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Curriculum Development in the Cairns Diocese

A Way Forward

Curriculum Development – A Way Forward

Version ControlAugust 15, 2008 - Original document written by John Mula (AED – Learning and Teaching) in collaboration with members of the Curriculum Team.

REVISION HISTORY

Date Changes Author AED – Learning and Teaching

September 12, 2008 Various after consultation with Diocesan Principals

John Mula John Mula

January 28, 2009 Proposed Timeline for Curriculum Development in schools

John Mula John Mula

August 05, 2009 Curriculum review Checklist and Criteria Sheet

Christine Masters John Mula

February 17, 2010 Inclusion of Process for Validation implemented in Term Four, 2009

Christine Masters Ursula Elms

April 6, 2010 Inclusion of:Appendix 4: Sample Unit PlanAppendix Five - Assessment Task Sheet


August 26, 2010 Various edits after consultation with Secondary Principals, DP Curriculums and HODs


December 12, 2010 Update to Australian Curriculum


April 8, 2011 Various edits after proof reading by Susan O’Donnell

Christine Masters Susan O’Donnell

December 9, 2013 Change wording from perspectives to prioritiesUpdate forms


Catholic Education Services Diocese of Cairns 1


Table of Contents

Preamble............................................................................................................................................ 3The Catholic School Identity – Learning with Faith and Vision...........................................................3Educational Philosophy...................................................................................................................... 4Changing Nature of Learning..............................................................................................................5Key relationships that contribute to quality learning and teaching...................................................5Curriculum in Australia – National and State Reforms since 1989.....................................................6Phases of Learning..............................................................................................................................8

Years P – 2.................................................................................................................................. 8

Years 3–6....................................................................................................................................8

Years 7/8 –10..............................................................................................................................8

Years 11 and 12..........................................................................................................................9

Curriculum Planning and Delivery......................................................................................................91. Diocesan Learning Framework...................................................................................................9

2. School Based Curriculum Planning...........................................................................................10

3. Planning, Assessing and Reporting...........................................................................................10

4. School Based Curriculum Plan Development............................................................................13

5. Assessing Student Achievement...............................................................................................14

6. Reporting student achievement...............................................................................................15

7. External National, State and International Testing...................................................................16

8. Timeline for Curriculum Development in schools.....................................................................17

Appendix One: Curriculum Reform in Australia...............................................................................18Appendix Two: Process for Validation..............................................................................................19

Curriculum Review Criteria...........................................................................................................20

Appendix Three: Sample LA Plan......................................................................................................23Appendix Four: Cross Curriculum Priorities......................................................................................26Appendix Five: General Capabilities.................................................................................................28Appendix Six: Sample Unit Plan........................................................................................................31Appendix Seven: Assessment Tools..................................................................................................37Appendix Eight: Assessment Task and Criteria Sheet.......................................................................38



PreambleThe purpose of this document is to inform curriculum planning, implementation and accreditation in the Cairns Diocese in light of development of an Australian Curriculum.

It serves as a source document for school and whole community discussion on the nature and development of curriculum in Catholic schools and provides a framework for a consistent approach to curriculum delivery in the Cairns Diocese.

Specific aspects of this document could be used to inform parents and communities in matters relating to the delivery of curriculum in Catholic schools in the Cairns Diocese.

The Catholic School Identity – Learning with Faith and VisionCatholic schools have been part of Australian education for over 180 years. Over that period of time there have been many historical changes in education but what has remained constant has been Catholic education's focus on the development of the individual, academically, spiritually, emotionally and as a member of their community and their changing world. Many aspects of Catholic school life combine to create this nurturing environment. One of these aspects is the formal curriculum of the Catholic school.

Our Catholic school communities engage in the mission of the Church through daily active living of the Gospel. It follows that learning and teaching in a Catholic school involves bringing together faith, culture and life to make meaning of the world and form the basis for personal transformation.

The Catholic school responds to its mission by offering a particular cultural experience that is grounded in ‘…a Christian view of the world, of culture and of history’.

(Catholic Schools on the Threshold of the Third Millennium 1997)

This means that a Christ-centred orientation is evident in all aspects of school life including relationships, structures, celebrations and routines, as well as the formal curriculum. It is reasonable to expect that a school embedded in this Catholic view will display certain fundamental and distinguishing characteristics. These should include a commitment to:

being grounded in the local Christian community that is centred on the person of Jesus and guided by gospel values;

fostering the total development of all its students; participating in the evangelising mission of the Church; assisting students to integrate their faith, their culture & their experiences of life; displaying a fundamental option for the poor and the marginalised; offering service to individuals, society and the wider culture; transforming society, hastening the kingdom which Jesus announced.

Thus, Catholic school students are informed and formed in the light of the Catholic Christian tradition. We see ourselves as a community of lifelong learners aiming to make sense of our world and challenged to become active, engaged and ethical citizens. Therefore our Catholic schools offer a ‘values added’ curriculum in which the cultural and religious dimensions of learning are interwoven to form the fabric of the school.


