Curriculum

Primary Years Program at GGLPS

GGLPS teaches the Australian curriculum using the Primary Years Program (PYP) of the International Baccalaureate as a framework to impart this. There are many different aspects to the Teaching and Learning program of the school and these are some of the rich learning experiences in which the students are involved.

Reports

As we come to the end of another year, there is a lot to reflect on in relation to your child/children and their learning. Families will receive student reports next Friday. These reports are a summary of learning over the year. 

Our reports show the Australian Curriculum achievement standard for each subject at the appropriate year level. This is the standard that teachers consider as they assess each student. They consider what the children know, understand and can do. The teachers have gathered evidence against these standards, and you will have seen a lot of this evidence on presented in Seesaw. At times, teachers also use the standards to construct rubrics so that students understand how they can complete tasks successfully.

As you read your child/children’s report, please remember that if a child’s achievement is assessed as satisfactory, it means that they are working at their year level standard. One criteria that I know parents value is the effort grading. This helps you to understand how your child is approaching their learning in each subject. We know that children who put in a lot of effort will achieve their potential and we encourage all children to apply themselves in doing their very best.

Our focus over the year is to look for growth in students. We look at where they started at the beginning of the year in what they know, understand and can do. We compare this to where they are at the end of the year. The characteristics of academic growth can be compared to the characteristics of growth in height of children. Children don’t grow at a consistent rate – they have slower times and growth spurts. This is also true for their learning. We monitor growth so that we can identify the optimum environment, mode and way for your child to learn. We reflect on how we can continue to best support all students to continue to develop as learners. Parents can use Seesaw as evidence of growth by looking back to the start of the year and comparing work samples.

Teachers will spend time over the next two weeks, sharing information about each child, with their 2023 teacher. We have a handover process that allows teachers to have an insight into what works best for each student so that the new school year begins in the best way possible.

Finally, thank you to you as parents, for partnering with us in the learning journey of your child. We know that your child will achieve the best outcomes in their learning if we support each other. We especially ask God’s blessings to be with our fantastic Year 6s as they move onto secondary education. It has been wonderful to have them as a part of our school community and a privilege to watch them grow.

Merry Christmas!

Jayne Zadow

Director of PYP, Teaching and Learning