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Curriculum Overview
St Kieran’s offers a wide range of curriculum experiences that cover the learning areas:
- Religion
- English
- Mathematics
- Science
- Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS)
- Design and Digital Technologies
- Health and Physical Education
- Languages
- The Arts
Additional School Program
Reporting to Parents
An information evening is held early in the year. Each teacher will outline the procedures in the classroom in an informal atmosphere. Individual Learning Conferences (student-parent-teacher interviews) are held towards the end of the first term, with the aim of students leading the conferences and establishing and reviewing a PLP (Personalised Learning Plan) for each child. An additional opportunity for student-led conferencing is provided at the end of Term 3.
Written reports are sent home at the end of the first and second semesters.
Teachers and parents are encouraged to be in contact with each other at any time during the year when there is an issue or area of concern, which needs to be addressed.
Religious Education
As a Catholic Christian community we educate all to live the gospel of Jesus Christ as successful, creative and confident, active and informed learners empowered to shape and enrich our world.
Students receive daily instruction and aspects of faith development are covered in each class. Opportunities to celebrate faith through participation in liturgical celebrations are provided at class and whole school levels. All children, regardless of faith background, are expected to participate in all aspects of the religious life of the school.
Preparation for the celebration of Sacraments is arranged by the Parish Sacramental Team.
Children are encouraged to contribute to the work of foreign missions and other charities.
Religion Curriculum
The content of the Religion Curriculum has been organised into four interrelated strands: Sacred Texts, Beliefs, Church and Christian Life. Planning for the classroom learning and teaching of religion balances and integrates all four strands.
Religious Life of the School
The Religious Life of the School comprises four interrelated components: Religious Identity and Culture; Evangelisation and Faith Formation; Prayer and Worship; and Social Action and Justice. Each of these components at St Kieran's provides a significant focus on a distinctive aspect of the religious life of the school. The Religion Curriculum and the Religious Life of the School are interrelated; complementing and strengthening our school’s identity and culture.
Inclusive Education
St Kieran's Catholic Primary School aims to support students with education or other needs.
Inclusive Education has a major focus on Literacy and Numeracy. Children are selected for placement in the program based on data from standardised test results including PAT testing, Early Years Screening (Prep to Year 2), speech screening, NAPLAN and teacher nomination. One experienced teacher and trained School Officers facilitate intervention programs including: Initial Lit recovery, Speech programs, Fitzroy Reading, fine motor development, Support-A-Talker and other support programs tailored to student needs.
Teachers are supported in class by school officers and specialist coaches provide additional support to teachers and small student groups.
Inclusive Education staff also work collaboratively with the members of the school community, and other outside agencies, as required, for the benefit of students with disabilities. Generally this occurs in three key areas consultancy, student support and professional practice.
Enrichment
St Kieran's aims to cater for the needs of all students and all classes extend and enrich their students by providing a diverse range of activities and experiences through quality differentiation.
WAHOO is a extension for students who can think out side of the box and need extension in areas of their learning.
Students in Years 4, 5 and 6 are invited to participate in the yearly OptiMINDS challenge and Year 6 students are invited to participate in the Quest for Knowledge competition conducted by Townsville Catholic Education.
ICAS testing is also offered for students who wish to participate in the range of external assessments. An entry fee applies.
Guidance Counsellor
In primary school educational psychology services are delivered to clusters of schools. The guidance counsellor delivers direct services to schools providing consultancy on behaviour management, psycho-educational assessment, counselling and preventative initiatives.
Speech Pathologist
In primary school we have a speech pathologist who works with the teachers in developing speech programs for students.
STEM
It is our vision at St Kieran’s Catholic Primary School that all children who are exceptional learners or have the potential to be gifted and talented students are recognised and catered for in an understanding and supportive environment – and this is done through our ‘Wahoo Thinking’ programme.
We aim to provide students with a stimulating and challenging curriculum that increases enthusiasm for learning and improves attitudes towards school, encouraging students to gain an understanding of their own abilities whilst enhancing self-esteem and a sense of accomplishment.
The program focusses primarily on Literacy and Numeracy, but also acknowledges students with higher order and critical thinking skills.
A specialist teacher is employed part-time to provide an out-of-class curriculum in lessons ranging from 30 minutes to 1 ½ hours for students from all year levels.
Nomination
The nomination process has three stages;
- Nomination by the classroom teacher, who is serviced on how to identify gifted students.
- Completion of a Parent Questionnaire and permission slip, requesting information such as ages of developmental milestones,
- Testing students in areas such as Multiple Intelligences, Reading, Writing, Numeracy, Literacy, Learning and Behavioural Skills.
Assessment
Students are assessed at the beginning of their involvement, with a review carried out of the students’ performances on completion of terms 2 and 4. This is included in their report card indicating to parents their child’s participation level in the group and any results from projects, competitions, or completed units during the semester.
