Curriculum
Our Curriculum
Our curriculum is delivered through an integrated approach where topics are taught across all domains. The students are engaged in a unit of work sharing their knowledge, before they explore new information which they will be able to explain through various applications allowing them to develop their ideas and understandings. Self evaluation of progress is an important aspect of their learning.
Our School Strategic Plan places great emphasis on ICT, Literacy and Numeracy Programs.
Our eLearning vision at CEPS embeds ICT in all facets of the curriculum providing a stimulating, purposeful, inclusive and challenging environment for all children to meet the demands of their ever changing technological world. Using ICT is an engaging and exciting learning experience for students.
Our Arts Curriculum at CEPS is an exceptional and enticing program that allows students to participate in fun and exciting activities in our Art and Music rooms. The programs are facilitated by experienced, creative teachers.
Literacy
At Cheltenham East Primary School, our English program develops skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening in a supportive and stimulating environment.
Our Junior and Middle Years Program promotes the development of literacy skills through the provision of a daily “Literacy Block.” This learning time allows all children in Foundation to Year 4 to practise and consolidate their learning. Our Senior Years Literacy Program in Year 5 and Year 6 develops and extends children’s literacy skills using more complex texts. Planning for these daily sessions is done in accordance with the Victorian Curriculum
Cheltenham East students are exposed to a rich variety of texts during daily reading sessions.This enables students to develop their skills and understanding in areas such as phonemic awareness (identifying and manipulating phonemes), fluency, accuracy, comprehension and expanding vocabulary. We value our engaging guided reading sessions alongside our take home readers program. These support the development of various literacy skills by nurturing confidence and enjoyment of reading within our students.
All grades have access to our school library which enhances classroom learning, and provides reading and borrowing opportunities.
Using quality texts as a model, students are supported to create a variety of writing texts for different purposes, including to entertain, to inform, and to persuade. Students are taken in stages through the Writing process of planning, drafting, and then publishing, to create a variety of multimodal texts. Students are scaffolded to generate ideas, utilise text structure and text conventions to portray meaning, and to use quality word choice amongst other important skills within their writing.
For spelling in the Junior Years, students are taught phonological awareness where they learn the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate syllables, rhymes and individual sounds in spoken words. As students progress, they are taught phonemic awareness. Teachers specifically teach students to use phonemes, onset and rhyme, and syllables to spell, read and write new words, as well as matching these accurately to letters or letter combinations (graphemes).
In the Middle and Senior years of the school, students continue to build on their knowledge of words, with an emphasis placed on learning to spell using orthography. Through inquiry-led investigations, students are taught how to find the patterns that exist in spelling. They participate in engaging activities as they make and test hypotheses in the search for an understanding of the reasons why written words are spelt the way they are.
At CEPS we recognise the importance of Speaking and Listening for both social and emotional purposes and the need for it to be taught explicitly at each year level and integrated across all learning areas.
The Cheltenham East Intervention team has a wealth of knowledge and supports students across the school requiring additional assistance in English
Parent involvement, an integral component of life at CEPS is supported and encouraged through CHATS, our Classroom Helpers and Teacher Support Program. Reading books with children and supporting digital literacies in the junior school is highly sought after and appreciated by teachers.
All students are encouraged to participate in the Victorian Premier’s Reading Challenge and their success is rewarded with a certificate. We love celebrating Book Week every year and have lots of fun creating costumes and dressing-up to meet the theme of every year. Visits by theatre companies, guest speakers, storytellers and authors enhance our literacy experiences.
Numeracy
At Cheltenham East Primary School, Mathematics is a vital part of our students’ learning journey,and is taught across the week from Foundation to Year 6 in accordance with the Victorian Curriculum. We prioritise the development of deeper connections, problem solving, and the understanding necessary to be able to communicate effectively. Students develop proficiency in Fluency, Understanding, Problem Solving, and Reasoning.
The mathematics programs are supported and guided by expert teachers from across the school. These Professional Learning Teams meet weekly, bringing their passion for learning and many years of experience together, to review trends and data, assess school strategic visions, and ensure that high achievement and high growth levels are maintained.
Formative and summative assessment data is regularly utilised not only to prepare unit plans, but to respond in a timely manner to the needs of the students, and to track their mathematics growth and development throughout their primary school life.