LIVING RELATIONSHIPSWhole People, Whole Learning,

Whole Communities and Whole EnvironmentsLiving Relationships is a cohesive overarching framework, linked to Catholic school identity, to strengthen relationships, nurture wellbeing and invigorate learning and teaching.It is a strengths-based, preventative / interventional, whole of community model, incorporating the knowledge and

skills, processes and practices of learning communities specifically centred on building internal capacity (attitudes, values and skills) and strengthening the environmental

factors (Home, School & Community) that impact all learners in preparing them for life and for a life of learning based on multi-dimensional relationships as the platform for all learning


Educational Philosophy In the context of rapid change, schools are working to provide their students with education, which will empower them to take their place in the world as spiritual, moral, well integrated persons, contributing positively to the life of the church and the wider society.

“….school should be able to offer young people and the means to acquire the knowledge they need to find a place in a society, which is strongly characterised by technical and scientific skill. But, at the same time, it should be a place, above all, to impart a solid Christian formation. And for the Catholic school to be a means of education in the modern world, we are convinced that certain fundamental characteristics need to be strengthened.”

(Catholic Schools on the Threshold of the Third Millennium 1997)

For Catholic schools in the Cairns Diocese there are three key dimensions that contribute to the overall philosophy of our Schools and Colleges. All dimensions operate independently and interdependently to form our Catholic School Identity. They are:

LEARNING AND TEACHING DIMENSION

New models of learning are required for the 21st century learner.The student is at the centre of the learning, building on their prior experiences and expanding their knowledge and understanding.The role of the teacher is to facilitate and support this learning and to make judgments on the choice of particular learning outcomes and teaching strategies which will enable the student to grow holistically.

RELIGIOUS DIMENSIONSpiritual development aligns with the Catholic faith within sustainable and enriched communities.Develop students’ capacity to lead an integrated, Christ-centred life.Nurture a community where people can reflect, practice and express their faith through reflection, ritual and prayer.Communicate explicit beliefs and values in the Catholic Christian traditionStrong spiritual leadership demonstrated by teachers and staff

ORGANISATION DIMENSIONSeek to create a culture of service and communion founded on the principles of collegiality, subsidiarily and common good.Promotes complimentary services, inter-dependence and co-responsible leadership for missionLeadership is an expression of Christian Baptism and management entails the application of efficient and effective systems


Kingdom Vision and Church Mission


Changing Nature of LearningLearning has always been one of the most natural of all human activities, unlocking the capacity for change, growth and renewal. It is fundamental to achievement and self-esteem in later life and, in partnership with parents, is the core responsibility of our school staff and schools leadership.

However we recognize that the nature of learning in the 21st century has changed. Students of the current generation inhabit a highly technological and information rich world that has experienced an information explosion, significant and rapid changes to society, as well as change to national and international economic structures. Young people increasingly live, socialise, create and work in the digital environment.

21st century education integrates technologies, engaging students in ways not previously possible, creating new learning and teaching possibilities, enhancing achievement and extending interactions with local and global communities.

(Contemporary Learning, Learning in an Online World MCEETYA 2005)

This environment creates both opportunities and challenges for learning and living in the 21st Century. Participation in 21st Century demands competence at higher levels in multi-literacies (e.g. critical, visual and information literacy).

Key relationships that contribute to quality learning and teachingCatholic education recognizes that the parent is the primary educator of their child, however there is a wise old saying that it takes a village to nurture a child. Catholic education recognizes that this nurturing is a partnership between the learner, the parent, the teacher and the parish in general community.

Learners and teachers bring with them rich life experiences and diverse religious, social and cultural backgrounds. Catholic schools offer a rich and relevant curriculum recognising that “every learner is, in some respect, like all others, like some others and like no other”1. Students are at the centre of the learning process and effective teaching assists the learner to make meaning of their world. This is achieved by providing creative and engaging opportunities for all within a safe, supporting and nurturing educational environment.

Quality learning and teaching in Catholic schools is informed by: The educational vision, mission, policies and strategic priorities2 of the Diocese of Cairns The Diocesan Learning Framework Contemporary educational research and practices The needs and the aspirations of students, their families and the local community The knowledge and skills of teachers and support staff The requirements of Government educational policies and directions.

1 Kluckhorn, Clyde, and Henry A. Murray (1948). Personality in Nature, Society and Culture. New York. Alfred K Knopf as quoted by Rakoczy, Susan (1992) "Unity, Diversity and uniqueness: Foundations of cross-Cultural Spiritual Direction" in Susan Rakoczy, ed. Common Journey, Different Paths Spiritual Direction in Cross Cultural Perspective. Maryknoll NY: Orbis Books, p102 Diocese of Cairns - Catholic Education Services (2005) Strategic Priorities for Catholic Schooling Diocese of Cairns 2005 -2009



Curriculum in Australia – National and State Reforms since 1989(Refer to Appendix 1)

In Hobart in 1989 State, Territory and Commonwealth ministers of education endorsed a set of agreed national goals for Australian schooling. What was to become known as the Hobart Declaration agreed that curriculum across Australia would be limited to eight ‘key learning areas’ or KLA’s. Within Catholic schools in Queensland, Religious Education is included as the tenth KLA.

Religious EducationEnglishMathematicsHealth and Physical Education (HPE)History

Languages other than English (LOTE)ScienceTechnologyThe ArtsGeography

This initial step lead to some level of commonality across the States regarding the actual subjects learnt in schools. For over a decade Catholic schools took up the challenge of the Hobart Declaration by implementing the key learning areas through an outcomes approach to learning. This approach to the delivery of curriculum recognized that students learn at different rates and have different styles of learning. Consequently teachers’ curriculum planning began to focus on the learner rather than the delivery of content and technical skills.

