Curriculum
Our bread and butter.
Overview
When we first meet our families on tour, one term we use frequently is ‘Templetonising’. This means how our students are educated and rounded into successful Templeton students. This process begins during Prep Transition and continues until the end of Year 6. Everything in our school is structured in a specifically designed way, from our school motto right through to our lesson plans. On the left is an explanation of our Crest, which provides a visual representation of our vision. The diagram on the right shows the Curriculum Structure of how our school operates, and how we successfully ‘Templetonise’ our students to become students that epitomise our Student Profile.
Believe, Think and Do
At Templeton, we have a clear direction for our school moving forward, particularly in our teaching pedagogy. Our basic philosophy of explicit teaching of Literacy and Numeracy has never wavered, but underpinning this focus is a carefully constructed pedagogy and curriculum framework, all stemming from what we BELIEVE (Pride in Performance) what we THINK (Values and Skills) and what we DO (Student Profile):
Curriculum Structure
Our Curriculum Structure is based on the understanding that students learn best by being engaged and active in their learning. Our philosophy of providing our students with a broad and well-balanced educational experience ensures that each student can explore and release their individual talents. This philosophy is supported by our extensive range of extra curricula offerings.
Specialist Program
Specialist classes in Chinese, Digital Technology, Library, Performing Arts, Physical Education and Visual Arts ensure that all Templeton students can learn in varied ways. Through these opportunities, our teachers aim to create experiences that inspire students to learn and to continually challenge their personal best. Click the links below to find out more about each area of our Specialist Program.
The Leadership Team
Dedicated to improving student outcomes.
Rod McKinlay
Principal
Alana Whitby
Curriculum Development
Marc Crilly
Assistant Principal
Josh Maroney
Welfare Development
Andrea Edwards
Assistant Principal
Emma Finn
Grade 2 Coordinator
Aidan Schanssema
Director of Curriculum
Di Hynes
Grade 3 Coordinator
Janice Siladi
Early Years Learning Specialist
Sharrelle Nicholas
Grade 4 Coordinator
Kaspar Sussman
Grade 5 Coordinator
Megan Hall
Grade 6 Coordinator
Jane Jelley
Specialist Coordinator
The Leadership Team builds teacher and leadership capacity and drives a culture of learning at the school. The team forms an integral part of the leadership structure of a school, undertaking the crucial role of developing, overseeing, and evaluating the effectiveness and impact of the Annual Implementation Plan (AIP) each year. It has responsibility for leading the strategic planning process, providing clear and achievable goals and targets. The team comprises representatives from across the school and has a shared understanding of supporting, driving, and monitoring improvement. The Leadership Team builds teacher and leadership capacity and strengthens the culture of learning at the school; the school review process underlines this responsibility.
Leadership supports Management throughout the school review with their deep understanding of the progress made against the AIP. The team actively engages and focuses the school and its community in a shared purpose for improvement through their dedication to improving student outcomes. Members of the Leadership Team may be called upon to assist in the preparation of the pre-review self-evaluation (PRSE). They may for example:
- be called to lead or support staff in the collection and analysis of data and evidence
- request collection of student responses and data or lead student, staff, or parent forums.
Following the school review, the team leads the development of the new School Strategic Plan. They do this with the school community, assisting in the creation of clear and achievable goals and selection of targets. These goals and targets are operationalised each year through the AIP, for which the Leadership Team is responsible.
The Templeton Pedagogy
Know your role. Understand your role. Perform your role.
The Templeton Pedagogy
Our staff implement the Templeton Pedagogy with a focus on maximizing student learning. They know their role, understand their role and perform their role, regardless of level or experience. Young teachers are mentored by our experienced Management and Leadership Team in the Templeton way of planning and teaching. Teachers know what to teach, and how to teach it through professional reading, professional learning teams and professional development. They perform their role by effectively teaching every individual student in their care.
