Primary (Prep to Year 6)
The Cornish College Prep to Year 6 program provides an excellent educational program for students in a friendly, caring environment.
An integrated curriculum based on the Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS) is followed which focuses on the child as a learner and the processes involved in the development of learning and thinking. Our curriculum is designed to make learning relevant and meaningful to the children, involving them in active inquiry using their own experiences to assist them in gaining a greater understanding of the world. Our unique notion of sustainability is woven throughout all aspects of schooling, promoting personal, socio-cultural, urban-technological and natural sustainability.
Inquiry-based learning
Our curriculum promotes the use of an experiential, structured inquiry-based approach to learning. The children develop a deep understanding of important concepts and conduct research into local and global issues of significance. Students make connections through learning about life in school, life at home and life in the world.
Class teachers plan units of inquiry integrating many subject areas equipping children with deep understandings, knowledge, skills and attitudes while catering for individual differences. Opportunities for enrichment are provided through critical and creative thinking activities designed to develop higher order thinking skills and extend each child's questioning capacity. Extension and enrichment activities in all curriculum areas take place within the classroom context to allow all children to reach their potential.
The EcoKids program in years 3 and 4 provides opportunities for hands-on learning with an emphasis on personal and natural sustainability. They take responsibility for the Kitchen Garden Project where they plan, grow, harvest and prepare meals in the EcoKids kitchen. They are also responsible for a variety of classroom animals.
Cornish College is an authorised International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB PYP) school.
Literacy and Numeracy
The literacy program is designed to provide focused teaching of basic skills in the early years, based on the Victorian Early Years Literacy Program and incorporating programs and strategies such as First Steps, THRASS (Teaching Handwriting, Reading and Spelling Skills) and Highlighting Writing. Literacy tasks are embedded in units of inquiry where possible, providing purposeful reading and writing opportunities.
Our approach to Mathematics includes the teaching of numeracy skills, problem-solving strategies, the use of online programs and opportunities to apply mathematical skills in practical situations.
Specialist programs
Students in prep to year 6 attend a variety of specialist classes including Library, Music, Art, Languages Other Than English and Physical Education.
For more details regarding the primary program at Cornish College, please follow here to view the Curriculum Guides for Prep to Year 4 and for Years 5 and 6.
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