Jackson School Staff Bulletin

Learning

Victorian Curriculum 2.0

The Learning SIT have commenced work this year on transitioning to the Victorian Curriculum 2.0 in 2025. Work is underway to modify the Goal Banks and Jackson Essential Curriculum to launch at our Curriculum Day 1. PLTs have had access to our priority goal areas in their Term 4 planning days. The structure remains very familiar to the first iteration but includes updated content descriptions and achievement standards. It also includes three new foundation skills: Digital Literacy, Literacy and Numeracy.

 

Levels A-D

 

Full implementation of the Mathematics curriculum Version 2.0 is required in 2025, except for Foundation levels A to D, where implementation is optional in 2025 and full implementation is required in 2026.

 

The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) released Victorian Curriculum F–10 Version 2.0: Mathematics Foundation Levels A to D on Wednesday 22 January 2025.

 

Levels A to D (Towards Foundation) curriculum has a new name. After a consulting with key stakeholders, it will now be known as Foundation Levels A to D. The curriculum retains familiar Levels A to D terminology, while recognising these levels as part of the continuum of learning in the Victorian Curriculum F–10 Version 2.0.  Foundation Levels A to D comprises 4 levels:  

  • FLA – Foundation Level A 
  • FLB – Foundation Level B 
  • FLC – Foundation Level C 
  • FLD – Foundation Level D

The curriculum, scope and sequence, comparison of curriculum, Mathematics glossary additions, an introductory document and a video will be published early in Term 1, 2025. The English curriculum review is underway and scheduled to be completed in Term 3, 2025. All remaining curriculums will be published early 2026. Transition advice showing how the current Levels A to D (Towards Foundation) curriculum aligns to the Victorian Curriculum Version 2.0 Foundation level for English will be published soon. These will support schools during the transition when schools will be using current Levels A to D (Towards Foundation) curriculum with the Victorian Curriculum Version 2.0 in 2025. 

New Victorian Teaching & Learning Model (VTLM) - "Essential Elements of Teaching and Learning"

 

The Victorian Government announced revisions to the VTLM. The revisions have been informed by the recent work of and collaboration with the Australian Education Research Organisation.

 

The revisions provide a clear and concise framework based on 4 effective learning processes and 4 core elements of the teaching process.

 

The 4 elements of learning are:

  • student attention, focus and regulation
  • knowledge and memory
  • retention and recall
  • mastery and application.

The 4 elements of effective teaching are:

  • planning
  • enabling learning
  • explicit teaching
  • supported application.

It is expected all schools, as needed, will develop their teaching and learning programs to reflect this framework across all learning areas and grade and year levels. Commencing in 2025, schools have 3 years to complete any necessary changes.

 

As part of our new 2024-2028 School Strategic Plan we will work to incorporate these Essential Elements of Teaching and Learning (including Essential Literacy Elements) into our Jackson Teaching & Learning Model.

 

We understand that the Department will retire the High Impact Teaching Strategies (HITS) and incorporating these into the new VTLM 2.0, for example: explicit teaching. The HITS remain evidence based teaching strategies which all teachers should continue to employ in their teaching. The Evidence for Learning website gives a summary of the Teaching and Learning Toolkit aligned to the HITS which is still a useful resource. https://evidenceforlearning.org.au/education-evidence/aligned-evidence/hits

 

For more information, refer to the revised VTLM 2.0

Numeracy and Mathematics

Since 2013 our SSP has prioritised English for our professional learning. We have made huge progress to improving student's literacy outcomes with the Writing Cycle and Phonics roll out. In this SSP we will maintain our focus on literacy, mainly Foundational Literacy/Reading as mentioned above, as well as focusing on our student's real-life application of numeracy skills. Number strategies, money and time remain essential priorities for our students to develop skills for life. The Learning SIT have partnered with NJ Consulting who have been supporting us to develop a development continuum of skills with suggested strategies and resources. Nicole and Jessica will be delivering professional learning to teaching staff in Term 1. The Learning SIT have been working on rewriting our Jackson Goal Banks in line with the Victorian Curriculum 2.0 changes. This will be released in full once Foundation Levels A to D are available.

Getting to Know Your Students

 

New ILP revisions will be published in Week 5 of Term 1. These will be available to families through the Xuno Parent Portal. Staff can modify long term (content descriptions) or short term (progression statements) goals in Accelerus before these are published (Friday 7th March. Drafts due on 28th February). Parents will also be given an opportunity to discuss their child's new ILP goals with you in their Term 1 SSG . As part of the Disability Inclusion Reform, students funded under the PSD/DI are required to have four SSGs a year. We will maintain our two complusory SSGs in Terms 1 and 3 in a parent-teacher night style. Optional SSGs will be offered to families in Terms 2 and 4. Time has been built in (Wednesday afternoons) for teachers to complete SSGs with families as required and other Department mandated tasks and activities. Time-in-lieu for whole school events will be acquitted in subsequant weeks.

 

Time has been allocated in the first two weeks of Term 1 for staff to get to know their students and establish clear routines and expectations. These activities may include:

  • Relationship building activities
  • Establish Ready to Learn / Zones of Regulation Check-ins
  • Classroom Environment and Adjustments
  • Classroom Expectations (create your own from the PBIS posters)
  • Explicitly teach Whole Body Listening
  • Positive Greetings/Primers
  • Establish Orderly Transitions
  • Develop Differentiated Student Groupings (physical/ academic)
  • Formative and Summative assessments (new students)
  • Discuss what it means to be a Jackson Learner
  • Activity around students' aspirations
  • Activity around students' likes/dislikes/interests
  • Understanding what helps students learn
  • Develop Visible Learning Goals