The Three Pillars
The Three Pillars of our school pedagogy are Literacy, Numeracy and Inquiry. We believe in direct, explicit teacher instruction in Literacy and Numeracy, with an increasing focus on Inquiry as students progress through the school. All students receive the 5-5-5 model in Literacy and Numeracy; five lessons in Reading, Writing and Numeracy. Additionally, Library lessons act as a sixth Reading lesson for all students P-6. We invest heavily in teacher aides and student support in the junior school, with a focus on establishing a strong foundation in Literacy and Numeracy for students in years P-2.
The Templeton Instructional Model
VTLM 2.0. Only better.
The VTLM 2.0 introduces an emphasis on the evidence about how students learn as the basis for effective teaching. It provides increased clarity for teachers about the elements of teaching that have the strongest evidence base. The VTLM 2.0 links to best practice approaches from existing frameworks that contribute to effective student wellbeing and classroom management, such as the Positive Classroom Management Strategies (PCMS).
The VTLM 2.0 provides a streamlined presentation, reducing the previous VTLM’s 5 components to 2 elements:
Elements of Learning
The process of human learning, based on cognitive science, neuroscience and education psychology.
Elements of Teaching
Representing the evidence-based teaching practices that most effectively support learning: planning, enabling learning, explicit teaching and supported application.
Informed by the Victorian Curriculum and VTLM 2.0), our Instructional Model is based on The Three Pillars of Literacy. Numeracy and Inquiry. Our Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) meet weekly to analyse student data, identify student, group and cohort point of need, and plan lessons for The Three Pillars.
Our lessons are highly structured, with a clear Learning Intention, Success Criteria, tuning in and explicit instruction. Teachers monitor student progress with formative and summative assessment and anecdotal notes. Teacher and student reflection concludes each lesson, followed by assessment, feedback and Victorian Curriculum Reporting in June and December.
Templeton Instructional Model
VTLM 2.0 Elements of Teaching
VTLM 2.0 Elements of Learning
Strategies
1. PLC Data Analysis
Teams analyse data and identify point of need.
2. PLC Planning
Teams plan weekly lessons for The Three Pillars.
Planning
Refers to the positive relationships, cultural responsiveness, classroom expectations and management techniques that teachers establish and use to foster student self-regulation and self-efficacy, and to create a learning focused environment where the development and application of knowledge drives curiosity and creativity.
Attention, Focus & Regulation
Refers to learning requiring students’ attention and involving active engagement in a supportive and responsive learningfocused environment.
Planning Strategies
Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)
PLCs are teams of teachers who work in each year level. They are supported by the Curriculum Learning Specialist in their planning, data analysis and peer observation. All of our leaders have undertaken PLC training with DET, and lead their teams within the PLC structure. Teams meet weekly for curriculum, and fortnightly for administration.
3. Classroom Environment
Teachers create an environment that is inclusive with positive classroom management.
Enabled Learning
Refers to the positive relationships, cultural responsiveness, classroom expectations and management techniques that teachers establish and use to foster student self-regulation and self-efficacy, and to create a learningfocused environment where the development and application of knowledge drives curiosity and creativity
Knowledge & Memory
Refers to students processing new information in their working memory, where they connect it with existing knowledge in long term memory, building mental models that integrate and organise knowledge.
Enabled Learning Strategies
Positive Classroom Management Strategies
Inclusive Classroom
Cultural Responsiveness
Enable student self-regulation and efficacy
4. Explicit Teaching
Learning Intention, Success criteria, Tuning in and Instructional lesson.
5. Student Task
Students complete task as teachers actively monitor progress.
6. Reflection
Students and Teacher reflect on learning
Explicit Teaching
Refers to the evidence-based practices that manage the cognitive load of students, including activating prior knowledge, clearly stating learning objectives, providing explicit explanations of new knowledge, scaffolding learning and modelling practice, and using formative assessment and feedback to monitor progress towards mastery.
