Music

Students participate in weekly music lessons taught by a specialist music teacher. These lessons build students’ understanding of the elements of music and focus on participation in a variety of musical activities that include singing, playing instruments, listening, creating music, movement to music and dance.

In addition to this, lunchtime choral and instrumental programs provide students with the opportunity to develop their skills and perform at school assemblies. The additional programs include choir, Combined Primary School Choir, marimba, woodwind, percussion, guitar and rock band.

Choir is open to all students from Grades 3 - 6. There is usually also opportunity for students to be involved in the Combined Primary School Choir and sing at the annual concert at the My State Arena.

Guitar lessons are available for students from Grades 4 – 6.
Marimba ensemble is available for students from Grades 4 – 6.

Rock band is available to students from Grades 5 and 6 who have some previous experience on their instrument.

Grade 5/6 Band Program. Students in Grade 5 have the opportunity to be selected to undertake a two-year woodwind and percussion instrument program (continuing through grade 6). This program involves one lesson each week. Out of school hours band practice sessions are a part of this commitment from Term 3 onwards each year, culminating in the My State Arena Combined Primary Schools Band and Choir concert in Term 4.

Grade 6 students participating in this program also take part in the Southern Primary Schools Combined Band Tour. This involves visits to other schools where musical performances are given.

Art

Students attend weekly art lessons that develop their understanding of the elements of art and the styles of prominent artists. Art lessons focus on building students’ skills to use a variety of mediums and work in a variety of styles.

Emphasis is on experimenting with line, pattern, shape, colour and tone to create artworks. Students have the opportunity to learn about and try portraiture, landscape, perspective and still life works. They explore styles that include expressionism, impressionism, pop art, abstract and contemporary.

Each year, students create portraits of someone they know for our Young Archie’s Exhibition. Selected works are entered in the Department of Education’s Young Archie’s competition.

Artworks are exhibited in classrooms and display areas throughout the school all year.

Physical Education and Sport

All classes, from Prep to Grade 6 participate in two Physical Education lessons a week with a specialist teacher. The PE program offers a variety of learning experiences with movement activities including ball sports, gymnastics, dancing, athletics and specialised outdoor programs. Children are encouraged to wear appropriate clothing and footwear on their PE days for these lessons.

The PE program aims to provide a wide range of physical movement experiences that will:

• Enable all students of all physical abilities to achieve individual success with skill acquisition. The focus being improving your personal best.
• Develop physical activity as a platform for increasing students’ enjoyment, socialisation and personal well-being.
• Develop students’ understanding concepts of fair play and sportsmanship in game situations.
• Allow students to develop a better understanding for others personal wellbeing.
• Help students develop the skills for lifelong participation in physical activity.
• Develop the skills to engage in safe physical activity at all times.

Daily PE

All students from Prep to Grade 6 participate in our Daily PE Program each morning. This program is run by our Grade 6 leaders and involves the whole school participating in physical activity for 20 minutes at the start of each day. Students start the activities on the first bell at 8.40am, get their bodies moving and are ready to learn, heading to their classrooms at 9.

Research has proven that physical activity is an essential component of a student’s positive well-being. Students with a positive sense of well-being are in a better position to learn more at school. At Cambridge we are striving to enhance students’ positive well-being by increasing the amount of physical activity we offer. Along with Daily PE and PE lessons we also offer lunch time sports and rosters at various times of the year.

Sporting Carnivals

Major school sport events include

• Athletic Carnival held in 1 (Prep to Grade 6)
• Cross Country Carnival held in term 2 (Prep to Grade 6)
• Swimming Carnival for grades 3 – 6, held in term 3 (Grades 3 to 6)
• Winter Carnival-Sports with regional selection (Grade 5/6)
• All Schools Triathlon held in term 4 (Grades 3 to 6)

The school participates in the S.P.S.S.A interschool Athletics, Cross Country, Swimming Carnivals. Students successful in these events are further invited to compete in the Champions Carnival for these sports.

Sporting Teams

Students have the opportunity to play sport and compete in teams with clubs associated with the school. These include Cambridge Soccer Club and school teams in water polo, basketball and netball.

We also have teams compete in community rosters of soccer, netball and water polo. The school is grateful for the assistance of parents in organising and coaching many of the sports at our school.

Aquatic Programs

Swimming and Water Safety Program

Grades 3, 4 and 5 children participate in the annual Swimming and Water Safety Program. This helps students improve their swimming strokes and learn about water safety. The program involves 10 x 45 minute sessions over a two week period.

Learn to Surf Program held in Term 1 (Grades 5/6)

Students from Grades 5 and 6 participate in a Learn to Surf Program early in the year. The program teaches students all about beach safety in and out of the water, the fundamentals of surfing and most students finish the program being able to stand up and go along a wave. It’s also a great opportunity for students to build the confidence to try something new and form good relationships for the year ahead.

Japanese

Primary classes (Grades 5 – 6) participate in weekly Japanese lessons. Children are involved in the learning of the Japanese language covering topics such as self- introduction, numbers, months, sports, hobbies, family likes and dislikes. The three writing scripts; hiragana, katakana and kanji are introduced. Various cultural topics such as festivals, food, geography, calligraphy and martial arts are explored. Students have the opportunity to participate in the Japanese Speech Competition, Poster Competition and Calligraphy Competition.