Find out more about what your child will learn at our school.
We Care We Are Safe We Learn
At Smithfield West Public School we aspire towards a learning environment that has high expectations and adds value to all students' literacy and numeracy levels. Students will be productive and ethical users of technology equipped with the skills required for the 21st Century. Students will be nurtured to become resourceful, empathetic and resilient lifelong learners.
Knowing what your child is learning helps you support them throughout their education.
In this section you can find out how public education works and the range of learning opportunities offered for students to challenge their thinking, and make the most of their unique talents.
You can also browse each School Year section to find out more.
Primary learning includes whole-class, group and individual activities designed to develop an inquiring mind and teach basic learning skills needed for schooling and later life.
Literacy and numeracy are the building blocks of learning and that is why English and mathematics take up half of students' learning time in primary school.
The NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) is responsible for the curriculum, Kindergarten to Year 12, for all NSW schools.
For the primary years, NESA develops syllabuses for all subjects in 6 key learning areas:
- creative arts
- English
- human society and its environment (HSIE)
- mathematics
- personal development, health and physical education (PDHPE)
- science and technology.
Some primary schools may also offer languages.
NSW schools also offer special religious education and special education in ethics via approved providers, where available.
Like all NSW schools, we have developed teaching and learning programs to suit our local context and the needs of our students.
To learn more about curriculum in NSW, visit:
- NSW Department of Education – key learning areas
- NESA’s Parent Guide – Schooling in NSW which provides information about learning stages, key learning areas and syllabuses
- NSW Department of Education policy – Curriculum planning and programming, assessing and reporting to parents K–12.
Stages of learning
There are 6 stages of learning from Kindergarten to Year 12. Primary school covers Early Stage 1, or Kindergarten, to the end of Stage 3.
- Stage 1 includes Kindergarten to Year 2 (Kindergarten is referred to as Early Stage 1).
- Stage 2 includes Years 3 and 4.
- Stage 3 includes Years 5 and 6.