Curriculum

Teaching and Learning through the Explicit Instruction Sequence

At St Scholastica’s, we emphasise the importance of explicit instruction across all curriculum areas. This approach ensures that students receive clear, direct teaching that breaks down complex skills and concepts into manageable steps.

Lessons start with an explicit explanation where teachers fully explain and teach concepts and skills and provide students with learning intentions and success criteria. The learning is then broken down into smaller learning outcomes and modelled at each step so that students know and can see what is expected of them.

Students get multiple opportunities to practise the skills and support is gradually removed once they have a deeper understanding and students can work more independently. After the guided practice students complete tasks themselves and the teacher monitors and provides feedback. Our teachers use a variety of strategies including modelling, questioning and scaffolding to support student understanding and mastery.

Throughout this process, formative assessment occurs through questioning and frequent checks for understanding so that teachers can identify where a student is in their learning and can adjust future learning to meet the needs of all students.

At St Scholastica’s regular reviews take place where students rehearse and review information to create stronger connections and make prior knowledge more readily available for use. This commitment to explicit instruction helps to build a strong foundation of knowledge and skills, enabling our students to achieve academic success and become confident, independent learners.

Literacy

At St Scholastica’s Primary School we take great pride in our comprehensive approach to teaching literacy. Our dedicated team of educators recognises the importance of nurturing every student’s individual learning needs and we strive to create a supportive and inclusive environment where all students can thrive.

Through a variety of differentiated instructional strategies and resources we cater to diverse learning styles, abilities and backgrounds, ensuring that each child receives personalised attention and support. Moreover, we firmly believe in using ongoing assessment as a guiding tool to monitor progress and tailor instruction accordingly. By regularly assessing students’ literacy skills, we can identify areas of strength and areas that require additional focus, allowing us to provide targeted interventions and support. In accordance with the Victorian Curriculum we ensure that students receive a high-quality education.  At St Scholastica’s we are committed to equipping our students with strong literacy skills, enabling them to become confident and lifelong learners.

The Tier 2 Reading Intervention program is offered for students who require assistance with decoding.

For any students wishing to undertake ICAS assessments these will be available. 

Maths

St. Scholastica’s endeavours to equip students with Mathematical knowledge, skills, understandings and confidence to enable them to effectively respond and contribute to real life situations in an ever changing world.

Our School strives to build a shared vision of contemporary pedagogy where every student is challenged and supported to achieve continuous improvement and success. The Teaching and Learning team at St. Scholastica’s work closely together to provide learning that is flexible and varied, catering for a variety of learning styles. A variety of ongoing assessments, both formal and informal, including Essential Assessment, are used to guide teaching and ensure future learning success for all students.

Students have the opportunity to engage in lessons that are rich and challenging, promoting success for all students and experience hands-on materials, interactive games and technology to spark and challenge their thinking and learning.

Religious Education

At St Scholastica’s our Religious Education program is at the heart of our Catholic identity. We believe in nurturing the values and beliefs that are integral to our faith, providing our students with a strong foundation in the teachings of the Catholic Church. Just like any other subject at our school, critical thinking is highly valued. At St Scholastica’s, our Religious Education curriculum goes beyond traditional teaching methods. We believe in an inquiry-based approach that empowers students to actively engage with their faith. Through this approach, students learn about the Catholic traditions and faith but are also encouraged to seek different views, delve deeper into world views, make conclusions and take action. Our goal is to foster critical thinking skills and encourage students to develop a deeper understanding of their faith.   

At St Scholastica’s we hold Jesus as the ultimate role model for our students. Inspired by his teachings of love, compassion and justice, we strive to emulate his example in all aspects of our school community. A shining example of this commitment to justice is our Mini Vinnies group, where a group of students actively participate in raising awareness, money and providing assistance to those in need, embodying the spirit of service and generosity that Jesus taught. Through the study of Bible scripture and parables, our students learn valuable lessons on how to be disciples in action, applying the teachings of Jesus to their daily lives and becoming compassionate and empathetic leaders in their community. At St Scholastica’s we aim to instill in our students a deep sense of social responsibility and a commitment to making the world a better place.  

At St Scholastica’s, we believe in guiding our students on their Catholic faith journey by inviting them to prepare for and receive the sacraments of Reconciliation (Year Three), Eucharist (Year Three) and Confirmation (Year Six). The preparation of these sacraments are through the Religious Education curriculum within the classrooms. We value the close connection between our school and parish community. We believe that this connection is essential in nurturing the faith of our students and fostering a sense of belonging within the larger Catholic community. As part of this commitment, we actively engage in the liturgy and deepen their understanding of the Catholic faith.

