Our Learning

Nurturing a Love of Learning

St John's Catholic Parish Primary School

At St John’s, we believe that a student who feels supported and valued for her/his individuality is able to make the most of all learning opportunities. An environment that is engaging, safe and challenging allows for effective learning to take place. We have a strong commitment to fostering positive relationships and collaboration, in order to enhance the whole school learning environment.

Through inquiry based learning, we strive to provide a rich and relevant curriculum that incorporates communication, critical thinking, creativity and global citizenship.

As a Catholic Primary School we are committed to helping our students learn about and live our faith, as well as implement the academic curriculum. We utilise the Victorian Curriculum alongside the Religious Education Curriculum Framework (Archdiocese of Melbourne).

Learning Areas and Capabilities of the Victorian Curriculum:

English
Mathematics
Science
Physical Education
The Arts: Music, Drama, Dance, Media Arts, Visual Arts
Languages: Italian
Humanities: History, Geography, Civics and Citizenship and Economics and Business
Technologies
Capabilities: Personal and Social Learning, Critical and Creative Thinking, Ethical Capability and Intercultural Understanding.

Education in Faith

At St John’s, our Catholic faith permeates all that we do. We inclusively celebrate our faith through our daily interactions with each other. We explore with our students what our faith asks us to be in our everyday life – to be the face of Christ for those around us. We help the students to develop an understanding of the relevance of their faith in their world by making connections from their learning to their world.

Opportunities that are provided for our community to explore their faith

Whole school masses
Level masses
Classroom masses
Morning and afternoon prayer
Christian Meditation
Learning designed using the Renewed RE Framework and linked to Inquiry Learning
Social justice opportunities
Sacramental Programs - Sacraments are received in the following year levels:

Reconciliation: Year 3
Eucharist: Year 4
Confirmation: Year 6

English

It is through the study of English that individuals learn to analyse, understand, communicate and build relationships with others and with the world around them. At St John’s, the study of English is central to the learning and development of all students. We create confident communicators, imaginative thinkers and informed citizens. Our students engage imaginatively and critically with literature to expand the scope of their experience.

Mathematics

Mathematics is essential for students to be critical and creative thinkers, decision makers and problem solvers. At St John’s, we believe all students can achieve success in an environment of high expectations and continuous improvement. We create opportunities for students to challenge their mathematical thinking using the proficiency strands, Understanding, Fluency, Problem Solving and Reasoning.

STEM & Digital Technologies

STEM education is a term used to refer collectively to the teaching of the disciplines within its umbrella: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. STEM is a cross-disciplinary approach to teaching that increases student interest in STEM related fields and improves students’ problem solving and critical analysis skills. Students at St John's work collaboratively in teams to follow the process of Ask, Imagine, Plan, Create, Test, Improve, Share in order to find solutions to problems.

Students at St John’s, receive a weekly specialist class in Digital Technologies, as well the embedding of the curriculum into all learning areas. Students have a range of hardware to use with 1:2 Chromebooks in the Years Three to Six and 1:4 iPads in Years Prep to Two. Robotic coding equipment includes Spheros, Edisons, Blue Bots, Code Bugs and Ozobots.

Languages - Italian

Students acquire communication skills in languages. They develop understanding about the role of language and culture in communication. Their reflections on language use and language learning are applied in other learning contexts.

Learning languages broadens students’ horizons about the personal, social, cultural and employment opportunities that are available in an increasingly interconnected and interdependent world. The interdependence of countries and communities requires people to negotiate experiences and meanings across languages and cultures. A bilingual or plurilingual capability is the norm in most parts of the world.

The Languages-Italian curriculum aims to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills to ensure that students:

communicate in the language they are learning
understand the relationship between language, culture and learning
develop intercultural capabilities
understand themselves as communicators.
strengthen intellectual, analytical and reflective capabilities and enhance creative and critical thinking.

Visual Arts

In Visual Arts, students make and respond using visual arts knowledge, understanding and skills. Through practical activities in each of the Visual Arts areas, students come to understand: why we make visual artworks; that visual artworks can be two-dimensional and three-dimensional and that each area has particular tools, media and techniques to be learnt. They learn how the Arts are practised and valued in different societies and cultures, past and present. Students form personal judgments of their own works and those of others. They will learn the language of art and how to use it when discussing their own works and the works of others.

Performing Arts

The Performing Arts program at St John’s encourages students to realise the value of the individual and to promote self-esteem.

Each student participates in a weekly class that includes movement, incorporating various dance styles, singing, recorder, percussion, mime, puppetry, script writing and developing acting skills.

Every second year, the school presents a Learning Showcase based on Inquiry learning throughout the year. All classes participate in this much-anticipated event.

St John’s also hosts a Christmas Carols night for the school, parish and wider community, with each Year Level performing a carol.

Physical Education

At St John’s we run a comprehensive sport and recreation program that aims to maximise student participation at all levels. We believe strongly in the positive life message sport teaches our students and this is reflected through our extensive sporting program.

In the early years, sport is based purely on the development of fundamental skills and the building of positive associations with sport. As the students move into the middle and senior year levels of the school, the variety of sports and activities available to them significantly increases. Students and/or teams who excel at this level are also given the opportunity to further test their abilities through district, regional, state and national competitions in School Sport Victoria (SSV) programs.

Some of the sport and recreation programs offered at St Johns include:

Swimming
Athletics
Hooptime (Basketball)
Friday Inter-school sport
Cross Country, Soccer
Girls Football
Gymnastics
Netball
Tennis.

Extra Curricular

St John’s offers a range of learning opportunities that fall outside the realm of the normal curriculum. An extracurricular activity is designed to enhance the students’ social, academic, physical, creative or intellectual learning. Some examples of what is offered at St John’s are:

Spiritual

Social Justice Program

Confirmation Retreat Day

Sacramental preparation

Mass participation

Altar service

Christian meditation

Classroom Masses

FIRE Carrier Reflection Day

Academic

Excursions/Incursions

Camps (Year 5/6)

Premier’s Reading Challenge

Gateways

Maths Olympiad

STEM Mad Showcase

Maths Games

Sporting

Hooptime (Basketball)

Swimming

Cross Country

Athletics

Interschool sport (Summer / Winter)

Representative sport

Netball

Student Wellbeing

Seasons

Better Buddy Programs

Transition Program

Kidsmatter

Anti-Bullying Initiatives

Healing Minds

eSmart

The Arts

Drama

Instrumental Lesson

Book week activities

Italian Poetry Competition

Art Show

Learning Showcase

Leadership

School Leaders

Student Action Teams:

House Leaders

Faith and Social Justice Leader

Kidsmatter Leader

Environment Leader

STEM Leaders

Creative Arts Leader

Fire Carrier Leader

Languages Leader

Student Representative Council (SRC) Prep - Year 6