Religious Education
St. Brendan's strive to nurture a diverse community centred on God, following the teachings of Jesus and integrating faith and life. Prayer and Religious Education lessons are part of our daily routine and Years 3-6 regularly attend Parish Mass. Christian Meditation is implemented as a whole school approach twice per week. Our school is involved in a Parish based Sacramental Program of Reconciliation, Eucharist and Confirmation.
Our Sandhurst Diocese uses the 'Source of Life' Religious Education Curriculum. Source of Life proposes that Religious Education in its fullest sense not only belongs to religious education program but it encompasses everything in the curriculum. It is about human flourishing in a deeply Christian understanding 'whatever makes a student more wise, more loving, more fully human is making the student reflect more fully the image of God.
Literacy
Our literacy programs are designed to maximise each students’ outcomes, ensuring that they achieve success. Our teachers work collaboratively in professional learning teams in our Junior, Middle and Senior Learning Communities, to raise and improve literacy outcomes for all students. Data is continually used to inform teachers’ planning and target student’s learning. All classes implemented daily to our literacy block with a focus on reading, writing and oral language. There is an agreed whole school approach to the literacy strategies that best support the learning needs of all students.
Our Reading Recovery Program for Year 1 students provides additional support for students who require assistance with reaching the literacy benchmarks. This intensive program allows a student to work one on one with the reading recovery teacher.
For some of our students English is their second language so appropriate teaching strategies are applied to support those students with their learning of English.
Other support programs in the area of literacy include small focus groups facilitated by learning support teachers, reading intervention and ESL classes.
Numeracy
Our numeracy programs are designed to maximise each students’ outcomes, ensuring that they achieve success. Our teachers work collaboratively in professional learning teams in our Junior, Middle and Senior Learning Communities, to raise and improve numeracy outcomes for all students. Data is continually used to inform teachers’ planning and target student’s learning. Students are actively involved in numeracy through a range of learning opportunities to ensure that individual needs are met.
Other support programs in the area of numeracy include small focus groups facilitated by learning support teachers, maths intervention and maths enrichment classes.