The vision of Mawson Primary School is to be an exemplary bilingual school where everyone is inspired and empowered to do their best. To achieve this goal, the school reviewed the Mandarin Immersion Program (MIP) in 2018 and decided to restructure the MIP program to implement an authentic bilingual model. In this model, 50% of the Australian curriculum is taught in Mandarin by a qualified teacher who is a native Mandarin speaker and the other 50% of the curriculum is taught in English. This bilingual model was launched in 2019 and will be phased in across the school. Not all students are in the bilingual classes. We also have a mainstream class in every year level.
In Mawson Mandarin bilingual model, Mandarin teachers adopt research based pedagogical approaches, such as a content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) approach and a balanced literacy/numeracy approach to plan differentiated teaching programs and learning activities to ensure the success of all learners in the learning of subjects through using the target language - Mandarin.
Enrolment criteria
Mawson Primary School runs an authentic bilingual Mandarin Immersion Program – the MIP program. 50% of the curriculum is taught in Mandarin by a native Mandarin speaker and the other 50% of the curriculum is taught in English.
Mawson Primary School is a Category A school. This means that families must reside in the suburbs of Mawson, Phillip, Isaacs or O’Malley at the time of enrolment. Due to high demand for enrolment, to enrol at Mawson Primary School families are required to show evidence of residency in the Priority Enrolment Area (PEA).
Mawson Primary School does accept some students from outside the PEA for its Mandarin immersion program and priority is given to children enrolled in the CAECC. Entry into the Mandarin Immersion Program for out of area students is based on criteria such as:
- students who are native Mandarin speakers,
- students who have a Mandarin speaking parent or family member,
- students with prior knowledge of Mandarin,
- students enrolled in the Chinese Australian Early Childhood Centre,
- students who can demonstrate suitability to a bilingual Mandarin / English program through prior knowledge of the language and parental commitment to the school’s Mandarin / English bilingual program,
- active support of current siblings in the bilingual program.
Supporting documentation addressing these criteria will be required for all out of area enrolments as well as an interview with the principal.
All applications must provide proof of residency in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). Mawson Primary School does not accept students from NSW.