Specialist Programs
Visual Arts
Whitehorse Primary delivers a creative and innovative Visual Arts program. During Art lessons, students are given the opportunity to develop their artistic techniques and skills as well as develop an appreciation of art history and art forms from all over the world through the use of interactive technologies. Students are able to learn about specific artists and draw on them as
inspiration to create their own unique artworks.
Our Art program also links strongly with Indigenous perspectives and provides students to develop deeper understanding of culture.
All students have a weekly art session and their work can be seen proudly displayed around the school.
Chinese
Mandarin is offered at Whitehorse Primary School to students from Foundation to Year 6. We believe
that learning Chinese (Mandarin) is not just about learning another language, but exposure to learning experiences that promote cultural enrichment and awareness.
Our students understake the adventure of exploring the distinct world of Chinese language and culture. Students develop their understanding through a range of classroom and digital technolgy activities, educational games and festivities. We aim to provide all students with the knowledge and skills to embrace the Chinese
culture.
Why Chinese? Chinese is spoken by more than 20% of the world's population; Chinese is one of the 5 official languages of the United Nations; China is Australia's top trading partner; Chinese is the most popular language at VCE and offered
by most local secondary schools.
Performing Arts
Whitehorse Primary School is committed to ensuring all children experience and participate in all areas of the Performing Arts, including music, dance and drama. We support and engage students to participate in a wide range of musical and acting experiences. Our Music room has a range of instruments and musical resources. This allows for all children to be interactive and involved in the music program. As part of the weekly music lessons for students, Grades F - 6 learn to play the Ukulele and students are given the opportunity to showcase their talents and musical confidence at school assemblies throughout the year.
We have a school choir which also performs at assemblies and special events such as Education Week and our Specialist Expo.
Students are also given the opportunities to get further musical instruction through our dedicated
teachers of guitar, drums, keyboard, violin, vocal and piano on a weekly basis.
Biannually, the whole school comes together to create a stage production where all students are involved. It is a wonderful opportunity for all to experience being a part of a performance on stage!
HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION
At Whitehorse Primary School there are many sporting activities for students to participate in. A Physical Education specialist takes classes every week from Foundation [Prep) through to Grade 6 where students learn fundemental skills such as
throwing, catching and running and apply skills through fun games.
The School House system supports our school to hold sporting events such as cross-country and athletics carnival for students in Grades 3-6. There are also round robin carnivals organised between the local schools as well as events such swimming carnivals and tennis championships.
The Perceptual Motor Program [PMP] program is also offered for our Prep students.
Some of the activities and sessions included in our Physical Education Program are:
- Fundamental Movement Skills
- Minor/major games
- Clinics such as tennis and football
- Intensive Swimming Program
- House and Inter-school Cross Country
- School/Interschool Athletics
- Junior Sports Morning
Students also have the opportunity to participate in additional sporting activities such as:
- Interschool Athletics and Swimming
- House Athletics Carnival
- Interschool Team Sports (Grades 3-6)
- Hoop Time Basketball
- Whole School Sports Day
STEM
The Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) program at Whitehorse provides students with
the opportunity to explore the world around them.
The curriculum covers four overarching strands of science: Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Earth
Science and aims to make science a relevant part of the lives of the children. Through the program, children are encouraged to question and pursue their curiosity.
They learn about evidence based research and are introduced to current scientific theories and discoveries while having
the opportunity to participate in hands on activities and conduct their own experiments.
Students utilise digital technologies to explore concepts such as 3D printing and coding in order to develop their problem solving skills and foster q1qcreativity.