Curriculum
Each team’s curriculum is dictated by each students’ interests, community events (for example, OPTIMinds, sports carnivals) and state-wide or national competitions or projects. All work is an extension of current year level or developmental expectations. Work is always hands-on and stimulating – worksheets or boardwork are rarely used. Projects, presentations, role plays, debates, experiments, demonstrations, models and field studies are all types of concrete methods used.
Through an understanding of their own learning styles, multiple intelligences and an environment that creates situations calling for higher order thinking skills, students will hopefully reach a greater perception of their abilities, and be inspired to perform better in school.
Learning Support
Learning Enrichment (Rainbow Room)
Mission
The strategic Directions of the Townsville Catholic Education Office are a pathway that guides the educational, social and spiritual decision making in Catholic Schools. Our responsibility is to provide school communities centered on Gospel Values.
Learning Enrichment is made real for us through the strategic directions below;
- Strategic Direction 4:
Know and educate each student with a sustained commitment and effort to nurture and support their diverse capabilities and personal challenges, identifying and responding to each person’s unique gifts and talents.
- Strategic Direction 6:
Develop and support ongoing formation of teachers to enhance their capacity to respond to the vocation of teaching and to ministry in Catholic schools.(Statement of Strategic Directions, 2007-2011)
The Learning framework developed by Townsville Catholic Education Office provides the direction for all who work with children in our schools. At the heart of our response to the vocation of education are the following principles.
Therefore
- Each child is given the opportunity to become an effective learner.
- Each school has the capacity to interpret and implement the curriculum.
- Each child engages in the curriculum supported by a framework of meaning based on the religious traditions of the Catholic Church.
- The Principal is the curriculum leader in the school.
(Learning Framework, 2006-08)
What is Learning Enrichment?
Every student is unique and vary in their individual needs and abilities. Learning Enrichment is a program which provides literacy and numeracy support predominantly, for students with learning needs including those requiring extension or remediation. It is also inclusive of those students whose access to the class curriculum is limited or adversely affected due to short term or persistent issues/problems in one or more areas of literacy and/ or numeracy.
Basic Principles of Learning Enrichment practice
- The class teacher is responsible at school level, first and foremost, for meeting the needs of all students in the class.The support of students with special needs in the school is a whole school responsibility.
- Learning enrichment personnel are deployed in the school to help class teachers to discharge their responsibility to all students by providing specific support in regard to the delivery of programs for students with special needs (Including IEP planning and delivery).
- The planning and evaluation of programs and the appropriate curriculum differentiation for students with special needs is developed and monitored in collaborative partnerships by all the team members associated with the student’s learning.
- The development of school policy and guidelines for provision for all students with special needs is the responsibility of the Principal in consultation with others. In some schools the Principal delegates this responsibility to a School Special Needs Learning Enrichment Committee.
- The school Learning Enrichment policy and guidelines are based on individual school needs and are aligned with Townsville Catholic Education Office (TCEO)policy, guidelines and requirements.
- ׄ Parents are consulted and involved as key contributors to the support and planning process on behalf of their children.
The Learning Enrichment Teacher is an essential member of the school teaching and learning team. The role of the Learning Enrichment Teacher is to, where appropriate, assist classroom teachers to develop and effectively implement education programs for students identified with learning difficulties or extension needs. Depending on the size of the school the position will either be working individually with administration support or as a member of a learning enrichment team.
The Procedures
There are five phases for student referral and support management.
- Initial identification by: Class Teacher after consultation with parent. Meet with LET (Learning Enrichment Teacher) by starting the data collection and observation phase or monitored by the Class Teacher at this point of time.
- Data Collection Phase: Class Teacher and/or Learning Enrichment Teacher observe and collect some additional data – NAPLAN results, Previous and current school reports, class tests, work samples, standardized tests, observations, professional discussions with parents/carers, previous teachers regarding history of learning support, Results of hearing and vision tests (In past 12 months), Specialist Reports: Speech and Language, guidance counsellor, occupational therapist and/or central auditory processing testing.
- Learning Enrichment and Classroom Teacher meet and decide on Intervention plan for student:
- Completion of recommended intervention form with parent permission
- Student supported through the Learning Enrichment Program (Rainbow Room) or with School Officer in the classroom
- Additional resources to use within the classroom to support the students
- Discussion of a range of strategies to assist the students’ learning
- Develop an Individual Learning Plan or Individual Education Plan (Students with disabilities) if required
- Support teachers to modify and adjust class work and assessment tasks
- Program Development Phase: Intervention commences and a time frame is considered when progress will be reviewed and length of time that interventions will be in place. Eg. One term – ½ per week.
- Review Phase: Review progress of student and decide on appropriate next strategy for student – Learning Enrichment or Classroom Teacher informs parents at the conclusion of program on students’ achievements and further strategies.
Professional Development for staff is provided by Catholic Education Office each term. This is supplemented by attendance at workshops and or in-service sessions when appropriate. Information is provided to Good Shepherd Catholic College upon request but does not happen on a regular basis.
Destiny
Please use the link below to access our Online Destiny Library Resource.