curriculum

Junior School
 
prospectus

reception – year 5

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.
Integrity, respect, kindness

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

MarcusEvaJadeJoeyMitchellChloeIsaac

Marcus, Year 3

Marcus

My name is: Marcus

What was the best thing about being chosen as Year Group Captain?
The best thing about being chosen is being able to go on the leaders camp.

What do you love most about Mount Compass Area School?
I love the art opportunities the most at school.

What change do you want to see in the school?
I would like to see more trees and plants on the school grounds.

Who is your Favourite teacher?
Mrs Mac was my favourite because art is my favourite subject, and she was the teacher for that class.

Jade, Year 4

Jade

My name is: Jade

What was the best thing about being chosen as Year Group Captain?
It feels good because it means people trust you more and let you help them when they need help.

What do you love most about Mount Compass Area School?
I love how lots of people are kind and caring, you can help them, and they can help you.

What change do you want to see in the school?
I would only like to see the Buddy Bench out again. I would also like there to be buddy classes that link the junior and senior school classes.

Who is your favourite teacher and why?
I liked Ms. Mack because she always said to add more detail and push yourself.

Mitchell, Year 5

Mitchell

My name is: Mitchell

What was the best thing about being chosen as Year Group Captain?
The best thing about being chosen as a Year Group Captain is going to meetings, helping the school, and being recognised for the fact that I follow school values.

What do you love most about Mount Compass Area School?
I like the new buildings, good opportunities, and agriculture.

What change do you want to see in the school?
I want to see the students become a lot nicer to each other.

Who is your favourite teacher and why?
My favourite teacher is Mrs. White because she is so nice.

Isaac, Year 5

Isaac

My name is: Isaac

What was the best thing about being chosen as Year Group Captain?
I enjoy seeing change in our school.

What do you love most about Mount Compass Area School?
I love that everyone is friendly.

What change do you want to see in the school?
I want to make sure the toilet block is rennovated so that it looks much nicer.

Who is your favourite teacher and why?
My favourite teacher is Mrs. White because she is friendly.

Eva, Year 3

Eva

My name is: Eva

What was the best thing about being chosen as Year Group Captain?
I felt really proud that I was chosen because it means people trust me with responsibilities, the camp was also good.

What do you love most about Mount Compass Area School?
My good friends and my teachers that help me in class.

What change do you want to see in the school?
I would like there to be lots of different lessons like art.

Who is your favourite teacher?
Miss Becker is my favourite because she has a good sense of humour.

Joey, Year 4

Joey

My name is: Joey

What was the best thing about being chosen as Year Group Captain?
I would like to see changes in the school, like adding a new playground.

What do you love most about Mount Compass Area School?
I love the plants and animals especially the farm animals and parrots that live here.

What change do you want to see in the school?
I want to help change the playground so that it is more fun.

Favourite teacher?
My favourite teacher is Miss Foster because she is really kind.

Chloe, Year 5

Chloe

My name is:
Cooper

My name is: Chloe

What was the best thing about being chosen as Year Group Captain?
I have lots of ideas I would like to implement such as fun days.

What do you love most about Mount Compass Area School?
What I love most about Mount Compass is that it is such a small school and everyone works together to make the school better.

What change do you want to see in the school?
The change I would like to see in the school, is people getting along more.

Who is your favourite teacher and why?
I don’t really have favourites, but I do like Mrs. Davis and Mrs. De Zilwa because they are both fun and strict at the same time.

OUR SCHOOL

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EXTERNAL LINKS

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Enquiries:
DL:Mount Compass Area School Info

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