Specialist Subjects

Specialist Programs

At Clayton North Primary School, our specialist programs provide students with opportunities to discover new interests, develop their talents and learn in different ways. Through Performing Arts, Visual Arts, Japanese, Physical Education and STEM, students explore creativity, culture, communication and movement while developing skills that enrich their learning and contribute to their sense of belonging and participation in our school community.

Performing Arts

At Clayton North Primary School, our Performing Arts program provides students with opportunities to develop their creativity, confidence and skills through singing, movement, performance, music-making and music appreciation. Students are exposed to a broad range of musical styles and develop their understanding of rhythm, beat, melody, dynamics and musical expression.

Students have opportunities to explore and perform using a range of instruments, including percussion and classroom instruments, as well as digital and keyboard-based instruments. Through practical and collaborative experiences, students develop their ability to listen, respond, perform and create music.

Students are provided with opportunities to share their learning through school assemblies, special events and school performances, allowing them to develop their confidence and experience the enjoyment of performing for an audience.

Visual Arts

Our Visual Arts program provides students with regular opportunities to explore, create and respond to artworks using a broad range of materials, techniques and processes. Students develop their understanding of the visual arts while expressing their ideas, experiences and perspectives through creative practice.

Across the program, students explore a range of traditional and contemporary art forms, including drawing, painting, printing, collage, textiles, construction, modelling and digital art. Students develop skills through regular practice and are encouraged to experiment with materials, explore different techniques and make purposeful artistic choices.

During Visual Arts lessons, students:

• explore ideas and develop their own creative responses
• develop skills, techniques and processes through regular practice
• experiment with a range of materials and media
• discuss and respond to their own artworks and the work of others
• develop an understanding of how artists communicate ideas and meaning
• explore artworks from different cultures, times and places, and
• share and celebrate their creative work with the school community.

Student artwork is regularly displayed throughout the school, providing opportunities for students to celebrate their learning and for our school community to recognise and appreciate their creativity.

Japanese

At Clayton North Primary School, students from Foundation to Year 6 learn Japanese as our Language Other Than English (LOTE). The program develops students’ communication skills while building an appreciation of Japanese language and culture.

Students develop their understanding and use of Japanese through speaking, listening, reading and writing, with learning experiences becoming increasingly complex as students progress through the school. In the early years, students develop familiarity with greetings, classroom language, simple phrases and everyday vocabulary. As students progress, they expand their vocabulary and sentence structures and develop their ability to communicate in a range of familiar contexts.

Learning is supported through a range of engaging and interactive experiences, including games, songs, role play, conversations, reading, writing, cultural activities and traditional crafts. Students are encouraged to use Japanese in meaningful contexts and to develop an understanding and appreciation of Japanese culture and perspectives.

Physical Education

At Clayton North Primary School, all students participate in weekly Physical Education lessons designed to develop their physical skills, understanding and enjoyment of movement. Students participate in a broad range of activities that support the development of fundamental movement skills, sport-specific skills, fitness and physical literacy.

In Foundation, students participate in the Perceptual Motor Program (PMP) during Semester 1, supporting the development of fundamental movement and perceptual skills through engaging movement-based activities. PMP provides opportunities for students to develop skills such as balance, coordination, spatial awareness, locomotor movement and object control, establishing important foundations for their ongoing participation in Physical Education and physical activity.

Students learn through individual, partner and team-based activities, with a focus on active participation, cooperation, teamwork, fair play and respect for others. As students progress through the school, they develop a greater understanding of movement strategies, rules and tactics and apply their skills across a range of sports and physical activities.

Students in the senior years have opportunities to participate in school-based sporting events and competitions, including cross country, athletics and interschool sport. Students in Years 5 and 6 can represent Clayton North Primary School in a range of Summer and Winter Gala sports, providing opportunities to develop their skills and experience competition in a supportive team environment.

STEM

At Clayton North Primary School, all students from Foundation to Year 6 participate in a dedicated STEM lesson each week. Our STEM program is aligned with the Victorian Curriculum F–10 Version 2.0 and brings together learning from Science, Mathematics, Digital Technologies and Design and Technologies. Through purposeful, hands-on experiences, students make connections between these curriculum areas and apply their knowledge and skills to investigate questions, solve problems, design solutions and understand the world around them.

Science provides students with opportunities to explore and understand the natural world through the three strands of the Victorian Curriculum: Science Understanding, Science Inquiry and Science as a Human Endeavour. Students investigate living things, materials, physical phenomena and Earth and space, while developing their ability to ask questions, make predictions, conduct investigations, gather and analyse evidence, and develop scientific explanations.

Mathematics is embedded throughout our STEM learning, with students applying mathematical knowledge and reasoning to authentic problems and practical challenges. Students develop their understanding of Number, Algebra, Measurement, Space, Statistics and Probability, while using mathematical reasoning and problem-solving to identify patterns, analyse information and develop solutions.

Digital Technologies supports students to become confident and capable users and creators of digital technologies. Students develop skills in computational thinking, coding, data and digital systems, learning how to represent and analyse information, develop algorithms and create digital solutions. These experiences progressively build students’ understanding of how digital technologies can be used to solve problems and communicate ideas.

Design and Technologies provides opportunities for students to identify needs and opportunities, generate ideas, and design, produce and evaluate solutions. Students explore materials, technologies, systems and design processes, developing their creativity, practical skills and ability to consider how their designs can respond to real-world needs and challenges.

Across Foundation to Year 6, STEM experiences become increasingly complex, allowing students to build on prior knowledge and develop their skills over time. Through collaboration, investigation, experimentation and design, our STEM program fosters curiosity, creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving and innovation, preparing students to confidently engage with the world around them.