas of Technology, Engineering and Mathematics in relevant units.
In 2016 many students participated in Science Week activities designing futuristic cars and robots to solve community problems.
Technology at Parkfield
Parkfield staff strive to develop responsible, creative and critical thinking skills in our students through the use of Information and Communication Technology. Our core belief is that the use of ICT is an effective tool for teaching and developing digital intelligence and student engagement. Students from Kindergarten to Year 6 (K-6) are provided with a challenging curriculum that is student-centred and focused on inquiry based learning.
Each Kindergarten to Year 6 (K-6) classroom has a set of iPads for students use and an interactive whiteboard to project lessons. All apps and programs are selected to promote high level curriculum learning. A portable laptop trolley and banks of computers support learning in a flexible and accessible way.
All classes have access to STEM (Science, Technology Engineering and Mathematics) future focused resources, (Eg, robots & electronic engineering resources,) to support the building of digital literacy. Staff model and explicitly teach safe, ethical and legal use of digital technologies.
HaSS (Humanities and Social Science)
Humanities and Social Sciences is one of the learning areas that is taught from Pre-Primary to Year 6.
In the Western Australian Curriculum, the Humanities and Social Sciences learning area comprises four subjects: History, Geography, Civics and Citizenship and Business and Economics. History and Geography are taught from Pre-Primary through to Year 6, Civics and Citizenship is taught from Year 3 to Year 6 and Business and Economics is taught in our upper primary classes, namely Year 5 and 6.
The learning area is taught through set Knowledge and Understandings at each year level, inquiry skills which are organised across two year bands and through the development of key concepts. By studying Humanities and Social Sciences, students will develop the ability to question; think critically; make decisions based on evidence; devise proposals for actions; and communicate effectively.
The Humanities and Social Sciences subjects provide students with the knowledge and skills they need to develop a broad understanding of the world in which we live and how people can participate as active and informed citizens in the 21st century.
