Rochester Primary School is student and curriculum focused, we strive for and encourage  maximum achievement in all areas of teaching and learning.

We follow the Victorian Curriculum for planning, assessment and reporting.

We aim for thorough planning from staff by providing opportunities for teachers to  collaborate through planning days at the start of term and weekly planning sessions where student needs are planned and catered for.

English

The school has started to implement a consistent instructional model (The workshop Model) that guides reading sessions throughout the school. This model outlines a typical reading workshop to consist of a clear focus that outlines the learning intention and the success criteria for the lesson.

Lessons are then broken up into explicit teacher instruction followed by independent/collaborative work time which will see teachers guide students in small groups and allow for independent work time. A whole class ‘check in’ or ‘catch’ is planned for any misconceptions students may have. Students are then supported to work on their own learning goals, so individuals are learning at their point of need.

Fountas and Pinnell Literacy has been introduced to teachers as a guide for delivering consistent literacy lessons across the school. Fountas and Pinnell provides consistent assessment of reading across all levels and staff are commencing use of the Fountas and Pinnell Continuum to guide reading lessons and conferences with students.

Spelling/word work is addressed through identification of individual needs and word inquiry.  

The school has seen success in the area of public speaking through the Lions Club Public Speaking Competition.

Mathematics

Mathematics is an important element of the curriculum and we are lucky to have passionate teachers of Mathematics at Rochester Primary School. We use Essential Assessment to assess student learning and guide the teaching in classrooms. Lessons are differentiated for the curriculum to meet individual student learning needs. We adopt hands on approaches in Mathematics and make use of relevant digital resources to complement the classroom teaching.

Specialist / Integrated Curriculum

We offer Art, Physical Education, Performing Arts and LOTE (Indonesian) as stand alone specialists topics. Library, and our Wellbeing Strategy lessons such as Respectful Relationships are conducted by classroom teachers. Curriculum aspects such as History, Science, Geography and Humanities are Integrated through term Inquiry units to ensure that we are meeting all areas of the curriculum.

Digital Technologies

This year we have a 1:1 ration of iPads for students. The school usually implements a Grade 3-6 BYOD iPad program and offers iPads on a 1:2 ratio in Grade P-2. Cyber-Safety is an important aspect of the Digital Technology curriculum and students are exposed to coding opportunities through the use of Sphero robots and coding apps.

Wellbeing

This year we have designed and implemented our Whole School Wellbeing strategy, which includes areas such as Respectful Relationships, Values Lessons and Mindfulness. It has a particular focus on building quality relationships and identifying and supporting mental health. A strong focus on wellbeing through the implementation of our wellbeing room and a committed wellbeing team ensures your child will feel safe at Rochester Primary School.