Educating for the future
The learning journey at St Joseph's honours the developmental stages in a student’s life. Based on leading educational research and the best of today’s technologies, we prepare students for the future by teaching them how to think critically and creatively, how to communicate effectively and how to lead and work both independently and collaboratively.
Educating for the future
The key learning areas
We follow the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) approved curriculum in the key learning areas of:
Religious Education
As a Catholic school we also have a strong religious dimension that runs through all the KLAs and is also formally recognised as the KLA of Religious Education.
St Joseph's students take part in formal Religious Education every day, based on the new Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese curriculum, Encountering Jesus. This curriculum invites all students to consider how the teachings of Jesus Christ can apply to their lives.
Religious Education
We expect all students to achieve their personal best and it is our belief that together we can make our classrooms places where learning is inviting and enjoyable.
At St Joseph’s, in partnership with parents/carers, we promote educational and personal excellence in our students as they grow as whole persons, attending to their spiritual, intellectual, physical, social and emotional development.
We foster a collaborative community and supportive environment as we want each learner to feel accepted and grow in their learning. We respect and celebrate diversity and individuality by recognising and providing for differences in learning styles, rates of learning, strengths and needs.
As the building blocks for all learning, we have a strong focus on Literacy and Numeracy throughout our learning and teaching programs.
Literacy
At St Joseph’s we provide a balanced English program including reading, writing, talking and listening based on the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) English K–6 document, to achieve success for each child.
We incorporate modelled, shared, guided, and independent teaching and learning experiences. All staff members are given ongoing professional development opportunities to ensure best practice is maintained at our school.
Assessment and reflection informs our classroom practice. We are committed to early intervention for children at risk through the provision of specialist programs and resources. Learning support programs assist teachers and students, and cater for individual student needs. We offer a focused literacy program through Focus160 and reading intervention through Reading Recovery - a one-on-one program that targets ‘at risk’ children after their first year at school.
We use quality literature, an essential part of an effective English program, and information technology is integrated naturally into each stage of our English program. Parents are encouraged to help during our Literacy Block.
Numeracy
At St Joseph’s, we believe that Mathematics is an essential life skill that helps us make sense of our environment. We think that Mathematics should be meaningful for children, and we encourage the development of mathematical thinking to solve problems. Through identifying and exploring patterns and relationships, children learn to apply concepts and skills to problems in their world.
Students are provided with a well-balanced Mathematics program covering each of the strands from the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) Mathematics K-6 document:
- Working Mathematically
- Number Patterns and Algebra
- Data
- Measurement
- Space and Geometry
Through exploration, discussion and the sharing of discoveries and experiences, students’ understanding develops from the concrete stage to the abstract.
We also facilitate Extended Mathematical Understanding (EMU) intervention for small groups of children as part of our numeracy program. At any one time, students may be working on different tasks and activities at levels which reflect and challenge their ability. This allows each student to achieve their best possible educational outcome.
Come and see the learning in action
Call us today to arrange a tour and find out how to enrol.