Southside Montessori’s Upper Primary program prepares children for the transition to high school, not just academically, but as confident, curious, self-directed learners who know how to think independently and work with others.
Clear and purposeful learning
In all learning environments we recognise that learning needs to ignite curiosity and wonder, be challenging and authentically informed, to best prepare your child for a future focused world.
Clear and purposeful learning is intentionally sequenced into each child’s individualised learning plan, drawing from the National Montessori Curriculum and enhancing the outcomes of the prescribed NESA curriculum. Challenging beyond NESA standards, the Montessori curriculum provides scope for deeper understanding of concepts with greater rigorous academic expectations.
Diverse in content, individualised learning plans reflect the unique developmentally appropriate content for each learner regardless of their age. For learning to be truly meaningful, the curriculum is enhanced to provide authentic experiences for each learner.
The curriculum
Language
Reading, writing, grammar and confident spoken language.
Mathematics
From concrete Montessori materials to abstract operations and problem solving.
Geometry and Measurement
Shape, space and measurement explored through hands-on materials.
History, Geography and Science
The story of the universe, life on earth, cultures and how the world works.
Creative Arts
Art, music, drama and dance woven through everyday learning.
Languages other than English
An introduction to an additional language and culture.
Personal Development, Health and PE
Wellbeing, healthy choices, movement and physical activity.
What Upper Primary students develop
Research skills
Strong research skills and the ability to find, weigh and use information.
Long term projects
The ability to plan and manage long term projects independently.
Present and defend
The confidence to present ideas and defend their thinking to others.
Curriculum and standards
The program is delivered in alignment with NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) syllabus outcomes and the Montessori National Curriculum (2025), recognised by ACARA in December 2025 as an alternative national curriculum framework and aligned with Australian Curriculum v9. Montessori education often extends beyond prescribed outcomes, supporting deep understanding, independence and academic rigour, while ensuring students meet NESA requirements.
Assessment and reporting
Assessment is embedded in the Montessori learning process through presentations, observation and progress towards mastery. Families receive academic reports each semester and participate in scheduled parent-teacher conferences. Students also take part in NAPLAN, which we view as one of many assessment tools. Our focus remains on the development of the whole child rather than performance on a single test
Moving on to high school
Our graduates take many different pathways into high school, depending on their interests, strengths and family preferences. Students have successfully transitioned to local public and independent schools, Montessori secondary programs and selective public high schools. We work in partnership with families and receiving schools to support each child’s transition, and welcome former students back to share their high school experiences with younger students.