Learning and Teaching

At St Brigid’s PS we are committed to delivering a high quality curriculum in a nurturing, inclusive and faith driven learning environment. We recognise and value the uniqueness of each child, by engaging all in the learning process through an array of evidence-informed and high impact teaching strategies. 

We strive to inspire and challenge all learners through relevant learning opportunities that foster success, lifelong learning and fullness of life for all. As a community, we are united by the warmth and integrity of St Brigid, priding ourselves on our child-centred approach to learning and teaching, where every child matters.

Our Pedagogy

Our pedagogy is underpinned by EDI (Explicit Direct Instruction). All lessons have clear Learning Intentions and Success Criteria to ensure learning is visible and explicit for all. 

It is always our aim for learning to transfer from short-term to long-term memory, as we consider the Cognitive Load Theory and implement the Gradual Release of Responsibility Model (I Do, We Do, You Do). Children are provided with opportunities for retrieval practise and to move their learning through the surface, deep and transfer phases of learning to further enhance mastery learning.

All learners are encouraged to remain active and accountable for their learning through the use of engagement norms, scaffolds, strategies to check for understanding, explicit corrective and affirmative feedback and goal setting.

As a Professional Learning Community, we are united in our collective teacher efficacy, strongly believing that together we can have a positive impact on student learning outcomes.

Religious Education

A comprehensive and sequential F-6 Religious Education curriculum  is delivered based on Awakenings, with the support of CEB’s Small Schools Scope and Sequence and Religious Units.

Literacy

We are committed to a Structured Literacy approach to all literacy instruction, applying a systematic, cumulative, explicit and diagnostic methodology to the teaching of phonology, sound symbol, syllables, morphology, syntax and semantics. This is in partnership with our active participation in the Diocese of Ballarat Catholic Education Structured Literacy Project.

We aim to deliver an evidence- informed literacy curriculum that embeds daily explicit instruction in the following areas: 

• Oral Language
• Phonological Awareness 
• Systematic Synthetic Phonics (Foundation to Year Two) 
• Fluency 
• Language and Reading Comprehension
• Vocabulary 
• Spelling (Spelling Mastery  Year Three to Year Six) 
• Grammar & Syntax  
• Writing
• Handwriting

Maths

We deliver five hours of mathematics in every classroom each week. Children from F-6 explore Number and Algebra, Measurement and Geometry, and Statistics and Probability concepts using an explicit instruction model, a range of hands-on materials and innovative teaching practices. 

Children actively participate in a Daily Maths Review to revisit previously taught concepts. They then engage in their explicit daily maths lesson to explore new mathematical concepts.

Auslan

We are committed to the teaching of Auslan 4-5 times per week, through the teachers as co-learners approach. Teachers utilise the Auslan - TCL Curriculum to deliver each session. All members of the community are encouraged to apply Auslan signs in their daily communications as St Brigid’s PS.

Social Emotional Learning

We use the Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships curriculum to explicitly teach strategies to ensure the social and emotional wellbeing of all children. This is further enhanced through ReLATE, Learning Dispositions and the teaching of positive behaviours using the St Brigid's Behaviour Matrix.

Inquiry

We cover key Victorian Curriculum learning areas and capabilities, such as, History, Geography, Technology and Science through our Inquiry and knowledge building lessons.

Specialist Subjects

In 2024 our Specialist Subjects are

Performing Arts, Physical Education, Visual Arts and STEM.

Learning Dispositions

We have high expectations for all learners and believe that all of our children can and will learn. Our Learning Dispositions are integral to each child’s growth and success, as we develop brave, collaborative, curious, perseverant and resilient learners. 

We explicitly teach our five Learning Dispositions from Foundation to Year Six and promote their application in all environments.