Learning
Learning at Bungendore Public School is underpinned by Explicit Teaching. Evidence continues to support explicit teaching as a powerful practice. It works for students of all ages, and all backgrounds. It aligns with how students process, store and retrieve information.
Every student should experience explicit teaching when learning is new or complex. Explicit teaching allows students to gain foundational skills and knowledge. They can then apply their learning with greater independence.
At Bungendore, we are working to develop consistent, whole-school routines for explicit teaching so that students know what is expected of them from year to year when they are learning in their classrooms. We call this 'The Bungendore Way'.
Explicit teaching in NSW Public schools.
Download the poster for more information about explicit teaching.
Key learning areas
At our school, we teach the NSW curriculum and offer many different subjects to support each student’s learning. We know that development of skills in literacy and numeracy are the building blocks for learning and for everyday life. Our teachers use effective teaching strategies to help students achieve their goals.
The NSW English K-6 syllabus outlines the curriculum for teaching English to students in kindergarten through Year 6. It focuses on developing students' skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
The syllabus emphasises the importance of engaging with a variety of texts, fostering critical thinking, and promoting creativity. It aims to build students' literacy skills through structured learning experiences and assessment, ensuring they can communicate effectively and understand different perspectives.
At Bungendore, English teaching follows the Department of Education Units of Work, focusing on reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. Lessons are structured to develop literacy through engaging texts, language conventions, and critical thinking, supporting diverse learners and fostering effective communication and comprehension across all year levels.
We utilise a range of additional resources to support the teaching of English across K-6.
Initialit K-2
The Initialit literacy program is designed to enhance foundational literacy skills for students in the early stages of learning from Kindergarten to Year 2. It emphasises phonics and phonological awareness, vocabulary development and the integration of engaging texts to foster a love of reading.
By providing targeted support and professional development for educators, Initialit aims to ensure that all students build strong literacy foundations, setting them up for future academic success.
Dr Tessa Daffern's Components of Spelling
The Components of Spelling program is an evidence-based resource to support teachers to plan and implement explicit and systematic spelling instruction to cater for diverse learning needs in each classroom.
The program is structured around three fundamental linguistic processes involved in Standard English spelling: i) phonological strategies; ii) orthographic strategies; and iii) morphological strategies.
Our Mathematics teaching is guided by the NSW Department of Education’s Mathematics Syllabus and Units of Work, designed to provide a comprehensive and structured approach to developing students’ mathematical understanding and skills. The syllabus and these units focus on key strands of Number and Algebra, Measurement and Geometry, and Statistics and Probability, with Working Mathematically outcome authentically embedded across each of the strands.
The Units of Work offer sequenced lessons that build progressively, ensuring students develop fluency, problem-solving abilities, and reasoning skills. Emphasis is placed on hands-on learning, real-world applications, and the use of technology to engage students actively.
Teachers are supported with detailed resources, assessment tools, and strategies to differentiate instruction and cater to diverse learning needs. The approach encourages reflective practice and ongoing assessment to monitor student progress and inform teaching.
The Units of Work foster a deep, conceptual understanding of mathematics, preparing students for future learning and everyday life challenges.
We use the NSW Department of Education Science and Digital Technologies syllabus to guide our whole-school scope and sequence and teaching in Science and Digital Technologies.
Focusing on fostering curiosity, inquiry, and problem-solving skills, our teaching integrates scientific concepts with digital technologies, encouraging students to explore, investigate, and create using both traditional and modern tools. Lessons are designed to develop critical thinking, collaboration, and practical application of knowledge across science and technology strands.
Teachers use hands-on activities, digital resources, and real-world contexts to engage students, supporting differentiated learning and continuous assessment. This approach prepares students to navigate and contribute confidently to an increasingly digital and scientific world.
Personal development, health and physical education (PDHPE) is mandatory from Kindergarten to Year 10. According to the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA), students are expected to participate in PDHPE for between 1.5 and 2.5 hours per week in Kindergarten to Year 6.
PDHPE provides students with opportunities to explore issues that are likely to impact on the health, safety and wellbeing of themselves and others – now and in the future. Students also participate in challenging and enjoyable physical activity, improving their capacity to move with skill and confidence.
PDHPE affirms that most students are healthy, safe, active and well and bring with them strengths, capacities and resources. In our lessons we focus on what keeps us healthy, safe, well and physically active throughout life.
We focus on the value of movement, physical activity, physical literacy, and physical education to build knowledge, understanding and skills for a lifetime of physical activity.
At Bungendore Public School we facilitate a range of opportunities for engaging in sporting activities. Our students engage in a wide range of sporting activities to develop
- Motor Skills
- Coordination
- Resilience
- Team work
- Knowledge
Engaging in a range of activities also assists our students in finding the physical activity that ignites their passion. In our active school, sneakers are a part of our school uniform.
Each year we have our whole school sports carnivals including Swimming Carnival, Cross Country Carnival and Athletics Carnival with representatives going on to compete at the District Carnivals. Our sports carnivals promote teamwork, resilience and empathy alongside the sporting skills students are developing.
Creative arts is mandatory for students from Kindergarten to Year 6.
In creative arts, students discover a variety of art forms through a study of dance, drama, music and visual arts where they learn to appreciate, compose, listen, make and perform.
Each art form has its own unique knowledge and skills, elements or concepts as well as a capacity to inspire and enrich lives.
Our students engage in a range of creative arts activities as part of the syllabus supporting their development of skills and knowledge in;
- Dance
- Drama
- Visual Arts
- Music
In addition to this, there are many co curricular and extra curricular activities available for our students.
Queanbeyan District Arts Festival & Queanbeyan Choral Festival
Students K-6 have the opportunity to participate in the annual Queanbeyan District Arts Festival and Queanbeyan Choral Festival. These events provides a unique performance opportunity for students to showcase their skills in singing, dancing and performing.
Music Bus
Bungendore Public School has the Music Bus visit weekly. The mobile music classroom offers lessons in keyboard, guitar, singing and drums.
For more information visit http://www.themusicbus.com.au/find-your-school/gundaroo-public-school
Choir
Our school Infants and Primary choirs are voluntary electives for all students. Throughout rehearsal and performances, students experience of range of styles of music. Students learn about correct breathing, intonation, pitch, harmony and unison.
Musica Viva
Bungendore PS regularly have performances from the wonderful Musica Viva In Schools program.
Throughout these performances and the learning programs implemented in the lead up, the students explore a variety of quality live music. Musica Viva performers are some of the best small ensembles Australia has to offer with dynamic, accessible and culturally diverse groups that perform a wide variety of musical styles.
Schools Spectacular
Schools Spectacular is a vibrant annual performing arts event showcasing talented students across NSW. At our school, participation in Schools Spectacular is offered as an elective, allowing interested students to develop their skills in singing, dancing, and drama while collaborating in a large-scale production.
Festival of Music (Choral and Instrumental)
The Arts Unit Festival of Music offers students a unique opportunity to develop their musical talents through choir and recorder electives. Participating students can enjoy learning and rehearsing in a supportive environment, culminating in the exciting chance to perform at the iconic Sydney Opera House.
This program encourages creativity, teamwork and confidence, making it a valuable and memorable experience for our students.
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Student opportunities and activities
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Our principal and staff
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