Education at St Robert's
Teachers at St Robert’s School are committed to explicit, systematic and responsive instruction. Everything our teachers do is underpinned by establishing the conditions for learning, building knowledge and securing success for our students.
Establishing the conditions for learning
Every student has the right to learn in a calm and orderly environment. St Robert’s has developed school wide routines and expectations to allow students to focus on their learning. We aim to minimise disruption and maximise instructional time.
Knowledge building
We teach a knowledge-rich curriculum, and equip all students with the solid foundations of literacy and numeracy.
Securing success
We ensure our students feel and are successful. Securing success builds motivation and gives our students the fundamental knowledge and skills required to think creatively and critically, and to engage in problem solving.
English
Our English block is organised into two main blocks based on decades of evidence about the most effective and efficient ways to teach children to read, spell and write: Core Literacy and English
Core Literacy
Students are taught the fundamental skills of decoding and spelling, handwriting, sentence structure and grammar, following school-wide scope and sequences.
The following programs and approaches support our English Curriculum:
Spelling Mastery
The Writing Revolution
English
Students at St Robert’s will engage in daily read-alouds, explicit vocabulary instruction and extended writing tasks through their knowledge building English Units and Novel Studies. The ambitious and rigorous scope and sequence spans from Foundation to Year Six and allows students to build on knowledge and skills learnt in previous years. It features engaging units such as Ancient Greek Civilizations, and the Vikings.
Mathematics
Our comprehensive Mathematics curriculum is organised by three strands set out in the Victorian Curriculum – Number and Algebra, Measurement and Geometry, and Statistics and Probability.
Students at St Robert’s engage in carefully planned lessons based on the Explicit Direct Instruction (EDI) model. This means that teachers explain and model new concepts and skills before guiding students to practise new skills in an interactive and responsive environment.
Students will have opportunities to build fluency at school and at home using Numbots (F-2) and Times Tables Rockstars (3-6).
Science:
Years 5 & 6
The science program at St Robert’s aims to develop students’ scientific knowledge through a knowledge-rich curriculum. Throughout the year, students will engage with work in the areas of biological, chemical, physical and earth sciences.
Students undertake scientific investigations and continually make connections with the theory behind each concept.
They write scientific reports encouraging them to hypothesise, record observations, and provide explanations and reasons for different scientific phenomena.
STEM
Students from Foundation to Year 6 engage in STEM Specialist classes once a week. Sessions provide students with opportunities to communicate and collaborate and allows students to solve problems and develop computational thinking. Students are given learning opportunities that foster curiosity, confidence, persistence, innovation, creativity, respect and cooperation. Our STEM Lab is well equiped with some amazing technical resources such Bee Bots, Edison Robots, WeDo and Spike LEGO, DUPLO Coding Express, Spheros and Makey Makeys. Using these tools, students have the opportunity to code, problem solve, apply critical and creative thinking skills.
We also recognise the importance of teaching children about how to safely and positively engage with the online world. Cybersafety, Digital Citizenship, cyberbullying, online etiquette, protecting their personal information, appropriate use of apps and devices and accessing or sharing inappropriate content, are some of the common issues covered regularly. We follow the Cyber Safety Project Curriculum from Foundation to Year 6. This is also supported by our Acceptable User Policies.
Physical Education
Physical Education at St Robert’s provides students with a safe learning environment where they are given the opportunity to engage in physical activity that can be stimulating, challenging and where having fun is a priority.
The Health and Physical Education domain provides students of all ages with skills, experiences and knowledge to assist them to develop their physical, mental, social and emotional health.
St Robert’s students are provided opportunities to develop an understanding of these concepts through sessions which engage :
Human Movement - gross and fine motor movements to develop major fundamental motor skills;
Physical Activity - learning about changes to the body caused by participation in sport as well as feelings associated with participation in physical activity;
Human Relations - working in pairs or small groups cooperatively, modifying games to allow all students to participate, reinforcing fair play and respect of all participating and
Safety - defining the difference between safe and unsafe behaviour, using equipment safely and developing rules and reinforcing appropriate places and spaces to play.
The students at St Robert’s enjoy a Physical Education session per week with a specialist teacher and then are given opportunities over the week to be physically active with their classroom teachers as well. During these times there are both structured and cooperative play sessions. At the beginning of the year there is a strong focus on teamwork, listening to and following instructions, respecting each other and equipment, playing safely and always trying to do your Personal Best.
Visual Arts:
Foundation to Year 3
Visual Art at St Robert’s provides students with a stimulating and safe learning environment in which they are given the opportunity to engage in appreciation of art, appropriation of art and the creation of individual pieces.
Students are given the opportunity to produce a range of artworks, drawing on inspiration from famous and local artists. They engage in the use of different materials and discuss their own and others works of art. Our art space allows for both collaborative and individual work.
Mrs Humphries draws upon the Victorian Curriculum and her own talent as an artist and Art Therapist to immerse our students in weekly 'hands on' lessons. Throughout the year students participate in a range of exciting projects including local gallery exhibitions and other school based projects.
Music:
Foundation to Year 4
At St Robert’s School, Music and the Performing Arts are seen as important areas of learning. Such creative expression contributes to the total development of the child including their physical, intellectual, social, aesthetic and emotional development.
St Robert’s offers an enriching music program which is designed to develop student’s confidence to be creative, innovative, thoughtful, skillful and informed musicians. Students use their skills to listen, improvise, compose, interpret, perform, and respond with intent and purpose. They experiment with a range of instruments and technology and use their imagination, music skills and knowledge to create their own unique sounds.
Students from Foundation to Year Four have a weekly, fun-filled and active Music lesson which incorporates aspects of the Drama and Dance curriculum.
In Foundation, Year One and Year Two, emphasis is on developing a repertoire of songs, games and activities specifically chosen to encourage tuneful and accurate pitch and singing techniques. They play percussion instruments, sing, and move to the beat in order to develop spatial and body awareness.
Students in Year Three and Year Four explore the elements of music as they improvise, arrange, compose and accurately perform music using body percussion and a variety of tuned and untuned instruments. As well as the marimbas, xylophones and glockenspiels, during these years students are introduced to woodwind and string instruments (recorder and ukulele.) They formulate responses to music, exploring various purposes and intentions for music in their own and other cultures.
All aspects of Performing Arts are brought together and beautifully expressed in our annual School Concert.
Wellbeing:
Years 4 to 6
During weekly Wellbeing lessons, the Year 4-6 students complete The Resilience Project Curriculum.
In these lessons, students learn the benefits of Gratitude, Empathy, and Mindfulness.
These lessons also incorporate Emotional Literacy, Connection, and Physical Health education and activities as they are foundational contributors to positive mental health.
Students also explore other areas such as social skills, body positivity, and respectful relationships.
For more information, click here.
St Robert’s is committed to supporting the social and emotional wellbeing of all students to develop social skills, confidence and academic and behaviour success for all.