Our lessons are carefully designed to ensure meaningful connections are made to mathematics in our world and students are extended to the best of their abilities. Mathematics at CEPS focuses on fostering student confidence and skill, to enable students to use numeracy and mathematical approaches in all aspects of life.
Lessons are differentiated to meet the various needs of our diverse learners. It is a teaching strategy used to provide the right amount of support and challenge for every student, at their point of need. Differentiated teaching adjusts either the content, the process, or the product expected from students. This is done to ensure that all CEPS learners can receive the instruction they need to grow and succeed.
CEPS has developed and produced a customised Problem Solving process called RESCUE, to guide and extend students in their thinking and reasoning when working through challenging and complex problems. RESCUE was created to respond to the needs of our students, to scaffold their ability to be able to effectively plan, explain, and justify their approach. Extensive research and knowledge went into the creation of this process, which is utilised across the school.
In support of critical and creative thinking, we passionately implement ‘Number Talks’, which encourage the development of understanding and adaptive reasoning in a social and positive atmosphere. Additionally, in the senior grades, our school participates in the APSMO Math Olympiad competition. The aim of this program is to develop and extend students’ mathematical problem solving skills, through participation in a nationwide Maths Olympiad program.
Our classroom maths lessons are well funded and supported with a variety of resources; including the use of digital learning tools and interactive devices, hands-on learning materials, maths games, and engaging modelling tools.
Humanities/Inquiry Learning
At CEPS, students learn about the world around them through our Humanities units and explore ways they can contribute to the society they live in. Students learn about their place in the school, local area, Australia and globally.
Units of work involve Inquiry-Based Learning where students actively participate in exploring their own questions and interests, and are provided opportunities to exhibit agency in their learning. This approach aims to develop students’ curiosity and motivation and enables them to take ownership over their own learning.
Explicit teaching of the following content areas occurs in classrooms, along with planned lessons which develop student’s skills required to engage with different subject areas:
- History
- Geography
- Civics and Citizenship
- Economics and Business
- Design Technology
- STEAM (Science/Technology/Engineering/Arts/Maths)
All students engage in a STEAM project to conclude each Humanities topic where they are given the opportunity to demonstrate new understandings and skills in a variety of ways.
Science
At Cheltenham East Primary, students from Foundation to Year 6 experience the wonders of Science in a weekly session held in our dedicated science room.
Engaging, hands-on activities and experiments are planned alongside the Primary Connections Science Program to explore concepts of Biological Science, Chemical Science, Physical Science and Earth and Space Science.
Students are given opportunities to work collaboratively with their peers and develop their scientific literacy skills by learning ways to record observations, experiences and reflections.
I.C.T. at C.E.P.S
The ‘Information and Communication’ highway is always flowing at Cheltenham East Primary School as we keep up to date with current practices. Our students and staff have access to a variety of devices which are used not only to engage students, but also to broaden creativity and critical thinking skills. Opportunities to develop skills and knowledge arise across the curriculum in a safe and supported environment.
At CEPS, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is taught explicitly from Foundation to Year 6, as well as being integrated into other areas of the curriculum. Students develop skills that make them innovative, confident and responsible users of IT in an ever changing world. ICT programs are used both as learning platforms and for assessment purposes.
At Cheltenham East, we pride ourselves on our integration of technology into our classrooms. Students and teachers are equipped with iPads, smart TVs, Apple TVs as well as our BYOD programme in the senior years. Access to these technologies allows our students to collaborate with their peers on group activities, learn about eSafety and provides them with access to a range of avenues to explore and discover information through the internet. Our school also utilises the Google Suite to collaborate, explore and share ideas across the school and they are provided with opportunities to interact with online spaces in a safe and supervised environment.
E-Safety
Cheltenham East Primary School became an official eSmart school in 2016. The eSmart framework is funded by the Victorian Government and is an evidence based initiative of The Alannah and Madeline Foundation. This framework uses a cultural change approach to improve cyber safety and reduce cyber bullying and helps guide our policies, practices and whole-school processes to create a cyber safe environment and to help support the smart, safe and responsible use of technology.
With our lives being immersed by technology, it is important that now more than ever we as a whole-school community continue to uphold and promote cyber safe behaviours at school and at home.
For more information about eSmart or sites you can visit for support with being cyber safe at home please take the time to explore the links.
Visual Art
Visual Arts program is taught by teacher Suz Reidd and functions as part of our specialist program.
