Prep Art

CREATION AND REFURBISHMENT OF TWO ART GARDENS

During IDEALS Week, a small and hardworking group of Atkinson House boys cleaned out, constructed, planted, mulched and refurbished the gardens surrounding the western and southern sides of the Art Block. The Maintenance Department did a fabulous job erecting plinths ready for a display of sculptures, and supervising the horticultural aspect of the gardens. These gardens now showcase student works in a wonderful, fresh, living green space.

CURRENT FOCUS ON THE NEW NATIONAL CURRICULUM

TSS Art has seen a continued thematic emphasis on cultural diversity. Art staff Mrs Wilson, Mrs Rix, Ms Anderson, with the assistance of Mrs Doyle, are committed to specialist art education encompassing the key learning areas, particularly Science, History, Geography and Literacy. A tiny taste of the range of cultures studied this year include the following.

• Reception boys were inspired by the

Austrian superstar architect/painter

Hundterwasser.

• Year 1 boys were treated to

Queensland environmentalist artist

John Dahlsen. • Year 2 immersed themselves in the world of French art by studying the waterscapes of Matisse. • Year 3 boys were enthralled by investigations into space through creations of alien masks.

• Year 4 students were treated to colours of Indian culture in elephant collage and pen and ink watercolours. • Year 5 investigated the unprecedented

Indigenous watercolour art of Albert

Namitjira. • And Year 6 revelled in the gritty, urban, legal graffiti art of New Yorker

Keith Haring.

Mrs Wilson reaches her 25th year of dedicated service to Prep Art this year. We are all inspired by the devotion Mrs Wilson has given to TSS Prep Art throughout this quarter of a century period. Countless Old Boys remember their time at Prep with fondness, in no small part due to the inspired discussions Mrs Wilson gave on the rich traditions of world art. Boys have thrived on creating and expressing in a multitude of mediums, and their works have been valued and showcased on the Art Block walls as testament to the critical value of children’s art.

P

KAREN CAPPER

Preschool Coordinator

The year started with a flurry of activity in Preschool after receiving notification that we were to expect our first-ever assessment of the National Quality Standards in Week 5! This was only a very short lead-in time, so what the assessor witnessed was what happens every day in our wonderful centre. The inspection was an intense three-day investigation into all aspects of our Preschool’s operation, and included each teacher having a 45-60 minute one-onone interview that inspected their planning documentation, assessment and tracking records and communication processes. Each teacher also had the assessor spend a full day in their classroom observing their teaching, student interactions and outcomes.

Parents were also interviewed and Head of Preparatory School Jeff Symms as Nominated Supervisor and I, as Preschool Co-ordinator of the service, spent time being asked to provide evidence on a wide range of policy and procedural matters. After only being open for 12 months this was a huge task for the Preschool staff but, as always, they displayed amazing dedication and spent many hours preparing for the inspection. I am very proud to announce that the TSS Preschool received a rating of ‘Exceeding National Quality Standards’ – the highest rating a service can be awarded as part of the assessment process. This table summarises our outstanding results.

QA1 Educational program and practice E – Exceeding National Quality Standard QA2 Children’s health and safety E – Exceeding National Quality Standard QA3 Physical environment M – Meeting National Quality Standard QA4 Staffing arrangements E – Exceeding National Quality Standard QA5 Relationships with children E – Exceeding National Quality Standard QA6 Collaborative partnerships with families and communities E – Exceeding National Quality Standard

QA7 Leadership and service management E – Exceeding National Quality Standard

Overall rating E – Exceeding National Quality Standard

The rating system is: - S – Significant Improvement Required W – Working towards the National Quality Standard M – Meeting the National Quality Standard E – Exceeding the National Quality Standard

This is an exceptional result given that we had only been in operation for one year prior to the inspection. Some kindergarten providers strive years, and go through many assessments, to gain such recognition. This places us in the top echelon of service providers in the nation. During the year we have supported four Senior School students within the Preschool team to complete their Certificate III in Children’s Services. Each childcare trainee spent one day per week engaging with the boys and learning about early childhood development. This qualification can support them with further studies at university or as an entry point into the early childhood workforce on leaving school. Our first-ever TSS childcare trainee, Alex, completed his Cert III in Children’s Services with us this year and we wish him well in his future endeavours.

Preschool educators have been reflecting on each of the seven National Quality Areas during the year to ensure the Preschool program is of the highest quality. One of the areas we explored with the boys was Quality Area 3, the physical environment, in particular, sustainable practices and becoming environmentally responsible. During Enviroweek (August 2014) the boys engaged in planting herbs