Core Focus

Staff at St Brendan’s are passionate and committed to providing a learning environment which encourages lifelong learning for all. The school implements the Victorian Curriculum. This implementation includes teaching, assessment and reporting on student achievement standards in the curriculum. The Curriculum outlines what is essential for all Victorian students to learn during their time at school from Foundation to Year 10. It includes a complete set of common state-wide standards which schools use to plan student learning programs, assess student progress and report to parents.

English

At St Brendan’s we see literacy as an essential tool for learning. Our English program aims to develop the skills, behaviours and knowledge required by students to read, view, speak, listen and write with confidence, purpose and enjoyment. At St Brendan’s we are committed to developing the literacy skills of all students by providing a balanced and personalised program, which addresses their developmental needs and interests.

We provide:

A structured classroom literacy program which includes whole class, group and independent teaching
The Little Learners Love Literacy Program for Prep - Year 2
A whole school approach using the Smart Spelling Program
Focused teaching which builds on students’ strengths and developmental needs
A stimulating classroom that reflects high quality teaching and learning
Ongoing monitoring and assessment which is integrated into the teaching and learning cycle
Learning intentions and success criteria that moves the learner forward
Ongoing professional learning for teachers
Transfer of literacy skills into all areas of the curriculum
Using Colourful Semantics supporting students in writing and sentence structure

We value the importance of developing close partnerships with our parents in their children’s learning and we encourage all parents to be active participants in their child’s literacy education.

Mathematics

Mathematics is a significant part of everyday life. At St Brendan’s School our aim is for our students to become mathematically proficient, to know and use mathematics successfully enabling them to solve the new kinds of problems they will face in their future.

Learning Mathematics at St Brendan's is based on the Victorian Curriculum and provides students with essential mathematical skills and knowledge in the three strands of:

1. Number and Algebra

2. Measurement and Geometry

3. Statistics and Probability.

When you come into our classrooms it is common to observe children working in small groups, while talking and using concrete materials to model and solve problems.

Teachers set students to work independently by providing enabling and extending prompts. At the end of the session students engage in a class discussion about what has been learnt.

The students in our classrooms are encouraged to share their ideas, observations and problem-solving processes. They listen carefully to one another and they challenge and question each other about processes and strategies. Our students are actively involved in their learning.

We emphasise students developing a growth mindset in Mathematics. No matter their ability, all children can learn from their mistakes.

Inquiry Learning

St Brendan’s learning and teaching model is based on the Inquiry Approach from the works of Kath Murdoch. Staff personalise and tailor experiences within the curriculum to support and meet the students needs, interests and abilities. Programs are developed to provide students with rich and relevant experiences that focus on concepts relating to their own world. Inquiry Learning places emphasis on Humanities, Health, Science as well as integrating RE, English, Maths and Specialist areas. Before each term begins staff work through a process in which they look at the curriculum from a ‘balcony’. They have open minds and they bring together many different parts to integrate finding a balance across many areas including Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders.

Teachers use Learning Intentions and Success Criteria in their lessons to ensure that all students have a clear understanding of what they are learning and what they are expected to achieve for each lesson.

At St. Brendan’s we recognise that successful learners use certain dispositions. Staff have worked over the years to develop these dispositions that best represent our school. Students use these in the classroom to help them identify themselves as learners and ways in which they are using them. These learning depositions are displayed throughout the school.