Student opportunities and activities

Music with Mr. Simpson

Music is a mandatory subject as part of the subject area Creative Arts. According to recent studies, neuroscientists have learned that music instruction accelerates brain development in young children, particularly in the areas of the brain responsible for processing sounds, language development, speech perception and reading skills. This is one of the reasons we highly value music at Dungay Public School and employ a specialist music teacher to deliver the whole-class music program.

Our specialist music teacher also provides the opportunity for senior students to participate in the Small Schools Band where students across our small school collegiate, rehearse a range of musical pieces and perform in our local community. A Dungay Public School school choir is also available for interested students. Any student K-6 who loves to sing and can commit to weekly rehearsals during Friday lunch, can be a member of the choir.

Sport with Mr. Hollis

We believe that our students should be offered a variety of sports experiences where they can attempt new skills and take risks in a supportive environment. Our hope is that our students leave primary school with a love of being active and a desire to play games and sports well into the future.

We provide a balanced program of physical education activities and skills development. The students are encouraged to practise a wide range of movement skills and to play games and sports for enjoyment. The skills of fair play, cooperation and getting along with others are encouraged and reinforced in every sports session.

Dungay Public School students take part in swimming, cross country and athletics carnivals, competing against other small schools in the Murwillumbah/Tweed area. Selected students are given the opportunity to compete at PSSA trials in a range of team and individual sports, e.g. cricket, AFL, netball, tennis. When appropriate, our school participates in team sport knock-out competitions.

We utilise the School Sports Grants program to engage with experts within our local community to run a variety of programs in school sport time such as basketball, AFL, cricket, and athletics.

Science with Mr. Hollis

When delivering the mandatory science curriculum in our Kindergarten and 1/2 classroom’s, we use a style of learning called outdoor education, or as we call it at Dungay Public School, nature science. Through intentional outdoor learning experiences, our students are delivered science curriculum outcomes in the beautiful natural environment of our playground. Nature science promotes students to work together to share their knowledge and help fellow peers in areas they might find challenging. They develop great language skills with open communication allowing problem solving on their own. Students are encouraged to take measurable risks as they gain awareness about the environment and how it constantly changes. In nature science lessons students use real tools to build, create and construct different projects in addition with real fires for cooking and boiling the kettles. Students become more resilient and show greater perseverance as they continue to explore, investigate and take risks.

Outdoor learning can be instrumental in:

* the teaching and learning of self-reliance, interdependence, and leadership

* the development of an adventurous spirit

* managing personal risks

*experiencing safe journeys in nature learning the value of lifelong outdoor recreation for enjoyment, health and wellbeing

* understanding nature through direct experience; and the development of deeper human–nature relationship