About Upper Primary
Our Upper Primary Years cater for students from ages 9 to 12 and encompasses the equivalent of Years 4 to 6. The Upper Primary learning environment is complete with three spacious and purposely designed classrooms, two with an interconnected and safely enclosed courtyard, as well as one with their own balcony and bird aviary.
The curriculum builds on students cosmic learning from their time in Lower Primary learning and continues the study of mathematics, science and technology, the world of myth, great literature, history, world geography, civics, economics, anthropology, and the basic organisation of human societies. All learning is mapped against the Australian National Curriculum so that parents/carers can feel assured that students attending Brisbane Montessori School are covering approved content and are learning alongside their peers nationwide.
Curriculum
The Upper Primary studies also cover the basics found in the traditional curriculum, such as the memorisation of maths facts, spelling lessons and the study of vocabulary, grammar, sentence analysis, creative and expository writing and library research skills.
Students are encouraged to explore topics that capture their imagination, do independent reading and research, gather information, assemble reports, portfolios and handmade books, and share what they have learned with their peers. Plenty of exciting extra-curricular activities and after school clubs are also available for students in Upper Primary.
The curriculum offered is called Cosmic Education and is experienced as a coherent whole. The Cosmic Education curriculum is very broad and covers the following interrelated discipline areas:
- Language
- Mathematics with Geometry and Measurement as distinct study areas
- History and Geography
- Science, with Biology as a distinct study area
- Creative Arts
- Physical Education
- Language other than English (French)
This integrated approach is one of the Upper Primary Montessori program’s great strengths. Montessori education is also about learning how to live. We want students to love learning, not the external and artificial rewards that are often used to motivate students.
While most of the subjects are extended from their Lower Primary learning curriculum, there are a few that extend further playing a major role in their development for their Middle School studies. You can see the extended elements of the subjects below.