Our community of students, staff, families and friends provide a supportive learning environment, engaging our children in lifelong learning. The school purpose is: We are here to help children to become literate and numerate and prepare them for life. The core values of the school are: creativity, respect and community. The value of creativity is defined by the school community as: Stimulating curiosity and exploration as well as providing opportunities for choice, discovery and creative self-expression. Respect means accepting and valuing ourselves and others and demonstrating this in our behaviour; and Community at Northcote Primary School means welcoming students, staff, families and friends by promoting a sense of belonging and sharing in our school. These values underpin a school environment and atmosphere where safety, caring attitudes, quality respectful relationships, consultative decision-making, and high educational standards are encouraged. Students are provided with a wide range of personal, academic and practical experiences. Northcote Primary School is committed to ensuring that improved student learning is the highest priority. This is achieved by providing a comprehensive curriculum based on the Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS) with a focus on personalised learning. By focusing on the aptitude and interests of each individual student, the school provides a learning environment which ensures students have every opportunity to reach their potential. The school caters for differing student needs with targeted support programs, the teaching of lateral and creative thinking and using information and communication technology across the curriculum. The school has had a major refurbishment over the last few years, converting traditional classrooms into more flexible, learning spaces. The refurbishment has provided the environment to transform the teaching and learning practices in our school, to be far more suitable for 21st Century teaching and learning needs. The pedagogical focus is to..