In 1999 the Adelaide Declaration on National Goals for Schooling in the Twenty-First Century was jointly signed by States, Territories and the Commonwealth. It was a significant agreement that committed all Australian governments to a national framework for schooling and established cooperation between governments as the means to achieve the best possible results for all Australian students. Jurisdictions endorsed a new set of goals that identified additional priority areas (for example, vocational education, information technology, literacy and numeracy, civics and citizenship); gave clear recognition to the particular learning needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students; and sharpened the focus on students and their learning outcomes.

As a result of the Adelaide Declaration, education in Queensland began a transition from an outcomes approach to a common framework for curriculum, assessment and reporting referred to as Queensland Curriculum Assessment and Reporting (QCAR). The focus of the QCAR Framework was to provide:

clarity of KLA syllabus documents consistency of what is taught across Queensland by specifying essential elements

(knowledge and capabilities) referred to as essential learnings a capacity for teachers to assess and make informed judgments about student work against

commonly applied standards a capacity for teachers to use information about student learning to inform future teaching

programs feedback to students about their learning a level of comparability of student reports to parents and carers.

Eight years on, the States and Territories reasserted the importance of national collaboration to promote high-quality schooling for all Australian students, whatever jurisdiction, school system or individual school is involved. As a result, in 2008, the Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians was signed by all States and Territories. It recognises the need for



fundamental changes in schooling – driven by technology and drawing on better information about how learners learn. “Literacy and numeracy and knowledge of key disciplines remain the cornerstone of schooling for young Australians. Schooling should also support the development of skills in areas such as social interaction, cross-disciplinary thinking and the use of digital media, which is essential in all 21st century occupations.

“As well as knowledge and skills, a school’s legacy to young people should include national values of democracy, equity and justice, and personal values and attributes such as honesty, resilience and respect for others.”

(Melbourne Declaration for Young Australians)

This declaration identified the following goals for schooling:

Goal 1:Australian schooling promotes equity and excellence

Goal 2:All young Australians become:

successful learners confident and creative individuals active and informed citizens

With the release of the Melbourne Declaration the Federal government formed a National Curriculum Board – Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) which was given responsibility for the development and implementation of a national curriculum (K-12), a national assessment program, national data collection and reporting.

The Australian Curriculum Board3 has stated a number of key principles:1. The curriculum should make clear to teachers what has to be taught, and to students what

they should learn and what achievement standards are expected of them in each stage of schooling.

2. The development of a national curriculum is intended to establish essential content and achievement standards for all students to invigorate a national effort to improve student learning in the selected subjects

3. There is an expectation that the Australian curriculum will set down ‘core’ content in a way that leaves opportunity for systems, schools and teachers to exercise discretion over some of the content; to reflect local and regional circumstances and to take advantage of teachers’ special knowledge and teachers’ and students’ interests.

4. Descriptions of content will make clear what should be covered and the knowledge, understandings and skills that students are to acquire or develop. Achievement standards will indicate the level of knowledge, understanding and skills that students are expected to achieve, usually at some particular point in time. Clear definitions of achievement standards should provide the means to set appropriately challenging expectations for all students

5. Ensure that student achievement will be reported on a five point scale and in a similar way nationally.

3National Curriculum Board, 2008, National Curriculum Development Paper http://www.ncb.org.au/verve/_resources/development_paper.pdf


http://www.ncb.org.au/verve/_resources/development_paper.pdf


Phases of Learning It is generally accepted that the mix of curriculum offered at a school depends partly on educational philosophy, partly on the community and year levels the school serves, and partly on the human and financial resources available to the individual school. In line with the Australian Curriculum, schooling in the Diocese will take account of the following characteristics of the learner and learning within four overlapping age bands.

YEARS P – 2The curriculum for students between 5 and 8 years of age will give priority to the foundational skills, knowledge and understanding that all children are expected to achieve to enhance their opportunities for continued learning, with priority to English and Literacy and Mathematics and Numeracy.

The curriculum will build on the national Early Years Learning Framework and will be designed to accommodate the varied learning experiences that children experience prior to school. The curriculum will value and accommodate the diverse social and cultural backgrounds and experiences that children bring to school.

A natural curiosity about their world and a desire to make sense of it provides children with a platform to construct and review their learning through interactions with others, through experimentation, practice and play in the classroom and beyond. This will assist them to make sense of a world that is outside their immediate experience, as they connect new knowledge with what they already know or believe. This should also provide an opportunity to, at times, challenge what they know or believe.

YEARS 3–6The curriculum for students between 8 and 12 years of age will be increasingly organised through distinct learning areas, while also seeking to highlight and promote links between learning areas and to deepen knowledge and understanding. While maintaining a priority on English and Literacy and Mathematics and Numeracy, the curriculum will provide children with core learning across all agreed learning areas.

In this age group, children begin to understand and appreciate different points of view, maintaining engagement with tasks for longer periods of time. Thought processes become more logical and consistent, and they gradually become more independent learners. In the later years of this range students are becoming more self-conscious of their abilities and appearance, are more aware of the consequences of their behaviour and are developing an awareness of justice and fair play.

YEARS 7/8 –10The curriculum for students between 12 and 15 years of age will provide a broad general education organised around core learning areas while offering opportunities for students to select additional areas of study matched to their interests and needs.

