OatlandsPublicSchool

　　Our school has strong literacy and numeracy programs, a highly qualified, dedicated staff and a caring school community offering your child the best opportunities for success and personal wellbeing.

　　We have an active and dedicated Parent & Community body.

　　Landscaped grounds have well-established trees, attractive gardens and a large Covered Outdoor Learning Area.

　　Our staff are committed to lifelong learning.

　　Educational programs are stimulating, varied and cater for different learning styles.

　　Engaging enrichment programs that will enable your child to reach their full potential intellectually, emotionally and socially.

　　Students are encouraged to follow a healthy, active lifestyle.

　　Our technology programs provide opportunities to engage in activities enhancing skills in information and communication technology.

　　Oatlands Public School is situated two kilometers north of the Parramatta Central Business District in the centre of Sydney.We provide a base for a District Guidance Officer, an Assistant Principal Learning Difficulties and an Itinerant Support Teacher (Language) all catering for schools throughout the Parramatta District. The school also houses the Jill Sherlock Library, a State facility to support teachers working with children with high support needs.

　　School Plan

　　The school has a three-year plan for 2009-2011. This plan has been developed using school based data including analysis of NAPLAN data. There are three new major projects in this plan.

　　2009-2011

　　Major Projects - 2010 update

　　Habits of Mind

　　In 2009 Miss Forbes, Miss Mathieson, Miss Baker and Mrs Walsh attended training on the ‘Habits of Mind’. This year more teachers will be attending training on the Habits. The Habits of Mind are the dispositions called upon by intelligent people when confronted with problems, the solutions to which are not immediately apparent. Identified by Emeritus Professor Art Costa and expanded upon with Bena Kallick, the 16 Habits of Mind have been adopted by schools,families and in work places as a means to develop more thoughtful behaviour.

　　As a result of this training, teachers at Oatlands are beginning to develop lessons and activities that focus on improving students’ Habits of Mind. We are planning on making the Habits a core part of our culture for students, parents and staff. Staff and students are adopting the Habits of Mind as a way to increase their thoughtfulness. By monitoring our use of the Habits of Mind, evaluating how effectively we are using them, and setting goals to develop our Habits we are enabled to behave more intelligently.

　　You might like to talk to your child about the Habits and how they are learning to effectively use them. The Habits can be applied to all areas of life - it would be great to talk to your child about the Habits and their application at home as well as at school.

　　Accelerated Literacy

　　Accelerated Literacy is a highly effective literacy program designed to raise students’ literacy to age appropriate levels in the  shortest possible time.

　　The program goes beyond teaching the ‘basics’ of reading to teaching the complex literacy skills students need to participate in a literate society at the highest level.

　　It achieves this by:

　　・using fluent reading of high quality children’sliterature to teach the ground rules of literacy that we sometimes assume all students understand but need to be taught for students to be successful at school and

　　・building student confidence and sense of achievement through regular classroom routines, which teach students to use and understand the complex language associated with success in school.

　　This teaching approach varies from traditional teaching methods.

　　Teachers develop the new skills to teach Accelerated Literacy successfully through extensive training and support including:

　　・structured training on how to teach Accelerated Literacy effectively

　　・individual mentoring in the early stages ofteaching

　　・support materials to assist professional development,and

　　・assessment procedures that allow teachers to refine their teaching and track individual student progress.

　　Stage 1 teachers will attend training this year.

　　Connected Learning

　　Our school:

　　・ is equipped with an Interactive Classroom (interactive whiteboard, video conferencing facility and data collaboration)

　　・ every classroom has an Interactive Whiteboard

　　・ is able to link to online field trips to places such as the State Library, The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and the National Museum of Australia

　　・ is able to connect with experts to deliver lessons and respond to questions and ideas

　　・ is supporting increased use of ICT within QualityTeaching

　　・ is supporting teachers to personalise learning

　　・ is enhancing opportunities for collaboration between students, teachers, classes and schools across DET

　　・ is providing necessary infrastructure to enhance collegial support networks for teachers.