Programs

Stanmore Public School provides a wide range of programs to complement the curriculum and broaden our students' learning experience.

Creative and performing arts programs

The school provides Creative and Performing Arts programs staffed by specialist teachers in music and drama. As a result, the school has a strong tradition of music and drama performances.

All students have the opportunity to participate in these activities. The programs are part funded by parent contributions. As a part of these programs, many students have the opportunity to perform in school ensembles for music, dance and drama and also in regional and state ensembles and festivals. These include performances at the Opera House and the NSW Band Festival.

Each year, the school holds the performing arts “Showcase” at a local theatre where all of our students perform items prepared in Drama and Music lessons.

Music ensembles

Stanmore Public School offers students the chance to participate in a wide range of music ensembles, including Bands, String Ensembles, Percussion Ensembles, Ukulele Club, Recorder Ensemble and Choirs.

Rehearsals are usually held before school or during lunchtime.

Comprehensive details about the program - including ensemble descriptions, skill levels, costs and participation expectations - can be found on the Instrumental Music Program page.

Sports program

Stanmore Public School has a strong tradition of sporting excellence. A wide range of sporting opportunities are available to students, catering to all levels of ability and a variety of interests.

Sports carnivals

Every year the school holds Swimming, Cross Country and Athletics Carnivals for students in Years 3 - 6. Students who meet qualifying times are selected to represent the school at Balmain Zone Carnivals.

Primary School Sports Association (PSSA) Sport

Stanmore Public School is a member of the Balmain PSSA competition, fielding Senior and Junior teams with students from Years 3-6. Students who participate in PSSA complete in a weekly inter-school competition, at an external location. Sports offered include cricket, OzTag and netball in summer, and soccer, touch football, AFL and netball in winter.

School Sport and PE

Sport is also taught as part of the curriculum, with all classes engaging in school-based sport and PE lessons. External sporting education providers are sometimes engaged to teach specialist sporting programs such as gymnastics and dance.

More details about the program can be found on the Sports program page.

Kitchen garden program

The school provides the opportunity for all students to participate in the Kitchen Garden Program each year.

Following a grant from the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation in 2012, the school created a kitchen garden and converted the old school library into a stunning kitchen with five cooking bays.

Two terms per year, all classes have a fortnightly lesson in the garden, with a garden specialist, and in the kitchen, with a kitchen specialist, giving them the experience of growing, harvesting, preparing and sharing nutritious food. The gardening program includes composting and worm farming. A range of curriculum areas are integrated into the Kitchen Garden program.

More details about the program can be found on the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program page.

Premier's Debating Challenge

The  Premier’s Debating Challenge  is open to students from Year 5 to 12. Teams compete in a round robin series of debates against other schools. The winners go on to compete at regional and state level to determine the eventual state champion.

Stanmore Public School has well-established debating program and a strong track record of success in the competition. Class teachers train the debating teams at lunchtimes.

Public speaking

The Arts Unit offers  public speaking competitions  for NSW school students. Each competition is a great opportunity for students to develop their speech-writing and presentation skills while representing their schools in a state-wide competition.

Teachers run Public Speaking clubs at lunchtime. Students who participate have the option to enter the NSW Multicultural Public Speaking competition.

Premier’s Spelling Bee

The  Premier’s Spelling Bee  is an annual competition that encourages primary school students in Years 3 to 6 to develop their spelling skills in a fun and educational way. Students are selected at school level to take part in regional finals. Regional winners then compete in the state final.

Library program

Premier’s Reading Challenge

The school participates in the Premier’s Reading Challenge (PRC), a statewide challenge that encourages students to develop a love of reading for leisure and pleasure and enables them to experience quality literature.

It is not a competition, but a challenge to encourage each student to read, to read more, and to read more widely.

All students who complete the challenge and have their reading record validated by the school’s PRC coordinator will receive a certificate signed by the Premier of NSW.

More details about the program can be found on the Library program page.

Home reading program

A Home Reading Program operates in all classes across the school. This program is designed to develop a love of reading and provide regular reading practice on books that students can read.

Every day younger students take home a book at their instructional reading level and the school expects that they will spend 10 to 15 minutes reading aloud to a parent or older member of the family. Students have a card for parents to sign and return to school to show the reading task has been completed. Students then read their book at school to a teacher or volunteer.

Older and/or more capable readers, who are borrowing novels, will not change their book every day and may also prefer to read quietly to themselves.

This daily independent reading is a valuable part of developing and enhancing literacy skills and is an integral part of the school’s successful Literacy Program.

The school appreciates parents’ support in encouraging their children to read a little every day.

Lunchtime clubs and groups

In addition to Music Ensembles, Debating and Public Speaking, our teachers run a wide range of clubs and groups for students to participate in at lunchtimes. These include the Waste Warriors sustainability group, Drama Groups, Dance Groups, Lego Club, Minecraft Club, Craft Club and Wellbeing Club.

Excursions and camps

Excursions, incursions (including visiting performances) and camps (overnight excursions) are a feature of the learning program at Stanmore. They enrich classroom learning and provide students with vivid, real life experiences that make learning more powerful and therefore more likely to be understood and remembered. These activities are planned carefully to ensure quality educational benefits and reasonable cost.

Camps are overnight excursions that have the same curriculum focus as other excursions, plus a social focus of building school cohesion, cooperation and teamwork. There are camps for Year 3 up to Year 6 and they are planned to ensure a range of different experiences over five years. All are within one to two hours travel from school, except trips to Canberra and the goldfields for Years 5 and 6.

The school notifies parents of upcoming excursions at the beginning of each term and requires a signed permission note for attendance at each one. All school excursions require the approval of the Principal.

These activities are organised on a cost recovery basis. The school books the activities and pays for transport, entry fees and accommodation costs, where applicable. The total cost is divided between the students and this cost is then passed on to families. If families are experiencing financial difficulties they should contact the school to discuss financial assistance.