Larmenier Catholic Primary School operates a small farm and sustainable gardening program in which students, staff and parents are partners in caring for the animals and the gardens.

Each class participates in a much anticipated ‘Farm Day’ every term. During these days, children are engaged in caring for the school crops and gardens, looking after the school animals, and improving our school environment through a range of science investigations and social action programs. Children cook their own morning tea and lunch for each Farm Day and the meal is shared by the whole class in a formal dining experience.

A range of school pets are cared for by the students and these pets are especially popular ‘playmates’ during daily break times. Children take on the daily responsibility for caring for the animals and many of our animals have been lovingly hand reared by children at Larmenier.

Our vegetable gardens provide students with the skills to grow and nurture plants and a practical, hands-on horticultural experience. Vegetables and eggs from the farm provide a basis for class cooking in our kitchen.

Our Kitchen Program produces a wide variety of foods and students enjoy cooking this produce and eating the food they cook. Shared meals also present an opportunity to talk to students about the importance of healthy nourishment and promote the enjoyment found in time spent sitting together and eating.

The farm program has on emphasis on sustainability. It is also used to build knowledge and skills from a range of Australian Curriculum areas.

STUDENT SUPPORT

Larmenier Catholic Primary School aims to provide an education that meets the needs of every child.

We have a range of programs and approaches that support children who are finding school difficult as well as those who excel at school. Our Student Support teacher works closely with parents to find an approach that works for the individual child.

Children may sometimes need to be referred to other professionals in order to gather the information needed to provide properly for them. This occurs in close consultation with parents. 

Wellbeing is also integral to Student Support. Larmenier is able to refer children to a counsellor from Catholic Care, who works within the school setting.

SCHOOL WIDE POSITIVE BEHAVIOUR SUPPORT

School Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) is a whole school process teaching behavioural expectations in the same manner as any core curriculum subject. SWPBS recognises and rewards student behaviour in a positive and uplifting manner across the School.

Larmenier Catholic School, along with all Tasmanian Catholic primary schools, is a Positive Behaviour School. Our School community, with input from staff, parents and students, created the five core principles that we believe.

• Be Respectful
• Be a Friend
• Believe in Yourself
• Be Safe
• Be a Learner

We explicitly teach, discuss and focus on these principles to assist students’ understanding of the appropriate ways to behave and interact with other members of our community.

Students at Larmenier are engaged in a wide range of leadership opportunities.

The unique offering of our school farm provides children with the experience of caring for our animals, crops and school environment, thus developing children’s skills as environmental stewards of the future.

As students progress through Primary School they are given opportunities to be reading buddies for younger children, lead school assemblies and plan and participate in fundraising efforts for worthy causes.  Older children also lead sports activities and lunch time clubs for a wide variety of interest groups.

Larmenier students are long standing supporters of St Vincent de Paul and offer a Mini-Vinnies group which students can join. This group works tirelessly to raise money to support members of the Launceston community who are in need. 

Larmenier also offers a ‘Community Group’ who visit the Mt Esk nursing home and provide support and companionship for the elderly.  Children are often at Mt Esk, which is located next door to the school, and can be found chatting to residents, reading with them or taking our school pets and animals to the nursing home for a visit. These interactions are highly valued by both our school children and the elderly. (Suspended due to COVID)

EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

Mini Vinnies

Our students display commitment to serving others through the Mini Vinnies program which operates at Larmenier Catholic Primary School.

Mini Vinnies is a school-based program which supports the mission of the Society of St Vincent de Paul. Our students engage in a range of fundraising and service orientated activities to support those who are less fortunate.  The Mini Vinnies groups involve the whole school in their initiatives and are a great support of the St Vincent de Paul charity.

Instrumental Program

The St Patrick’s College Instrumental program operates within the School enabling interested students to be active participants in music programs outside of regular class music. Students may elect to learn brass, string or percussion instruments, and further opportunities exist for Year Six students to join the St Patrick’s Band during Term Four.

For more details please visit the St Patrick's College website.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Larmenier Catholic Primary School bears witness to the ideals of the Church as a community committed to the Catholic Faith – a community centred on the Eucharist in which Christian principles are encouraged and practiced.

Our School, which has taken as its motto ‘Christ is our Model’, creates an atmosphere where each student can come to know Christ as a real person. The School supplements the primary faith educators – parents – in their children’s knowledge and appreciation of faith. Positive interaction between the School and parents is considered essential.

Whole school prayer and daily class prayer times are important in the life of the School. Class and school Masses are held regularly throughout the year, and a Family Mass is organised once a term on a Saturday evening. A supper for families and parishioners is held following the Family Mass which provides an opportunity for those within the School community to connect. 

Good News for Living, the Archdiocesan Religious Education guideline, is the core document teachers at Larmenier Catholic Primary School use to develop their own understanding of their faith and pass this onto the students in their care. Unit outlines, aligned with the Australian Curriculum, are used and developed to suit students’ needs. The ‘To Know, Worship and Love’ resources are also used to support our Religious Education program.

Our Year 5 and 6 students participate in the ‘Make Jesus Real’ program to support their Religious Education. Year Four focus on ‘The Spirit of Jesus’ to highlight the messages that Jesus gave to us that can be applied to our everyday lives.

OUTDOOR CLASSROOM

Celebrating our new ‘Outdoor Classroom’ facilities at Larmenier

This year the Australian Federal Government provided us with a grant of $17,954 to spend on developing the facilities in our POOL (Place of outdoor learning) area.

The grant enabled us to build an outdoor covered workspace with different height benches, seating and storage areas that can be used to run whole class lessons outdoors. This is particularly valuable on ‘Farm Days’ and wet weather days, and provides children with the facilities for real-life, hands-on learning experiences.

Our ‘Farm Days’ focus on lessons in food production, sustainability, land management and animal management. The outdoor classroom grant helps to make these lessons more comfortable and meaningful for students 

In addition, our outdoor ‘Maker Space’ and technology workshop has been upgraded to include materials that allow for large-scale STEM projects and give children the chance to safely use equipment to build and test their design projects.

In line with the original vision for Larmenier’s farm school facilities, it is envisaged that this space will eventually be made accessible to visiting local schools whose students will also benefit from the great facilities that we have at Larmenier.

For any questions about the government grant or outdoor classroom extension project, please contact Allison Cornish. allison.cornish@catholic.tas.edu.au