Our primary school (Prep to Year 6) is a community of learners that fosters relationships with parents, students and staff. Students are empowered to be responsible, take initiative and be active participants in their learning through reflection, goal setting and feedback.
With our philosophy focused on the development of the whole child, students are supported to flourish academically, physically, spiritually, socially and emotionally.
The primary curriculum is comprehensive and balanced with a focus on the following areas: English, Mathematics, Humanities, Science and Religious and Values Education. Specialist teachers guide creative and enriching learning experiences in Music, The Arts, Modern Languages (Mandarin and French), STEM and Physical Education.
Curriculum Overview
The teaching and learning programs in the primary school are informed by the Australian Curriculum with the following subjects being studied from Prep:
- English
- Mathematics
- Science
- STEM
- - Digital Technologies
- Humanities
- History, Geography (P-6), Civics and Citizenship (Years 3-6) and Business and Economics (Years 5-6)
- Health and Physical Education
- The Arts – Music, Visual Art and Drama (P-4)
- Languages (French and Chinese)
Differentiated Learning
From Pre-Prep, teachers use differentiated teaching as a strategy to ensure all students experience challenge, success and improved learning.
The primary Core Plus Cluster programis a manifestation of this commitment to differentiation and comprises two components: the Core program, taught to students in their particular year level, and the Cluster program, where students learn within vertical groups based on like abilities and needs. These flexible groupings are clustered in Prep to Year 2, Years 3 and 4, and Years 5 and 6.
Literacy and Numeracy
St Margaret’s students are supported to develop strong foundational literacy and numeracy skills, critical building blocks for their future learning.
Specialist teachers such as a Literacy Coordinator/Coach and Mathematics Specialist bring a higher level of expertise to literacy and numeracy development in the primary years.
The school has developed a custom, systematic, cumulative and explicit approach to the teaching of literacy in the early years, which embodies the most recent research and the most effective elements from a range of approaches to and theories of early literacy instruction. The program is fast paced, whilst also being highly responsive to individual needs, and student learning is closely monitored and tracked across the early years of primary with opportunities to support/extend students as necessary.
STEM Learning
Learning in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) is highly valued at St Margaret’s. Early STEM education sparks students’ innate curiosity about the world and develops future-focused skills, including creativity, problem solving and innovative thinking.
From Pre-Prep, students participate in timetabled STEM lessons with a specialist teacher in the Atelier, a space dedicated to food technology, tinkering, design and construction, robotics, environmental studies, media studies, science and materials technology.