Balwyn North Primary School is an authorised International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme World School. IB World Schools share a common philosophy: a commitment to improve the teaching and learning of a diverse and inclusive community of students by delivering, high quality programmes of international education that share a powerful vision.
More details about the International Baccalaureate can be found on their website below.
Developing the whole child is central to the learning program at Balwyn North Primary School. Students investigate the world around them through Units of Inquiry. These units allow students to conduct research and real-life learning tasks, helping them to better understand an array of concepts within science, the environment, politics, economics, and more. The development of research, communication, thinking and interpersonal skills are all essential components of the Units of Inquiry, ensuring that our students are developing the broad range of skills they will require for their future.
English and Mathematics teaching is strongly emphasised to provide a foundation for all learning. Daily literacy and numeracy learning blocks are designed around the individual learning needs of each student, giving extension and support where needed.
Balwyn North Primary School has a strong commitment to meeting the needs of 21st-century learners, with high levels of learning technologies throughout the school. ICT is used to support innovative teaching and learning practices. Resources include class sets of iPads (Years F-3), school-owned netbooks, and an optional 1:1 device program in Years 4-6.
The classroom learning program is supported by a complete specialist program, consisting of:
Our school is proud to offer a specialised program designed to enhance the learning experiences of high ability learners, in alignment with the Victorian Department of Education’s Student Excellence Program. High ability learners are defined as students demonstrating advanced learning capability and potential compared to their same-age peers across one or more domains. To ensure these students receive the best support, we have a dedicated High Ability Practice Leader who works closely with both students and teachers. Our program provides students with a variety of enriching opportunities, including in-school learning initiatives and externally offered programs. These opportunities may include participation in the Victorian High Abilities Program, APSMO Mathematics Olympiad, Victorian Challenge Enrichment Series, and multi-age or year-level inquiry projects, fostering both individual and group learning.
At Balwyn North, we implement a range of high-quality support programs designed to assist students in achieving their full potential. Programs such as the Literacy and Numeracy support (Tutor Learning Initiative) and English as an Additional Language (EAL) support are tailored to meet the needs of identified students.
The Literacy and Numeracy Support Program offers targeted assistance to students who are performing below age-expected standards in literacy and/or numeracy. This program is delivered through small group sessions or in-class support, allowing students to work closely with a dedicated Support Teacher to focus on personal learning goals over the course of a term.
EAL support is provided by a qualified EAL teacher and is aimed at students whose first language is not English. Students are identified through formal assessments, with priority given to those with the greatest language needs. The EAL program focuses on developing oral language skills, as well as reading and writing proficiency in English. In addition, EAL teachers collaborate with classroom teachers to ensure effective planning, implementation, and assessment of teaching programs that support the diverse needs of these learners.
At Balwyn North Primary School, we are particularly proud of our thriving chess community. Our Chess Club began in 1997, with a small group of enthusiastic and talented players, eight of whom participated in tournaments run by Chess Victoria. Over the past 28 years, the club has continued to expand and grow. Players of all abilities are welcomed and now almost a third of our students participate in the Thursday lunch time classes. Professional coaches provide stimulating lessons and supervise match play, each week. As students improve their skills, there are opportunities to participate in inter-school tournaments and our school regularly qualifies for the State Finals. In 2020, tournaments went online, so that students could continue to enjoy the game. Our team was the only primary school in the history of the event to win the Middle Years (Years 5-9) Chess Kids National Final; a record which we still hold today. The display of trophies in our school library, shows the many successes of our tournament players, as we continue to pit ourselves against the best young chess players in Victoria. Playing chess has been proven to have many cognitive and social benefits, but at Balwyn North Primary, we just know that chess is fun!
Students are also provided with the option of participating in private tuition in the following programs: