curriculum

Junior School
 
prospectus

reception – year 6

At Mount Compass Area School we merge the different phases of education with a seamless transition from Reception through to Year 12.

Agriculture

Environmental Ed & Nature Play

STEM

We:

  • Use a play-based learning approach to support Early Years learners.
  • Create a warm, supportive and secure learning environment in which students take risks to develop their skills, knowledge and understanding.
  • Create a culture of lifelong learning.
  • Provide an integrated curriculum which fosters independent thinking, problem solving skills, creativity, self management, teamwork and social competence.
  • Encourage students to recognise and develop their individual skills, interests and strengths through participation in a wide variety of activities outside the classroom, and through a range of teaching approaches.
Respect, participate, achieve

The Junior School builds on the foundation laid in the child’s first five years – at home, childcare and preschool.

Every child is encouraged to develop knowledge and skills at a rate appropriate to their level of maturation in all learning and teaching situations. The aim is to keep motivation high, embrace failure as a learning opportunity and not intervening too quickly in providing correct information but, alternatively, to provoke children to think more deeply or from another perspective.

WRAP

A WRITING APPROACH TO READING

The relationship between speaking, writing and reading is developed by children understanding the purpose of each task and how they will be able to use each skill.
Learning to read is the most important educational outcome of primary education [Literacy Secretariat]
In order to read English, individuals need to have a broad vocabulary and knowledge of language structure. The complexity of the reading process begins with the faculty of oral language. Repeated exposure to new words through conversation, by listening to reading, actual reading and through the media provide the basis of our vocabulary.

 

WRAP Booklet

Learning to Read

Research into Practice

Read more
Children who are surrounded by, and included in, rich and increasingly complex conversations, have an overwhelming advantage in vocabulary development. Conversely, beginning readers have a much more difficult time reading words that are not already part of their oral vocabulary. In fact, there is overwhelming evidence that indicates the bottom 25% of students beginning school has 1000 fewer base word meanings than the top 25%. This supports our knowledge of the enormous differences in vocabulary at school entry between students from language enriched environments compared with those from language deprived backgrounds.
In all aspects of early language development the importance of oral language remains essential. It is evident that how well and how quickly a child learns to read common words depends a great deal on how well that child has acquired and practised spoken language. This is supported by our understanding of phonological awareness [the sounds of the language].
More than ever before, the evidence suggests literacy instruction should continue beyond the elementary years and should be tailored to the more complex forms of literacy that are required of adolescent students. A growing research base on adolescent literacy supports an emphasis on direct instruction in the reading and writing skills needed to perform these more complex literacy tasks.

Literacy learning at Mount Compass Area School

WRAP is an integrated and systematic literacy instruction in spelling, writing and reading.
The explicit, systematic instruction in letter-sound knowledge has been demonstrated as the most efficient literacy learning methodology for Reception/Year 1 students. The explicit methodology teaches students how to decode words, comprehend and punctuate the English language whilst learning grammar and vocabulary.
The teaching and learning of WRAP builds on prior learning and no matter who the teacher, or at what year level, the methodology of communication remains the same.
– Kevin Mooney, Principal

Junior School

Student Leaders

Semester 1

RubyAilieReaganPaigeLucyCharlieGCameron

Ruby, Year 3

RubyFor what year are you the captain? Year 3

Why did you accept the nomination to become a Year Group Captain? I wanted to be a school captain because I want the school to be happy.

What was the best thing about being chosen as Student Leader? I liked being chosen because I have never been one before.

What are your favourite subjects and why? My favourite subject is art because I love design.

Who is your favourite teacher and why? My favourite teachers are Bu Jemma and Ms Foster because I have loved them teaching me.

What do you love most about Mount Compass Area School? I love Mount Compass Area School because it is a really happy place.

Would you recommend being a Year Group Captain, why? Yes, because I want to push people to the next level.

What would I like to see change in the school? I want new lockers in Middle and Senior schools.

Reagen, Year 4

ReagenFor what year are you the captain? Year 4

Why did you accept the nomination to become a Year Group Captain? I accepted the nomination because I like helping people making sure they are ok.

What was the best thing about being chosen as Student Leader? The best thing is you can help out other students.

What are your favourite subjects and why? Literacy groups are my favourite with Ms Foster, Ms Burt and Maths with Mrs Clark.

Who is your favourite teacher and why? My favourite teacher is Ms Foster because she is nice. She isn’t pushy like some other teachers.

