Specialist Programs
ART
All students at Whitehorse Primary School experience an hour each week in the art room with a specialist Visual Arts teacher. The program encompasses the areas of drawing, painting, printmaking, textiles, modelling, ceramics and constructions.
The art room is a resourceful, productive, supported space where all children enjoy the processes of creative self-expression and imagination. They feel valued, are critical thinkers and explorers. They are respected and feel safe enough to take risks and make their own informed decisions about art making and finally, where the process of art making is theirs to discover and enjoy.
‘Happy Valley’ - Whitehorse Primary school mural created with our artist in residence ‘Happy Decay’ (Bjarni Wark)
Whitehorse Primary School was one of the lucky recipients of the ‘Artist in Schools’ grants supplied by Whitehorse City Council. Our aim was to transform a public area of our school with bright colours and imaginative characters to foster connection and pride, and boost the wellbeing of our school community. We worked with nationally recognised street artist and illustrator Bjarni Wark (aka Happy Decay) who specialises in ‘positive transformations and meaningful placemaking’ to collaboratively create a mural to achieve this goal.
Over the span of 3 weeks, students were involved in the entire process from co-designing the imagery in the mural to painting the final artwork. They absolutely delighted in meeting Bjarni and brought some very thoughtful questions about what it’s like to work as a street artist/illustrator. We are thrilled with the outcome of the mural, it’s bold, colourful and HUGE! Not only did the mural uplift our space but it connected our community, allowing students, parents and friends of Whitehorse to contribute to the artwork. The response to the mural has been overwhelmingly positive, seeing the bright smiles on student’s faces when they walk into school now is heart warming to say the least. It is also a magnificent piece of street art, one that has gained recognition over social media, as well as inspiring students in other areas of learning.
CHINESE LANGUAGE AND CULTURE
Students at Whitehorse Primary School learn Chinese (Mandarin). This highly diverse language gives the students access to a broader understanding of the Chinese culture and a unique opportunity to be taught by a native-speaking teacher. Children gain a broader understanding of the culture that underpins the language.
MUSIC
Instrumental music lessons are offered by private teachers in a number of instruments, including violin, keyboard, piano and guitar. The students are encouraged to perform in small concerts to the wider school community. Students from Grade 1 to 6 are also provided with the opportunity to be part of one of the school choirs. There are a number of opportunities for students to perform for the whole school, wider school community and the local community.
'Hans Music Spot' proudly supports Whitehorse Primary Schools' Classroom Music program - see Toby or Peter for all your music needs.
HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION
During PE sessions, the students develop fundamental movement skills and coordinated actions of the body that assist with fitness and the development of skills; used both individually and in a wide range of team games and sports. They learn to appreciate the benefits of leading an active lifestyle and understand factors influencing personal health choices. The students are encouraged to select and adopt safe practices, and an emphasis is on working cooperatively and with good sportsmanship.
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
SCIENCE
The Science program at Whitehorse Primary aims to increase curiosity and to provide an opportunity for children to explore the world around them. Through observation, prediction, questioning and hands on experiences, the children are encouraged to think critically and to explore different aspects of the science world.
Content covers the four broad science branches of Biological, Chemical, Physical and Earth Science. Within these strands, topics range from the Life cycles of Animals and plants, to Forces and Motion, to Environmental Impacts, to Space Science and to Food Chemistry.
