Linkages Program with Local Primary Schools

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http://www.theleader.com.au/news/local/news/education/students-teach-the-write-stuff/2173019.aspx 

Engadine High School, Engadine, Engadine West, Marton and Yarrawarrah Public Schools have been working effectively together for eight years implementing the explicit teaching of literacy and numeracy. This program has won two prestigious Director-General's Award for outstanding work in literacy and numeracy and two Sydney Region Awards.

During Term 1 there is a focus from each school on persuasive writing.

Year 10 students are trained in teaching Years 5 and 6 students the skill of writing an effective argument. Years 5 and 6 students come to Engadine High School and are divided into groups and allocated two Year 10 'teachers' from our selective classes. Following two writing sessions, all students are treated to a talk by an author before Year 5 students return to their school for follow-up work. Year 6 students remain at Engadine High to attend lessons delivered by high school staff.

Overall, student writing has shown significant improvement as shown in our NAPLAN results. 

In Term 2 the numeracy program focuses on interpretation of graphs, diagrams and other visual features. The numeracy day in Term 2 allows Year 10 students to act as mentors with Year 6 students in problem solving activities. A Maths Relay day is held where students from each school work in groups to solve problems with their Year 10 mentor and race each other across the oval to deliver the correct response. In addition, primary schools join the Mathsville program which involves students building cities out of a range of products by applying specific mathematical concepts.

Demonstration lessons in Term 3 by Engadine High School English staff assist primary colleagues to grapple with ‘Viewing and Representation’ as a concept and students then produce a task for cross-school peer assessment. Again a great celebration of achievement is held to acknowledge the improved exposition texts that students use to accompany their visual images.

Years 5 and 6 students attend Engadine High School for lessons in a range of subjects as part of their transition to high school. These occasions assist students to meet future peers from other schools and enjoy a high school setting. Feedback from parents shows that students feel very comfortable about starting high school and the transition is absolutely seamless!