The Performing Arts
Music, Drama and Dance are taught in all classes across the school as part of the specialist program. Students develop their skills as performers and as an audience. They annually get the opportunity to be involved in and attend a visiting professional performance as well as the end of year whole school concert, providing real life purpose for learning.
Choir is an opportunity for students in years 4 – 6. Year 4 students can attend a 2 week trial, before deciding if they want to commit to weekly rehearsals in school time as a member of the Holdfast Choir. They perform throughout the year to many local community groups, including being part of the Holdfast Minifest. The 68 year 5 and 6 students who make up the Festival Choir, is one of the largest in the state. Students are selected via audition and also share the joy of singing with local community groups. Their weekly rehearsal during school time, prepares them to perform in the Festival of Music at the Festival Theatre in term 3.
Instrumental Music: The Department for Education’s ‘Instrumental Music’ program provides free weekly lessons for violin, viola and cello from year 3, and brass, woodwind and percussion from year 5. Strings lessons are provided at Glenelg Primary, while all other instruments are learnt at the Beachfront Hub based at Brighton Secondary School. The hire of instruments is supported by Glenelg Primary if required. All instrumental students strive to be part of either the GPS String Ensemble or the Beachfront Hub Concert Band. All lessons are provided in school time – Strings on Tuesdays and Beachfront Hub on Thursdays.
Creative Arts
We have a comprehensive Creative Arts program at school, including a specialist lesson once a week for all classes. Students focus on more traditional visual arts mediums such as drawing, painting and sculpture, in order to further enhance each child’s artistic ability. Students also work in digital arts, such as movie making, sound recording and animation. Students explore a range of interpersonal skills including communication, thinking creatively and expressing themselves, all of which support learning in many other subject areas, too.
Creative Arts is helpful for younger children to develop fine motor skills and critical thinking, which in turn helps boost confidence levels. Middle primary students support whole school events through construction of props for Year 6 productions and the school concert. There are opportunities to display student learning to the public including SALA exhibition and our annual Showcase of Learning.
Japanese
All classes in the school are involved in the Japanese program which includes learning the language and investigating the Japanese culture. An important aspect of this program is broadening students’ horizons. We help students to understand that the world is bigger than just the local area and that the world has a wonderful array of different cultures. A hiragana club is held weekly and some of our more enthusiastic students get the chance to compete against students from other schools with their Japanese knowledge and skill.
Physical Education (P.E.)
Every child has a specialist P.E. lesson once a week. Children develop co-ordination and ball skills through fundamental movement skills. As well as gain an appreciation for sports theory, game sense and tactics as children get older. Sports Day is a major part of our annual events calendar. Year 6 students have the honour of nominating to be a house captain where they assist and lead their team on the day and throughout the year in other events such as PE week activities.
SAPSASA
Students aged 12, 11 and 10 or turning 10 in year of competition, have the opportunity to participate in swimming, cross country and athletics carnivals. SAPSASA opportunities are competitive and children need to meet the qualifying requirements for their age group.
In Years 5 and 6, in addition to the three above carnivals, students are also eligible to trial for specific SAPSASA district sport teams such as netball, football, soccer and cricket.
Library
The library is run by a qualified Teacher Librarian who works with classroom teachers to plan units of inquiry and develop information literacy skills. All students visit our beautiful school library each week to borrow books and are also welcome before school and during lunch times to relax, read, play games and meet friends. Our collection supports various abilities, cultures and individual needs as well as providing current resources that are relevant to the curriculum and student interests.
Smart Play
Smart Play is an R-3 lunchtime play programme that gives students the opportunity to be involved in a range of fun activities that encourage the use of positive language and help to teach skills that enable young children to independently solve problems, make new friends and be assertive and resilient whilst having fun in a group environment. A duty teacher and older peer mentors support the programme during lunch play times.
In addition to Smart Play, there are various fun activities provided outdoors for students to participate in. Some teachers and many year 3-6 students elect to run fun activities. The programme helps to develop leadership qualities and personal responsibility in our older students, whilst providing the rest of the school (Reception to Year 6) with an opportunity to have something fun to do during lunch play.