Planning & Reporting

All staff participate in Professional Learning Teams in the school. Staff work collaboratively in Year Level Teams to bring about positive student outcomes. 

Literacy

At St Leonards our goal is for every student to be able to understand, use and reflect on written texts in order to achieve their goals, to develop their knowledge and potential, and to participate effectively in society. The Australian Curriculum and the DECD Numeracy and Literacy Strategy form the basis for our literacy teaching and learning programs.

The Australian Curriculum tells us that:

Literacy involves students listening to, reading, viewing, speaking, writing and creating oral, print, visual and digital texts, and using and modifying language for different purposes in a range of contexts.

In South Australia the Numeracy and Literacy (Birth to 18) Strategy describes a 5 year plan for leading Numeracy and Literacy improvement. This is a plan to give children a great start from birth, build strong foundations as they enter the education system and develop into powerful lifelong learners.

Teachers plan literacy sessions which include instruction in reading, writing, word knowledge and oral language.

The Big 6 of reading informs our practice around reading.

PLD (Promoting Literacy Development) is used in classrooms as a consistent approach to the teaching of literacy across the school

Testing and data collection monitors and tracks student achievement, with a focus on both summative and formative assessment.

Common agreements exist in Year Level Teams to ensure consistency across classes. We encourage parents and caregivers to be partners in literacy learning through providing support with homework, modelling the purpose of reading, providing opportunities for children to practise their literacy skills (eg writing the shopping list), reading regularly to their children and to encourage reading for meaning and enjoyment.

Numeracy

‘Children who are able to apply mathematical understanding and communicate effectively in a range of contexts – economic, technical, scientific and social – are best placed to succeed in education and in life’.

At St Leonards we aim to develop mathematical understanding, fluency, logical reasoning, analytical thought and problem-solving skills in all our students through a mathematics curriculum which engages students with carefully paced, in-depth study of critical skills and concepts. Teachers help students to become self-motivated, confident learners through inquiry and active participation in challenging and engaging experiences.

Teaching and Learning programs across the school are based on the Australian Curriculum:

Staff track individual student progress, engage in professional learning and recognise connections between the areas of mathematics and other areas to develop an appreciation of mathematics as an accessible and enjoyable area of study. Our goal is for students at St Leonards to become confident, creative users and communicators of mathematics.

Student Wellbeing

The students of St Leonards School develop personal and social skills as they learn to understand themselves and others, and manage their relationships, lives, work and learning more effectively. Developing a culture of wellbeing involves students learning to recognise and regulate emotions, develop empathy for others and understand relationships, establish and build positive relationships, make responsible decisions, work effectively in teams, handle challenging situations constructively and develop leadership skills.

Students with well-developed social and emotional skills find it easier to manage themselves, relate to others, develop resilience and a sense of self-worth, resolve conflict, engage in teamwork and feel positive about themselves and the world around them. The development of personal and social capabilies is an important foundation for learning and for citizenship.