PEAC
The Primary Extension and Academic Challenge (PEAC) program is a part time (usually one morning or afternoon a week) withdrawal program offered to selected students in Year 5 and 6 who are identified through testing in Year 4.
Noranda Primary School comes under the North Metropolitan PEAC program. There are a wide range of courses offered for students to select based on their interests. Students learn alongside their intellectual peers and are given the opportunity for academic extension. The courses are designed around critical and creative thinking, social management and learning area content. There are three rounds of courses each year.
As a school we are also able to nominate students in Years 1-3 for the Early Years Extension (EYE) program which is for those who may benefit from external extension opportunities.
The program is designed to complement rather than repeat curriculum content taught at school and gives access to skills that will enable students to be effective 21st Century learners. Parents or carers are responsible for transporting students to the course locations within the community.
Bushwardens
Bush Wardens is a lunchtime voluntary club where students come together to explore and care for the environment. Through hands-on activities, we learn about local plants and animals and how to protect their natural habitats. In 2025, our school is proudly participating in the Habitats for Wildlife program by Perth Zoo, which helps us understand the importance of creating safe spaces for wildlife to thrive. By joining Bush Wardens, students actively contribute to preserving biodiversity and making a positive impact on our environment while enjoying the outdoors and working as a team.
Maker Space
Noranda established a Makerspace program to complement our STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) classroom instruction. Our Makerspace program provides a hands-on, creative environment where students can explore STEM, art, and design through project-based learning. Makerspace is equipped with tools such as 3D printers, Lego robotics kits, craft supplies, and basic electronics which encourages innovation, problem-solving, and collaboration. Students from Year 3-6 can participate in our Makerspace sessions once a week during lunch.
Benefits for Students:
Enhances critical thinking and creativity.
Fosters teamwork and communication skills.
Builds confidence through experimentation and iterative learning.
Connects classroom learning to real-world applications.
Supports different learning styles and promotes student agency.
Benefits for the School:
Encourages a culture of innovation and inquiry.
Strengthens cross-curricular learning.
Increases student engagement and motivation.
Builds community through collaborative projects and showcases.
Positions the school as a forward-thinking learning environment.
Our makerspace empowers students to become active creators rather than passive learners, enriching both individual development and the broader school community.
Running Club
The Noranda PS Running Club operates each Tuesday and Thursday morning from mid Term One to mid Term Four. No matter how fit you are – anyone can join in.
Family members are welcome to join in too for fitness and quality time spent with your children. If you don’t want to run or walk but would like to attend we are always looking for parents to help supervise the students.
Kindy and Pre-primary students are welcome but must be accompanied by an adult.
The sessions start promptly at 7:45am in the Undercover area with a short warm up before moving to the oval and finishing at 8:15am.
Nippers
Noranda Nippers is an engaging and supportive program designed to help parents nurture their preschool children’s early literacy skills. Through a carefully curated selection of age-appropriate books, songs, rhymes, and interactive activities, Nippers fosters a love of reading, storytelling, and language development in young learners.
The program not only enhances children’s foundational literacy skills but also provides valuable opportunities for social interaction, helping them build confidence and develop friendships. By introducing preschoolers to a school-like setting in a fun and welcoming environment, Noranda Nippers supports a smooth transition into formal education while strengthening the bond between parents and children through shared learning experiences.
The program is aimed at children from two to four years of age and their parents or grandparents attending the weekly sessions. This year, the sessions are run on a Monday, from 9-10am.
Parents are provided with valuable, age-appropriate information from invited healthcare professionals. These experts offered guidance on various aspects of child development, which could include speech and language skills, motor development, social-emotional well-being, as well as healthy eating support.
Library
Our school library is a comfortable and inviting place for students to immerse themselves in the magic of reading! It has a comprehensive collection of picture books, non-fiction texts and popular novels. Its bright and colourful displays help nurture a love of books, which will grow with the students throughout their school life.
Breakfast Club
Our Wellbeing Officer facilitates a before school breakfast club for any students wanting breakfast or a top up. Attendance is open to all students. Breakfast Club is held in Room 3 on Monday and Friday mornings from 8.00 -8.35am. Parents are always welcome to assist in volunteering at the sessions.
The breakfast Club food is all donated or accessed through grants. Foodbank remains our primary source of supplies, and thanks to some keen parents, orders are brought to the school. Our student enjoy a range of cereal, toast, toasties, fruit and milo each week.
Peer Tutoring
Our Peer Tutor Program provides one-on-one support in Literacy and Numeracy for students from Pre-Primary to Year 4, delivered by selected Year 6 students. The program has been running successfully for over 14 years and continues to make a positive impact on both tutors and younger learners.
Each year, Year 6 students are invited to apply for the role of Peer Tutor in Term 1. Selected students commit to supporting a younger peer throughout the year, helping to build confidence, fluency, and foundational skills in a nurturing and encouraging environment. Rather than "teaching," our tutors guide and coach their younger peers, reinforcing concepts through consistent practice and positive reinforcement.
Tutored students are nominated by their classroom teachers based on individual learning needs. All peer tutors receive training in using flashcards and mastery folders to support the development of core Literacy and Numeracy skills.
Tutoring sessions are held twice a week, from 8:30am to 8:50am, ensuring they do not interfere with either student's morning literacy block.
We are proud of the lasting success of this program and the valuable relationships it fosters between our senior students and their younger peers.
Green Team
As part of our sustainability focus, students and families collect a variety of resources to be recycled. These include bottle caps, coffee pods, oral hygiene products, pens, and markers. This is a fantastic way to minimise our impact on the environment and landfill and encourages students to act in a more sustainable way.
The Green Team at Noranda Primary School also run their own worm farm. Two Year 5 students look after the worms each week, on a term-by-term rotation, with support from a Year 6 supervisor. During this time, they ensure our worms are healthy and have plenty of yummy scraps to break down. Each fortnight, before assemblies, our students harvest the nutrient runoff (commonly known as 'worm wee') and sell it to our parents to use in their gardens at home. This sustainable practice is amazing for both the environment and our community, while also teaching our senior students about the benefits of running their very own worm farm.
