Teaching and Learning

Curriculum

Overview

At Ross Park Primary, learning is built around the Australian Curriculum, ensuring every child receives a rich, balanced, and high-quality education. The curriculum covers key learning areas — English, Mathematics, Science, Humanities and Social Sciences, Health and Physical Education, the Arts,
Technologies, and Languages. It encourages not only academic achievement but also creativity, critical thinking, and real-world application.

Our dedicated teachers use the curriculum as a guide to design engaging programs that build skills, deepen understanding, and nurture curiosity. Every learning experience aims to prepare students to thrive in a changing world.

Ross Park Instructional Model

Our Pedagogical Approach at Ross Park Primary, our teaching is guided by our Instructional Model, which ensures every classroom reflects evidence-based, high-impact practice. We believe that high expectations, strong relationships, and consistent, explicit teaching enable all students to
thrive.

Our model — built around the stages of Engage, Instruct, Practice, Apply, and Reflect — supports students to move from surface understanding to deep learning. Lessons are structured, purposeful, and responsive to student needs, with clear learning intentions, success criteria, and feedback that drives growth.

Our pedagogical approach also honours First Nations perspectives, weaving in the 8 Ways of Learning to create culturally responsive and inclusive learning experiences.

Teachers use explicit instruction, guided practice, and opportunities for reflection to help students consolidate knowledge and apply it in new contexts. Learning is enriched through creativity, collaboration, and real-world connections.

At Ross Park, we ensure that every student gets what they need to succeed — through strong relationships, differentiated teaching, and a shared commitment to excellence.

School Wide Positive Behaviour and Engagement – SWPBE

Ross Park is a School-Wide Positive Behaviour and Engagement (SWPBE) school. SWPBE is an evidencebased framework that builds a safe, respectful, and positive learning culture. Our shared values – Be Strong, Be Fair, Be Kind — guide every interaction and decision within our school community.

We believe students learn best when they feel valued and supported. Teachers model and explicitly teach positive behaviours, helping students take responsibility for their actions and understand that every choice has a consequence. By focusing on positive reinforcement, prevention, and consistency, we promote self-regulation and respectful relationships. Teachers use Ready to Learn language in all classrooms to support students to identify their emotional state and re-engage in learning.

Click here to open our SWPBE Guide in a new tab. 

Learning Through Doing – LTD

Learning Through Doing is an engaging and hands-on approach to teaching mathematics. It includes:

  • Whole School Programs
  • Yearly Overviews
  • Lesson Plans
  • Assessment Tasks
  • Hands-on Resources

We’re very excited to partner with LTD, to support engaging and meaningful learning in our maths lessons. LTD is an evidence-based program that aligns with our school’s Instructional Model, and introduces concepts through whole-class, small group and individual instruction. 

Learning Through Doing – Learning Through Doing

Read Write Inc- RWI

Read Write Inc is an evidence-based program that teaches students phonemic awareness, phonics and grapheme correspondences, vocabulary, reading and spelling through blending and segmenting handwriting and sentence writing with regular assessments and data tracking to ensure students are taught at their point of need.

Read Write Inc has the following attributes:

  • Explicit – clear, direct teaching
  • Systematic – follows a plan, methodical and routine
  • Cumulative – each skill is built upon the previous skill
  • Sequential instruction – begins with basic concepts and progresses to more difficult concepts and elements

Read Write Inc is implemented in all classes from Transition to Year 2, and underpins intervention programs in Years 3-6. 

Mathematics

Mathematics at Ross Park is taught through Learning Through Doing (LTD) — a handson, evidence-based approach used by many schools across the Northern Territory.


LTD emphasises problem solving, reasoning, and fluency while keeping students actively engaged in mathematical thinking. Our teachers participate in regular professional learning with the LTD network to ensure high-quality, consistent practice.

Other Learning Areas

Students engage in a broad range of subjects — Science, Humanities and Social Sciences, History, Geography, Health and Physical Education, The Arts, Digital Technologies, and Social and Emotional Learning (SEL). These areas give every student the chance to discover their passions and strengths.


Our Arts Program, led by specialist teachers, provides spectacular opportunities for students to shine in music, drama, media arts, dance, and visual arts. Students perform in school productions and community events such as Alice Beat and Alice Can Dance, showcasing their creativity and confidence. Each learning area is supported by detailed Scope and Sequence documents aligned to Australian Curriculum Version 9, ensuring consistency and progression across all year levels.

Lanuages

Ross Park delivers language lessons in partnership with The Alice Springs Language Centre. Teachers from the Alice Springs Language Centre deliver instruction in Japanese, Chinese and Arrernte across Transition to Year 6

Music Lessons

Teachers from the NT Music School provide instrumental tuition for students in Years 4–6. Tuition is free and held at school, though students need to hire or purchase their own instruments. Enrolments are made directly through the NT Music School website www.ntms.net.au.

