Romsey Primary School offers students three specialist subjects consisting of Performing Arts, Visual Arts and Languages Other Than English (LOTE). These three areas work together to support one another in the teaching and learning offered to students. This results in students having the opportunity to be involved with visiting performers, artists and special visitors within the school and also journeying out of the school on excursions. These opportunities further enhance the learning experiences offered to students at Romsey Primary School.
The Performing Arts Program at Romsey Primary encompasses the three main areas of music, dance, and drama. The curriculum covers these areas by offering students a range of learning experiences that allow students to develop their skills in each area. Students also have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument such as the violin, keyboard, guitar, flute or clarinet. They may also choose to be involved in the instrumental ensemble or the choir.
Students begin learning the recorder in year 3 and in year 5 or 6 students will have the chance to be a part of the whole school musical, which occurs bi-annually.
Visual Arts at Romsey Primary provides students with a varied and comprehensive program. The curriculum offers students a range of experiences that involve the main areas of visual art; painting, drawing, collage, printing, threads and textiles and modeling and construction. This allows students to build a range of skills whilst having the opportunity to use a variety of materials and equipment. The school provides students with art smocks to allow students to focus on being creative even if it means getting messy!
At Romsey we study Indonesian from prep to year 6. All students have one hour per week and the two year 6 classes have two sessions. The study involves speaking and listening where students engage in conversations and oral tasks, reading and writing. New vocabulary is practised in games and songs. All students write and read in the language.
There is a cultural component in all lessons because the language cannot be effectively learnt in isolation. Developing cultural understandings assists an acceptance of difference as being normal. Each year we have a dedicated Indonesian day. Visiting performers lead workshops, special art & music programs are undertaken, there is an Indonesian market where students can bargain for their purchases and within the classrooms, games and Indonesian activities are shared. Families are invited to the day and students and staff dress up.
Learning a second language is a serious academic undertaking and students learn much about their own language from this study. They also learn the formal process of remembering other words and adapt and practise literacy skills from their first language. Learning a language helps develop other learning strategies and at Romsey we promote rigorous academic learning in an enjoyable set of programs.