Curriculum


      

 

At Ripponlea Primary School, the students are front and centre of all our teaching and learning as we use evidence-based practices and offer educational and extra-curricular experiences that support our children to thrive - no matter who they are or whatever path they choose to pursue.  We educate our children to be passionate and curious learners who are valued for their individuality and diversity.

 

Our curriculum places a strong emphasis on the foundations of literacy and numeracy, though fosters inquiry, problem-solving and a connection with the local environment and indigenous culture. Teachers at Ripponlea Primary School are committed to providing a multi-disciplinary approach to learning based on the Victorian Curriculum - which outlines the common set of knowledge and skills required by students for lifelong learning, social development and active and informed citizenship.

 

We tailor our programs to suit the needs of our students, and to inspire their love of learning across all subjects with a strong focus on student wellbeing. We create experiences in and out of the classroom to expand our students’ engagement and motivation through authentic real-world applications. We seek to educate creatively, experientially and with care.


Our teachers provide a stimulating, comprehensive and challenging curriculum. In F-2 in particular, we have a strong emphasis on learning through play.  Learning should be a joy and that's how we like it to be at Ripponlea.

We offer a rich academic environment that empowers them with an understanding of how their own strengths and skills will maximise their success.  Guiding students to become independent learners is a goal for all teachers at Ripponlea Primary School as we adopt the RPS Gradual Release of Responsibility Instructional Model - Know Your Learner.

 

Know Your Learner

 

 

The model is rich in utilising high-impact teacher practices and strategies, explicit modelling, guided practice, prompting and cueing, listening to expert thinking, encouraging collaborative experiences, and lots of opportunities for review.

 

Literacy

At Ripponlea Primary School students are taught the skills they need to read and write but are also encouraged to develop a love of reading and writing through independent reading and writing sessions. Our whole school instructional model ensures students are provided with learning at their individual pace and level through a variety of engaging learning opportunities.

 

Our scaffolding literacy practices provide students with high-quality mentor texts which are exemplary in teaching reading and writing skills. Through the explicit teaching of language features within written texts, students can engage in texts beyond their independent reading ability. This approach uses a deliberately designed sequence of lessons, with a specific focus on authors’ vocabulary selection, sentence structure and language patterns, allowing the student to adapt, transform and apply the authors’ work to their own writing.

 

 

 

Numeracy

Numeracy is the cornerstone of education at Ripponlea, encompassing the knowledge, skills, behaviours and dispositions necessary for students to wield mathematics effectively across diverse situations. It extends beyond mere mastery of basic mathematical concepts, embracing a holistic approach that connects in-school learning with real-world applications, fostering problem-solving, critical judgment, and sense-making.

 

At Ripponlea, we strive to go beyond traditional mathematical education. Our approach emphasizes the application of mathematics in real-life scenarios, preparing students for the challenges of the modern world. Through the four proficiencies, we aim to equip our students with the tools needed to not only solve mathematical problems but to understand the 'why' behind the solutions and to apply their knowledge confidently in a variety of contexts.

 

Join us on this journey of mathematical exploration and empowerment, where numeracy becomes a lifelong skill that extends far beyond the classroom.

 

Teaching the Four Proficiencies:

  1. Understanding:
    • Building a robust knowledge base of adaptable mathematical concepts.
    • Forming connections between related concepts and applying familiar knowledge to develop new ideas.
    • Understanding the intrinsic relationship between the 'why' and 'how' of mathematics.
  2. Fluency:
    • Developing skills in selecting and executing appropriate procedures.
    • Carrying out procedures flexibly, accurately, efficiently, and aptly.
    • Recalling factual knowledge and concepts readily.
  3. Problem-Solving:
    • Encouraging students to make informed choices and interpret complex problem situations.
    • Formulating and investigating problems, utilizing technological functions effectively.
    • Communicating solutions with clarity and efficacy.
  4. Reasoning:
    • Cultivating a sophisticated capacity for logical, statistical, and probabilistic thinking.
    • Engaging in actions such as conjecturing, hypothesizing, analysing, proving, evaluating, explaining, inferring, justifying, refuting, abstracting, and generalizing.

Inquiry

We use an Inquiry Methodology which enables students to develop an understanding of 'big picture' concepts by questioning, researching, analysing, presenting and sharing their learning. Students are encouraged to be critical and reflective thinkers, connecting their knowledge and experience to develop relevance and personal meaning of the ideas under inquiry.  Some of the units we’ve explored are: ‘Community’ (Foundation), ‘Light and Sound’ (1/2), ‘The Ages of Exploration (3/4) and ‘Design, Persuasion & Innovation’ (5/6).

 

Professional Learning Communities - PLC Practices

Teaching staff at RPS are members of 'Professional Learning Communities' (PLCs) where they collectively focus on individual student learning. PLC members share accountability for maximising student learning through continually evaluating and refining their practices based on reliable data and evidence-based approaches. 

 

Teachers use the 'FISO Improvement Cycle' tool to continually measure and evaluate the impact of their teaching and make necessary adjustments for individual student engagement, inclusion and learning. The continuous nature of this improvement cycle informs level-based reviews of the curriculum on a semester basis. The leadership team at RPS uses this information to review the curriculum at a whole-school level each year, ensuring also that it meets curriculum guidelines set by the Department.

 

The most effective aspect of our school’s improvement journey is building a strong professional learning and collaborative culture. Students are central to everything we do, their learning and well-being are equally important as fostering their individuality, creativity and community citizenship and connectedness. Building whole-school practices and consistency is paramount to students’ success at our school.  Every child deserves to receive a high-quality outstanding education and experiences irrespective of which classroom or with which teacher. 

 

 

Specialist Program 

Our classroom work is complemented by a specialist program that includes weekly 60-minute sessions of:

  • Physical Education & Sports
  • Performing Arts
  • Visual Arts
  • LOTE (Italian and French)

Find out what happens in our specialist classes here.

Library
We also have a well-resourced library with a great variety of fiction and non-fiction texts.  Our students have a dedicated library session each week and are also able to visit the library during the second half of lunchtime.

 

  library 

 

    

 

Student leaders offer clubs and activities during lunchtime. 

 

Some of these include:

Coding Club

Chess Club

Dungeons & Dragons Club

Book Club 

Origami Club

Card Making Club

Drawing Club

Translator

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