Retention & Recall
Refers to working memory being able to hold a small amount of information at once (cognitive load). If overloaded, new knowledge won’t be effectively stored in long-term memory.
Explicit Teaching Strategies
High Impact Teaching Strategies (HITS)
High Impact Learning Strategies (HITS)
The 10 HITS are a part of the repertoire of effective strategies that teachers can apply to the wide variety of learning needs students present with each day. HITS have emerged from the findings of tens of thousands of studies on what has worked in classrooms across Australia and the world. Although HITS are highly effective strategies for increasing student learning they do not provide a complete framework for professional practice. Instead, HITS form part of the full set of instructional practices that contribute to a comprehensive pedagogical model for teaching.
7. Feedback, Assess & Report
Teacher assesses and provides feedback to student.
Staff provide feedback through Peer Observation. Planning reviewed and revised. Reports provided June and December
Supported Application
Refers to the positive relationships, cultural responsiveness, classroom expectations and management techniques that teachers establish and use to foster student self-regulation and self-efficacy, and to create a learningfocused environment where the development and application of knowledge drives curiosity and creativity.
Mastery & Application
Refers to consistent practice and retrieval, allowing students to develop and demonstrate mastery by retaining knowledge and understanding how to apply it effectively.
Supported Application Strategies
Peer Observation Program
Our staff are continually refining their pedagogy through regular PLC Meetings, Data Analysis and Planning. Additionally, each team completes Peer Observation to deliver and receive feedback on their performance. Peer Observation is timetabled weekly, with a focus on specific areas of our instructional model, depending on point of need for both staff and students. PLCs receive a report at the end of their Peer Observation to highlight areas of success and areas to improve their practice, both as a team and individual teachers. Below is an example of a Peer Observation Report for our Year 6 team.
Inquiry
Bringing it all together.
Bringing our practice together is our Inquiry program. Inquiry inspires curiosity and creativity while facilitating student agency and voice. It connects our curriculum by providing context and purpose for our direct and explicit teaching pedagogy. Our Inquiry program is based around six concepts; Self and Relationships, Place and Time, Systems and Communities, Expressing Ourselves, The Natural World and Sustaining the Planet. Each year, students explore these units around different focus questions, decided by PLCs. Each unit focuses on a Value and two Student Profile attributes, with each of the skills interwoven into the learning tasks. This creates a spiral of learning from Prep to Year 6, with Templeton students starting secondary school with a well-rounded educational experience from Templeton.
Inquiry Planning
Below are our Inquiry Units, Victorian Curriculum 2.0 reporting areas and Inquiry Key Questions. All planners incorporate the School Values, Student Profile and Learning Skills. The Key Inquiry Questions are linked to elaborations taken directly from the Victorian Curriculum 2.0. At the bottom of each planner are links to each Specialist area. The Specialist staff match their programs to the Inquiry Key Questions in each year level across the school.
Inquiry Planners
The Year Level Tabs below provide a full outline of Inquiry at every Year Level P-6 at Templeton. Every unit has an Inquiry Question, links to the Templeton Values and Student Profile, and Content descriptors linked to the Victorian Curriculum 2.0. Our units are also linked to our Specialist Programs. Years 3-6 are formally assessed on Inquiry in June and December, while P-2 are informally assessed throughout the year. Click on your child’s Year Level to view their planner.
Learning Skills
You can also click on the Learning Skills descriptors. Learning Skills follow the spiral process that develops well-rounded learners. Through Inquiry, Templeton students ‘learn how to learn’, developing the following skills over each unit of work. These skills are assessed through the criteria listed on the charts below, and reported to in June and December. Students Learning Skills are assessed as Beginning, Consolidated or Established.
June and December Reporting
Measuring your child’s progress.
P-2 Guide
3-6 Guide
Extension
Embracing the top end.