Our Visual Arts program enables children to be involved in numerous activities that aim to develop and extend individual artistic skills and creativity. All children work on a broad range of activities such as drawing, painting, printing, collage, construction, modelling and textiles as outlined in the Victorian Curriculum.
Children attend one session per week in our new purpose built well resourced Art room. Each lesson aims to cover skill application and art appreciation. Children have the opportunity to socialise with their peers and share their ideas in a positive and encouraging learning environment. Producing work for presentation is most important. Displays of children’s art works can always be viewed along the corridor of the main building, showcasing the outstanding artistic abilities of our students.
Music
Music is taught by teacher Susan Digby and functions as part of our specialist program.
Our Music program consists of one class session per week in the Music room which is equipped with a variety of musical instruments including a piano, several keyboards and tuned instruments. Children sing, listen to music and play a range of instruments. Classes participate in assembly items, presented on a rotational basis at Monday morning assemblies throughout the year.
Physical Education
Physical Education is taught by teacher Bec Robinson and functions as part of our specialist program.
Our extensive grounds and facilities allow our Physical Education program to continue regardless of the weather. Our enthusiastic and encouraging program facillitator caters for all students to have fun whilst developing fundamental skills and awareness of body and space. Our program is developed from the Victorian Curriculum.
Students in Years 3-6 participate in Minor games including Bat Tennis, Kanga Cricket, Football, Netball, Soccer, Tee Ball, and Volleyball throughout the year. Years 5 and 6 students participate in Inter-School Lightning Premierships. Other events such as Hooptime Basketball and Five-a-Side Soccer are also arranged for students. Our students participate in House Athletics, Cross-Country and Swimming events with several children qualifying to attend Zone and District Carnivals. We are always very proud of our children and the way they participate.
Our Foundation and Year 1 students participate in PMP, a Perceptual Motor Program which occurs in Term 2.
LOTE – Italian
Our LOTE (Languages Other Than English) program is based on the Victorian Curriculum. It is taught by teacher Signora Mondy and functions as part of our specialist program.
Our Italian LOTE program encourages children to not only be exposed to the Italian language, but also learn about Italian society. Children are able to develop a better understanding and appreciation of other cultures. The study of Italian also aids as a foundation for learning other languages. Children and staff participate in Special Days to promote cultural activities. Italian lessons are attended by Foundation to Year 6 students each week.
VALUES EDUCATION
The National Framework for Values Education recognises the values, education policies and programs already in place in Victorian education authorities and schools. Click here for more information.
CEPS Values
The four values which underpin our daily actions are Courtesy, Respect, Co-operation and Responsibility. In each classroom, child-friendly teaching posters are displayed and actively used to help reinforce the attitudes and behaviours that will support each student to embody each of the school’s four values. Student awards are given each week at assemblies to recognise Courtesy, Respect, Co-operation and Responsibility through student actions.
CEPS Kids are Friendly Kids
Our social skills program ‘CEPS Kids are Friendly Kids’ teaches and instils values through role play, discussion and everyday events. Children are encouraged to live our school motto ‘Aim High’ and to always give their best effort. The program is taught weekly from Foundation to Year 6.
The Resilience Project
The Students at CEPS are extremely fortunate to be involved in The Resilience Project. The Resilience Project is a program that is driven to share inspiring stories that make talking about mental health accessible and practical activities that make looking after the wellbeing of ourselves and others easy and fun. Our staff deliver this program to our students each year. The program provides evidence-based, practical wellbeing strategies to build resilience in our students. The program focuses on three key principles of Gratitude, Empathy and Mindfulness (GEM). At CEPS we aim to promote the principles behind GEM in our daily teaching practise, to increase happiness and drive long-lasting mental health outcomes in all of our students. At CEPS we proudly put the Wellbeing of our students first.
Some links for information about the Resilience Project
The Resilience Project youtube video
SWPBS – School Wide Positive Behaviour Support
The SWPBS approach at Cheltenham East Primary School was introduced in 2014. It is a whole school approach designed to promote and maintain a safe and orderly learning environment for all students and staff.
It focuses on everyone and all settings within the school and promotes a positive focus on academic and behavioural outcomes across the school. It clearly defines our core expected behaviours, which are:
I am Courteous
I am Respectful
I am Co-operative
I am Responsible
Behaviour expectations will be taught and practised throughout the school to reinforce our core values.
