School Profile
Surrounded by the beautiful bayside wetlands, Aspendale Gardens Primary School is a large International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program School in the South Eastern Victorian Region (SEVR) with a current enrolment of 612 students. The multi-cultural nature of the school is a great asset, enriching the educational experiences of all students. Currently employed at the school are 46 teaching staff and 16 Education Support staff.
Our school is located on spacious well maintained grounds with thirty classrooms along with two Art rooms, Library, Information Technology area, two Performing Arts rooms, a gymnasium with a full sized indoor basketball court, Friendship room, Kitchen/Dining room and two Mandarin classrooms. Our school grounds are extensive and contain a safe junior and senior playground, sandpit and large open playing field. An outstanding aspect of the school is the school vegetable garden which is extensive. The Kitchen Garden program employs a qualified Horticultural teacher and a Food Technician, who educate students on the value of growing, harvesting and cooking their own produce. There are also quiet areas scattered throughout the courtyard and surrounds. The Before and After School Care program is run by Their Care and our holiday program is run by Team Kids. We have ensured that two different companies run the term and holiday program so as to give students a different experience and the feeling that they are not having to go to school in the holidays.
Aspendale Gardens Primary School staff are dedicated and committed to developing a learning environment which maximises the overall educational needs of students. The school encourages team planning and shared experiences across year levels. There are also curriculum planning and development professional learning teams. Specialist teaching is provided in Performing Arts, Visual Arts, Physical Education which includes the Perceptual Motor Program (PMP) for Foundation students and our Language Program is Chinese (Mandarin).
Teams take on the leadership of special events including the bi-annual carnival and whole school production, Science Fair and Art Expo. Our school regularly supports charities and events to provide learning and understanding of the wide world around us along with our local community. Our school community also assists a school and orphanage in Cambodia with annual fundraising events. We enjoy a fruitful relationship with our 3 sister schools in Nanjing, China where students participate annually in an exchange program. Students, teachers and the wider community are enriched by these cultural experiences.
Aspendale Gardens Primary School participates in the Marine Ambassadors program which engages the school community in Marine Education and Conservation. Our extensive Leadership Program provides opportunities for many senior students to take on a variety of roles. We have two Junior School Councils, a Senior and a Junior with each consisting of 16 students who are elected from each class.
Students are able to receive one on one or group music tuition in the areas of singing, dance, violin, keyboard, guitar and drums. All students have the opportunity to participate in an intensive swimming program and a broad excursion/ incursion and school camping program. There are many and varied lunchtime activities including chess, drama, dance and choir.
Our school has a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program, being iPads in Year 4 – Year 6. The program has been extremely successful. The use of Interactive Whiteboards in all classrooms, iPads whenever possible, and the IT area, allows students to access information quickly at all times. The school has upgraded its Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure which makes our school first class in this area. All classes are straight grades aligned with the Victorian Curriculum and Primary Years Programme.