Whalan Public School

Whalan Public School is committed to excellence, equity and humanity in an environment which promotes successful learning, student achievement, and a spirit of trust and cooperation within our school community. The school values and applies the principles of Positive Behaviour for Learning and has high expectations of student behaviour and academic achievement. Our core expectations 'Safe, Respectful Learners' are reflected in our daily work. Decisions about school organisation are made with primary consideration given to the well-being and academic needs of our students. Our classroom programs focus on continuous growth in student outcomes. Staff professional learning is given a high priority each year. We are committed to developing partnerships with our families and the wider community, and our dedicated P and C body strongly supports school programs. Our school offers a broad and inclusive program for children from Preschool through to Year 6. In addition to mainstream classes, we have regional support classes for children with special needs. They currently include one class for children with mild intellectual disabilities, one class for children with moderate intellectual disabilities, one multicategorical class and an Early Intervention class. In the early childhood area our preschool provides four part-time programs. A weekly playgroup also operates within the school. Whalan Public School has been involved in equity programs for several years and this has enabled us to increase opportunities for teacher professional learning and the implementation of successful and innovative school programs to support student learning. Literacy, numeracy and student engagement are the school's key priorities. Our facilities include the use of integrated technology and we offer opportunities for a broad range of extracurricular activities. We have participated in the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden program for a number of years, with students growing, harvesting and cooking nutritious food. We excel in sporting and art events with student representation at state and national levels. Our students also participate in dance and choir performances. Whalan has a very successful biennial art show. This showcases a range of student work from preschool to Year 6 with all students producing works that show a sustained effort and the implementation of the Visual Arts syllabus. On alternate years we produce a whole school concert which highlights the performance skills and talents of all students. Our school has embedded programs addressing and celebrating the Aboriginal and multicultural heritage of our community. We also offer a range of excursions and cultural experiences including junior and senior camps to strengthen our learning programs.