Here at Balaklava Primary School we offer a range of Specialist subjects apart from the phenomenal learning that takes place in our classrooms. depending on the year level our students have weekly lessons in French, Performing Arts, Science and PE.

Music is a strong focus within our Performing Arts program with the school having a choir, ensemble and rock band. The highlights every year include performing at local assemblies, local events (such as the Balaklava Show, Mill Court Nursing Home, Reconciliation Week activities), Festival of Music performance at the Festival Theatre and inclusion in the Balaklava Eisteddfod.

Physical Education and sport is also a strength in our school and wider community. Students have access to a range of sporting activities delivered by class teachers and our Specialist PE teacher. The school accesses the National Sporting Schools program giving our students the opportunity to develop their skills under qualified coaches.

Students in Year 5-7 have the opportunity to participate in a range of SAPSASA sporting events.

View the SAPSASA 2019 Calendar.

Learning at Balaklava

Balaklava Primary School curriculum is base on the Australian Curriculum, which includes the following areas of study:

  • English
  • Mathematics
  • Science
  • Health and Physical Education (HPE)
  • Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS)
  • The Arts
  • Technologies
  • Languages other than English – at BPS and BHS students study French. This is supported by a school based specialist teacher.

Curriculum

Staff at Balaklava Primary School differentiate the curriculum to cater for invidual needs, allowing your child to progress at his / her own rate. Every effort is made to provide consistency across the school.

agsdi-list

Overview for Parents

(Link to external PDF)

agsdi-book

The Australian Curriculum – Foundation Year

(Link to external PDF)
agsdi-book

The Australian Curriculum – Years 1-2

(Link to external PDF)
agsdi-book

The Australian Curriculum – Years 3-4

(Link to external PDF)
agsdi-book

The Australian Curriculum – Years 5-6

(Link to external PDF)
agsdi-book

The Australian Curriculum – Year 7-8

(Link to external PDF)

Curriculum Programs

In this section:

Literacy

Jolly Phonics and Jolly Grammar is taught in all of our classes

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What is Jolly Phonics

(PDF, 918KB)

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Free Parent Resources

(PDF, 918KB)

Jolly Phonics Sounds and Songs

Maths

Numeracy is our school focus. The first section is the ‘Trusting the Count,’ followed by ‘Place Value’ then ‘Multiplicative thinking’. We hope that all students progress through and learn these numeracy skills by the time they finish primary school.

Best Advice

For more information on our math focus please read the ‘best advice’ aricles:

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Trusting the count

(PDF, 1MB)

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Place value

(PDF, 2MB)

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Multiplicative thinking

(PDF, 3MB)

Here are a range of games or activities you may like to download and play with your children at home.  There should be instructions with each activity or game.  Enjoy 🙂

Trust the Count
Place Value
Multiplicative Thinking

Environmental Programs

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Clean Up Australia Day

(PDF, 456KB)

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Sustainability and Recycling

(PDF, 567KB)

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Clean Up Day

(PDF, 5MB)
Photos credit to Plains Producer

French

French online learning resources at home

*** If any websites are in French, there will always be an icon on the website page to put everything in another language (English) This icon will usually be FR for French and when you click on that it will give you options of languages. Sometimes a pop up will come up from Google asking whether you want the page to be translated into English in which case click translate or yes.

  1. Duolingo website/app (middle primary and upper primary) https://www.duolingo.com/
  2. Languages online website (https://www.education.vic.gov.au/languagesonline/french/french.htm)
  3. Youtube videos for junior primary to practice their words
  1. Culture online French activities for middle and upper primary:
  1. French culture related youtube shows (free):
  • Madeline tv show
  • Tin Tin
  • Babar
  • Beans holiday (PG)
  • Ratatouille (G)

Others but they’re not free

  • Le pink panther 1 & 2 (PG) is on Stan
  • The Hundred foot journey (PG)
  • Hunchback of Notre Dame (G)
  • La belle et la bete (beauty and the beast) There are French versions with subtitles but also the American version (both PG)
  • Le petit prince (The little prince) is on Netflix

Lunchtime Activities

Play At Lunchtime (PALS)

SRC is offering Play At Lunchtime to our reception to Yr 2 students every Thursday  lunchtime  in the well. The students are invited to come along and play some games which our senior students have chosen. They activities will include warm-ups followed by some short team or chasey games and finishing with a cool down activity. The activities will encourage coordination, team work and learning to be a good winner and loser. Thankyou to Janna Mojares, Mackensey  Dale and Josh Michael who are the first PALS leaders.

