The integrated curriculum (Inquiry) begins with the content areas of the curriculum which gives us the big ideas for learning, these areas include science, humanities, and health.
We then explore the ideas from this content through the process-based areas of the curriculum. This includes:
At Merri Creek, the Mathematics curriculum is organised into six interrelated strands of Number, Algebra, Measurement, Space, Statistics and Probability. Students are encouraged to be curious when engaging with mathematical experiences, confident to draw on a range of tools, use strategies and articulate their sense-making.
Students experience meaningful learning through explicit, guided, and independent learning experiences. Individual and collaborative maths tasks are designed and sequenced to ensure each student can make sense of mathematical ideas and reason mathematically.
At Merri Creek, the English curriculum is organised into three interrelated strands: Language, Literature, and Literacy. The language modes of Reading and Viewing, Writing, and Speaking and Listening are woven throughout all three strands. This integrated approach creates strong connections across the curriculum and provides students with varied and repeated exposure to essential content and skills in all language modes.
The curriculum clearly outlines what students are expected to learn and is designed as a continuum of learning. It is presented in a comprehensive scope and sequence chart, enabling teachers to easily track progression and plan targeted teaching and learning programs that meet the diverse needs of all students.
In Foundation to Year 2, students engage in an evidence-based synthetic phonics program, establishing strong foundations in reading and writing from the very beginning. This focus continues into the senior years through an explicit spelling program. For students who are not meeting expected benchmarks, targeted intervention is provided at their point of need, ensuring every child has the opportunity to succeed.
All children have a one-hour weekly session in the library as part of the specialist program. The focus is on immersing children in quality and engaging literature and encouraging book selection for home reading.
All children engage in a one-hour weekly session of Japanese as part of the specialist program. The focus is on engaging and learning to speak Japanese.
Music is at the heart of our school and gives all children experience in composing and performing their own pieces of music. All children attend the music specialist program for one hour a week in our beautiful new music space. This is focussed on developing original composition collectively in groups and performing for each other during class. Children from year 3 -6 can form their own acoustic and/or rock bands. They practice together in our school band rooms during lunchtimes to perform at weekly music assemblies and the annual School of rock competition. At any one time the school has over 20 bands, practising and performing.
Students at Merri Creek enjoy an hour of dedicated visual arts time as part of the specialist program. Children create and experiment with a variety of materials and techniques. The school has its own ceramics kiln. Every second year we celebrate the children’s artwork across the school with an art exhibition.
Teachers embed physical education into the weekly program and teach this themselves. Teams often have P.E. at the same time and collaborate to deliver this learning. Teachers follow the curriculum and are responsive to explicit learning as well as developing the dispositions aligned to physical activity and sport.
Students participate in interschool sports in Year 5/6, swimming sports in Year 4-6, athletics, and cross country. Our students compete in district and division level sporting events
