At Warranwood Primary School we believe learning and teaching occurs most effectively when strong, positive relationships exist between students and teachers. Accordingly we establish beginning of the year routines which promote and build relationships both within and beyond the classroom.
The first few weeks of the year focus on establishing relationships with and between students and teachers, ensuring our classrooms are supportive and well managed. Students participate in ‘getting to know you' activities and discuss how they want to be treated. Often words like respected, considered, fairly treated etc. are listed. These words are then explored or ‘unpacked’, providing detailed examples of what these types of behaviours entail and clearly demonstrating to students how to model them.
Our school values opportunities for students across all year levels to interact and develop positive relationships. Prep and Year 5 students develop a strong buddy relationship with planned activities during the year. Whole school STEAM and literacy days are held each year and involve students from Prep to 6 grouped together and working cooperatively on experiments and literature or art activities.
At Warranwood, each double room is well resourced with a range of digital devices which are used by all students during literacy blocks, maths sessions and for research and communication. The curriculum is based on Integrated Studies units which are relevant to today’s issues, are interesting to the students and support their learning. These topics provide the content for the Literacy work we undertake, giving meaning and purpose to classroom activities. Mathematics tasks may fit well within these units such as working with fractions when cooking or collecting data and recording in graphs information such as daily minimum and maximum temperatures. We also teach the skills and processes involved in using Information and Communication Technology effectively.
Personal and interpersonal skills are a priority and are developed through cooperative group work, involving students in reflecting on their learning and articulating their thinking.
Students visit specialist teachers for Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Japanese and PE and are taken for library sessions in the library by class teachers. While the needs of all students are well catered for in classrooms, Warranwood also offers additional support and extension programs. We employ a dedicated first aid officer to manage our Health Centre each day, a Student Welfare Officer who runs a range of wellbeing programs as well as providing counselling services and we have support staff who visit our school including Speech Pathologist, Educational Guidance Officer and Occupational Therapist.
Principal's awards are presented to students at Monday morning assembly in front of the whole school community and recognise effort and achievement through the 24 Character Strengths by each student throughout the year.
Two students from each year level are presented with Citizenship Awards each term in recognition of personal qualities and achievements, based on the school's values program (RUIn).
Excursions and Incursions
Excursions and incursions are great fun and they are invaluable in demonstrating to the students how their programs in the classroom are relevant to everyday life. The experiences they take away from these days reinforces knowledge and opens their minds to many previously unknown aspects of the topics being studied.
Junior School Council
At Warranwood Primary School students are encouraged to undertake leadership roles from an early age. At the beginning of the year each class votes for their Junior School Student Representative Council member. These students attend meetings and discuss issues which relate to all students and whole school social service commitments, helping to raise money both for the school and charity. They report back to the class after each meeting and help supervise the organisation of activities to support the Junior School SRC programs within the classroom if needed.
Another opportunity for leadership responsibility is our class Greenology Representatives. Again each class elects two students who attend regular meetings. These students discuss and decide on how best we can sustain and look after our school and environment. Daily and special events are organised encouraging students to be environmentally conscientious.
Badges are issued to the students in these two leadership groups which they wear with pride throughout the year.
Wacky Wednesday Market
Each year Warranwood conducts a student run market to raise money for a target project. Senior School students organise stalls such as goal kicking, nail painting, sponge tossing and donut eating. Other areas of the school hold stalls such as second hand toys, lollies, books and show bags.The market gives the students the opportunity to plan, organise, price and run their particular stall. The day is full of colour, fun and enterprise providing valuable funds for the school and wonderful learning experiences for the students.
Warranwood offers music lessons during school hours. Lessons run for between 20 - 30 minutes and can be individual or group sessions depending on the instrument. If you require more information please ask at the office.
After School Piano Lessons
Warranwood offers piano lessons after school facilitated by Katrina Halliday. If you require more information please ask at the office.