School Philosophy

Student learning is the core business at St. John Vianney’s. We believe that the total development of each child has a high priority and we encourage the children to realise their potential.

Our policies and practices are child-centred and are designed to consider everyone’s needs. Student outcomes and ways to achieve the best possible outcome for each student remain the core business of the school. While the academic areas of literacy and numeracy remain important areas of focus, St John Vianney’s also recognises the importance of the social, emotional, physical and spiritual growth of students and strives to provide an environment which nurtures this.

Literacy

At St. John Vianney’s, literacy is central to all learning and staff are committed to raising the literacy outcomes for all students. All classes implement a daily two hour literacy block which comprises Reading, Writing and Oral Language. There is an agreed whole school approach to the strategies that best support the learning needs of all students.

Our main aims for essential learning in literacy are for students to:

• read with understanding

• speak with fluency, expression and confidence

• develop their vocabulary

• communicate their ideas in writing

• develop their multi modal communication skills

The school recognises that for many of our students English is their second language so appropriate teaching strategies are applied to support those students with their learning of English.

The school runs a Reading Recovery Program for Year 1 students requiring additional support in reading. This intensive program allows a student to work one on one with the reading recovery teacher.

Mathematics

At St. John Vianney's we recognise that mathematics is an important part of everyday life. Number, space and measurement, chance and data are common aspects of most people's mathematical experience in everyday personal, study and work situations.

Our main aims for essential learning in school mathematics are for students to:

• demonstrate useful mathematical and numeracy skills for successful functioning in society

• solve practical problems with mathematics

• develop specialist knowledge in mathematics that provides for further study in the discipline

• see mathematical connections and be able to apply mathematical concepts, skills and processes in posing and solving mathematical problems

• be confident in one's personal knowledge of mathematics, to feel able both to apply it, and to acquire new knowledge and skills when needed

• be empowered through knowledge of mathematics as a numerate citizen, able to apply this knowledge critically in societal and political contexts develop understanding of the role of mathematics in life, society and work

Integrated Inquiry Learning

Each term levels focus on a particular concept as a part of their learning. The aim of the Inquiry Curriculum is for students to investigate and answer questions that are of particular interest to them in relation to the concept. This approach ensures that learning is both meaningful and relevant to the students.

Each term a rich concept (eg. identity) is explored from Foundation (Prep) to Year 6. The rich concept is also developed in conjunction with the Victorian Curriculum.

Specialist Programs

At St John Vianney’s a specialist program in Library/ICT, Indonesian, Physical Education/Sport & Performing Arts is offered to students.

ICT

The use of ICT at St. John Vianney's incorporates the use of a variety of resources to best support the learning of the students and to develop the skills necessary to develop their knowledge and understanding of the world in which they live. The students at St John Vianney's school have access to ICT resources in a variety of settings. Within the school library there is a class set of computers. This is complemented with computer pods and class computers throughout the school. Each class has an interactive whiteboard and use of laptops and iPads.

Intervention Programs

• Reading Recovery in Year 1

• Levelled Literacy Intervention

• Number Intervention in Years 1 - 4

• Speech Pathology Programs