Music

Music plays an integral part in Balaklava. With the Balaklava Eisteddfod, multiple community arts performances and local musician events, Balaklava Primary School recognises the importance and the significance of the music curriculum. 

Each class undertakes a specialist lesson in music each week which relates all core elements to the curriculum. These are organised by a passionate and dedicated educator that holds a Bachelor in Media Arts, an Honours in Drama and Masters in Education

Through Bigger, Better Brains Neuroscientists Research, which is translated by by Dr Anita Collins, it has been revealed that students who learn an instrument and receive a thirty minute break from usual class lessons actually achieve better results. They hone in on their motor cortex, allowing better coordination, are able to control their emotional states and reactions better and become more flexible and responding to unforeseen events.

Balaklava Primary School therefore offers students the chance to learn many instruments onsite with both the Instrumental Music Service and Private Tutors. Students can access brass, woodwind, piano, drums, bass guitar or electric lessons that are rotated each week to fit into their classroom lessons with minimal disruption to their classroom learning. 

Students are able to join the Festival of Music Choir from year Five to Year Seven. This program offers a number of amazing experiences within the program such as working as a team, visiting the City of Adelaide, witnessing a multitude of engaging artistic performances, learning choreography, Auslan signing and many different languages. These students are often requested to perform at various events around Balaklava which provides them with wonderful opportunities to practice their performing skills. Opportunities include, Museum openings and celebrations, Country Women’s Association, Balaklava Show Day, Reconciliation Day Festivals, Radio, Mill Court etc.

There are three music groups held once a week at lunch time.

  • Rock Band members learn classic rock and modern pieces.
  • Instrumental Ensemble allows students to broaden their performance experiences. With the combined efforts of the Instrumental Music Service Tutor and the Music teacher, these students play upbeat, catchy and modern pieces to encourage and enthuse the younger audiences within the school.
  • Vocal Ensemble students audition privately with the music teacher at the start of the year and a select few are then invited to train each week. Students have a say in the choice of songs and the pieces are usually arranged by the music teacher.

These three options are highly sought after and require dedication, practice and enthusiasm. Students perform at Assemblies, End of Year Celebrations and compete in the Balaklava Eisteddfod. 

There are two Captain Positions offered at Balaklava Primary School: Instrumental and Vocal Specialist. Both Captains are required to be in the corresponding Ensemble mentioned above where they will work with the group each week, ensure correct set up and pack up, hand out rewards, communicate messages to Instrumental Music Students and take on a role of responsibility. Both captains are encouraged to join Festival of Music Choir where they will take on choreography, Auslan and warm up leadership roles. Both captains also learn the Auslan for Advance Australia Fair backwards so as to guide students and parents during assemblies. 

Resource Centre

Photos from Book Week.

Physical Education

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Trick Shot Challenge

(PDF, 557KB)

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Act Your Name

(PDF, 117KB)

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School Sport SA at Home

(PDF, 509KB)

P.E. with Joe

Just dance
https://www.youtube.com/user/justdancegame/videos

Cosmic kids
https://www.youtube.com/user/CosmicKidsYoga

A link to Go Noodle
https://www.gonoodle.com/

Jack Hartman Movement Break Clips
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVcQH8A634mauPrGbWs7QlQ

Scavenger Hunts
https://primaryplayground.net/scavenger-hunts/

Science

Have you ever seen an unusual rock formation, looked in the mirror, made a salad dressing, used solar power, or looked up at the stars at night? Then you have touched on the many subjects you will learn doing fun science experiments at our school! Science is all around us…once you become aware of it, the possibilities to explore our world and make it better for the future are endless!

More information coming soon for these…

Classroom Learning

Information for this subject is coming soon.

Buddy Class Programs

Information for this subject is coming soon.

Learning Support

Information for this subject is coming soon.

ICT

Information for this subject is coming soon.

Other Programs

Information for this subject is coming soon.

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