About the Fair
Mt Hawthorn Community Fair
Mount Hawthorn Primary School P&C Association host a community fair every two years on school grounds.
We have amazing facilities at Mount Hawthorn Primary School to hold our Community Fair. Everything is easily accessible. There is easy access to ramps as well as disabled parking and toilets. Leave your car at home if you can, and walk or bike. We provide a very safe and secure environment for everyone young and old to have a great time.
Our Community Fair gives the local businesses and community an opportunity to become involved in a community event. This provides everyone with the opportunity to help build a better community, foster a sense of pride within our community, and engage with each other in our community. The local businesses provide tremendous support for the various stalls and entertainment that we have planned.
The purpose of this site is to provide a central hub of information, contacts, newsletters and downloadable items for the school, parents and community. If you have any questions, please click here to email any of our committee members.
What are we fundraising for?
The funds raised at the Community Fair will benefit the children at Mount Hawthorn Primary School as well as the community.
Sponsorship has one of two purposes:
- to contribute funds directly
or
- to reduce the costs associated with running the fair
Key Projects:
Learning happens everywhere! At MHPS, education is not exclusive to a structured, traditional classroom setting but encompasses new evidence-based curriculum and utilises outdoors environments. Experiences within the school environment coupled with the roles of family and community set expectations and assists in the development of upstanding young adults.
A study from The Research Alliance for New York City Schools shows that learning environments play a significant role in student success. There is evidence showing that schools can potentially lift student achievement by improving their learning environments.
Modern Curriculum
Many elements can affect the classroom environment. Physical aspects such as visual displays, furniture arrangement and suitability and access to relevant and educative resources are considered contributing factors. An organised, well-resourced, comfortable and technologically accessible and reliable classroom is a benefit to both teachers and students.
Addressing the STEAM Crisis
65% of Australia’s economic growth per capita in the last 50 years can be attributed to improvements in the use of capital, labour and technological innovation made possible in large part by STEM and STEAM disciplines. 75% of the fastest growing occupations now require STEM skills.
Australia’s proportion of graduates in STEM has been declining since 2000. WA universities only produce 12% of Australia’s STEM graduates only 355 domestic students and 578 international students. (WA is home to 8.65% of Australians.) It’s estimated that some 65% of children entering primary schools today will likely work in roles that don’t currently exist. There is a central driver for many of these transformations, and it is technology.
Introducing digital curriculum not only signifies that technology is here to stay, allows teachers to further customise learning and provide more tailored support for students with learning disabilities.
According to Shiny Things founder Mat Peterson, a student like learning with apps because they extend a personalised approach to education. ‘‘They offer a low-pressure environment for self-directed learning, in that students can work at their level and pace,’’ he says. ‘‘Apps also allow immediate feedback on progress, giving students a greater sense of control over their learning and a better sense of how they’re progressing towards mastery.’’
One of the biggest issues around BYOD programs is that they tended to highlight pre-existing inequalities within the classroom. Provision of quality tablets for students who not be able to afford them supports those students who may possess the ability but hindered by financial issues.
Increasing Language Skills
The introduction of the evidence and research-based Talking for Writing (T4W) is a whole-school approach to teaching written expression. It supports all learners and learning styles. T4W does not replace but complements the English curriculum including an explicit phonics program, handwriting program and focused comprehension work.
Implementing T4W in MHPS will take time. It requires all staff to access a professional learning delivery model and accumulate a range of classroom resources. The positive aspect of T4W is that it will enhance not deviate from the current quality practices already existing in our classrooms.
Outdoor Learning Improves Health
The outdoor spaces are considered the second classrooms and are acknowledged in enhancing academic skills and knowledge, contributing to a healthy lifestyle, providing opportunities to engage and connect with nature and by providing space to move outside the confines of the classroom.
The outdoor areas benefit the entire community. Although used by MHPS students during the school day, there is free community access outside of school hours. Being an inner-city community, free open space is at a premium in the Mount Hawthorn area. Nature play areas will continue to be built throughout the school grounds. Researchers at the University of WA have found that natural playgrounds provide children with more opportunities than typical pre-formed playgrounds to develop gross-motor skills.
Good play areas that allow children to come in contact with nature have a number of health benefits for children
- improved cognitive function
- increased creativity
- improved social interaction
- reduced attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms
- reduced rates of aggression and sensory overload
Thank you,
The Fair Committee