What do you love most about Mount Compass Area School? I love Maths at Mount Compass Area School as it is not really hard.

Would you recommend being a Year Group Captain, why? Yes I would recommend being Year Group Captain because I like helping people.

What would I like to see change in the school I would like to see more small bins put next to the classrooms.

Lucy, Year 5

LucyFor what year are you the captain? Year 5

Why did you accept the nomination to become a Year Group Captain? I accepted because I wanted to take other people’s ideas further and learn more. To be helpful as well.

What was the best thing about being chosen as Student Leader?
The best thing is that I could take other people’s ideas further and help more around the school.

What are your favourite subjects and why? My favourite subjects are maths because I love numbers, Art because I love drawing and PE because I love sport.

Who is your favourite teacher and why? Ms De Zilwa and Bu Jemma are my favourite teachers because Bu Jemma is funny and sporty, while Ms De Zilwa is nice and funny.

What do you love most about Mount Compass Area School? I love Mount Compass Area School because it is a very good community.

Would you recommend being a Year Group Captain, why? Yes I would recommend being a Year Group Captain because it is a very good experience.

What would I like to see change in the school? I would like to see more students interact with other students.

Cameron, Year 6

CameronFor what year are you the captain? Year 6

Why did you accept the nomination to become a Year Group Captain? My reason for accepting the nomination is because I would like to make the school a better place and to do fundraisers for Cancer Council to find new ways to cure cancer.

What was the best thing about being chosen as Student Leader? The best thing was knowing that I am trustworthy.

What are your favourite subjects and why? My favourite subject is PE because I like sport.

Who is your favourite teacher and why? My favourite teacher is Mr Sinclair because he does PE and he is really nice.

What do you love most about Mount Compass Area School? The thing I like about Compass is that it has lovely teachers.

Would you recommend being a Year Group Captain, why? I would recommend being a Year Group Captain because you get to help people.

What would I like to see change in the school? I would like to see more fundraisers at Mount Compass Area School.

Ailie, Year 3

AilieFor what year are you the captain? Year 3

Which teacher nominated you to be a Year Group Captain? Mrs Evans

Why did you accept the nomination to become a Year Group Captain?I accepted the nomination because I want to help other kids.

What was the best thing about being chosen as Student Leader?The best thing is to be helpful and a good friend.

What are your favourite subjects and why? Art is my favourite subject because you can use your imagination.

Who is your favourite teacher and why? Ms Martin is my favourite teacher because she is kind and helps you to learn.

What do you love most about Mount Compass Area School? I love getting to learn at Mount Compass Area School.

Would you recommend being a Year Group Captain, why? No because some people might not want to be Year Group Captain.

What would I like to see change in the school? I would like to see the classrooms changed.

Paige, Year 4

PaigeFor what year are you the captain? Year 4

Which teacher nominated you to be a Year Group Captain? Mr Hansen

Why did you accept the nomination to become a Year Group Captain? I accepted the nomination because I am confident to speak.

What was the best thing about being chosen as Student Leader? The best thing as Student Leader is helping.

What are your favourite subjects and why? My favourite subject is Art because you get to paint and painting is my favourite thing.

Who is your favourite teacher and why? My favourite teacher is Ms Foster because she lets us out early and she gives us free time.

What do you love most about Mount Compass Area School? I love that we have exciting teachers at Mount Compass Area School.

Would you recommend being a Year Group Captain, why? I wouldn’t recommend being Year Group Captain because students don’t know how hard it is to achieve.

What would I like to see change in the school? I would like to see the play equipment change in the school.

Charlie, Year 5

CharlieGFor what year are you the captain? Year 5

Why did you accept the nomination to become a Year Group Captain? I accepted the nomination because I have always wanted to be a leader and help people.

What was the best thing about being chosen as Student Leader? The best thing about being chosen is being able to help people and the school become better.

What are your favourite subjects and why? I love maths and it makes you stretch your brain.

Who is your favourite teacher and why? Ms Potter, Ms Foster, Ms White and Bu Jemma are my favourite teachers because they teach fun subjects and I like the way they teach.

What do you love most about Mount Compass Area School? I love the people and animals they have at Mount Compass Area School.

Would you recommend being a Year Group Captain, why? I would recommend being Year Group Captain because you have a really good experience.

What would I like to see change in the school? I would like to get younger students to interact with the animals more.

OUR SCHOOL

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