Curriculum

Learning at St Michael's takes place across seven Key Learning Areas:

• Religious Education
• English
• Mathematics
• Human Society and Its Environment (HSIE)
• Science and Technology
• Creative Arts
• Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE)

Students in Stage 3 (Years 5 and 6) also engage in learning in the area of languages (Italian); an optional component of the Human Society and Its Environment Key Learning Area.

The Empowerment, Engagement and Reflection of all our children is our ultimate goal. In getting to know our children all our curriculum development and teaching and learning programs are based on the analysis and reflection of assessment data.

English

‘Language is central to students' intellectual, social and emotional development and has an essential role in all key learning area’ – Board of Studies NSW, English K–6 Syllabus.

English learning at St Michael’s is grounded in the content and processes outlined in the NSW English Syllabus. Students learn to and about Talking & Listening, Reading, and Writing through a balanced literacy model. In a balanced literacy model, students learn though a combination of teacher modelling and demonstrating, shared or guided activities and independent activities.

Learning in English is supported by an extensive range of high-quality reading and library resources, and learning technology. Learning programs are provided for students with special education, non-English speaking background and communication needs. St Michael’s has a particular focus on early intervention; using the school's assessment and teaching resources to identify and assist students in need of support before the end of Stage 1 (Years 1 and 2).

Mathematics

The NSW Mathematics syllabus organises and directs learning in Mathematics across four content strands, namely Number, Patterns and Algebra, Measurement and Data, and Space and Geometry. It also has a process strand, Working Mathematically. Learning in Mathematics is grounded in the principles of Working Mathematically, i.e. developing the skills necessary to apply mathematical concepts in new and varied ways.

The continued development of Mathematics learning at St Michael’s has been a particular area of focus since 2002. Teachers have undergone a professional development process called REaL Maths (Reflection, Empowerment and Learning in Maths) to better understand the demands of the contemporary Mathematics curriculum. Significant acquisitions continue to be made to build upon the school's collection of teaching and learning resources.

Human Society and Its Environment

Human Society and Its Environment (HSIE) seeks to develop within children an understanding of the social and physical world in which they live, enabling them to function within it as just and active citizens. The NSW HSIE K–6 syllabus organises the curriculum content across four strands, namely Change and Continuity, Cultures, Environments and Social Systems and Structures. Students learn in HSIE through using an inquiry process of gathering, analysing, synthesising and applying information.

Science and Technology

In Science and Technology students learn about natural and built environments.

Study of these environments leads to a greater understanding of:

• buildings and structures
• information and communication
• living things
• physical phenomena
• products and services
• the earth and its surroundings.

The NSW Science and Technology curriculum facilitates learning about the subject matter of natural and built environments through the learning processes of investigating scientifically, and designing and making.

Subject matter in HSIE and Science and Technology can sometimes interrelate and often provides a meaningful context to facilitate learning of content and skills in other Key Learning Areas such as English, Mathematics and Creative Arts. Most grade excursions are chosen to support learning in either HSIE or Science and Technology.

Creative Arts

The NSW syllabus for Creative Arts includes four strands; Visual Arts, Music, Dance and Drama. Each develops its own skills in making, composing, performing, listening, organising sound, and appreciating as appropriate.

The Music strand of the Creative Arts curriculum is provided for in weekly lessons with the school's specialised music teacher. The Music program is further enriched by an annual performance and lesson sequence from one of the many Musica Viva music ensembles.

The school participates in a number of extra-curricular activities involving Creative Arts. The school has a choir directed by the music teacher, participates in Diocesan Creative Arts Festivals held every three years and has reached the state finals in the National Story Festival, Wakakirri.

Personal Development, Health and Physical Education

The state curriculum for Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE) seeks to develop the child as a whole person. Its aim is to develop within children a healthy lifestyle, a positive sense of self-worth, as well as sound personal decision making. Learning in PDHPE covers a broad range of knowledge, skills and values and attitudes in the areas of Fundamental Movement and Physical Activity, Healthy Choices, and Self and Relationships. A specialist teacher provides weekly physical education lessons that support the classroom PDHPE program.

For more information see our Sport page.