curriculum enrichment
“Overnewton Anglican Community College encourages and supports its students as individuals to achieve at optimum levels…”
At Overnewton the basis of providing support for students with special needs is set firmly within the concept of individual differences. All students have individual needs and as a College we recognise that students with special needs may need support to participate in the mainstream curriculum. The notion of providing students with access to an inclusive curriculum from Prep to Year 12 is highly valued. It is part of the professional commitment of teachers at the College to cater, to the greatest extent possible, for individual differences in learning. This applies to students with disabilities, specific learning difficulties and also our gifted and talented students.
The program for gifted and talented students is growing rapidly within the College. A Gifted Education Coordinator works in each school to support the identification of highly able students and, in conjunction with the class teacher, to develop and implement a program of enrichment and extension for talented, highly able and gifted students within the College.
Our gifted and talented students participate in a range of exciting activities, aimed at developing and extending their thinking skills and creativity. These opportunities have occurred within their daily learning and also in a variety of extra curricular activities.
The Science Talent Search is an annual, science-based competition available to primary and secondary students. Each year, approximately 20 students in Prep-Year 4 are involved in this program, developing posters, wall charts and creative writing based on the particular theme of the competition. Students in Junior School also participate in cross-campus ‘Challenge’ days where they are challenged not only to extend their thinking as individuals, but to also work collectively as a team.
Year 4 and Middle School students take part in the APSMO (Australasian Problem Solving Mathematical Olympiads) and face the challenge of completing five contest papers throughout the year. Students are registered as a team and complete the papers individually.
The Da Vinci Decathlon is a day long competition that challenges Year 7 students in ten different disciplines:- Mathematics, English, Science, Code Breaking, Engineering Challenge, Forensic Sleuths, Creative Producers, Art and Poetry, Games of Strategy and General Knowledge. Our gifted and talented students have had the opportunity to develop their skills and work in research and development teams towards the achievement of a common goal.
Gifted and talented students in Year 9 and Senior School, where appropriate, have access to accelerated learning in specific subject areas. Year 9 students participate in accelerated Maths groups and students in Senior School have the opportunity to study some Unit 1 and 2 VCE programs whilst in Year10 and some Unit 3 and 4 programs in Year 11.
Many opportunities are available for our gifted and talented students in other curriculum areas within the College, such as the Visual and Performing Arts.
(Last update January 20, 2011)