Students also have the opportunity to join the Ross Park School Band.

Library

Our bright, welcoming library is at the heart of the school. Students borrow books regularly and are encouraged to explore a wide range of genres and topics. To protect our collection, younger students are asked to bring a library bag when borrowing. Families will receive reminders for overdue books; if a book is lost or damaged, replacement costs will be invoiced.

Information Communication Technology

All classes use a range of digital technologies to support learning. Students complete an Acceptable Use Agreement on enrolment, and online safety is explicitly taught through class programs and guest sessions from external organisations. Breaches of acceptable use are followed up in line with the school’s wellbeing and behaviour processes.

Assessments

A range of assessments help us monitor student progress and guide teaching. These include:
NAPLAN (Years 3 and 5) – assessing reading, writing, language conventions, and numeracy. Foundations of Early Literacy Assessment (FELA) – for all Transition students to monitor early literacy development.


Year 1 Phonics Check – to track early reading progress. Progressive Achievement Tests (PAT) – in Reading and Mathematics for Years 1–6 to measure growth over time. Teachers also use classroom assessments, observations, and student work samples to ensure learning is on track and to identify where support or extension is needed.

Street Science

We are excited to bring Street Science School Partnership Program, designed to strengthen our STEM culture through engaging and hands-on learning experiences at Ross Park. Street Science specialises in making science fun and accessible, supporting all students in developing important skills for their futures. Through the program, students will participate in live shows, hands-on Classroom Kits linked to curriculum units, and regular streamed sessions, while teachers gain access to high-quality resources and digital content. With strong curriculum links and a focus on improving engagement and outcomes in STEM, full student participation is encouraged so all learners can benefit from this valuable opportunity.

The Resilience Project

Ross Park learners are engaged in Social and Emotional Learning, integrated into daily programs and also as a distinct lesson. Students all use The Resilience Project Schools’ Program where they explore Gratitude, Empathy and Mindfulness. Teachers’ Book Club text is The Resilience Project, recognising the need for adult wellbeing as well as children’s.

  

Eco Schools

In 2022, Ross Park Primary School joined the Eco-Schools family, being recognised for our efforts with waste and recycling initiatives by being awarded a Bronze Award.

So who are Eco-Schools?

Eco-Schools is a well-established sustainability education framework active in 74 countries worldwide. Developed by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), Eco-Schools is a curriculum-integrated and participatory initiative, offering students a valuable platform to engage in active citizenship within their schools. This program extends its benefits not only to the schools but also to the broader community.

Health and Physical Education

Sports Day

The Ross Park Ath­let­ics Car­ni­val is an annu­al event held each May – June for all students in Tran­si­tion to Year 6. Rona Glyn Pre-School join the ‘big school’ to par­tic­i­pate in run­ning races which is always a highlight for children, families and teachers. The Athletics Carnival is held on Ross Park oval next to the pri­ma­ry school. All stu­dents earn points for their house teams to determine an over­all winning team on the day. There are two awards for most out­stand­ing sportsper­son and two memo­r­i­al awards donat­ed in the mem­o­ry of Bradley Abala for students who demonstrate exceptional skill and sportsmanship. Families are welcome to join us for all or part of the day and it is a wonderful community event.

The run­ning and field events that stu­dents par­tic­i­pate in are aligned to skills that stu­dents practise as part of their athletics lessons during PE and also correlate with events at the Alice Springs Interschool Athletics Carnival. Some events, such as High Jump, are held prior to Sports Day due to pressure of time. School Sports Day can be the beginning of a pathway for talented athletes to represent first their school, then move towards Territory representation if this is a goal. Stu­dents in Year 3 – 6 who perform out­stand­ing­ly may be chosen to par­tic­i­pate in the Alice Springs Inter­school Ath­let­ics Cham­pi­onships which are usu­al­ly held in June.

Swim­ming Carnival

Our swim­ming car­ni­val is an annu­al event held in Octo­ber – Novem­ber for stu­dents in Year 3 – 6. It is held at the Alice Springs Aquat­ic Cen­tre. It com­ple­ments the learn to swim pro­gram which is for stu­dents from Tran­si­tion to Year 2 and high­lights to stu­dents the con­tin­ued impor­tance of swim­ming in the Aus­tralian Cur­ricu­lum. The events range from dif­fer­ent stroke events to nov­el­ty races and shorter distances across the width of the pool. All swimming abilities are catered for and the day is huge fun!

