Primary learning includes whole-class, group and individual activities designed to develop an inquiring mind and teach basic learning skills needed for schooling and later life.
Literacy and numeracy are the building blocks of learning and that is why English and mathematics take up half of students' learning time in primary school.
Kindergarten to Year 6 focuses on six key learning areas:
- English
- mathematics
- science and technology
- human society and its environment
- personal development, health and physical education
- creative arts
Primary school in NSW follows a curriculum based on stages of learning. Each stage is approximately equivalent to two school years. For each learning stage there are skills, knowledge and a level of understanding that each student should develop.
Early Stage 1 refers to Kindergarten
Stage 1 includes Years 1 and 2
Stage 2 includes Years 3 and 4
Stage 3 includes Years 5 and 6
- Navigate to the School Years sections to find out more
Topic: Reading to Learn
Headline: New teaching strategy adopted to accelerate learning
Our school has adopted a balanced and integrated "top down" teaching strategy called Reading to Learn to enable all learners to read and write successfully, at levels appropriate to their age, stage and area of study.
The program has been developed over ten years with teachers of primary, secondary and tertiary students across Australia and internationally. It integrates reading and writing with teaching the curriculum at all year levels.
The strategies apply cutting edge research in classroom learning, and language across the curriculum, in a form that is accessible, practical and meets the needs of teachers and students.
When using the Reading to Learn methodology, students are explicitly taught how texts are structured and how language works across a range of texts.
They systematically deconstruct small passages of text to study writing techniques of successful authors and use those techniques in their own writing.
Independent evaluations of Reading to Learn have shown that it can accelerate the learning of students across all schools and year groups and among students from all backgrounds and literacy skill levels.
Our teachers have undergone initial training in Reading to Learn and are now implementing the strategy in their classrooms. They will also be coached and mentored over the coming months by teachers experienced in using the Reading to Learn strategy.
More information is available at the Reading to Learn website.