The curriculum will continue to provide teachers with opportunities to deeply engage students by ensuring that the curriculum content is presented in ways that challenge student knowledge and understanding through contexts that are meaningful and relevant to them.



Students in this age range increasingly look for and value learning that is perceived as relevant, is consistent with personal goals, and/or leads to important outcomes.

The transition from primary to secondary school coincides with a range of significant physical, cognitive, emotional and social changes. Students often begin to question established conventions, practices and values. Their interests extend well beyond their own communities and they begin to develop concerns about wider issues.

YEARS 11 AND 12The curriculum for students between 16 and 18 years of age will provide students with increased opportunities to make choices about pathways through school and beyond. These choices will be informed by previous success and enjoyment, future options for training, learning or employment, and the setting in which the learning is to occur.

Increasingly, young people in this age range have already been in part-time employment or will take up part-time jobs while undertaking their senior secondary schooling.

Curriculum Design Paper v2.0 9 November 2009

The educational program will also address the spiritual, social, emotional and physical development of all young persons.

Curriculum Planning and Delivery

1. DIOCESAN LEARNING FRAMEWORK4

The Australian Curriculum as developed by the Australian Curriculum Assessment and reporting Authority (ACARA) provided Catholic Education in the Diocese of Cairns with an opportunity to review and reflect on current curriculum offerings and pedagogical practices to ensure that it provides students with a curriculum which is ‘rich, relevant and real’ for the early 21st century learner.

In 2006, Catholic Education in the Diocese of Cairns published its Diocesan Learning Framework. This document describes the key elements that should inform curriculum planning and decision-making in our schools, and classrooms across the diocese.

The Learning Framework challenges and supports educators in our system in the creation of learning opportunities that meet the needs of learners in our schools. The Learning Framework is a foundation for planning, teaching, assessing, evaluating and reporting. The Learning Framework has an overarching Vision to excite and empower learners to enjoy, shape and enrich our changing world, inspired by the Gospel of Jesus Christ…Honouring our past; Inhabiting the present; Imagining the Future; Learning with Faith and Vision.

4, Catholic Education Services, Diocese of Cairns acknowledges the foundation work of Brisbane Catholic Education and Rockhampton Catholic Education Office in the development of a Learning Framework for Catholic schools in Queensland.


http://www.acara.edu.au/verve/_resources/Curriculum_Design_Paper_.pdf


2. SCHOOL BASED CURRICULUM PLANNINGBuilding upon the Diocesan Learning Framework, Catholic schools in the Cairns Diocese develop school-based curriculum plans designed to meet the needs of their particular community that take into account and are compliant with the Australian curriculum.

In proposing minimum curriculum requirements for the Learning Areas within our Catholic schools it is critical to note that every curriculum area has a religious and a social-emotional dimension; a capacity to assist students to examine the world of human culture and the world of religion, providing knowledge and skills through an active process, and fostering attitudes and values that are life-giving and that assist young people to search for meaning and truth.

“Theology plays a particularly important role in the search for a synthesis of knowledge as well as in the dialogue between faith and reason. It serves all other disciplines in their search for meaning, not only by helping them to investigate how their discoveries will affect individuals and society but also by bringing a perspective and orientation not contained within their own methodologies.”

x Corde Ecclesiae n.225

As a result, each Learning Area contributes to the religious and social-emotional aims of the Catholic school when they foster:

skills such as reflection, critical thinking, problem solving, analysis and discernment – all of which promote the search for truth and meaning;

a moral sensitivity and a heightened capacity to distinguish between what is life-giving and what is dehumanising;

the gospel values of love, compassion, reconciliation, transformation, justice and hope; a generosity of spirit that calls forth a commitment to the service of others and of creation

generally; the capacity to shine the light of faith on the surrounding culture – to reflect, to judge and

to choose

3. PLANNING, ASSESSING AND REPORTINGIt is generally accepted that schools develop teaching plans that are consistent with the Australian Curriculum Framework and credentialing requirements, incorporating assessment as an integral component. In this way schools offer a curriculum that is appropriate for communities and teachers implement this requirement by providing learning experiences for students.

When teachers look closely at student work they are making judgments about its quality and therefore are assessing. Teachers plan assessment strategies before developing teaching plans and use a variety of appropriate assessments to evaluate student achievement.

Teachers are required to report to parents and carers by providing information about each student’s demonstrated learning. This occurs throughout the school year, with formal and informal opportunities for parents and carers to receive information about their child's learning and to discuss his/her progress with the relevant professionals.

The Australian Curriculum has prescribed content and skills that must be covered. Teachers develop school-based assessment related to this content and skills. Schools, however, have the flexibility to decide how the curriculum is to be delivered and teachers are able to select appropriate experiences to assist and facilitate student learning.

5 Kevin Treston paper: “Queensland Catholic Schools and Curriculum



School-based assessment forms the foundation of reporting to parents. It is required that twice year reporting to parents is based on a five point scale (A - E or equivalent). Schools also undertake state and national assessment tasks and are required to report this data to parents.

