Our Learning

 Our Lady of Fatima Parish Primary School 

The Curriculum at Our Lady of Fatima follows the guidelines set by VCAA in the Victorian F-10 Curriculum which incorporates the Australian Curriculum. The curriculum sets out what all young Australians are to be taught, and the expected quality of learning as they progress through their schooling. The Victorian Curriculum F-10 is the curriculum for Victorian schools.

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Curriculum areas are: Religion, English, Mathematics, Science, The Humanities, Technologies, Languages, The Arts, Health and Physical Education.  These are explored through the Capabilities areas: Critical and Creative Thinking, Personal and Social, Ethical and Intercultural.

Religion

Developing a personal relationship with God

At Our Lady of Fatima we believe that the Catholic faith and its traditions are central to the purpose of our school. Religious Education permeates all areas of school life, in an environment conducive to the development of a personal relationship with God.

We:

• Continue to foster an environment, which nurtures and strengthens faith formation and catechesis.  

• Assist and support the on-going development of the school faith community.   

• Inspire the school community to live out the Gospel in their daily lives.  

• Provide opportunities for students to plan and participate in celebrations, prayer and liturgies within school/parish community.   

• Provide a program, which integrates the culture and life experience of the broader community with the faith experience of the school community.  

Specialist Program:

Performing Arts

Building Creativity through drama, music & performance

We have a strong Performing Arts Culture in the school and students can elect to be part of the choir and participate in lunch time activities around the performance. Students also participate in weekly Performing Arts lessons that encompasses Music, Drama and performance based activities.

Specialist Program:

Visual Arts

Seeing the world through a different lens

Our Art work and displays go beyond the four walls of our weekly specialist Art lessons.  Students have opportunities to make and create works that are entered in local, state and national competitions and our pieces adorn the classrooms, playground and even the trees in our school!

Specialist Program:

Physical Education

Healthy body, healthy minds

Students participate in weekly Physical Education lessons and as they move in to the Senior area of the school have the opportunity to compete in interschool sports up to state competitions.  

We also feature an extensive Outdoor Education Program beginning with such activities as Junior Camp and Life Saving Education days. Senior children also have the opportunity to participate in our Outdoor Education elective program.

Specialist Program:

Gardening

Nurturing through nature

Children are actively involved in our Garden Program which might see them cooking fresh produce from the garden or creating sculptures, mosaics, scare crows or art work for our grounds.

Electives

Choose your learning path

In Year 5 and 6 students participate in our Electives program where they choose from a range of interest activities over a Semester (half year).  Students are presented with a range of subjects and activities that they elect to enrol in. For 2019 these are:

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• Outdoor Education

• Waste Warriors

• Gardening

• School Musical

The POD

Learning through Play

The POD is a unique feature of our playground.  We have a large shipping container that is full of clean industrial scrap that is suitable for playground games and construction.  It is a major feature of our "Learning through play" philosophy and a much valued part of play in our school yard.

Students play, create and construct in groups and are taught how to use the materials safely.  It is constantly renewed and topped up with new materials and a highlight for many of our students at lunchtimes.

Lunchtime Activities

Activities to Cater for All

Each lunchtime as well as regular lunchtime play and the POD, we also have games and special activities that students can access while at play.  

This includes: Giant Jenga, Costumes, Bubble Play and more.  Each day is different and we also provide a supervised inside space for quiet games in our library. Students can choose to colour in and draw, play with lego or simply find a quiet spot to sit and play.

Buddy Program

Whole School Buddy Program

We are a “Better Buddies’ school. (Alannah & Madeline Foundation program). All students have a Buddy and teachers organise activities and sessions where the Buddies can build relationships doing various interesting tasks related to the Curriculum.

• Preps students are paired with Year 6 students

• Year 1 students are connected to Year 4 students

• Year 2 students are connected to Year 5 students

• Year 3 students are connected to Year 6 students

Camp

New experiences, new horizons

The camp program operates on a 2 year cycle. In 2019 Year 5 & 6 children will attend camp at Phillip Island, Year 3 & 4 children will attend camp at Portsea.  Our Year P/1/2 participate in a modified camp program in preparation for the year 3-6 program.

In 2020 the camps will be; Year 5 & 6 children will attend camp at Sovereign Hill, Ballarat. Year 3 & 4 children will attend The Briars, Mt Martha.  Our Year P/1/2 participate in a modified camp program in preparation for the year 3-6 program.