Student voice is always informing our curriculum. We want children who are excited about what they are learning at school. We want our students to feel that their world is valued in the classroom and that their voice is an important part of the work they are doing and the way we evaluate the work they are doing. We assess our teaching on the way we connect to our students. Science and the arts are learning areas of focus for our curriculum. We have spent a lot of time with Literacy (and that's not going away...at all) We have renovated our science curriculum: Incorporating Garden to Table, Incorporating technology where and when it is the best choice for extending learning, using everyday experiences to unpack what science can teach us about the world we live in. 

The Arts:

Wherever possible we incorporate the arts. Music, Dance, Visual and Language arts power what we do. Kids love to be immersed in the creative process; whether it's online, mathematics, a picture or a dramatic production so alongside most of what we do or integral to it is a creative process. We have employed a full time art teacher who takes classrooms across the school for art that aligns with current inquiries. Similarly we have employed a full time, “Wild Skills”,teacher. This teachers job is to build confidence, risk-taking and “can do” skills. 

Literacy:

Oral language development and fluency is the basis of all literacy achievement. We believe experiential learning and regular classroom programmes that are challenging, supported by home, are language rich, have high relevance for young learners are extremely important. We are achieving very well in literacy. The staff have had extensive professional development in Better Start Literacy Approach (BSLA) and more is happening as you read. We expect to consolidate new learning by our staff and continue to build the repertoire of opportunities for highly motivational learning that the students currently have. 

Numeracy:

All Fruitvale teachers are working with PRIME for structured math. Maths occurs every day in class and children are tested regularly to ensure we understand their progress and what needs to be done next. Numeracy is highly equipment and language based, particularly at primary school. We ensure all classrooms have access to all the equipment they need when they need it. 

Rigorous systems ensure that progress is maintained and that those falling behind are picked up and supported. We expect children to reach beyond their curriculum levels and most do. You can help at home by introducing mathematical concepts into your conversation in your home languages. 

Whether at the shops or setting the table or doing the bills for the month, there are extensive daily opportunities to encourage mathematical thinking

Inquiry:

'Give a family fish they will eat for the day, teach a family to fish and they will eat forever' 

We believe that if we can connect the learning children need to acquire, to the skills for acquiring it, they will be able to feed themselves into the future. Our Inquiries are planned across the school each term. Our inquiries incorporate all of the arts and our wild skills programme. We love the children getting in and using art to create and celebrate learning. They culminate in a celebration that each term reflects uniquely the focus of the Inquiry. 

Most often the community is invited to these 'Celebrations of Learning' and they are a lot of fun for the students as well as a chance to show off what has been studied for the period. Look out for the dates for these celebrations in the newsletters, on Facebook and on the community calendar.