Figure 1 below outlines the processes for curriculum planning, assessment and reporting



Figure 1: Curriculum Planning, Assessment and Reporting #

Adapted from work by Education 4 Renewal: Wall and Haeusler, 2008 www.e4r.com.au

Select Learning Experiences

MODERATION SUPPORTED CTJ

PROCESS

Australian CurriculumStandards Framework

Schools will develop a Learning Area (LA)

PlansSupported by

Planning Templates

Teachers will select evidence

to make Judgments

Folio – and / or Profile

Teachers will develop Assessment

Tasks and Criteria Sheets

Essential Content prescribed by

Australian CurriculumSyllabus

Teachers develop Assessment

Teachers write Reports

Wha

t sch

ools

and

teac

hers

hav

e to

do

SCHOOL BASED ASSESSMENT

STATE-WIDE ASSESSMENT

INTERNATIONAL ASSESSMENT

NATIONAL ASSESSMENT

Teachers will develop Unit Plans derived from LA plans

Teachers identify the degree to which

achievement standards are met

REPORTING

NAPLAN REPORT

http://www.e4r.com.au/


4. SCHOOL BASED CURRICULUM PLAN DEVELOPMENTThe development of school based curriculum plans for all Learning Areas occurs as part of the five-year renewal process. In doing this Catholic Education Services, school curriculum leaders and classroom teachers all have specific responsibilities.

Catholic Education Services is responsible for Providing support for schools and/or specific departments within schools in relation to

their curriculum design, documentation and practice. Facilitating professional learning associated with particular aspects of the curriculum. Providing a means whereby exemplary practice can be identified and acknowledged at a

system level. Providing system analysis of data to support schools’ Learning and Teaching programs. Providing policy and advocacy in relation to all aspects of Learning and Teaching. Providing system based reports to State and Federal governments. Providing representation and liaison with other educational systems. Providing a process to validate school-based curriculum documents that reflect Diocesan,

State and National curriculum frameworks and contemporary pedagogical practices to ensure that it provides students with learning experiences that are ‘rich, relevant and real’. (Refer to Appendix 2)

School Principals, with support from school curriculum personnel and teaching staff, are responsible for whole school curriculum and as such is responsible for having school based curriculum plans that are of a professional standard which are easily accessible by prospective and current parents and is regularly monitored. School based curriculum plans have three basic components:

1. A stated school curriculum vision that reflects who we are what we do and what we seek to do what we believe about learners and Learning and Teaching

2. A broad curriculum document (Refer to Sample in Appendix 3) for each KLA that includes the following components.

Community Profile Learning Area Rationale Broad Subject Outcomes Cross Curriculum Priorities (Refer to Appendix 4) General Capabilities (Refer to Appendix 5) Sequence and Scope of Learning Learning and Teaching Experiences Assessment and Reporting Resources Evaluation

3. A review and validation process that provides opportunities for ongoing consultation and reflection provides opportunities for adjustments provides written feedback in line with established criteria



Teachers or groups of teachers are responsible for developing units of work (unit plans) derived from the school based curriculum documents for their classes or year levels based on a standard framework used across the Diocese.

Unit plans include: a unit overview and time frame (Refer to Sample in Appendix 6) the essential or core elements to be delivered in relation to knowledge and understanding

of what the students need to know and what students need to be able to do with what they know

assessment tasks, techniques and recording instruments (Refer to Sample in Appendix 7) links to the Diocesan Learning Framework and School Curriculum Document an indication of the Cross Curriculum Priorities(Refer to Appendix 4) that are to be

addressed an indication of the General Capabilities (Refer to Appendix 5) that are to be addressed identification of curriculum integration where appropriate the learning / teaching strategies and resources required to teach the unit differentiation strategies - the way in which the learning will be modified for learners with

special needs i.e. working beyond or below the required standard. reflective practices for evaluation

Teachers’ plans and assessment records are to be of a professional standard and should reflect a knowledge of and familiarity with the relevant framework and support documents as well as school policies. They should be regularly monitored by members of the school leadership team to ensure compliance with school based documents.

5. ASSESSING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTAssessment criteria, standards and a variety of assessment tasks are all crucial to assessing student achievement. We make formal judgments about some of a student’s work against assessment criteria and standards. In an assessment task, the demonstrates their learning.

Assessment criteria are the characteristics or properties by which student work is judged or appraised. Before an assessment task can be constructed, it is important to identify suitable assessment criteria for making judgments about student achievement.

Quality assessment criteria should be appropriate to the assessment task allow all facets of the assessment tasks to be judged relate back to the major assessment criteria specified for the KLA or senior subject

A standard is a description of the quality of a criterion in a continuum from highest to lowest or lowest to highest. Standards support the alignment of curriculum planning, assessment and reporting and help teachers to develop a common language to describe the qualities that are evident in student work.

Quality criteria should: give meaning to the standards use words that are descriptive and comparative,



describe what a student can do, and not what the student cannot do use language that is meaningful to the student inform the student of what is expected in the task

Most assessment falls into six broader categories. They are short or extended response research response performance/practical response oral presentation written presentation other media (incorporating multi-modal)

Catholic schools in the Cairns Diocese will develop open-ended assessment tasks where the criteria for assessment are known by all stakeholders. These tasks will include a standardised assessment task sheet and criteria sheet (Refer Appendix 8). Teachers will use the achievements on a variety of tasks to report on student progress using a set of clearly articulated standards.

The achievement standards developed as a component of the Australian Curriculum will supersede QCAR standards when released.

6. REPORTING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTIn Catholic schools, student achievement is recognised and celebrated in many ways throughout the school year; at informal meetings; through awards at school assembly; parent/student/teacher interviews; through class work that is sent home; through class oral presentations and through written reports.

