Extra Curricular activities add an additional dimension to classroom learning. They promote the outdoors, healthy living, new and creative experiences that the classroom setting cannot provide.
Excursions & Incursions
Excursions and incursions are planned throughout the year to support the learning that occurs in the classrooms. Students access a variety of locations and programs together with having relevant speakers and groups present at school. These experiences add an extra dimension to the learning. Cost of these is incorporated in the levy payment. Information and permission are sent home before each experience so parents are informed.
School Camps
We highly value our camping Program and see it as an opportunity for students to experience life away from their parents and in a different setting to the normal school environment. We aim for children to be independent and to make decisions for themselves. To achieve these goals, we have a Sequential Camping Program from Prep to Year Six in place.
Our program involves:
- Prep: Breakfast and Pyjamas at school.
- Year 1 and 2: Extended day and dinner at school.
- Year 3: Breakfast and activities at school.
- Year 4: One night/two-day camp.
- Year 5 and 6: Two night/three-day camp.
Private Music Program
We offer Private Music Lessons during school time run by Creative Music for Schools. These can be individual or small group sessions. There are a range of musical areas taught which include:
- Keyboard
- Piano
- Guitar
This program is at an extra cost to those families wishing to take up this option.
School Sports
The school has a specialist Physical Education teacher and all children participate in a sequential skill development program. In addition to weekly classes with the Physical Education teacher, class teachers reinforce skills through outdoor activities. The aim of the Physical Education Program is to equip students with experiences supporting students to develop competence in making decisions and taking action to promote an active, healthy lifestyle.
The Prep students are involved in a modified version of the Perceptual Motor Program and the majority of the Prep, 1 and 2 program is based on the Fundamental Motor Skills where students perform basic motor skills and learn to participate in groups with fun activities. In Years 3 and 4, students participate in more complex skills and are focusing towards eventually being able to participate in Minor and Major games.
Beginning in the middle years, students are also involved in fitness testing, where the focus is learning about themselves, their strengths and weakness and learning to find out what their best is and be better than their best.
In Years 5 and 6 students are exposed to sports and games that they would not normally be exposed to such as Ultimate Frisbee, Lacrosse, Tchoukball, Korfball and Hockey. They continue their fitness testing and also take part in the Sports Education in Physical Education program (SEPEP). The philosophy behind SEPEP is for students to experience a program which mirrors “real life” sport.
House Sports
An Athletics carnival is held each year. The Middle and Senior School students participate in athletics events and the Junior School students participate in Tabloid activities. The carnival is usually held in Term 4 at Sprint Athletics Centre, Cragieburn.
In Term 4, the annual Cross Country carnival is held at Jack Ginifer Reserve for Years 2 to 6. This carnival also assists in selecting the Interschool Cross Country team.
Interschool Sports
School sport offers the school community opportunities to build a strong identity and culture of excellence. Traditional values of respect, fairness, responsibility and resilience are developed as part of students’ participation.
School of the Good Shepherd is a member of School Sports Victoria and is a member of the following organisations within SSV:
- District: Broadmeadows (West)
- Division: Woodlands
- Region: Northern Metropolitan Region
The school competes in a wide variety of sports. During Term 1, the Grade 5 and 6’s compete as part of the Broadmeadows West district in weekly rounds of Basketball, Kanga Cricket, Volleyball and T-ball. In Term 2, the school competes in Soccer, Netball, Touch Rugby and European Handball. We also compete in one-off Gala Days for Australian Football, Girls Soccer, Rugby League, Cross Country and Track and Field Athletics.
Team Vic Representative Teams
School of the Good Shepherd prides itself on providing opportunities for its students. With this in mind, the school regularly nominates students to try out for Victorian State teams, also known as “Team VIC”. These teams compete at the School Sport Australia National Championships against other Australian states.