Once a week all students participate in a whole school run/walk for 20 minutes either along a running or walking track around the school. This exercise is a great way to keep the students healthy and active. Two laps are the equivalent of one kilometer.

The number of laps the students complete is tallied every week and are recorded from Prep through to Year 6. Students receive certificates or medals when they reach milestones 

All students in Years 4-6 compete at the EPS Athletics Carnival in Term 3 at Sandringham Athletic Track. Students compete in their age groups as a standardised carnival where they earn points for their House at each track and field event and the winning House is presented with the House Athletic trophy.

The results are also used to select the top two students from each age group in each event to represent our school at the Balaclava District Athletics Carnival.

All students in Years 3-6 compete at the EPS Cross Country Carnival in Term 2 at Elsternwick Park. Students compete in their age groups where they earn points for their House to try and win the Cross Country perpetual trophy.

8-10 year olds run 2 kms and 11-13 year olds run 3 kms. 

Medals are presented to the top four placegetters in each age group.

The results are also used to select the top eight competitors from each age group (Years 4-6) to represent our school at the Balaclava District Cross Country Carnival.

Students in Years 3 & 4 participate in weekly intra-school sport while Years 5 & 6 students participate in inter-school sport as part of the Balaclava District Primary Schools’ Sports Association.

Inter-school summer sports are cricket, basketball, hockey, softball and volleystars.

Winter sports are football, soccer, netball and teeball.

Term 4 sports are European handball, touch, rounders and sofcrosse.

All students are designated to a ‘House’ when they are enrolled at EPS. Our House names are Brickwood (Blue), Lewis (Red), Montrose (Yellow) and Murphy (Green).

Students participate in Swimming (Years 4-6), Cross Country (Years 3-6) and Athletics (Years 4-6) Carnivals where they earn points for their Houses. Ribbons and medals are presented to top competitors and perpetual House trophies are awarded to winning Houses at these events.

The results from these events are used to select the school squads that compete at Balaclava District Sporting Carnivals. Students in Prep–2 participate in a tabloid sport carnival at the end of the year where the aim is maximum participation, energy and fun.

Swimming is an integral and essential part of Physical Education from Prep–Year 6. All schools are required to provide a Physical Education curriculum that includes aquatic education. Our school outsources the aquatic instruction and facilities so that all students have an equal opportunity to learn and practice these skills. The students are assessed and grouped to cater for all levels of ability.

All students in Prep–Year 5 participate in a nine-day Intensive Swimming program at Swim Right –King Club, Sandringham.  The Years 3-5 program is held in Term One and the Prep–Year 2 program is in Term Four.

Year 6 students participate in a two-day Open Water swimming program in February facilitated by Royal Life Saving Victoria at Elwood beach.

At EPS our Art program integrates an annual Art show to share the creative work of our students. 

At EPS students have the opportunity to join the Year 3/4 Choir. The choir is open to all Year 3/4 students and they rehearse once a week during lunchtime. The choir program is aimed towards growing students’ performance and vocal confidence with the choir learning a range of repertoire that they can perform. Students will learn how to sing in an ensemble environment focusing on melody, dynamics, form and other relevant elements of music. 

At EPS Year 5/6 students have the opportunity to join the Year 5/6 Small Vocal. The Small Vocal ensemble is aimed towards those students who want to continue to extend and develop their vocal skills in a choir environment. Students in Small Vocal rehearse once a week and focus on learning their chosen repertoire with the aim to improve their arranging skills. Due to the smaller size of the ensemble students also have the opportunity to take on multiple solos/vocal parts. 

At EPS the Year 5/6 students have the opportunity to join the Rock Band. The Rock Band ensembles allows instrumentalists and vocalists to come together and rehearse once a week. The focus of each rehearsal is to build the students instrumental/vocal skills allowing them to independently perform the repertoire or chosen songs. Students in the Rock Band not only grow in performance confidence but learn how to actively listen and partake in a band rehearsal, promoting them to have a go at arranging and covering their chosen repertoire of songs.  

At EPS, we encourage and develop leadership skills amongst all students. Having effective student leaders supports the development of responsible behaviours, a positive school tone and encourages students to model the school values of Respect, Responsibility, Personal Excellence and Curiosity.

Goals of Student Leadership

• To develop students’ leadership skills in goal setting, consultative decision making processes, active and reflective listening, seeking feedback and acting in responsible ways.
• To promote students sense of empathy towards others and pride in themselves and the school.
• To encourage student voice being considered in school decision making processes.
• To develop a student leadership charter that promotes both accountability and a broader valuing of the role of student leaders in this community.

Year 2 students have the opportunity to work with the prep students as junior school leaders, modelling friendship making and cooperative skills in the yard.

Year 4 students work with prep students through the buddies program (see buddies program).

Year 5 students develop the necessary skills to prepare them for moving into year 6, when they have the opportunity to be elected as School Captains and House Captains through a selection process (refer to Student Leadership Policy). They can also develop their leadership responsibility through the peer mediation program (see peer mediators).

Year 3-6 students can be nominated to represent their class on the Student Representative Council (see SRC).