Reporting communicates information that has been obtained from a variety of assessment processes and involves a professional judgement made on a body of evidence about a student’s progress and achievement against a set of clearly articulated standards. In Catholic schools in the Diocese of Cairns the key principles of reporting are:

The teacher develops assessment tasks and identifies the criteria which inform judgments about the child’s achievement.

Teachers utilise the evidence from a variety of tasks to make a judgement against standards at a point in time.

Teacher professional judgment is at the heart of reporting student achievement Teachers’ knowledge and observation of the students’ progress contributes to this

professional judgment Teacher professional judgment is informed by assessment data and referenced to the

curriculum framework Teachers keep a folio of the evidence in relation to each student’s work

Written reports are recognised as only one source of feedback about student progress. Therefore throughout the year there will be:

An opportunity for parent/ student/teacher conferencing and/or a review of a student portfolio in primary and student scripts in secondary. This includes feedback on attitudinal and behavioural performance of the student and discussion of potential learning goals.



A formal written report twice a year on performance in all KLA’s. An opportunity for a parent interview must be made after each formal written report, in line with government regulations and Diocesan Guidelines for Student Reporting.

7. EXTERNAL NATIONAL, STATE AND INTERNATIONAL TESTINGIn addition to school-based assessment programs, national and state authorities have also implemented standardised testing programs. However it is important to note that educational ‘value’ achieved from assessment only occurs if the results are used to provide students and parents with feedback on areas of student progress and inform teachers as to their students’ learning and teaching needs.

Common national tests are undertaken by all students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. They assess student performance in the areas of literacy (including reading, writing, language conventions) and numeracy. This National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) provides student performance information to students, teachers, parent/carers and school communities about how students are performing against the national benchmarks for literacy and numeracy. The results also provide a measure of how Australian schooling system is performing.

Specifically the reporting will be used for: Individual student reports to parents school reporting to their communities, and aggregate reporting against national standards.

Queensland Comparable Assessment Tasks (QCATs) are performance based assessments that evaluate a student’s ability to:

solve meaningful problems emphasise critical thinking and reasoning

They provide evidence of what students know and can do in relation to a selection of Essential Learnings.

Schools may choose which, if any, QCATs will be completed.

The QCATs are assessment tasks not tests.

Teachers can take time to prepare and support students before, during and after the QCAT has been delivered.

A QCAT is only one piece of evidence of student learning and not a benchmarking tool.

Achievement on QCATs must be reported to parents using the Diocesan QCAT Report Form (available within the Diocesan Learning Management System).

There is no requirement to publish any student achievement data in any public forum.


http://www.cnsonline.catholic.edu.au/myraw/File/cenet/cairns-ces/cmasters/Diocesan_Reporting_Guidelines.pdf


Some schools may also participate in international testing programs such as PISA and TIMMS. Feedback from these programs is useful in informing school curriculum directions. Schools may be randomly selected by DWEER for other national sample testing.

8. TIMELINE FOR CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT IN SCHOOLS

The implementation of “Curriculum Development in the Cairns Diocese – A Way Forward” commenced in 2009 with each school completing one LA plan with support from the CES Curriculum Team.

From 2010, schools are required to complete two school based LA plans per year with support provided by the CES curriculum team.

Throughout 2011 and 2012 schools will modify school based LA plans in alignment the Australian Curriculum.

In 2014, schools begin a process of review of LA planning documents.



Appendix One: Curriculum Reform in Australia


1999: Adelaide Declaration

Reinforced KLA’s and identified additional priority areas (e.g. vocational education, information technology, literacy and numeracy, civics and

citizenship)

Queensland Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Framework based on the National Statements of Learning had the objectives to • clarify KLA syllabus documents • provide consistency by specifying essential elements (knowledge and capabilities) è essential learnings • enhance the capacity for teachers to assess student work against commonly applied standards • enhance the capacity for teachers to use information about student learning to inform future teaching programs & feedback to students about their learning • Provide a level of comparability of student reports to parents and carers. (Common Assessment Tasks)

1. Set core content and achievement standards that are expected of students at the end of their schooling and at key junctures during their schooling starting with English, Mathematics and Science

2. Establish standards as the basis for the national testing and measurement programs already agreed by governments, to measure student progress

3. Ensure that student achievement is reported on a five point scale and in a similar way nationally

2008: National Curriculum Board has been given the task of developing national curriculum guidelines to be released in 2011. In doing that it has three key principles.

Queensland response was to transition from Outcomes approach to a common framework called Queensland Curriculum Assessment and Reporting

1989: Hobart Declaration

Agreed set of National Goals in 8 key learning areas (KLAs) delivered through an outcomes approach


Appendix Two: Process for ValidationCurriculum Support officers in schools will review the document of another school against criteria. As a document is perused the reviewer makes notes on the “Curriculum Development in the Cairns Diocese – A Way Forward”.

The completed review sheet is to be retained by the CES Curriculum Officers for three months following the review, to assist in the determination of school needs and the nature of CES support. At the conclusion of the three month period the criteria review sheet will be shredded. The school does not receive a copy of the completed criteria review sheet.

Curriculum support officers independently review a document and then collaboratively write a report which includes commendations and a maximum of three recommendations. This report is forwarded to the AED – Learning and Teaching for validation. Once validated, a certificate of accreditation will be signed by the Executive Director and forwarded to the school. Accreditation certificates will form part of the documentation required for the School Renewal Process.

