PRIMARY SCHOOL
HOT OFF THE PRESS!
Eaton Farm Primary School became an IOSFS associated school in October of 2022. This is the first one in Australia. Congratulations on this wonderful achievement!
If your school is interested in becoming associated with the IOSFS then read the information at the following link - https://www.orff-schulwerk-forum-salzburg.org/asis
A musical day at Eton Farm in Western Australia by Mary McKay-Walton
Eton Farm school calls children in from near and far. They arrive with a passion to learn and grow. They come as two-year old’s to nine-year old’s, happy in their comfortable clothes, Eton Farm SunSmart hats or coats and rubber boots for rain and puddle play.
The entrance gate swings open and in run the children. Quickly putting away their bag and lunch then off to play. Climbing logs, racing bikes around the track, feeding chooks, watering gardens, and socialising with friends. They relish this time and we know this is an important step in the transition from home to school each day.
The sound of the ukulele stops them. They hear the song, ‘Come on everyone, come on everyone, come on everyone let’s start the day!’ Excitedly joining each other in our breezy, garden side outdoor classroom with a wonderful background view of the hills of the Darling Scarp. They settle in and it is time to sing our welcome song. Lately, they have been learning a song in the local Noongar language of the Gnaala Karla Booja people who are the traditional owners of the land upon which our school stands.
Wanjoo, Wanjoo, Welcome, welcome,
Kwobidak koorda Beautiful friends
Wanjoo, Wanjoo, Welcome, welcome,
Moorditj koorda. Strong (solid) friends.
‘Wanjoo’ was written by Gina Williams, a local Noongar person. This is an excerpt.
In the garden we sometimes dance and move freely with partners or on our own. Dancing and prancing in circle formation just like circus horses, with the outside horses running faster than the rest. Sometimes we stay as a circle, sometimes we don’t.
The children are now ready to start their day of formal learning. They walk to their classrooms, meeting teachers and finding out what the day ahead will bring.
Core learning areas of English and Maths are taught in the morning when the children are in their optimum learning phase. Teachers use the natural environment to engage in authentic learning for a particular concept or engage the students in hands on activities and games that support the consolidation of previously learnt knowledge or skills. Under shady trees they practice their reading and comprehension or go on hunts around the school collecting items to divide into groups, fractions or use as measuring tools.
Art encourages exploration through explosions of colours and plenty of mess as they engage in a world of discovery and creativity while looking at, learning about, discussing, and creating using a variety of Arts resources and techniques. Classroom teachers also teach through art with the children recently creating a sculpture of the Darling Scarp as a way of learning about
their local world.
More music and movement engagement occurs throughout the day. Imitating, exploring and improvising as they make music and move together; creating and maintaining a strong bond to the land and the farm environment. Our music education program is based on the Orff approach as if offers a strong foundation in English, language, and literacy skills whilst supporting the creative expression of self.
The link below takes you to the education philosophy at Eaton Farm:
As the day draws to a close there are jobs to be done. Packing away the trucks in the sandpit, feeding the chickens, and taking down the Australian and Indigenous flags. The parents arrive and the school day is over. Another day of excitement and exploration at our wonderful farm school awaits them tomorrow.
