K-6 Primary Teacher

Hawkesbury Independent School is a small community-based independent primary school (K-6) in Kurrajong, 10 km west of Richmond. It was established in 1993 and presently has three full-time teachers and 50 students. Our school has a strong philosophy that guides the school practices. You can gain a lot of information about the philosophy and operation of our school from the website: www.his.nsw.edu.au. 

Principal

Patricia Fraser  

Facilities

The school is privileged with views of the foothills of the Blue Mountains. Being only small in student enrolment, the school has a modest campus but ample resources. All classrooms are carpeted and air conditioned; a new library has recently been built; and each classroom has a computer laboratory and an  interactive whiteboard. There is a large playground with soft-fall and an adjacent bushland area which is used for environmental studies. 

Curriculum

Hawkesbury Independent School provides an alternative approach to education while covering all areas of New South Wales curriculum. The emphasis is on "hands-on learning" or "active learning", which means teachers view students as doers rather than spectators. All areas of curriculum and pedagogy follow this approach, resulting in many experiments, opportunities for discussion and questioning, writing and reflecting on learning, and application to daily lives. The school is recognised for having small class sizes that encourage personal attention. The school also values the input of caregivers and encourages parents/guardians to be actively involved in the learning environment.

School Philosophy

 At Hawkesbury Independent School, the teachers provide an active learning environment where:

• each child is respected and valued as an individual and as a member of the school community.
• each child’s enthusiasm for learning flourishes. The emphasis is on “doing”, investigating, exploring and solving problems with the opportunity to pursue individual interests.
• our educational programs ensure that each child is challenged, makes progress and feels good about what he/she is doing. There is a strong emphasis on the basic skills of literacy and numeracy.
• small class groups ensure each child receives personal attention – he/she is not “lost in the crowd”
• the program relates to the whole child – his/her intellectual, physical, creative, emotional and social development.
• cooperation rather than competition is fostered
• each child is encouraged to do his/her best work and his/her progress is measured against his/her own previous achievements.
• positive steps are taken to break down discriminatory attitudes evident in the wider community based on gender, race, religion, disability and age.
• parents are invited to take part in the day to day activities and the management of the school.