Stu­dents com­pete for their House teams, all earning points for racing with the goal of their house win­ning the shield. Stu­dents who achieve excel­lent results at our car­ni­val may be offered the opportunity to par­tic­i­pate in the Alice Springs Inter­school Swim­ming Cham­pi­onships which is held each March. 

Swimming Program

A two-week swim­ming pro­gram is held each year for Year T‑2 stu­dents. A par­ent con­tri­bu­tion is required to cov­er the cost of pool entry and qual­i­fied swim­ming instruc­tors who teach the lessons. Back to School vouchers may be allo­cat­ed by par­ents towards the pro­gram and this must be arranged in Term 1.

Interschool Sports

All schools have the opportunity to par­tic­i­pate in a range of sports in school time over the school year to devel­op student inter­est and engagement in pos­si­bly join­ing clubs out­side of the school con­text. Interschool sport is organ­ised through School Sport NT who have a region­al coor­di­na­tor for Cen­tral Region. The pro­grams are developed with the sup­port of local sport­ing bodies. There are annu­al region­al events in ath­let­ics, swim­ming, cross coun­try, ori­en­teer­ing, gym­nas­tics and ten­nis. Some sports also organ­ise gala days pri­or to the com­mence­ment of their sport­ing sea­son in con­junc­tion with School Sport.

Stu­dents who excel in a particular sport can opt, if chosen, to rep­re­sent Cen­tral Region Schools in Ter­ri­to­ry Cham­pi­onships. Northern Territory teams are formed from the regional championships to represent the Territory in Aus­tralian Championships. There is a cost involved in all of these opportunities and students must have forms signed by the principal to endorse their selection as a positive role model for Alice Springs and Ross Park.

The sports include:

  • AFL
  • Touch Foot­ball
  • Crick­et
  • Net­ball
  • Ten­nis
  • Soc­cer
  • Track and Field

Arts

Eisteddfod

The Cen­tralian Eisteddfod Coun­cil encour­ages tal­ent with­in our com­mu­ni­ty. The Eisteddfod is a plat­form where performers are nurtured to grow­ in con­fi­dence and are pro­vides with informed, con­struc­tive feed­back from experienced adjudicators. The Cen­tralian Eisteddfod is designed to encour­age par­tic­i­pa­tion, to inspire and to recog­nise excel­lence and to present new chal­lenges each year. The Eisteddfod Coun­cil believes that this will pro­mote the cre­ative and per­form­ing arts, nur­tur­ing aware­ness and appreciation. 

Each year Ross Park has numerous class, group and individual entries ranging from choral or prepared readings, scripted performances, choir performances or singing as a soloist. Students who participate grow immeasurably in confidence and enjoy the process of choosing, practising and committing to a performance with all that entails. Their faces glow with pride when they have achieved performing on a stage and seen the outcome of months of hard work and preparation.

https://www.centralianeisteddfod.org/

Choirs

There are two ‘opt-in’ choirs at Ross Park; a junior choir made up of Year 3 and 4 stu­dents, and a senior choir made up of Year 5 and 6 stu­dents. Rehearsals are held in class time once per week. The choirs reg­u­lar­ly per­form to the school com­mu­ni­ty in the fort­night­ly assem­bly. They also per­form to the wider com­mu­ni­ty in events such as the Cen­tralian Eisteddfod, Desert Song Fes­ti­val and the Todd Mall Markets.

NT Music School

NT Music School is a government (public) school within the NT Department of Education. Our mission is to provide instrumental, ensemble and choral tuition, music education services, support, events and programs to government schools throughout the NT.  Instrumental lessons are offered during school hours for students in Year 4- 9 on flute, clarinet, saxophone, guitar, trumpet, trombone and percussion. Lessons are free with a $100 contribution requested on placement in the program. Instrument hire from $100 available through NT Music School. Sports Vouchers accepted to assist with cost of hiring instruments. Choir is by audition only and rehearsals are held after school.

Ross Park Concert Band

Ross Park Concert Band was formed in 2023 and is growing before our eyes with some very talented musicians. Rehearsals are at Ross Park on Tuesday mornings at 7.30am and are run by Matthew Owen from the NT Music School. Students will be invited to participate when they are deemed ready to do so.

NT Music School Per­for­mance – The Beat

The Alice Beat Fes­ti­val is the NT Depart­ment of Education’s annu­al per­form­ing arts show­case held at Aralu­en The­atre. Per­for­mances fea­ture pri­ma­ry and sec­ondary stu­dents from schools across the Alice Springs and Bark­ly regions. Ross Park stu­dents can be involved in var­i­ous ways, includ­ing being a part of the massed choir, as a host, a vocal soloist, or as an instru­men­tal­ist in one of the NT Music School’s ensembles.