Year 4
Year 5 & 6
Year 5 & 6
Victorian High Achievers Program
The Victorian High Ability Program (VHAP)
The Victorian High Ability Program focuses students on tasks that stimulate critical thinking, problem solving and creativity – enriching their understanding of English and Mathematics. The program does not focus on accelerating students through core Victorian Curriculum content, instead students will be pushed out of their learning comfort zone to become critical thinkers.
The Victorian High‐Ability Program (VHAP) is delivered online and students engage with the program in both synchronous and asynchronous learning with a teacher using Virtual Schools Victoria. As part of the program students complete the following tasks:
- Synchronous Learning
Over 10 sessions, they will attend one 55‐minute synchronous online lesson per week with their online teacher.
- Asynchronous Learning
Outside of the allocated time, students will complete further activities. It is anticipated that this will take students approximately 30‐40 minutes per session.
Student Selection
Only students who have been selected by the Department of Education and Training are able to participate in the program. As part of the selection process, the Department will analyse student achievement data to assess student readiness and ability to participate in this program. Selected students will only be offered a place in up to one course each term. This is to balance the load on students of additional course work outside of core subjects and to minimise the impact of missing more than ten regular classes per term.
Students will be invited to participate across multiple years if they are deemed eligible.
COURSES
Patterns: From Symbols to Secrets (primary mathematics Years 5 – 6)
This course will encourage students to discover that mathematics is not about ‘getting to the answer’, by demonstrating there are often multiple solutions and multiple strategies. Students will explore concepts that are not usually covered in the primary mathematics curriculum, such as number patterns, alternative numeral systems and cryptography. They will be pushed to view mathematics as a process of exploration, and encouraged to ask questions, make conjectures, and test ideas.
The Power of the Pen (primary English Years 5 – 6)
This course will help students explore the purpose and impact of writing. They will consider a world without writing, examine the history of writing, and have the opportunity to extend their story writing skills. They will engage in narrative masterclasses focused on plot, character, setting, perspective, voice and genre. They will explore humorous and optimistic texts, the difference between writing to control and writing to empower, and the ways in which writing can change hearts and minds.
APSMO Maths Problem Solving
Maths Games and Maths Olympiad
Extension and Enrichment Programs
At Templeton we offer extension and enrichment programs for eligible students in Mathematics: Maths Games in Year 4 and Maths Olympiad in Years 5 and 6. The students will be involved in Mathematics Rotations at the same time as these programs so they are not withdrawn from their daily classroom program.
The Australasian Problem Solving Mathematical Olympiads (APSMO) are unique in that they focus on the students’ ability to solve mathematical problems in a creative manner – as opposed to simply reaching a solution using a prescribed method.
The APSMO Maths Olympiad has been operating in primary schools since 1987 and high schools since 2003. Each year thousands of schools participate in the competition from around Australia and New Zealand.
The Maths Olympiad and Maths Games are an ideal complement to the school curriculum. The main aims of the competitions are to:
- Introduce students to important mathematical concepts
- Teach major strategies and develop flexibility for problem solving
- Foster creativity and ingenuity and strengthen intuition
- Stimulate enthusiasm and enjoyment of mathematics
- Provide for the satisfaction, joy and thrill of meeting challenges
Chinese
Our second language.
Templeton’s Chinese Program is run by Xiaomei Lin and Robin Miao. Our P-6 students attend language lessons once a week in our LOTE room. Due to the high number of students at Templeton with an Asian background, we run an extension program to further develop our students’ language skills.
The CHEP (Chinese Extension Program) was launched in 2024 for Year 5 students who demonstrate an aptitude for learning Chinese and potential for future study in Chinese.. The CHEP group visits the Chinese Museum, attends a Kung Fu workshop and enjoys lunch at a Chinese restaurant in Melbourne.
Digital Technologies
The future is now.
