Specialist Programs

Physical Education

Students participate in two 40 minute Physical Education lessons per week, taught by a specialist Physical Education teacher. These lessons focus on fundamental movement skills, movement concepts and strategies, game sense, spatial awareness and teamwork. Classroom teachers also create opportunities for fitness sessions with their students.

All students have the opportunity to participate in on-site Sports Day. R-5 students participate in Water Safety Program lessons at the SA State Aquatics Centre, Marion. Year 5 and 6 students participate in Aquatics program at Port Noarlunga.
The PE program may have access to government grants enabling students to participate in sports clinics which may include hockey, tennis, lacrosse and gymnastics.

Jye Wootton – Physical Education Teacher

Japanese

Japanese is taught from Reception to Year 7 at Hawthorndene Primary School. Cultural aspects as well as written, oral and visual language are all a part of the Japanese curriculum. Students receive two 40 minute lessons of Japanese language instruction per week.

Students prepare and celebrate Japanese Festival Day annually.

Bridget McArthur (sensei) – Japanese Teacher 

Performing Arts

The Australian curriculum embraces the concept of making and responding in the Arts through developing knowledge and skills in music, drama, dance, visual and media arts.
The curriculum examines the contexts and knowledge relating to the Arts, and promotes the ability for students to make critical evaluations of their experiences.

Students receive one 40 minute lesson of Performing Arts instruction per week where they explore music, drama, dance and media arts. Opportunities to create and respond to visual arts are provided by classroom teachers.

Instrumental Teaching
The school is supported by onsite instrumental music tuition through the Department for Education Instrumental Music (IM) programme offering tuition in strings from Year 3, and woodwind, brass and guitar from Year 5, to students in a small group format. These are held weekly for thirty minutes. Tuition costs are supported by the Department, with a fee charged to parents for instrumental hire.

Lucy Pfeifer – Performing Arts Teacher