Southside Primary Introductory English Centre

Intensive English classes for non English speaking primary aged students newly arrived in Australia.

The Southside Primary Introductory English Centre (SPIEC) is a government-funded resource for students who have recently arrived in Australia. The Centre is located at Hughes Primary School and provides an introductory English language course for primary-aged students with minimal English.

The program provides students with basic communication and literacy skills and introduces them to the life and culture of an Australian school. Although classes are separate, staff and students are part of the wider Primary School community and integration occurs in a meaningful manner between students in the two programs. Students in the IEC have full access to playground and library and computer facilities, and join with the mainstream for assemblies, sporting and special whole-school events.

Students usually attend the IEC for two school terms (20 weeks), though the period of time is flexible and is determined by individual needs and progress. The time it takes for a student to learn English varies according to a range of factors, such as, previous educational experience, motivation, personality, language aptitude and age going to school. After completing the IEC program, students are assisted in transferring to a mainstream class in their local school or a school of the parents' choice.