Where a document is not validated, a school will need to address the recommendations and resubmit, within the first term of the following, in order to gain accreditation.



CURRICULUM REVIEW CHECKLISTThe following criteria are aligned to the components of the curriculum plan as outlined in the “Curriculum Development in the Cairns Diocese – A Way Forward”.

The purpose of this checklist to provide: essential criteria used by Reviewers to determine the presence and quality of each

applicable curriculum element. a ‘working’ document to be used for reflection and as the basis for discussion between

Curriculum Reviewers. information for oral feedback to the school involved. comments for the drafting of the Curriculum Review Report.

SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS INCLUDING COMMUNITY PROFILE Background to curriculum document Associated school based Professional

Development undertaken

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

____________________________________

RATIONALE FOR CURRICULUM DOCUMENT Encompasses the whole school (i.e. P - 7 /

P - 12 / 8 - 12 ) Referenced to appropriate source

document(s) – e.g. Diocesan Learning Framework

Demonstrates how learning and teaching in this LA contributes to the distinct nature of the catholic school.

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

____________________________________

BROAD SUBJECT OUTCOMES Mandatory LA requirements addressed (if

applicable) Explicit reference to LA source documents

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

CROSS CURRICULUM PRIORITIES The following are contextualised to the LA: Catholic Ethos and Identity Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

Histories and Cultures Asia and Australia’s engagement with

Asia Sustainability Education Social Emotional Learning Inclusive Education

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________



GENERAL CAPABILITIES The following are contextualised to the LA: Literacy Numeracy Information and Communications

Technology (ICT) Critical and Creative Thinking skills Ethical behaviour Personal and Social competence Intercultural understanding

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

SEQUENCE AND SCOPE OF LEARNING Description of how the course is

sequenced. Illustration of continuity between the key

phases of learning.

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

___________________________________

STATEMENT OF AGREED PRACTICE FOR LEARNING AND TEACHING STRATEGIES Aligns with the Diocesan Learning and

Teaching Policy Addresses contemporary learning

requirements Identifies school pedagogical practices Links to whole school thinking plan

(where available) Appropriate time allocation Outlines planning requirements, including

school proformas

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

____________________________________



ASSESSMENT AND REPORTING Statement of Agreed Practice or

Guidelines Assessment strategies Description of processes for reporting to

students and parents Consistency with Diocesan Assessment

and Reporting Guidelines

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

STATEMENT OF EVALUATION PROCEDURES RELATED TO Teacher planning The curriculum document - Timeframe

for future curriculum development Resources

.____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

ALIGNMENT BETWEEN ALL ELEMENTS OF THE CURRICULUM: Cohesion and continuity established between the document and its implementation, schools will need to provide the following: teaching plans assessment procedures and records student work samples reporting processes.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



Appendix Three: Sample Learning Area PlanSection Heading Content Example of a LA Plan

Community Profile

The section should include: a community profile and

community partnerships the background to the

development of the document

the associated Professional Learning undertaken

the timeframe for future development

future planning

In establishing the Mathematics Plan at St ______ School, the input of all the staff was considered and valued. LA development has been ongoing with the Mathematics Plan being revised in 1991, 1999 and 2002 in line with our review timeline.

The decision making process evolved through in-servicing of individuals and the whole school community and staff input.

Learning Area

Rationale

This is the general curriculum premise on which the learning area policy is developed explaining the importance of the program and its role in curriculum development. The statement should show how teaching and learning in the learning area contributes to the distinct nature of the catholic school. It should also include the general aims taken from the syllabus source document. The rationale statement should: encompass the whole school

context be referenced to the

appropriate source document/s

The main source document is the _____________. The aim of Mathematics is to develop students’ mathematical thinking, understanding, competence and confidence in the application of mathematics, their creativity, enjoyment and appreciation of the subject, and their engagement in lifelong learning. To achieve this aim St __________ Staff believe that:

Broad Subject

Outcomes

A summary of the outcomes fundamental to the learning area:

Mandatory requirements addressed (if applicable)

Explicit reference to learning area source documents.

The Curriculum Source Document is the :__________

The following broad learning outcomes summarise the knowledge, skills and understanding, values and attitudes essential for all students to succeed in and beyond their schooling. These broad learning outcomes indicate that students will:

Cross Curriculum Priorities

Identifies how across curriculum priorities can be addressed with the Learning Area. These across

Mathematics provides considerable opportunity for students to explore, understand and appreciate the wider world through the



curriculum priorities include: Catholic ethos and identity Asia and Australia’s

engagement with Asia Inclusive Education Indigenous Priorities Social Emotional Learning Sustainability Education

integration of across curriculum priorities.

The following statements about across curriculum content are embedded into all programs P-9 however ensuring that subject integrity is maintained.

Catholic Ethos:At St ____________ all Key Learning Areas have a religious dimension which . . .

General Capabilities

The nature of work in the 21st century has resulted in the identification of important general capabilities that schools should help students develop including: Literacy Numeracy Information and

communications technology (ICT)

Literacy knowledge, skills and understanding need to be used and developed in all learning areas.In mathematics this requires teachers to:

Explicitly teach the metalanguage of the discipline.

Assist students to articulate their mathematical understandings

Sequence and Scope

The documentation should: Provide an overview of the

content strands, key ideas and ways of working to be covered

Shows connections and continuity between the key phases of learning (early years, middle years and senior years)

Indicate time allocation.

