curriculum information
Here at St Anthony’s, we strive to meet the demands of this new Australian curriculum, and at the same time, provide rich learning experiences for all our students.
Our aims are:
- to deliver the curriculum with intent, commitment and passion
- to ensure that each student progresses to an optimum standard, is fully engaged in their learning, and continues to grow as a lifelong learner
- to see that teachers continue to grow as professional educators by constantly reflecting on their teaching practices and endeavouring to improve upon them through collaborative team planning, teaching, assessing and reporting; and through professional development opportunities.
We acknowledge that the Australian Curriculum underpins the content of what we are to teach and what our students need to know and what they need to be able to do.
The new curriculum sets out what all young people should be taught through the specification of curriculum content, content descriptions (CD’s), and through the learning expected at points in their schooling through the specification of achievement standards. The content and processes are referenced to single year level junctions (e.g. Year 4 content, Year 5 content, etc.), unlike the QCAR curriculum which was organized into two-year intervals. This means that, all things being equal, a child in Year 4 will be learning with the Year 4 content descriptions. The A to E report card grades are referenced to these content descriptions.
St Anthony’s is generally a single stream school from Prep to Year 6. Planning and teaching reflect the national curriculum, evident in the Diocesan Learning Profile (DLP), and every effort is made to ensure that the teaching and learning are creative, stimulating and enhance student performance, as well as being relevant to the students’ needs.
TEACHING AND LEARNING:
- Each child is valued and has the right to be included, to participate and to learn in a safe environment.
- Children are introduced to learning concepts according to their level of development.
- Teaching will provide opportunities for revisiting concepts in order to consolidate skills, knowledge and understanding for each child.
- Teaching will cater for the fact that children learn in different ways and at different rates.
- Progression through primary schooling can and may vary from child to child.
- Appropriate and effective support will be provided to assist students in their learning.
ENGLISH
Rationale: The study of English is central to the learning and development of all young Australians. It helps create confident communicators, imaginative thinkers and informed citizens. It is through the study of English that individuals learn to analyse, understand, communicate with and build relationships with others and with the world around them.
For further information on the English Curriculum, please visit the Australian Curriculum website: www.australiancurriculum.edu.au
ST ANTHONY’S Whole School Approach to English:
Rationale: The study of English is central to the learning and development of all young Australians. It helps create confident communicators, imaginative thinkers and informed citizens. It is through the study of English that individuals learn to analyse, understand, communicate with and build relationships with others and with the world around them.
For further information on the English Curriculum, please visit the Australian Curriculum website: www.australiancurriculum.edu.au
ST ANTHONY’S Whole School Approach to English:
- Write2Spell – a Prep-Yr6 program that drives the consistent development of handwriting, phonological awareness, phonics and spelling
- STA Reading Program (currently in draft form) – a whole school approach to the teaching of reading
- Writing – a whole school approach to the teaching of writing, with a focus on the 6+1 Traits of Writing
- Promotion of the ‘Daily 5’ in classrooms
- Opportunities for regular formal/informal Oral Presentations
- Focus Groups Established for target teaching opportunities
MATHS
Rationale: Learning mathematics creates opportunities for and enriches the lives of all Australians. The Australian Curriculum: Mathematics provides students with essential mathematical skills and knowledge in Number and Algebra, Measurement and Geometry, and Statistics and Probability. It develops the numeracy capabilities that all students need in their personal, work and civic life, and provides the fundamentals on which mathematical specialties and professional applications of mathematics are built.
For further information on the Maths Curriculum, please visit the Australian Curriculum website: www.australiancurriculum.edu.au
ST ANTHONY’S Whole School Approach to Maths:
Rationale: Learning mathematics creates opportunities for and enriches the lives of all Australians. The Australian Curriculum: Mathematics provides students with essential mathematical skills and knowledge in Number and Algebra, Measurement and Geometry, and Statistics and Probability. It develops the numeracy capabilities that all students need in their personal, work and civic life, and provides the fundamentals on which mathematical specialties and professional applications of mathematics are built.
For further information on the Maths Curriculum, please visit the Australian Curriculum website: www.australiancurriculum.edu.au
ST ANTHONY’S Whole School Approach to Maths:
- Teaching Process – plan, teach, assess, revisit & consolidate, report
- MAGS (Maths Activity Guidelines for Schools) – Prep to Year 3
- Focus Groups Established for target teaching opportunities
Computers/Technology
Each year level has access to laptops, interactive TV or whiteboards, and a small number of iPads. iPads will be a key focus for our future IT Planning and Programming, hence the number of iPads available to students will continue to increase. The library has a large interactive whiteboard, as well as PC’s, housing the library catalogue system. Teachers are expected to incorporate IT in all Key Learning Areas when teaching the students. (Ref: IT Program)
Each year level has access to laptops, interactive TV or whiteboards, and a small number of iPads. iPads will be a key focus for our future IT Planning and Programming, hence the number of iPads available to students will continue to increase. The library has a large interactive whiteboard, as well as PC’s, housing the library catalogue system. Teachers are expected to incorporate IT in all Key Learning Areas when teaching the students. (Ref: IT Program)
School Officers
School Officers act as support personnel to help the delivery of quality teaching and learning for the children in the classroom. They are very valuable contributors to the school environment. Classroom teachers are responsible for organising the programs for school officers. Please ensure that any concerns are addressed with the classroom teacher as they are the person responsible for the children’s learning. (Ref: Learning Support)
School Officers act as support personnel to help the delivery of quality teaching and learning for the children in the classroom. They are very valuable contributors to the school environment. Classroom teachers are responsible for organising the programs for school officers. Please ensure that any concerns are addressed with the classroom teacher as they are the person responsible for the children’s learning. (Ref: Learning Support)
