Infants & Primary

About our Primary School

Kindergarten Starting Age

Students enrolling in Kindergarten must turn 5 before or on April 30 in the year of commencement. Individual cases where parents would like consideration to enrol a child at a younger age will be considered at the discretion of the Principal.

Pre-Kinder Transition Time

Our school holds Pre-Kinder classes in Term 4 each year. This consists of one day each week from 9.00am to 11.30am for eight weeks. This program introduces the children to their new classroom and teacher and is a way of familiarising them with the routine of life at school.

Kindergarten and Primary Expo

Parkes Christian School holds its Kindergarten and Primary Expo once a year, during the evening, early in Term 2. This is an interactive and informative evening for prospective parents and students. Creche is also available on the night.

Homework

The purpose of homework is to develop good home study habits in all students and to increase contact and understanding between home and the school. Homework assists in linking school and home by allowing for the interest and involvement of parents. For Kindergarten to Year 2, homework is intended to be a habit building activity and not an onerous task. For Year 3 to Year 6, homework is for revising classroom work and for developing initial research skills.

Excursions

Every year our Kindergarten to Year 6 students have the opportunity to participate in activities outside the school that support learning outcomes in a range of subject areas. Some of our major excursions include:

• Taronga Western Plains Zoo
• Local Stage/Theatre Productions
• Lake Burrendong Sport and Recreation Camp
• Canberra
• Bathurst Goldfields
• Sydney

School Library

The School Library is open from 8.45am until 3.45pm and during the second half of lunch on Tuesday to Friday for students.

Students from Kindergarten to Year 6 have a 90 minute library and digital technology lesson weekly. The Library is open to all classes at any time during the week.

At lunchtimes students come to the library to do individual research, borrow, browse, use the internet, meet their friends, have fun with an assortment of games and at times, help with jobs in the library.

Choir

Students in our ‘Infants Choir’ and the ‘School Choir’ have been building up skills, courage and confidence since 2010. The students love singing and can often be found around the school singing their favourite songs from choir or showing their teacher a new song they have learnt.

Infants Choir is compulsory for our students in Kindergarten to Year 2. The School Choir is voluntary and is open to students from Years 3 to 12.

The students participate and perform at many events including special school assemblies, Rosedurnate Aged Care Facility, Easter and Christmas events, Carols in the Park and Eisteddfods. The students love singing praise and worship songs and this forms the basis of most of our repertoire.

School Values

Our school addresses the on-going spiritual development of our students and staff. Staff commence each morning with devotions, where each staff member takes a turn in sharing something that they feel God has put on their heart to encourage each other; devotions end in prayer ready for the school day. Staff are also required to be actively involved in a local church.

It is our aim that all of our students receive individual care and attention in Christian love, which allows them to grow in Christian maturity. Each day students participate in devotions with their class or roll call teacher.

Student Leadership

School Captaincy Leadership is offered to students in Year 5, this will naturally progress to Year 6 in 2020. Students who have a commitment to Jesus and hold to the values of the School are able to nominate to be elected as a School Captain. Nominations are submitted to the Principal for review and a discussion is held with the nominees and Principal. An assembly is held for the nominees to address the Primary school for selection.

Our Primary School Captains lead many of our Primary assemblies or assist in their running, and represent the school in the community such as at Anzac Day commemorations.