Our Digital Technologies program has been running at Templeton since 2000. All year levels have been refitted with Promethean Smart Boards, 40 laptops in classrooms, and 30 laptops shared. One of the benefits of Remote Learning was the up skilling of students in online learning, as students accessed our Blogs and Google Classroom every day. Our ICT program is designed to not only extend the skills of children in word processing, presentations and educational games, but provide opportunities to explore web building, animation and movie making.
Photography Finalists 2025
Click to enlarge
Aiden C – Impending Contact
Aleph S – Soccer Boy
Alex D – Hello From The Other Side
Amir O – Daisy
Amy C – Blurred Memories
Anika V – Taking Flight
Caden L – Nature’s Textures
Chase K – Nature S Beauty
Cooper S – Hope Of Life
Daisy R – Winter Branch
Dennis L – Levitation
Erica S – Nature At Work
Isaiah M – Expressionless Portrait
Jade P – Hearts In The Sky
Jason Z – The Tree Of Life
Kiyan N – Through The Archway
Lila W – Winter Bloom
Lilian T – Sun Star
Nicholas L – Euryops Pectinatus
Sakina D – Greenery
Samyar A – Untitled Portrait
Sienna P – Melaleuca Citrina
Eli B – Dwayne The Stone Johnson
Emma S – Crazy Hair Day
Emma S – Life Imitating Art
Summer A – Daisy On Redgum
Library
In Loving Memory of Elizabeth Jones.
The Templeton Primary School Library is the learning hub of our school. It is home to a vast collection of fiction and non-fiction texts, teacher resources and the Edupass server room. The Premier’s Reading Challenge and Accelerated Reader are both run in the Library. The Library was renamed the Elizabeth Jones Memorial Library in honour of former staff member Elizabeth Jones, who passed away in 1987.
Performing Arts
Dance, Music and Acting.
Our Performing Arts program is run by Mrs Wood from the PA Room located near the Top Junior Playground. The program incorporates music, performance and dance, while Grade 2-6 students also have the opportunity to learn specialised instrumental music lessons. In Term 3, Grade Prep learn Bush Dancing, culminating in a Bush Dance in the GP Room. The Grade 2 cohort conducts a performance night in Term 3.
The Grade 6 Musical is the highlight of every year at Templeton, with our Grade 6 students always delivering a spectacular night of entertainment. Led by Pam Wood, Megan Hall and the Year 6 Team, Performing Arts has staged a Musical every year since 1996. Students audition in November, followed by rehearsals beginning in February. At the end of Term 2, our students deliver the performance at Forest Hill Secondary College.
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Physical Education
Welcome to the Tiger’s Lair.
Our sports teams are called the Templeton Tigers, with our green and gold tiger snarling down from our marquees at Interschool Sport events in the Rowville District. All students at Templeton are assigned a House, named after one of four Australian Sports Legends. Throughout the week, students are awarded House Points for good behaviour, academic achievements and sport.
Our PEEP program is designed to extend the sporting ability of some of our Grade 5 and 6 students. Students have the opportunity to learn a rotating selection of exciting sports such as surfing, ninja warrior, rock climbing, kyaking, bubble soccer, high ropes and water skiing. Students’ past behaviour, sporting ability and maturity are taken into account when earning a position in PEEP, with our Physical Education teacher recommending students for final selection by the Principal.
All students at Templeton are assigned a House, named after one of four Australian Sports Legends. Throughout the week, students are awarded House Points for good behaviour, academic achievements and sport. Every Friday at assembly, our House Captains announce the winning House for the week. Points are accumulated throughout the year, with the winning House awarded the House Trophy. Our House Captains are elected every year from Grade 6. These students lead their House in all sporting events at the school.
Visual Arts
Unlock your creative side.
Templeton Primary School Visual Arts is a program that encourages creative and imaginative ways of thinking. Students have the opportunity to express their knowledge, ideas and feelings in an individual and expressive way. We inspire the development of a strong sense of aesthetic appreciation, and skills and techniques in a range of media in all students.
