Teaching and learning

Curriculum Intent

We facilitate learning opportunities, adopted from the National and State curriculums to form the basis of our curriculum intent. 

a. National Curriculum:  English, Mathematics, Science, History and Geography.  Teachers design units to meet the key learning expectations.

b. Queensland Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting (QCAR) Framework (PDF, 102 KB) aligned programs for the Key Learning Areas – The Arts, Health and Physical Education, Technology and Languages other than English [LOTE].   Teachers design specific units to meet key learning expectations while working within the local context.  

Assessment

Students will be exposed to front end assessment where it is made explicit what the learning goals are for the unit of work. Students must have a clear understanding of what is valued and what is being assessed. This translates to teachers, demonstrating WALT (We are learning to...) and WILF (What I'm looking for...) in their daily lessons.

Teachers will also use formative assessments to feedback into their planning. Pre-tests, diagnostics tests and formative assessment will ensure that the curriculum is differentiated to meet individual learning needs. This information is also used to direct intervention and additional resources. Each year level will have common assessment tasks and predetermined levels of expectation. Our main goal of formative assessment is to ensure that the strengths and challenges of each learner are identified and acted upon.

Sequencing Teaching and Learning

Our students set high expectations pertaining to what they want to achieve and are active participants in the learning process. Central concepts to the teaching and learning process at Victoria Point State School include multiple opportunities to succeed, high quality feedback to students [and indirectly back to teachers], front end assessment, effective use of ICT in learning experiences, use of exemplars, modelling, inclusion of higher order thinking skills [such as reflection], use of the assessable elements and use of collaboratively developed GTMJs [Guide to Making Judgements].

Consistency to our school means differentiating the curriculum for our students, not devising a ‘one size fits all’ philosophy. Hence there is a strong emphasis on meeting individual needs and teachers designing individual programs specific to learning needs.

Making Judgements

Teachers are supported to make consistent judgements through Year Level Moderation Meetings. Teachers will employ a range of moderation techniques including pre calibration and post cross checking methods throughout the year. Teachers have pre-determined cut-offs for assessment items if they are deploying tests. Teachers are required to use Curriculum to Classroom and Assessment Bank Items to help ensure consistency of judgement within the school’s Curriculum Framework.

Feedback

Providing feedback is central to improving student learning.  Whether the feedback is to;

•  students about what they have been able to successfully achieve or 
•  teachers about what their students already know and what they need to learn next.

Feedback is focused on front end assessment expectations or learning goals that have been identified by both the teacher and student.

We believe that feedback to students:

•  is timely
•  focuses on what the student has done well
•  is informative and purposeful
•  is effective when students engage in self-feedback and peer-feedback
•  is focused on the quality of student performance and not on the student
•  gives specific information about what to do next
•  challenges students to use higher order thinking
•  requires students to take action and responsibility
•  can be capitalised on when multiple opportunities are given to students.