St John Paul II Catholic Primary School supports parents in the faith formation of their children by providing a range of rich experiences to develop faith and religious knowledge.
Curriculum
Religious Education
Being a Catholic School, Religious Education is our first learning area and underpins all curriculum content. The school’s Religious Education program is a systemic and sequenced program that is taught in context with the same academic rigour as all other areas of the curriculum. Guided units of work, mandated by the Bishops of Western Australia are sequenced to help children relate to the Catholic faith within their daily lives. The Religious Education aims to help students learn the teachings of the Gospel as proclaimed by the Catholic Church. Students develop a sense of the nature of Christianity and how Christians live their lives as part of their learning through the study of units on the following themes: Baptism, Penance, Eucharist, Confirmation, Church, Bible, Prayer and Jesus.
The school works closely with the parish in preparing for and celebrating the sacraments. While the school has a responsibility in preparing our students to receive the sacraments of Reconciliation, Eucharist and Confirmation, this is done as part of a parish based sacramental program. Integral to this program are the interactive workshops and retreats for sacramental candidates and their parents.
Religious education lessons across the school are in addition to prayer and participation in Liturgies of the Word and Eucharist. Catholic values are integrated within subjects across the curriculum and are evidenced in our daily interactions with each other.
The religious education of the students is paramount and we ask families to journey with us on this path of exciting learning with their children. Family prayer and attendance at Sunday Mass and other Parish liturgies helps children in their faith development.
Literacy
St John Paul II Catholic Primary School recognises literacy as an essential skill for students in becoming successful independent learners in all learning areas.
Students become literate as they develop the knowledge, skills and dispositions to interpret and use language confidently for learning and communicating in and out of school and for participating effectively in society.
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.
Our Literacy strategies are based on the WA Curriculum, the Literacy Strategy of Catholic Education WA, the Catholic Education WA Vision for Learning and the The Early Years Learning Framework.
St John Paul II Catholic Primary School uses the ‘Talk for Writing’ approach developed by Pie Corbett. ‘Talk for Writing’ enables students to read and write independently for a variety of audiences and purposes within different subjects. A key feature is the internalisation of the language structures needed to write through ‘talking the text’, as well as close reading. The approach moves from dependence towards independence, with teachers using a gradual release model of teaching to develop the ability in children to write creatively and powerfully.
St John Paul II Catholic Primary School’s focus is on developing confident readers who foster a love for reading from an early age. This is achieved through synthetic based phonics in the early years and explicit instruction in using comprehension strategies, alongside building reading fluency. These skills are taught explicitly and embedded across the curriculum.
Numeracy
At Saint John Paul II Catholic Primary School, we strive towards ensuring all students from Kindergarten to Year 6 achieve their best in Mathematics.
Our programs are based on the West Australian Curriculum, the Early Years Learning Framework and our School Strategic plan to develop, strengthen and master mathematical skills for success.
From Pre-primary to Year 6, teachers implement the iMaths program, a comprehensive program that delivers a balanced approach to support and extend students. Teachers deliver content via explicit instruction that begins at the whole class level, working towards smaller groups catering to individual needs and understanding, and providing one to one support. This is to ensure students have a firm foundation of each mathematical concept in their learning journey. Mental math strategies are also incorporated to strengthen basic skills and review the mastery of key concepts.
In both Literacy and Numeracy, initial assessments are conducted to inform the starting point for instruction. These may take the form of one-to-one assessments, standardised tests, in class tasks as well as NAPLAN data. Ongoing assessment and monitoring of student growth in achievement occurs to ensure that students are making gains and reaching their potential.
Indonesian (L.O.T.E)
At St John Paul II Catholic Primary School Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian) is taught as a Language Other than English (LOTE).
There is evidence to show that learning a second language assists students in better mastering literacy in their first language. It provides students the opportunity to experience a different linguistic structure and to fully immerse themselves in another country’s culture. It also allows students to recognise, appreciate and respect cultural differences.
