A day in the life of Currambena kids... by 8:30am each day, Currambena is open. Staff are preparing for the day’s activities. Before 9:00am most of the students have arrived. The time before 9:30am is intended to create opportunities for students to mingle, play and settle in for the day ahead.
Inside Time is usually announced by class teachers as they wander around the play areas at 9:30am. In the first session, the students usually undertake tasks involving the acquisition and use of skills in the key learning areas (NSW curriculum).
The 30-minute Break Time at 11:00am is a regular feature of the timetable. Students are free to stay in their classroom, visit other rooms or play outside.
The second Inside Time allows for a continuation of learning in the Key Curriculum Areas or may feature activities planned by specialist teachers who are based in their designated areas of the school. Three specialists support the work of the classroom teachers during the week, offering expertise in music, craft and Spanish.
This part of the day may also feature the Class Meeting. The Class Meeting is managed by the students and is an opportunity to discuss issues that are important to the students. Decisions made at Class Meeting often affect classroom activities. The class decisions may also be directed to School Meeting, which is a whole school version of the Class Meeting. Managed by the students, decisions made at the School Meeting can affect the organisation of the school.
The 60-minute lunch period ends at 1:30pm with the class teachers again announcing the start of Inside Time.
The afternoon session usually features whole class sessions such as Art, Drama, study of areas of interest or P.E. Class teachers normally bring the class group together before the end of the school day so that everything is put away and the classroom is ready for for another day.
At 3:00pm school finishes and the play areas begin to empty as students make their way home, or are collected by parents.
Fridays are structured differently, with students being able to choose from a wide variety of activites that are offered throughout the day. The day begins with School Meeting, then the whole school participates in Sustaining Currambena, where students, teachers and parents work together to maintain the school environment and care for the various creatures that share the space with us. After these activities the students are able to work with their teachers and play, discover, explore and consolidate their many skills.