Welcome to the Senior School

There are many exciting programs that WHPS offers students in Grades 5 and 6.
A snapshot of these are described below.

Separate school camps are organised every year for Grade 5 and 6 students. In recent years the Grade 5 students have travelled to Golden Valleys Recreation/ Activity camp near Flinders (Term 3), and the Grade 6 students travel up to Ballarat to stay at Sovereign Hill as part of their studies of Australian History and the Gold Rush Era (Term 2).

Integrated Studies Units based on the Victorian Essential Learning Standards cover an interesting and stimulating selection of topics, which rotate during each two-year cycle. Each of these units feature relevant excursions (such as a visit to IMAX & Melb. Museum), as well as various in-school activities. They are:

• Healthy Body Healthy Mind
• Space
• Golden Years of History (Gold & Bushrangers)
• Energy
• Earth Science
• Australian History (Exploration /Discovery & War)
• Asian/Pacific Studies
• Systems of the Human Body

Homework remains an important part of the Level 4 program. The purposes of homework are to reinforce concepts taught in class; to encourage development of appropriate research skills and recording techniques; and to encourage the development of a regular commitment to further study out of school hours.

All Grade 5 and 6 children participate in the University of New South Wales , Educational testing Centre Competitions in Mathematics and English and Science.

To compliment the weekly Physical Education program, House Sports take the form of a twilight meeting in October each year, from approximately 3pm-7pm. Events include: hurdles, sprints, relays and distance races, as well as special events for visiting toddlers and adults. This is a very enjoyable and successful evening for students and families alike.

Each term students in the senior classes participate in a variety of weekly rotational activities. These are designed to compliment and enhance the regular classroom program and often tie in with current Integrated Unit. Activities include:

• Library Reference Use
• Bike Education (Bike Education is offered in the senior school to develop and extend students' skills, co-ordination and knowledge of both the road rules and safety connected with riding a bike).
• Extra Computer sessions (Web sites and PowerPoint Presentations)
• First Aid Lessons
• Drug Education
• Health/Fitness
• Thinking Skills/ Problem Solving
• Maths Games
• Dance Lessons

Mrs Cynthia Phillips comes into the school to conduct sessions for Year 5 on Public Speaking. Lessons include preparation and delivery of a speech, the art of impromptu speaking and the evaluation of speeches made by other students.
Graduation night, at the conclusion of this program allows parents the opportunity to hear the program's best speeches as well as the chance to have a go themselves!

The RACV Energy Challenge is a competition for constructing, training and powering a human powered vehicle. Each year selected Year 6's form two teams for the Maryborough Endur-a-thon in November. This event (including the camping experience) is enjoyed immensely by the children who have spent months training, gaining their licences and formalising their presentations ready for the panel and hundreds of other competitors.

"I believe it was good for the school and all the pupils.  It helped to bring students and parents together.  It gave the whole school a common goal to achieve and showed all the pupils what you can achieve if you all work together."  (Parent)

"The Challenge was fun and I learnt a lot." (Student)

"It is a great experience for everybody and is a challenge which comes up with problems that we overcame by thinking, using and doing our best.  Getting to build, paint and ride the vehicle is a great responsibility."  (Student)

Entrants to the Challenge must:

1. Design and build their own energy efficient vehicle or modify an existing vehicle
2. Race against other human powered vehicles for 14 hours over a 1.3 km track.
3. Present to a panel a report on how they went about designing and building the vehicle and their training preparation

Organise Sponsors and fundraising to cover the costs of the Challenge

Students across the senior school, often have varying ability levels in the field of Mathematics. These weekly sessions are designed to mix students up, across grades 5 and 6, in order to work at their own individual level. Revision of essential basics is provided in smaller groups for those who require this, review of current class topics is provided for all, whilst extension beyond grade 6 work is provided to challenge those with a flair for maths.

Bright Ideas is a resilience program geared to helping students deal with their problems and feelings toward the events that occur in their lives, in a positive and constructive manner.

Graduation night for Grade 6 students is usually held locally at St Barnabas Church. Each year a small parent committee work hard to organise this event, ensuring it is a successful, enjoyable and memorable night for our departing students.