Learning and teaching A-Z

Amadeus

The Amadeus Music Education Program is one of Sydney Catholic Schools’ (SCS) flagship programs and is thriving at St James. It comprises both curriculum based music education from K-6 and extra-curricular instrumental ensembles and small group tuition for all students in Years 3-6. Students learn a brass, string or woodwind instrument and regularly perform for their peers and the community.

The school pays for the cost of maintenance and repairs due to normal wear and tear on instruments. In the event that instruments require repairs due to misuse or carelessness the cost of repairs will be added to school fees, as determined by the Principal on a case-by-case basis. Requests for students to change instruments will be considered by the Principal on a case-by-case basis in consultation with instrumental tutors.

Assessment and reporting

Assessment is the process of gathering information about a students’ achievement and progress; reporting is the process of communicating about that to parents and carers.

Our assessment program includes a range of information sources which can be referred to in a variety of ways:

• Pre- and post- assessment

• Formative and summative assessment

• Assessment for, as and of learning

• Formal and informal assessment

Assessment helps us to plan for learning, adjust our teaching programs on a daily basis, track individual student growth and target students for extension or support intervention.

Every class task, project and interaction can be used for assessment, and class based data (both formal and informal) make up a significant part of our assessment program.

Standardised tests in use at St James include:

• NAPLAN in Years 3 and 5

• ACER assessments including CogAT, PAT-M, PAT-R

• The Archdiocesan Year 6 Religious Education Test

Formal reporting occurs twice yearly towards the end of Terms 2 and 4. Informal reporting opportunities can occur throughout the year and include ‘open classroom’ events, phone calls, emails and meetings with teachers.

Curriculum

Our vision for learning - Fully Alive in Spirit, Mind and Relationships - inspires us to strive for a holistic education for each child in our care.

The subjects studied at school comprise ‘the curriculum’. In NSW the school curriculum is defined by the syllabuses published by the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA). The mandatory Key Learning Areas (KLAs) are: 

• English

• Mathematics

• Science and Technology

• Human Society and Its Environment (History and Geography)

• Personal Development, Health and Physical Education

• Creative Arts (Dance, Drama, Music and Visual Art)

Students in SCS schools also study Religious Education as a KLA, following a syllabus developed by SCS.

A summary of the content to be covered is shared with parents and carers at the beginning of each school term.

Excursions and incursions form part of curriculum learning or enhance another aspect of your child’s development, such as social justice, cyber safety or appreciation for the arts. An excursion levy is included in annual school fees. Occasionally, some parents and carers may be requested to attend excursions as helpers.

Participation in curriculum based sport occurs weekly and is led by Zing Activ. Programs include dance, skipping, sport skills, athletics and gymnastics. Participation in curriculum based swimming occurs annually and is led by qualified swimming instructors. Participation in annual athletics, cross country and swimming carnivals also forms part of curriculum based physical sport.

Extra-curricular opportunities

The range of extra-curricular activities includes:

• Chess (lessons provided by Sydney Academy of Chess)

• Debating (can include interschool competition)

• Lunch clubs such as craft, First Nations and social games, languages, mindful colouring, origami

• Mini Vinnies and the Pope Francis Awards

• Public speaking (can include interschool competition)

• Interschool sport opportunities for Stages 2 and 3, representative sport opportunities for students with a disability, and for elite athletes including Athletics, Australian Rules Football, Basketball, Cricket, Cross-country running, Diving, Golf, Hockey, Netball, Rugby League, Rugby Union, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Tennis, Touch football, and Water Polo

Home learning

Home learning can be a valuable opportunity for parents and carers to gain insight into their child’s learning and progress, and for students to consolidate learning, develop good time management and organisational habits and access out of school learning resources.

However, we recognise that home learning is one of many out of school hours activities many children and families juggle. Primary school home learning should not become a point of tension or conflict in your household. If this emerges as an issue, organise a discussion with your child’s teacher.

No home learning tasks will be set for weekends or school holiday periods. However, reading with or to a parent or carer and discussing the text is recommended daily, including out of term time.

Newman Selective Education Program

St James is accredited as an SCS Newman Gifted Education School. Newman Selective Gifted Education Program schools offer a wide range of opportunities that cater for a variety of gifted learners and support students’ social and emotional needs. By focusing on gifted students’ strengths, the program supports all gifted students, including twice exceptional, Additional Language or Dialect (EAL/D), Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, and underachievers.

Gifted Education is the provision of a range of developmentally appropriate curriculum strategies for students who demonstrate high ability in one or more domains. These domains may include intellectual, creative, social and physical.

Newman schools provide high-quality professional learning for staff and an authentically rigorous program for gifted learners within a nurturing Catholic environment, providing holistic support for these students.

Professional planning and professional learning

Staff holding a leadership position, such as the Assistant Principal, Religious Education Coordinator and Instructional Specialist, are provided with release from classroom teaching throughout the school week. The amount of time given varies with the leadership role. 

Classroom teachers are also provided with time for professional planning  - a minimum of 120 minutes per week for a full time teacher. Professional Planning Time (PPT) is release from face-to-face classroom teaching; this time is to support teachers to plan for the learning outcomes for students, for example programming, professional reading and carrying out related administrative responsibilities. 

We also provide times throughout each semester for teachers to work collaboratively with curriculum experts to reflect, evaluate, plan,  program and analyse assessment data.