Reading

Students participate in daily reading workshops. The Reader’s Workshop model is a research-proven approach which is a responsive yet predictable routine, where student reading time is prioritised. This underpins our aim of promoting a love of reading through engagement with quality children’s literature.

Students read for a range of purposes such as researching information, forming opinions, and of course,  enjoyment. In the Early Years, students build strategies for decoding words, with a strong focus on phonics, laying the foundations for skilled reading. As they become more proficient readers, students develop their vocabulary and comprehension strategies.

Writing

Students participate in daily writing workshops that incorporate the explicit teaching of skills and strategies, followed by focussed work time for students to practise their writing skills independently.
We implement the research-based Seven Steps to Writing Success program. It breaks down writing into seven key techniques that professional authors use.
Students focus on one step at a time, which allows them to understand, practise and master each individual skill before they write a whole text.
Taking small, manageable steps builds students’ confidence and makes writing fun and achievable for all ability levels!
In the early years there is a strong focus on oral language before moving on to text structure and language features.

Spelling

We implement a whole-school systematic synthetic approach to teaching phonics.
It is structured so that students are explicitly taught the relationship between sounds (phonemes) and letters (graphemes). It follows a clear sequence of instructions, starting with simple letter-sound relationships before progressing to more complex patterns.
It has a strong emphasis on building words and reading using letter sounds, through segmenting and blending, rather than relying on rote memorisation.
The program is supported with decodable texts allowing for greater student success!

Maths

Creating confident and capable mathematicians is a priority at Rolling Hills Primary School. We are a Top Ten school, which is an approach developed by Australian numeracy coaches working in collaboration with experienced classroom teachers.
This approach provides students with daily opportunities to succeed in maths through skill development, problem-solving and opportunities to explain their mathematical reasoning. It fosters a deeper mathematical understanding through the use of hands-on materials and mathematical modelling.
Teachers provide an engaging and differentiated curriculum where students can learn at their point of need through enabling and extending prompts.

Technology

We approach technology with innovation, critical thinking and creativity. This immersive, hands-on approach to technology supports learners to develop an understanding of how both digital and design technology are used to shape the world they live in.

Design Technology

Beginning at Prep, students are immersed in the design technologies curriculum, imagining and fabricating their own designs. Using age-appropriate machinery, students independently cut and join materials to complete their creations.

Digital Technology

In parallel with learning the fundamental skills required to use digital technologies, students investigate machines, electronics and robots, using digital technology skills to record their learning and inspirations.

Combined Technology

As students develop deeper-skills and more in-depth knowledge of technologies, they are able to combine their digital and design skills to tackle more demanding challenges. Through the use of robotics, coding, electronics, computer aided design (CAD) tools and their own creativity, students imagine and craft unique solutions to meaningful problems.

Art

The Visual Arts program plays a pivotal role in nurturing creativity and encouraging students to explore and learn new skills in a range of artistic areas.

Our aim is to give students a range of experiences in drawing, painting, collage, construction, printmaking, modelling and threads and textiles, whilst developing their skills in the art elements of line, shape, colour, texture and space.

Our Visual Arts program equips students to take risks, make mistakes and create artworks that develop their skills, abilities and techniques. We explore artworks from contemporary and historical artists and create artwork based on a range of themes and worldly experiences.

Our student’s artwork is proudly displayed throughout the school and opportunities to participate in community art experiences is highly encouraged to further enhance student’s art opportunities. In addition to our art sessions, the art room is open for students once a week for ‘Art Club’, where our school art captains welcome all students to participate in further art activities in a calm and happy place to create.

Global Arts

Our Global Arts program joins global studies and performing arts as one subject. The emphasis of this subject is on exploring the arts through global culture. Students will be emersed in diverse cultures, learning about their language, culture, food, music and dance as well as history and geography.

Physical Education

We have embedded an exciting, high-quality Sport and Physical Education program that develops student’s physical skills and promotes a positive attitude towards participating in physical activity for life. Each grade participates in weekly Physical Education classes.

• The Foundation to Grade 2 students focus on developing fundamental movement skills, locomotive skills, balance, coordination, sportsmanship, teamwork and resilience.
• The Grade 3-6 students continue to enhance their skills and understanding in the areas of sport specific skills, tactics and strategies, fitness, responsibly, leadership and determination.

In addition to the weekly Physical Education lessons, students are also offered the opportunity to participate in a range of extra sporting activities including, weekly year level sport, PMP, Sporting Schools programs, community coach connection programs, athletics carnivals, cross country competitions, swimming carnivals, swimming lessons and a range of interschool sports competitions.

All of the Sport and Physical Education programs offered at Rolling Hills are always designed to ensure maximum participation, success and enjoyment by all of students. We pride ourselves on running an inclusive program that aligns with our school values and tribe agreements.

Inquiry

Our Inquiry approach consists of concept-based learning sequences that provide opportunities for students to explore and develop an understanding of themselves and the world in which they live. Each term an 8-week learning sequence is delivered covering the following concepts:

• Community
• Sustainability
• Social Justice
• Creativity
• Identify
• Change
• Discovery
• Connections

All year levels investigate the same concept simultaneously, creating common themes and language across the school and at home. This promotes rich conversations and encourages students to ask meaningful questions about their world.

Science

Our Science program provides students with hands-on learning experiences through which students develop scientific knowledge and understanding. Students are given the opportunity to grow their critical and creative thinking skills, ask questions, make predictions and draw conclusions using scientific methods and processes.

Students explore biological, chemical, physical, earth and space sciences. This allows students to build a solid foundation of knowledge and develop an interest in science. As they expand their curiosity and willingness to explore and speculate on the ever-changing world in which we all live students are able to develop a life long passion for science learning.

Wellbeing

Our whole school approach supports the wellbeing of students, staff and families. Our aim is for all our community to flourish. When we are flourishing, we are then learning at our optimum; resulting in feeling good, functioning well and therefore thriving in life. 

Along with literacy and numeracy, it is of equal importance to build wellbeing literacy. Students will develop their understanding of positive psychology concepts such as, but not limited to strengths, coping strategies, emotional management, mindfulness and positive friendships and relationships. They will build their wellbeing literacy through the use of a common language, capabilities and understanding.