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Preparatory School Handbook
Specialist Curriculum
Drama and Dance helps children to express themselves creatively and build valuable life skills. Through Drama, students engage in storytelling, role-play, and improvisation, which helps develop their communication, confidence, and empathy. These activities encourage children to explore different perspectives and work together in a supportive environment
In Dance, children use movement to express emotions and ideas, which enhances their physical coordination, rhythm, and teamwork skills. Dance encourages creativity and imagination, allowing children to communicate in new ways while staying active and engaged.
Both drama and dance foster a sense of confidence, self-expression, and collaboration. In the Preparatory School context, Drama and Dance will be taught in an integrated manner in all year groups for K-Year 6, with regular opportunities to perform to and audience at showcases and special events.
Histoires en action! has proven to be a revolutionary new approach to second language instruction. This content-based programme is centered upon the use of stories and music as context for language acquisition. In this program, there is an emphasis on language learning both from whole to part and from part to whole, with an initial focus on meaning over form, until students reach a critical level of fluency.
Specifically designed stories like “Poule Maboule” and ‘Les 3 petits cochons’ are also theatre pieces and become the focus for a range of integrated scaffolded language activities that push students to higher levels of fluency (both oral and written) as they progress through each story unit.
The vocabulary in the stories is targeted for acquisition through a highly effective kinaesthetic method termed The Gesture Approach. This approach accelerates the internalisation of the target vocabulary from year to year, as students experience and respond to vocabulary and structures kinaesthetically, visually and auditorialy. The approach ensures an equal, strong emphasis on the development of all four language skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking) through a program that meets the needs of all language learners.
This program aligns well with the initial phase of the WA French Curriculum, emphasising the development of core competencies and language skills. Students will engage in activities that foster their abilities in communication, intercultural understanding, and critical thinking. They will work towards becoming confident, informed, and articulate in their use of the French language, while also developing a sense of global citizenship and cultural appreciation.
“Music is what feelings sound like.” – Georgia Cates
Music at GGS is a happy and safe space that inspires students to become confident and autonomous musicians, whilst finding their own place within the world of music. We have something for everybody, with a comprehensive co-curricular menu that consists of 12 different ensembles, both instrumental and vocal. Music plays a key role in education at Guildford Grammar School, with students commencing their journey in music from kindergarten. They participate in activities that involve imitation, guided listening, creative performance, singing, and movement.
The Early Years (Kindergarten and Pre-Primary)
Rhyme & Rhythm: Singing Our Way into Stories
An Early Childhood Music & Literacy Program: Through singing, movement, storytelling, and instrument exploration, children develop phonemic awareness, rhythm, vocabulary, and a love for language — all while having fun!
Whether tapping to a beat or chanting a classic tale, little learners will discover the magic of words and music, hand in hand.
- Kindergarten: Fun with Fairytales
- Pre-Primary: Wild Symphony
Years 1-2
The String Explorers Program
Discovering music through stories, instruments, and imagination
- Exploration & progression → Year 1 “Stories” (building awareness of the elements of music) and Year 2 “Safari” (application of instruments)
- String identity → Violin foundation in Year 1, then expanding into the family of strings in Year 2
- Creativity & imagination → highlights the program music connection (Peter and the Wolf, Carnival of the Animals) and the journey into instrumental playing.
- Year 1: Strings & Stories: A Musical Journey
- Year 2: The String Safari: Exploring Sound & Story
Years 3-4
Band Builders: Crafting the Soundtrack Together
Where every instrument finds its voice and every culture its song
Program Description:
In Band Builders, students in Years 3 and 4 continue their musical journey by exploring a wide range of instruments—including ukulele, keyboard, percussion, and more—while developing essential skills in rhythm, pitch, and expression. Weekly classroom lessons build musicianship, while fortnightly instrumental sessions offer students the chance to experience different instruments before focusing on their preferred choice.
- Year 3: Students embark on a musical world tour, discovering how different cultures express themselves through sound. From African drumming and Latin rhythms to Asian pentatonic melodies, students learn to appreciate music as a universal language that connects people across the globe.
- Year 4: The focus shifts to exploring music genres and styles, including film, classical, popular, and rock. Students examine what gives each genre its unique sound, mood, and purpose—then apply this understanding as they perform and create in small ensemble “bands.”
Students who learn instruments privately are encouraged to bring their talents into these collaborative sessions, helping each group craft their own “soundtrack” that reflects their growing skills and creativity.
Through Band Builders, students learn to listen, perform, and create with confidence—discovering how music from around the world and across genres can inspire connection, creativity, and teamwork.