All Year 6 students are expected to commit to the school’s student leadership charter, and to uphold and model the school values throughout the year. Year 6 teachers explicitly teach leadership skills and all Year 6 students are viewed by the community as leaders in the school. They participate in various events throughout the year to develop and practice their leadership skills. Year 6 Leaders are given the opportunity to plan, prepare and host school assemblies, to prepare newsletter items explaining the activities they have been undertaking, and to be involved as coordinators or helpers at EPS events such as the Prep Transition Program.

Year 6 school captains represent the school at various times, run Student Representative Committee (SRC) meetings as required, MC at special events, assist during major events such as swimming, athletics and cross country, thank special guests who come to the school, and to conduct tours of the school.

House Captains hold meetings before all major events such as swimming, athletics and cross country carnivals; assist during major events such as swimming, athletics and cross country; lead House supporters to encourage their fellow team mates; co-ordinate lunchtime sports sessions per term for different sections of the school; run the House Points and House Awards program; help the PE teacher when needed; and collect information for 300K and present sport awards at assembly.

Other formal leadership roles new to EPS in 2019 include Wellbeing Leaders and lunchtime club coordinators. These roles requires a strong focus on developing relationships with students in other year levels, as well as modelling the School Values and exemplary behaviour.

Students in Years 5 will be offered the opportunity to train as peer mediators at EPS. They will undergo a training program late in term one with teachers trained to deliver the course, and will then be timetabled to operate in the yard throughout terms 2, 3 and 4. Their role is to promote a sense of pride in the school and adherence to the school values in the community, and model positive and inclusive social play for students in the yard. They display empathy towards others and support younger students when needed by modelling the restorative practices approach to assist in resolving disputes. They will attend monthly meetings to discuss the program and their performance as mediators.

The EPS Student Representative Council is made up of one elected student per Year 3 – 6 class. With leaders elected by their peers, across multiple ages, the student population is represented and involved in issues and activities across the school community, including student welfare, school pride, environmental impact, and house spirit, as well as in the support of charitable causes. SRC reps attend meetings, contribute to positive changes for the improvement of our school, make decisions about which community service activities the student body will support, actively listen to class members’ ideas and bring these back to SRC meetings, promote initiatives discussed at meetings with their class, speak at assemblies and conduct themselves in a manner becoming of a leader.

The Buddy Program, where Prep students and Year 4 students are ‘buddied’ together and supported to establish friendships, is designed to promote a smooth transition for children starting school.The goal is to develop relationships between the younger and older children, enhancing the sense of belonging, and creating a friendly and supportive school community. There are benefits for both partners in the ‘buddy’ relationship. The Prep ‘buddy’ has an older peer and role model who can help them feel safe and comfortable in the playground. The grade four ‘buddy’ steps into a role which acknowledges and supports their developing leadership and fosters the growth of responsibility.

Great care is taken when matching buddies as temperaments, gender and a range of elements are taken into consideration. The older buddy is provided with advice and some ‘training’ on how to be a buddy. Teachers are always on hand to smooth relationships as needed, intent on ensuring the buddy experience is a happy one for all.

The Buddy program starts in late Term One with a picnic together and continues fortnightly in a 50 minute session timetabled for buddies to meet. The children participate in fun, student run and structured activities related to English, Mathematical and Inquiry focuses.

Book Week at EPS is full of exciting experiences to celebrate books, authors, and all things literary.

Each year the Children’s Book Council of Australia promotes literary experiences for children including the annual CBCA Book of the Year Awards which affirm and recognise the quality of a range of Australia’s best authors and illustrators, and inspire our young readers.

The CBCA Book of the Year Awards aim to:

• Promote quality literature for young Australians
• Support and encourage a wide range of Australian writers and illustrators of children’s books
• Celebrate contributions to Australian children’s literature

As Book Week approaches in August of each year, our students are immersed in those books deemed outstanding examples in each category, and which have been shortlisted for ‘Book of the Year’.

The following categories are represented and teachers present, discuss and read these with their students:
CBCA Book of the Year: Older Readers
CBCA Book of the Year: Younger Readers
CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood
CBCA Picture Book of the Year

Excitement is heightened by the annual Book Fair which coincides with Book Week each year. Thousands of wonderful books are brought into the school for the students to browse and purchase, with a percentage of these monies going to the purchase of even more excellent literature for our central library and classroom libraries.

A whole school celebration occurs each year as students become their favourite book characters or create book settings and events through costume, or by creating a literary inspired environment within their class. Book Parades and visits to other classrooms to marvel at the interpretations of magical lands and characters are enjoyed by all. The Elsternwick Community gets involved and parents, carers and friends come to watch the fun and acknowledge the work and connections our students make with the world of literature.

Special guests at our Book Week Celebration are the Story Dogs. The Story Dogs and their handlers often come dressed up as characters and love to join in. Monies raised through a gold coin donation during our whole school celebration, continues our sponsorship of the Story Dogs.

We hope to see you at our next Book Week major celebration or at the Book Fair.

ELSTERNWICK PRIMARY SCHOOL HAS LONG BEEN PART OF THE STORY DOG PROGRAM.

Kerrie and ‘Alfie’, Jennifer and ‘Lola’ and Jenni and ‘Lachie’ are our Story Dog partners; they come to EPS each week to spend quality time with our young readers.

In 2020 the Story Dogs will again be bringing their magic to EPS making reading even more eagerly anticipated as our Year 2 students look forward to sharing their stories with a calm, quiet, furry friend who just loves to listen.