Primary school – the building blocks for life
A child’s primary years are the building blocks for their future in education and life. As such, we work hard to ensure that the primary curriculum is stimulating and interesting while being geared to each child’s needs. This will develop their inquiring minds and cultivate a sense of wonder, discovery and fascination with the real world and all it has to offer.
Primary school curriculum
In primary school, we aim to develop strong foundations in:
- Literacy and numeracy.
- Relating to others and taking responsibility for our own actions.
- Knowing God’s story and how we fit into God’s big picture. Throughout their primary years, students learn about being God’s person, in God’s place, under God’s rule.
Students are taught from each of the following key learning areas of the Australian curriculum, with a biblical perspective woven through. They are also taught to develop as learners so they can actively participate in today’s world. Teachers assess students to find out what each student’s individual needs are so we can tailor their learning.
Literacy (reading and viewing, speaking and listening, and writing)
Our teaching is based on best practices from many studies into how students learn to read and write. We recognise that development of a strong oral language base is fundamental to a student’s ability to develop literacy skills. We also teach language comprehension skills (background knowledge, vocabulary, language structures, verbal reasoning and literacy knowledge), along with word recognition skills (phonological awareness – the ability to manipulate sounds within words, phonics and word recognition) to aid students along the journey of becoming proficient readers and writers. Finally, students learn about grammar and the language structures of various genres of writing to help them communicate with the world around them.
Numeracy
Students learn fundamental numeracy skills through a combination of practical approaches, including singing, manipulative games and application. As students progress through primary school, they tackle more complex problems, expanding their knowledge and skills.
Connected units
These units cover a range of learning areas – including geography, civics, history, science and design technology. Teaching is delivered through a formational learning approach and focuses on helping students learn more about their world and their place in it as God’s children.
Biblical studies
While Bible truths are woven throughout all their learning, students also spend time learning more about the Bible in dedicated biblical studies classes. Our goal is to develop their knowledge of God’s amazing story and to encourage their relationship with Him to grow.
Languages
Throughout their primary years, students engage in the learning of languages. While learning a new language, students also learn about other cultures and people groups, helping them develop an awareness of the wider world and the importance of cross-cultural relationships.
The arts
The arts program at Araluen focuses on the following five strands of the Australian curriculum. Where appropriate, these five areas are integrated into connected units.
Visual art: Students engage in learning a wide variety of skills, in a range of mediums, that are proudly displayed around the College.
Music: Students explore different instruments and learn about beat, rhythm and melody.
Drama and dance: Students explore dance and drama skills, bringing them to life through performances.
Media studies: Students explore their creativity through a range of different media.
Health and physical education (HPE): All students are encouraged to actively participate in learning skills for life through HPE. Students engage in swimming lessons, which form a critical part of our water safety and awareness program. Junior primary students take part in the Perceptual Motor Program which is a movement-based program which helps younger students improve their coordination, fitness, balance, locomotion and eye-tracking skills.
Our College partners closely with community sporting organisations, enabling coaches to grow students’ understanding and skills in a range of sports. Students in the upper primary years enjoy competing against other schools across Alice Springs through a range of sporting activities.
Students are also encouraged to develop resilience and a strong sense of self-worth, to build and maintain satisfying relationships, and to make healthy decisions in relation to their health.