Library

The library is the resource centre of the school for students, teachers and the parent community. The provisions of the library service, personnel, materials, equipment and the systems for accessing information are intended to supplement and complement classroom instruction. They combine to enhance teaching and student learning, as well as satisfying social, recreational and cultural needs.

Our school library boasts a collection of approximately 15,000 resources, which are managed and accessed by the automated library OASIS system. There are currently four computers in the library, which can access the library catalogue. One computer also accesses the school's website and operates as an Internet stand-alone multimedia system. It is also planned to expand and continue to update the access to technology over the next few years.

The library is a busy and attractive place, with students visiting during their lunchtime to borrow books, relax with friends, read, research, play games or explore the technology. Children's work is regularly displayed in the library, which promotes a great sense of ownership.

Throughout the year children participate in many activities, which encourage a love of reading and literature. During special times such as Book Week or Education Week the library runs a "book fair". This is a very exciting time and stimulates and develops in students a desire to read.

Book Fairs
As part of our commitment to promote reading, Book Fairs are held during Book Week and children in all grades are offered the chance to purchase many great titles for their personal enjoyment. It's a good fundraiser for our school library, with a percentage of the proceeds going to the school for the purchase of new resources.

Book Week Activities
Using the theme of Book Week, activities are developed to ensure that children:

·enjoy reading and writing about a variety of books;
·share favourite books with others;
·become aware of a variety of new titles that they might enjoy reading;
·create scenes or character depictions using various media;
·observe, communicate and reflect on literature and children's work; and
·are introduced to authors, illustrators and entertainers and the role they play in making literature  come to life.

Parents are welcome to join the library to access a greater variety of literature for their children or to borrow from the Parent Resource Section.

Choir

The school has three choirs. Choir 1 is made up of students from Years 5 to 6, Choir 2 with students from Year 4 and Choir 3 with students from Year 3. The senior choir is divided into 4 sections, A's, B's, C's and D's so that they are able to sing harmonies as well as rounds.

All choirs perform at school assemblies and on special occasions throughout the year. There are 90 students in the combined choirs under the direction of Mrs Dennis and Mrs Conroy. The choirs often combine to produce quality performances.

Mr Cole provides all our musical accompaniments.

Several choir members participate in the Australian Youth Choir.

This year, we plan to sing for the Quaker's Hill Nursing Home, the Blacktown Public Schools Music Festival and at Westpoint during Education Week.

Scripture

We have a dedicated team of scripture teachers who come to our school on a weekly basis. At present we have Protestant, Catholic and Baha'i classes. Thank you to the local Anglican, Catholic and  Baha'i faiths which support the school in this way. The scripture teachers organise inter-denominational assemblies at special times of the year, such as Christmas and Easter.

Sport

There are many levels of sport in which we participate, at Hambledon Primary School. All students have class sport at least once a week, as well as fitness sessions. Class sport focuses on the teaching of fundamental movement skills, such as throwing catching, skipping, running, leaping etc.

We have four sport house groups. They are Bradman (green), Freeman (red), Maroney (yellow) and Perkins (blue). Prior to school carnivals, we come together in our house groups to learn war cries and encourage our team members to participate and earn points for their house. On the day of the carnival, we have war cry competitions where we can earn house points.

We have three annual sporting events - the swimming carnival, cross country and athletics carnival. From these three carnivals, we nominate students to participate in the district carnival. After the district carnival, students compete at an area carnival and the state carnival.
Students at Hambledon are also involved in Dance2BFit every Friday in terms 1 and 3. Each session lasts 45 minutes.

Student Representative Council

The SRC is made up of two students from each class in Years 1-6. These students have been nominated by their class and hold the position for the year. Mid Term 1, the children participate in an SRC leadership day with Mrs Hupton-Vella, Mrs Johnson, Mrs Doyle and Miss Heath. The aim of the day is to develop team building and leadership skills as well as to begin planning activities for the year.

The children bring suggestions from their classes on initiatives they would like to achieve in school: eg fundraisers, mufti days, purchasing games to be used in the classes, sporting equipment and raising money for charities.

Debating

During the past 5 years, our school has endeavoured to promote the role of debating in the classroom, as well as at an inter-school level. Our school has taken part in in-service workshops where the role of debating in the English syllabus has been demonstrated.

Debating squad members meet once a week before school where they learn and develop debating skills. The school participates in the Blacktown Zone camp, the Sydney West Debating Competition (comprising schools from Strathfield to Katoomba) as well as hosting selection trials for the regional team for the Primary State Schools Debating Conference (PSSDC) at Collaroy.

Dance Group

Senior Dance Group

The senior dance group is made up of students from years 5 and 6. Students select the music they would like to dance to and choreograph the dance together. The dance group will perform at school, at Westpoint, Blacktown, for Education Week and at the Blacktown Public Schools Music Festival.

Staff 2006