Specialist Subjects
Performing Arts
Performing Arts in the Junior School comprises of Music, Dance and Drama.
Music
Scotch College has an excellent Classroom Music program, featuring a unique application of Kodály, Orff and Dalcroze concepts of Music Education in the Junior School. Of particular note is the Sing to Learn programme which provides deep learning opportunities for students in Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten. This programme is based on research that clearly identifies the benefits of daily music instruction. The impact of such an approach to education is not only evident through an extension of students’ musical knowing, understanding and skills, but also in the development of a range of personal and social outcomes. It is apparent that student engagement in daily music study has a positive impact upon regular schooling outcomes through the development of highly flexible, focussed and skilled minds.
The Classroom Music programme is part of a continuous learning experience from Pre-Kindergarten through to Year 12. Students are immersed in playful experiences of music learning in the early years and gradually progress through the sequential, developmental, cumulative and continuous programme from Pre-Kindergarten through to Year 12. The Junior School Music Programme involves performing music through singing, playing and moving, reading and writing music, creating music, aurally and visually analysing music. In every class, students are engaged in a number of sequential, developmental activities, each with a musical goal such as developing music literacy, building confidence when performing, increasing knowledge of music history and theory, analysing music and composing and improvising. Through these learning experiences, students will be given opportunities to explore, question, experiment, play and engage in personal development and social cohesion. Singing is the foundation of the programme which leads to a highly developed musical ear. Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten classes have four 20-minute sessions a week and Pre-Primary to Year 5 have one period each week.
Dance & Drama
Students in Years 1 to 5 participate in Dance and Drama each week. Students explore the use of facial expressions, gestures, movement, posture and vocal techniques to convey meaning through character and story. Through engaging activities students will be introduced to a variety of dramatic forms including creative movement, improvisation and devised and scripted drama. Students experience stories from various cultures, places and time periods. They will present their work for an in-class audience and will witness their peers perform, becoming critically aware audience members.
Visual Arts
During Visual Arts lessons, students explore both traditional and experimental approaches to drawing, painting, printmaking, collage, sculpture and ceramics and learn to work safely with various tools and materials in their art making. Students learn to respond to their own work and the work of others using visual arts terminology to reflect on purpose and meaning. The students are encouraged to think critically, creatively and empathise through the demonstration of an understanding of global perspectives. The differentiated learning environment encourages each and every student to create work with meaning, passion and individuality.
Throughout the year, students are given opportunities to display their artwork in a variety of ways, in particular through exposure to relevant community events and competitions, local and national art awards and exhibitions.
Health & Physical Education
Pre-Kindergarten to Year 2
At Scotch, we understand the importance of establishing the building blocks to encourage and equip students with the skills and knowledge to pursue healthy and active lifestyles from a young age.
Pre-Kindergarten children participate in one physical education lesson per week. These lessons are designed to nurture the children’s natural desire to play and interact with their peers. During our sessions, children learn to play a variety of games while putting into practice simple movement and object control skills in a fun, supportive environment.
Children in Kindergarten to Year 2 participate in two physical education lessons a week. The objective of the K to Year 2 programme is to develop each child’s physical literacy skills. This is achieved, with a strong focus given to the development of Fundamental Movement Skills, ensuring each child is able to perform a variety of locomotion and object control skills effectively and confidently in modified game settings by the time they reach Year 2. Children are supported to achieve skill proficiency through active, hands on participation in a range of games and activities and they are given opportunities throughout the year to put their skills to use in our Junior School sporting events. While the development of movement and object control skills is our main focus during PE, our programme also emphasises and supports the development of positive sportsmanship qualities, encouraging our young boys to be fair, supportive and respectful participants and teammates.
Health is embedded into the Units of Inquiry in the mainstream classroom for students in Pre-Kindergarten to Pre-Primary. Students in Year 1 and Year 2 have one specialist Health lesson each fortnight that is guided by the Western Australian Health curriculum with a focus given to wellbeing, mindfulness and social and emotional intelligence.
Years 1–5
Students in Years 1–5 participate in four Physical Education lessons and one Health lesson a fortnight. In Sumer Term, students are engaged in swimming lessons and a gymnastics-led fundamental movement programme that focuses on balance, strength, flexibility, agility and coordination. Autumn Term sees students focus on ball skills and their relation to games. They also participate in the Junior School Cross Country Carnival, which encourages general fitness and its relationship to a healthy lifestyle. Winter Term incorporates the Junior School Athletics Carnival, and our lessons focus on the fundamental and event-specific skills involved. Hand-eye coordination and striking are explored through tennis lessons at the end of the term. In Spring Term, students revisit swimming and participate in a European Handball–specific unit that focuses on throwing, catching and gameplay. Health, which runs throughout the whole year, is presented through the Friendly Schools and Families programme, which focuses on the social and emotional development of the students.
Sports
Year 3 & 4 JPSSA Sport
Our Year 3 & 4 boys participate in an introduction to the JPSAA programme where they have a sport lesson in addition to their regular PE lessons and participate in a number of sport carnivals with other PSA schools over the year. The aim is to introduce the boys to most of the JPSSA sports prior to them requiring to select a summer and winter sport in Year 5.
In Year 3 a fortnightly sport lesson is timetabled and at least 4 carnivals are arranged for the boys to receive their first introduction to JPSSA sport.
In Year 4 a weekly sport lesson is timetabled and the boys participate in 6 carnivals throughout the year with other PSA schools.
Parents are invited to attend the carnivals as spectators and details are distributed via the Scotch App.
Year 5 JPSSA Sport – Summer
Each boy in Year 5 chooses between cricket, tennis, basketball, water polo and volleyball. The summer sport uniform is worn throughout the year with the optional addition of the school tracksuit. Boys playing basketball may wear shoes with ankle support that is high or mid-sided shoes. All boys must have a low-cut pair of sport trainers for all other sporting activities.
The following table lists the sports which are available for students to choose from:
- Basketball
- Cricket
- Tennis
- Volleyball
- Water Polo
All students are welcome and encouraged to attend swimming training and swimming meets, as well as undertaking their summer sport. Swimming training is held five mornings a week Monday – Friday in Terms 1 and 4, and three mornings per week during Terms 2 and 3.
Year 5 JPSSA Sport – Winter
Each boy in Year 5 chooses between football, hockey, soccer and rugby. Each sport has its own special Scotch shirt or jumper. For all sports, boys require the summer navy Scotch sport shorts, the knee-high maroon Scotch winter sports socks and a Scotch tracksuit. Predominantly black boots with moulded studs are compulsory for all sports. Mouthguards are compulsory.
The following table lists the sports which are available for students to choose from:
- Football
- Hockey
- Rugby
- Soccer