By studying Indonesian, the students at St John Paul II Catholic Primary School gain a unique insight into the culture of the Indonesian people. The LOTE program at our school is inclusive of all students from Pre-Primary upwards and uses collaborative, practical, hands on activities which give students opportunities to develop social skills. The students can use these skills across all learning areas.
Indonesian lessons are taught for 45 minutes at a time. The students are encouraged to demonstrate their learning through ‘real-life’ oral, role-play situations.
Science
St John Paul II Catholic Primary School offers a Specialist Science program for students in Pre-Primary to Year Six that develops skills in Science Understanding, Science as a Human Endeavour and Science Inquiry Skills.
Students work in structured, collaborative teams to learn about Biological Science, Chemical Science, Earth and Space Science and Physical Science.
Children are naturally curious and have an innate sense of wonder. Science at St John Paul II Catholic Primary School aims to nurture this curiosity and allow students to ask questions and develop the skills they need to answer those questions.
We aim to make science fun and hands on while making sense of the real world around us. Through games and play, we hope engagement in this Learning Area will help our students to find out things for themselves.
Physical Education
Students at St John Paul II Catholic Primary School participate in a Physical Education program that aims to provide students with the essential knowledge, practical skills and the collaborative teamwork skills to enable students to successfully participate in teams within a sporting environment.
From Pre–Primary to Year 2 Physical Education lessons focus on developing fundamental movement skills through games and exercise routines designed to challenge and extend students. The Kindy and Pre- Primary students also participate in a Perceptual Motor Program that encompasses a range of fundamental movement skills such as balancing, jumping, kicking and throwing. Students learn the skills in small steps and sequence, and then adapt these skills into more complex activities. By developing these fundamental skills at a young age, it helps to create confidence and determination in our students.
Students from Years 3-6 are exposed to a range of different sports and are given the opportunity to practise their skills in game situations. Year 5 & 6 students may participate in Interschool basketball, cricket, netball, soccer, AFL, tennis, volleyball and tag rugby carnivals throughout the year.
St John Paul II Catholic Primary School holds annual Cross Country and Athletics carnivals that involve all students. Selected students from Years 3-6 have the opportunity to represent the school at Interschool athletics and cross-country carnivals.
Music
St John Paul II Catholic Primary School provides opportunities for every student to learn, participate and explore music.
The school is dedicated to giving the students a music program that develops their creativity and skills in music and the arts.
Music lessons are 45-minute sessions with the music specialist during which time students from Pre-Primary to Year 6 will sing, perform and learn music theory.
Students are introduced to various instrument’s during their music lessons including, African drums, recorder, glockenspiels, percussion instruments, boom whackers and guitar.
There will be opportunities during the year for students to showcase the learning they have undertaken in music through performances including:
- Classroom performance in front of the grade
- Assembly performance in front of the school
- Carol singing at the End of Year P&F event
- Hymn Singing
Visual Art
The Visual Arts programme at St John Paul II Catholic Primary School allows students to acquire the skills and techniques to enable them to express their ideas creatively and with confidence. They are given every opportunity to express their ideas in a calm and supportive environment.
The program aims to develop the knowledge, understanding, skills and problem-solving techniques to ensure that students grow in curiosity, imagination and enjoyment. Students will be encouraged to always have a go and to share their thoughts and feelings as they develop their art knowledge and acquire critical and creative thinking to shape their ideas.
Students are provided with many opportunities to share, cultivate and convey their creative ideas with others within the designated art learning space.
Over the course of a year students engage in the elements of Visual Arts based on the Western Australian Curriculum. Through a diverse range of mediums, the students have the opportunity to explore their ideas by using direct experience, observation, curiosity, research, imagination and emotion.
During lessons, students are encouraged to interpret and reflect upon their own work, that of their peers and also works of famous artists from the past, contemporary Australian and International artists. As they become more familiar with different artists, students will develop their awareness of the role of visual arts in human experience and learn to respect diverse these rich traditions, histories and cultures.
Visual Arts at St John Paul II Catholic Primary School is not taught in isolation. It is viewed as only part of the journey to nurture and discover the many gifts and talents of the students.
