Optimising every student's opportunity to achieve to their full potential lies at the heart of West End State School's commitment to all students. At West End State School all teachers plan and implement the curriculum in such a way that each child can access the curriculum and be successful learners.
Our shared understanding of individualized and differentiated education at West End State School involves knowing the learner through the identification of student needs and responding to them in a planned approach so they are challenged, supported and encouraged to reach their potential.
We offer many programs to support, extend and enrich our students.
Prep Year – Year 1 Curriculum
Prep lays the foundation for a child's learning and on-going success at school. Our Prep – Year 1 Curriculum aligns the Australian Curriculum, Age-Appropriate Pedagogies and assessment to maximise children's engagement in learning and to enhance outcomes.
See our video 'A Day in Prep' also in the Pre Prep section under enrolments
Year 2-6 Curriculum
At West End State School our aim, in partnership with parents/carers and families, is to ensure that every day, in every classroom, every student is learning and achieving. We teach to the Australian Curriculum. To access complete year level curriculum overviews, please refer to the Related Links on the right hand size of this page.
Music
Music is a strand of The Arts Curriculum. Classroom Music has a valuable role in our students' learning. The music program is based on hands on learning, with all classes learning the ukulele and percussion instruments in addition to singing and music notation.
Opportunities to extend these skills are provided in the Instrumental Music Program and in each of the choirs. Evening concerts are held at the end of each semester to provide opportunities to gain performance skills.
Additional information about the WESS Music Program can be found in the WESS Music Program Handbook (PDF, 1.48MB) in Music under the Curriculum tab on the school website.
Languages
West End State School is unique in that it offers 4 Language programs, including French, Spanish, Japanese and Chinese, for all students in Years 5 and 6. Academic English is offered to English as an Additional Language students who are already bi-lingual or multi-lingual and is a selective entry program.
Students in Year 4 have the opportunity to experience each of the Language Programs in a rotation of 6 week blocks. At the end of Year 4, they select a Language, to commence further study.
Health and Physical Education (HPE)
There are 2 components to the Australian Curriculum HPE program: (1) Personal, Social and Community Health and (2) Movement and Physical Activity.
In Term 1 and Term 4, our PE Specialist Teachers conduct swimming and water safety lessons in our school pool alongside our qualified swim coaches. In swimming, students with particular cultural or religious beliefs are catered for outside the normal lesson plan. Please see the PE Specialist Teachers if this applies to your child.
Term 2, students participate in Track and Field events in the lead up to Sports Day. During Term 3, students will participate in ball sports.
Water Safety and Learn to Swim Programs
Queensland Department of Education has developed professional learning for
classroom teachers to support the implementation of Water safety and swimming
education using the department's Water safety and swimming education program
where there is no immediate access to a swimming pool or water location.
See the video that has been produced featuring Jane Luxton (Principal Project Officer Health and Wellbeing Education Team) and our very own Kim Thomasson.
Jane and Kim discussing Water Safety and Swimming Education for P-6
Prep Gross Motor Program
What are gross motor skills? Gross motor (physical) skills are those which require whole body movement and which involve the large (core stabilising) muscles of the body to perform everyday functions, such as standing and walking, running and jumping, and sitting upright at the table. They also includes eye-hand coordination skills such as ball skills (throwing, catching, kicking) as well as riding a bike or a scooter and swimming.
Why are gross motor skills important? Gross motor skills are important to enable children to perform every day functions, such as walking and running, playground skills (e.g. climbing) and sporting skills (e.g. catching, throwing and hitting a ball with a bat).
Home Reading
Reading is always a priority at West End. Students are encouraged to read daily– personal books and library books that are age and level appropriate.
A sequential home reading programme for Prep - Year 3 is also an integral part of a student's literacy development. Its purpose is to build confidence, fluency and comprehension of the text. We ask you as a parent/carer to play an important role by listening to and encouraging your child's reading development on a daily basis.
Years 4-6 students are encouraged to read for both leisure and research during home reading time.
Guided Reading
West End State School has adopted the Fountas and Pinnell model of Guided Reading, as their instructional support for teaching reading to students in Prep-Year 6. All students receive a minimum of 2 hours of Guided Reading instruction per week, with their classroom teacher and a trained teacher aide.
Have a look at our video under the Teaching and Learning tab - Signature Practices or click Guided Reading