 At St Scholastica’s, we understand the value of making connections with other religions and faiths, as different religious viewpoints can both challenge and enrich our own faith and beliefs. By encouraging our students to explore diverse perspectives, we aim to foster a deeper understanding and respect for all faith traditions, ultimately promoting a more inclusive and understanding community within our school. 

Inquiry

At St Scholastica’s, Inquiry learning is at the heart of our educational approach, fostering curiosity and critical thinking in our students.

We focus on creating a dynamic learning environment where children are encouraged to ask questions, explore their interests and engage in hands-on investigations. Our inquiry-based curriculum is designed to stimulate students’ natural curiosity and promote deeper understanding through active exploration and problem-solving.

By integrating diverse subjects and real-world scenarios, we help students develop essential skills such as research, analysis and reflection. Our dedicated teachers support each child’s individual learning journey, guiding them through meaningful questions and collaborative projects that inspire a lifelong love of learning.

As a school we have Celebration of Learning Days and whole school excursions linked to our Inquiry units.

Visual Arts

At St Scholastica’s, our Visual Arts curriculum provides students from Prep to Year 6 with immersive experiences in various art forms. Our focus lies in equipping students with the skills, techniques and processes necessary to express their creativity.  Through art appreciation, we celebrate the cultural diversity of our students by exploring art work from around the world. Students delve into their own art as well as engage with the artwork of others. Displaying artwork plays a crucial role in our artistic journey, with all students having their creations showcased throughout the school.  Additionally, we proudly host an Art Show of our students work every second year.

Performing Arts

St. Scholastica’s Performing Arts program offers exploration into music, drama, and dance. Students have a 40-minute weekly lesson that focuses on voice, action, and sound for communication and self-expression. The curriculum fosters confidence, creativity, teamwork, and provides cultural and historical understanding of the performing arts.

Aligned with the classroom units, the program follows the Victorian Curriculum framework and includes the following activities:

• Dance: Improvisation, technique in various styles/cultures, choreography.
• Drama: Voice, expression, characterisation, play-making, performance, and production skills.
• Music: Musicianship, singing, playing instruments, music appreciation, and composition.
• Performance and analysis.
• Basic Multimedia.

Students can showcase their talents at school assemblies and participate in the biennial end-of-year concert.

Additionally, private music lessons are available during school hours.

Digital Technologies

At our school, we are dedicated to providing a comprehensive education that prepares students for the evolving digital landscape of the 21st century. Our Digital Technologies curriculum is designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to excel in a technology-driven world aligned with the Victorian Curriculum.

Our curriculum covers essential topics such as coding, computational thinking, digital systems, and data analysis. We prioritise a hands-on, practical approach, enabling students to engage in real-world projects and activities that apply their knowledge in meaningful contexts. Experienced and dedicated teachers use a range of resources, including interactive whiteboards, robotics kits and online learning platforms to deliver engaging and effective lessons. Students also have opportunities to use devices such as laptops, IPADS and tablets to support their learning.

Through our Digital Technologies curriculum, students develop creativity, innovation, and adaptability while building valuable problem-solving and critical thinking skills. Our aim is to prepare students to not only navigate but thrive in the digital age, readying them for the exciting and rapidly evolving opportunities that lie ahead.

Physical Education

The importance of Physical Education in the development of self-confidence, coordination, gross motor skills and fine motor skills in children has been recognised widely in recent years.                  St. Scholastica’s emphasises the importance of physical education in the total education of the child. 

St. Scholastica’s offers students a wide variety of sporting opportunities for all students to  participate in. The Physical Education Program has a strong emphasis on developing team skills and the ability to work and play co-operatively with others. 

Physical Education has a high profile at St Scholastica’s. The weekly program includes the teaching of games skills, team games, ball handling skills, bat and ball skills, track and field skills just to name a few.

At St Scholatica’s we also incorporate fitness, swimming (P-2), inter-school sport (yr 4-6), cross-country (yr 3-6), Clinics (e.g. gymnastics hockey, football) and St Scholastica’s Twilight Sports into the Physical Education Program.

Personalised Learning

St. Scholastica’s strongly believe that all learning should have a purpose. We ensure lessons have a learning intention and success criteria. Students are able to explicitly identify these within a lesson to ensure they understand the lesson focus.

Students at St. Scholastica’s work in conjunction with their teachers to reflect and create personal learning goals for their Literacy, Maths and Social Emotional Learning. Students are then encouraged to work towards achieving this goal within class and in their personal time. Students reflect on these goals regularly to ensure their learning is targeted to their personal learning needs.

Extra Curricular