LEARNING

English is essential to all aspects of a child's development. Our students come from diverse backgrounds and bring understandings and skills that reflect their experiences in their homes and communities. Our aim is to share, strengthen and build on the language and literacy capabilities of all students to increase their ability to participate in all aspects of life, both in and beyond school.

Students participate in a two hour English block daily, with a 25min daily phonics instruction, where they focus on the development of reading and viewing, writing and speaking and listening skills. Each student is continually monitored and provided with explicit teaching as a whole class, in small groups and individually to ensure they are suitably challenged. 

 Students read and view a wide range of texts, including books, films and digital texts. They use phonics, spelling patterns, vocabulary and sentence knowledge to read confidently and understand new words. Students discuss characters, events and ideas, make connections to their own experiences, and share opinions about what they read. They also explore how texts are organised and how images, sound and language features help create meaning. 

 Students create written and spoken texts for different purposes, such as stories, explanations and information reports. They are explicitly taught to develop and organise ideas using paragraphs, appropriate text structures, grammar and punctuation. Students re-read and edit their work to improve clarity and meaning, use topic-specific vocabulary, and include images or digital elements when appropriate. They continue to build fluency in handwriting and spelling, using a range of strategies to spell new and unfamiliar words.

Speaking and listening take place throughout the entire school day, across ALL learning areas. Students recognise that speaking and listening provide opportunities to exchange information, to share and explore ideas, and to express opinions and listen to the opinions of others. They participate in discussions, conversations and presentations in small and large groups, learning to vary their speaking and listening skills to suit the context, purpose and audience.

Public speaking is an important part of the teaching and learning program and our students have developed a reputation as skilled presenters. Opportunities include debating and public speaking competitions at both school and district levels. All student leadership roles across the school involve high levels of responsibility and prepare students to present information to a wide audience.

 At Mount Pleasant Road Primary School we pride ourselves on open communication with students and parents. Student learning and progress is transparent and goals are created collaboratively with students to support a continued commitment to learning. Teachers assess student progress strategically and provide learning opportunities that meet the individual needs of every student. Parents receive a mid and end of year academic report outlining their child’s progress in relation to the Victorian Curriculum. Students from Foundation to Grade Six create a digital portfolio using Seesaw where learning is uploaded in real time and available to view on the parent app. 

Term 1:

Information Evenings

Week 3: Meet the teacher interviews - Foundation

Week 5: Student Support Group Meetings SSG

Week 4: Three- Way Conferences Year 1- 6

End of term: Portfolios

Term 2:

Week 5: Student Support Group Meetings

Week 10: Semester 1 Student Report Published

End of term: Portfolios available across term

Term 3:

Week 3 Three Way Conferences

Week 5: Student Support Group Meetings

End of term: portfolios available across term

Term 4:

Week 5: Student Support Group Meetings

Semester 2 Student Report Published

End of term: portfolios available across term

Developing independent homework habits is a valuable aspect of the learning process and contributes to the development of sound study routines.

It should be seen as a means of stimulating parental involvement in the schooling of their child through discussion and the sharing of knowledge. At the beginning of each year, teachers will establish clear, written requirements for homework and inform parents of their expectations at the Parent Information Nights. Homework can be in many forms - it might include reading, mathematics, surveys, personal writing, collecting information, experiments, discussion and gathering pictures.  

Extra reading is encouraged at all levels and in the junior classes the homework task might be 10 minutes of reading each night. In senior grades, homework should not exceed a productive 30 minutes. If you require more information, the Homework Policy is available from the school office.

At Mount Pleasant Road Primary School we see technology as a tool that allows students to access learning in interactive, engaging and real life contexts. We take pride in our efforts to use digital technology as a means of enhancing our already engaging curriculum without replacing basic skills. Every classroom has an interactive television and students in Foundation to Grade 2 have access to ipads to support our teaching and learning. 

We have proudly been accredited as an Esmart School which involves a continued commitment to supporting our school community to be smart, safe and responsible users of technology. We have a dedicated committee of teachers and parents who ensure we have policies and procedures in place to support our students to be responsible digital citizens and foster a supportive and connected school environment

 Mount Pleasant Road Primary School is transitioning to a school-managed Chromebook program to support consistent, secure and engaging digital learning for all students. Chromebooks provide reliable access to online learning platforms, research tools, and collaborative applications such as Google Workspace, helping students develop strong digital literacy and learning skills.

This transition also aligns with new Victorian Government regulations regarding digital device use in primary schools.

From 2027, schools with primary students must:

• Not invite or allow families to purchase or bring their own student digital devices for use at school in Years Foundation to Year 6.
• Design teaching and learning programs consistent with recommended student device usage times:
  • Foundation – Year 2: Minimal use, focusing on learning about and with digital technologies as outlined in the Victorian Curriculum 2.0.
  • Years 3 – 6: A maximum of 90 minutes of device use per day.
     

To prepare for these changes, Mount Pleasant Road Primary School has begun a phased transition away from the BYOD iPad program, with Chromebooks gradually becoming the standard device across the school. This approach ensures equitable access to technology, supports balanced screen time, and provides students with learning tools that align with secondary school expectations.

The school will provide secure storage, charging facilities, and centrally managed software to ensure Chromebooks are safe, consistent, and ready for learning.

The introduction of the BYOD iPad program has facilitated the introduction of robotics at each year level from Kinder to Grade 6 and provides students with the opportunity to work collaboratively to program, problem solve, think critically and innovate. Coding and programming is integrated into several curriculum areas including Mathematics and Science and skills are built on each year through a range of plugged (coding using devices) and unplugged (can be used without a device) learning experiences.