Especean

Whole School

Class Structures 2021

Across Term 4 last year, Coordinators and specialists were involved in using data and providing feedback to construct classes for 2021. It is essential that as professionals we engage in rich and genuine discussion around the structure and composition of all classes to best meet the learning needs of your son, and all students, at St Patrick’s College. It is a lengthy process involving many stakeholders over many weeks. We devote significant time to the process because we carefully consider a range of factors in constructing classes and we want to place all students as appropriately as possible. 

 

We have continued to adjust our processes for 2021, building on formal and informal assessment data and feedback from staff, students, and parents. Appropriate class placement is one aspect of our strategic intent to “support all learners to realise their potential and provide greater breadth and depth in learning experiences”. The following sets out class structures for 2021:

  • Year 5: all classes are mixed ability.
  • Year 6: one extension class and five mixed ability classes.
  • Year 7: one Advanced English class (7EN1), two Advanced Maths classes (7MA1 and 2), and one Advanced Core class (7RE1, 7GE/HI1, 7SCI1, 7PE1). We are also trialling a targeted intervention class for Year 7 Maths and English. Parents of students in these classes were notified via email at the end of last year. All other classes are mixed ability.
  • Year 8: one Advanced English class (8EN1), two Advanced Maths classes (8MA1 and 2), and one Advanced Core class (8RE1, 8GE/HI1, 8SC1, 8PE1, 8IT1). All other classes are mixed ability.
  • Year 9: In Mathematics, the accelerated group is the extension group (9MA1), with the remainder of students allocated to 5.1 – 5.3 pathways based on assessment results and teacher professional judgement. We have two Advanced English (9EN1 and 2), two Advanced Science (9SC1 and 5), and two Advanced Core (9RE1 and 5, 9GE/HI1 and 5, and 9PE1 and 5). All other classes are mixed ability.
  • Year 10: In Mathematics, the accelerated group is the extension group (10MA1), with the remainder of students allocated to 5.1 – 5.3 pathways based on assessment results and teacher professional judgement. We have two Advanced English (10EN1 and 2) and one Advanced Core (10RE1, 10GE/HI1, and 10PE1). All other classes are mixed ability.
  • The groupings for English, Maths, Core and Practical classes are all different and are based on data about students’ learning and pastoral needs.

Our Diverse Learning Coordinator, Mrs Janine Timillero, has been working with class teachers, Faculty Leaders and Pastoral Coordinators to refine and improve our identification of students to ensure suitable placement in the Advanced classes. These classes have been carefully constructed using multiple measures of student aptitude and ability, including school-based and external assessments but also referencing characteristics of giftedness, classroom performance and teacher professional judgement. The Advanced classes will be taught in alignment with pedagogical approaches appropriate for gifted students, with compacting of the curriculum, acceleration, enrichment and greater depth and breadth in learning experiences. 

 

Faculty Leaders, Year Coordinators and other specialists are also consulted after class lists are drafted. We aim to balance learning needs, behaviours, skills, and strengths across all classes.

 

Not every student who wants to be in an Advanced class will be placed in one and therefore, some students will naturally be disappointed. We ask you as parents to support the school and your son in continuing to work hard, communicate with his teachers, ask questions and remain engaged in his learning, regardless of the teacher he has or the class in which he is placed. 

 

Should you have any queries or concerns about your son’s placement for 2021, please contact Mr Ben Munday for Years 5 and 6, Mr Cutrupi for Years 9 and 10 electives and Years 11 and 12 or me for Years 7 – 10. You can be confident that we have worked very hard over many weeks to do our best in what is often a difficult process to get our classes just right. 

 

Denise Lombardo

Director of Learning and Innovation