Curriculum
The curriculum is designed to help all students become successful learners, confident and creative individuals, and active and informed citizens. Presented as a developmental sequence of learning from Kindergarten - Year 10, the curriculum describes to teachers, parents, students and others in the wider community what is to be taught and the quality of learning expected of young people as they progress through school.
Starting Big School
Liz Stevanoni, Counsellor at Engadine West Public School, attends the school five days per fortnight. The school counsellor’s role is to provide support and advice to students, parents and teachers, in regard to student's learning and behaviour.
Teachers and parents may refer students who are experiencing learning, emotional and/or behavioural difficulties to the Learning Support Team (LST) for consideration. The LST identifies the support needs appropriate for each student and prioritises the order in which the counsellor can see these students. To fully assess the student’s needs, the counsellor may administer a range of diagnostic assessments or hold a one-to-one discussion with the student.
Parents are kept fully informed through either an interview, phone conversation or email to discuss strategies and ideas for supporting students.
Liz shares a more detailed presentation and some tips for starting big school in the Starting Big School video below.
Video: Starting Big School - tips from our school counsellor
Best Start Assessment Sessions
The Best Start Kindergarten Assessment is a government initiative to increase support for the teaching and learning of literacy and numeracy for our youngest students. Best Start is a statewide Kindergarten entry assessment.
Best Start identifies the literacy and numeracy knowledge and skills that each child brings to school as they enter Kindergarten. It uses a continuum that is consistent with the English and mathematics syllabi for the early years of schooling. This assessment informs the quality teaching and learning programs that schools implement in the early years of schooling.
The purpose of the Best Start process is to provide information for Kindergarten teachers to build on each student’s current knowledge and experiences. It assists teachers in developing teaching and learning programs that support students in achieving Early Stage 1 syllabus outcomes.
Every student is assessed prior to entering Kindergarten. Each student will be assessed for approximately one hour. Parents are given an appointment time and asked to bring their child in to meet the teacher. All Kindergarten students are expected to take part in the assessment process. Parents and carers will be given the opportunity to discuss the outcomes of the assessment process and how they can best support their child’s learning early in Term 1. Parents are provided with a report based on the outcome of the assessment during Term 1.
Video: Best Start at Engadine West Public School
