Specialists

Creating, Moving, and Connecting Beyond the Classroom

Physical Education and PMP

The Health and Physical Education curriculum plays a significant role in building the knowledge, skills and understanding that apply to a range of health, safety and movement contexts.

At Gladesville Primary School all Foundation to Year 6 students participate in weekly one hour physical education lessons run by a specialist physical education teacher. PE classes focus on developing fundamental motor skills, active participation, fairness, teamwork and co-operation, while also having fun. Our Junior School students particpate in a Perceptual Motor Program, to develop the fundamental motor skills that are essential for participation in sports, games, and recreational activities. Students in the senior school participate in inter-school sports for both a summer and winter season. This is a friendly competition between schools in our district.

At Gladesville Primary school, students participate in a range of whole school events such as Athletics Day, Whole School Cross Country, Community Sports Day, swimming program, and much more!

Kitchen Garden

At Gladesville Primary School, students participate in fortnightly Kitchen Garden classes, where hands-on learning comes to life. These sessions provide students with the joy and satisfaction of preparing, sharing, and enjoying food they have cooked themselves. Through guided experiences in the kitchen, students learn to work safely and hygienically, use tools and equipment correctly, and develop confidence in a range of cooking techniques. Beyond the kitchen, students also develop a deeper understanding of where food comes from.

Our thriving farm area features vegetable gardens, fruit trees, and compost bins, all of which are regularly cared for by the students. This real-life learning environment allows students to explore sustainability, seasonal growing, and the importance of fresh, locally grown produce.Through these authentic experiences, students build life skills, teamwork, and a strong sense of responsibility. They begin to understand the connections between food, health, the environment, and community. The Kitchen Garden program is a unique and valued part of our curriculum, supporting our goal of developing capable, curious and environmentally aware learners.

Visual Arts

At Gladesville Primary School, Visual Arts is an important part of our curriculum, aligned closely with the Victorian Curriculum 2.0 requirements. Through weekly art lessons, students are introduced to a wide variety of techniques and materials that help them explore the world and express their ideas creatively. Students engage in activities such as drawing, painting, construction, sculpture, printmaking, textiles, weaving, sewing, and digital media, all while developing confidence, imagination, and individuality.

Our Visual Arts program focuses on two key areas: Creating and Making, and Exploring and Responding to Art. In Creating and Making, students experiment with different art elements, processes, and techniques across multiple art forms. They are encouraged to be open-minded, use positive self-talk, and approach their work with creativity and curiosity. In Exploring and Responding, students look closely at traditional and contemporary artworks from a range of cultures and times. This fosters critical and creative thinking, as students learn to interpret, discuss, and reflect on both their own work and the work of others, using developing arts-specific language.

Our Visual Arts program is led by a passionate specialist teacher who continually engages in professional learning to enhance and extend their teaching practices, ensuring our students experience a dynamic, supportive, and inspiring learning environment.

Performing Arts

At Gladesville Primary School, our Performing Arts program provides all students with rich, engaging learning experiences through weekly specialist lessons that cover Dance, Drama and Music. These sessions are carefully sequenced to build knowledge, skills and confidence over time, ensuring every child has the opportunity to explore, create and perform in a supportive environment.

Lead by a specialist Performing Arts teacher and aligned with the Victorian Curriculum 2.0, our program develops students’ ability to explore and express ideas, develop and practise skills, present and perform, and respond and reflect. Through structured, explicit teaching and guided practice, students learn fundamental movement patterns in dance, rhythm and pitch in music, and voice, character and improvisation in drama.

Beyond weekly lessons, our whole-school production is a highlight of the year. This collaborative performance provides an authentic context for students to apply their learning, work as part of a team, and experience the discipline and joy of rehearsal and performance. Students develop confidence, resilience and pride as they contribute to a shared goal, whether on stage, backstage or supporting technical elements.

Indonesian

Students at Gladesville Primary School participate in Language Other Than English (LOTE) sessions in Indonesian based on the Victorian Curriculum 2.0. We offer a weekly one hour lesson where they learn about the Indonesian language and culture.

During Indonesian classes, students engage in a range of learning opportunities including singing, dancing, role plays and games, as well as our pen pal program. In addition to Indonesian classes, we incorporate Indonesian language culture at other times wherever we can, such as a Chrismtas Carol sung in Indonesian.

Each year we have an Indonesian performance visit the school.

Library

At Gladesville Primary School, our Library program plays an essential role in fostering a lifelong love of reading and learning. Each class participates in a weekly 30-minute library session led by our qualified librarian. These sessions provide students with the opportunity to be read to, explore high-quality literature, and develop an appreciation for a wide range of authors, genres and text types.

Students also have dedicated time to browse and borrow from our well-stocked library, ensuring access to diverse, contemporary and classic literature. Our collection reflects a broad range of interests, cultures and experiences, supporting inclusion and engagement for all learners.

We proudly celebrate key literary events such as Book Week and National Simultaneous Storytime, creating whole-school excitement around books and storytelling.