The need to communicate is instinctive. The development of language is fundamental to that need to communicate; it supports and enhances our thinking and understanding. Language permeates the world in which we live; it is socially constructed and dependent on the number and nature of our social interactions and relationships. Language plays a vital role in the construction of meaning. It empowers the learner and provides an intellectual framework to support conceptual development and critical thinking.(International Baccalaureate, 2018)
At Milgate Primary School, we have crafted a dynamic learning experience that aligns with our core values and the objectives of the Primary Years Programme, carefully curated with a range of rigorous pedagogical approaches. This comprehensive approach is integrated with the Victorian Curriculum, ensuring our students receive a comprehensive education that plays a significant role in cultivating internationally minded citizens who are eager to embrace challenges and inquire into the world around them. Our literacy practices include Reader’s and Writer’s Workshop, explicit, systematic, and responsive phonics instruction, and Structured Word Inquiry (English orthography).
English Language Arts is interwoven throughout the curriculum, this transdisciplinary approach fosters deep conceptual learning for our students. They are empowered to become confident, articulate, and globally minded communicators, ready to engage and lead in an ever-evolving world of language and literature.
Milgate Primary School’s responsive Literacy Support model is dedicated to meeting the diverse needs of our students. Through tailored interventions and differentiated instruction, we ensure that all learners have the opportunity to thrive. This model not only complements our core Language Arts approach but also reinforces our belief in inclusivity and personalised learning.
Our Mathematics program focuses on the areas of:
At Milgate we encourage students to view mathematics as a way of understanding the world around us. We move beyond process driven activities and provide rich, open-ended experiences for students to solve authentic, real-world problems using numbers. Students develop habits that enable them to be risk takers, open-minded and persist through mathematical challenges. Each student is supported at their individual level of need and provided with opportunities to create goals that direct their learning.
MATHS ACTIVE SCHOOL
We are extremely proud to have been awarded the prestigious title as a Maths Association of Victoria (MAV) Maths Active School. There are only a handful of schools within Victoria that have been bestowed with this honour.
This accreditation indicates that Milgate PS is a leading school in Victoria in demonstrating effective learning and teaching practices in Mathematics.
Our accreditation as a Maths Active School indicates that Milgate PS:
Our outstanding student outcomes in mathematics and our state leading results in the MAV Maths Talent Quest are clear indications of our excellent mathematics teaching and learning program. We are extremely proud of our innovative approaches in teaching and learning mathematics and the comprehensive program we offer our students.
Congratulations to our entire learning community on being recognised as a MAV Maths Active School!
For further details please visit the website for The Mathematical Association of Victoria [click on logo below].
MATHS TALENT QUEST (MTQ)
The MTQ is an annual event at Milgate PS. Each class throughout the school has the opportunity to participate by submitting an Individual, Group or Class entry to the competition.
Our students are encouraged to investigate a mathematical problem. They are then required to select a topic, pose questions and to demonstrate their findings using a booklet, model, posters etc.
Submissions are presented to a State level of judging. Prizes are awarded to Group, Individual and Class entries and some entries may qualify for National Awards.
Milgate PS is one of the leading schools nationally in this event. We have groups and individuals who have won both the state and national competitions.
MATHS OLYMPIAD
Selected Year Five and Six students participate in the Australian Primary Schools Mathematical Olympiad. Teams of 30 students participate in five Olympiads throughout the year. Each Olympiad is a series of five problems, challenging team members to work individually to find a solution within the allowed time.
The problems challenge students’ knowledge of Maths and their ability to transfer this knowledge into practical activities. At the conclusion of the Olympiad each student is recognised for their participation, with students who achieve exceptional results receiving special awards of recognition.