Years 5-6
Symphonic Stars: The Power of Performance 🌟
Where every note shines and every player belongs
Program Description:
In Symphonic Stars, Year 5 and 6 students take the next bold step in their musical journey as they explore the world of brass and wind instruments. Through weekly classroom lessons, students continue to refine their skills in rhythm, pitch, and expression, deepening their understanding of musical structure and ensemble performance.
Alongside this, students participate in small group lessons on their chosen instrument, which may be flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone or saxophone – learning technique, tone, and teamwork. These lessons culminate in the formation of the Prep Concert Band and Orchestra, where students experience the thrill of making music as a unified ensemble.
- Year 5: focuses on applying learning from previous years while developing technique and confidence on new brass and wind instruments. Students build ensemble skills and discover the joy of performing as part of a unified group.
- Year 6: highlights projects and performances, including opportunities to contribute to the school musical and other special events, allowing students to showcase their creativity, leadership, and musicianship.
Through rehearsals and performances, Symphonic Stars fosters confidence, discipline, and joy as students discover the excitement of contributing their individual sound to something greater than themselves.
In this stage of the musical pathway, students don’t just play music—they perform, lead, and shine.
Ensembles
The ensemble program in the Preparatory School is open to all, with an ensemble guaranteed to be commensurate with your child’s skill level! These ensembles rehearse outside of class times with one rehearsal per week. The ensembles planned for 2026 include:
- Poco Pizzicato Strings
- Sinfonietta Strings
- Guildford Grammar Preparatory Orchestra
- Chamber Winds
- Prep Jazz
- Junior Choir (Years 2 – 4)
- Senior Choir (Years 5 – 6)
- Chapel Choir (By invitation and audition only – combined with Senior School)
- Rock Face Rock Band
- Mic Drop Rock band
- Various chamber groups as required
Instrumental Music Tuition
The school also offers a comprehensive Instrumental Music Tuition program. This program offers students the opportunity to learn a musical instrument as a part of their overall educative experience. Lessons are 30 minutes in duration and are held as a part of the regular school timetable. Tuition is available for the following instruments: piano, guitar, bass guitar, violin, viola, cello, double bass, flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, French horn, trombone, euphonium, tuba, drums/percussion and voice.
Please refer to the Music Handbook for more information.
The goal of Health and Physical Education (HPE) is to empower all students to sustain regular, lifelong physical activity as a foundation for a healthy, productive, and fulfilling life. At Guildford Grammar Preparatory School, we will expose students to an array of experiences which will add a broad range of athletic qualities, fundamental movement skills and game strategies to students’ physical literacy repertoire. This gives students the tools to lead active lifestyles and be meaningful contributors in a just, loving and peaceful society.
Proudly inclusive, all students at all levels, stages and ages are involved in sport and physical activity at school. Regardless of the level of involvement, our program enables every student to access our enviable facilities, stunning environment and invested professional coaches. We offer a wide range of sporting options, from those which support the development and maintenance of a healthy lifestyle to our ‘performance’ sports where the focus is on competing and excellence at age and stage appropriate phases.
Year 1 and 2 Physical Education
The focus of the Year 1 and 2 program is fundamental movement skills including body control skills, locomotion skills, and object control skills. Students will develop a vocabulary for movement and apply concepts dealing with space and body awareness as well as hand/foot-eye coordination. Students will be engaged in activities that develop basic levels of strength, endurance, and flexibility. In addition, students will learn to work safely in group and individual movement settings.
A major objective is to present activities in a setting of simple games that complements the student’s natural inclination to view physical activity as challenging and enjoyable. This will create multiple and numerous opportunities to practise the skill or strategy that is the learning intention for the lesson with technical instruction being delivered in short, targeted discussions or in a discrete manner.
Year 3 and 4 Physical Education
Year 3 and 4 PE continues to build on fundamental movement skills in a similar manner to the Year 1 and 2 program. Students in Year 3 and 4 progress to using these fundamental movement skills in minor and modified game situations.
Year 5 and 6 Physical Education
The focus of the Years 5 and 6 program is game strategies within the context of modified games and modified sports categorised into invasion games, net and wall games, striking and fielding games as well as target games. The aim of this is to create a bank of transferrable skills and strategies for students to draw on as they improve their game knowledge and physical literacy.
STEAM is hands-on, project-based learning that integrates Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics. Students apply creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration to solve real-world challenges, developing essential skills for the future. STEAM education at GGS includes:
- Agricultural Technology and Food Science
- Coding, Robotics and Automation
- Environmental Science and Sustainability
- Renewable Energy Systems
- Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
- Architecture and Urban Planning
- Electronics and Circuitry
- 3D Modeling and Printing
- Physics of Motion and Forces
- Chemical Reactions and Materials Science
- Biomedical Science and Biotechnology
- Geology and Earth Sciences
- Astronomy and Space Exploration