The following sequence and scope is to guide teachers in their programming, enabling a continuum of development through P-9. It provides specific focus for content and expectations for each year level. It also provides focus for ongoing planning and programming. It has been designed through consultation with the teachers at St ______’s and is regularly reviewed.

Learning and

Teaching Experiences

Provides a clear statement about how the school wide pedagogical practices are specifically related to the Key Learning Area.

Could be referenced to a school ‘Agreed Pedagogical Practices document’.

Outlines programming formats and requirements.

Programming in Mathematics involves the consideration of the individual learning needs and styles of all students and the creation of a learning environment that assists students to achieve the outcomes of the syllabus. Staff at St _________ incorporate hands on concrete material to assist students understanding of concepts.

Five hours per week is set aside for the learning and teaching of Mathematics.Staff have agreed to include the following elements in each lesson:Warm Up Activity:Teacher Modelling (whole class):



Small Group/Guided/Pairs Activities:Independent Activity :Reflection:

Assessment and

Reporting

Provides statements on assessment and tracking of student learning

Provides statements on the methods of reporting to parents

This could be referenced to a school ‘Agreed Practice on Assessment, Reporting and Record Keeping’

Assessment is the process of gathering and interpreting information about student progress for a variety of purposes.

Assessment is structured so that students can demonstrate a range of outcomes through a variety of assessment tools and measurement techniques over a period of time.

At this school assessment provides accurate information that demonstrates in an authentic way, what students know and can do in Mathematics. Assessment practice:clearly and directly links with outcomes integral to teaching and learningis balanced, comprehensive and varied etc.

Resources A list of the resources appropriate to the learning area

Evaluation Statements outlining how and why the overall implementation of the learning area is evaluated in terms of:

units of work programmes using assessment data

Evaluating is the process of making judgements about the effectiveness of teaching programs, procedures and resources. Evaluation is an inherent part of our professional lives as teachers and as a school.

Evaluation occurs in a number of forms at St ________’s. The process for evaluating the Math’s Program is as follows . . .



Appendix Four: Cross Curriculum Priorities

There are other cross-curriculum matters that can be thought of as priorities rather than capabilities. Each of these priorities will be represented in learning areas in ways appropriate to that area.

A. Catholic EthosThe overarching purpose of Catholic schools of the past, as well as the future, is to bring the Good News of Jesus to all who hear it. In the midst of a world of educational, social and economic change the focus on the holistic growth of the individual remains the surest way catholic school can prepare students for the uncertainties of the future.

Defining Features, Diocese of Cairns

The curriculum provides opportunities for young people to connect their curriculum experiences to a living Christian faith.

B. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and culturesActive engagement of inclusive curriculum practices which reflect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander priorities, knowledge, histories, cultures and spirituality. A genuine commitment to Reconciliation, guided by principles of personal dignity, social justice and equity, which reflects the Gospel message and the mission of the Church.

The curriculum provides opportunities to value and respect: 1. traditional knowledge and practices2. culture and natural heritage3. spirituality

and to critically examine and/or challenge:1. social constructs 2. prejudice and racism

C. Asia and Australia’s engagement with AsiaThis perspective requires students to develop skills, knowledge and understandings related to Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia.

The curriculum provides opportunities to know, understand and be able to: 1. Understand ‘Asia’2. Develop informed attitudes and values3. Know about contemporary and traditional Asia4. Connect Australia and Asia5. Communicate effectively with people of the Asian region both within and outside Australia

confidently

D. Inclusive Education



It is by the quality of interactions and relationships that all students learn to understand and appreciate difference, to value diversity and learn to respond with dignity and respect to all through mutually enriching interactions.

The curriculum provides equitable access for and/or positive interactions with students from different backgrounds and with diverse needs and abilities.

E. Social emotional LearningSocial and emotional competencies are integral to academic and work success and are the basis of resilience, relational quality and social capital.

The curriculum provides opportunities to develop:1. Self Awareness2. Social Awareness3. Responsible Decision Making4. Self-Management5. Relationship Management

F. SustainabilityStudents have access to current information about environmental issues and promotion of a reflective and responsive attitude towards stewardship of the gifts of creation.

The curriculum provides opportunities to reflect upon:1. the gift of creation2. an attitude of responsible stewardship

and to critically examine and/or challenge:1. the impact of human interaction with the natural, built and social environment2. current environmental issues

The Shape of the Australian Curriculum (May 1990)


http://www.acara.edu.au/verve/_resources/Shape_of_the_Australian_Curriculum.pdf


Appendix Five: General CapabilitiesNot all learning is contained in the learning areas into which the school curriculum has traditionally been divided. Reflections on the nature of work in the 21st century typically identify important general capabilities that schools should help students develop.

Each capability is represented in each learning area in ways appropriate to that area. Some will be included because they need to be developed and applied in specific learning areas. Others can be taught and learned by students in any learning area; their development will depend on the teacher’s selection of classroom activities. The Australian Curriculum is explicit on how the general capabilities are to be handled in each learning area and how links are made between learning areas.

The Australian curriculum specifically covers the following general capabilities:

A. Literacy is central to all learning in school and the ways that students demonstrate their learning. Students need to draw on increasingly complex and sophisticated literacy knowledge and skills to understand and engage with content across the curriculum.

Some aspects of literacy are most often encountered within a particular learning area. This means that:

teachers need a clear understanding of and vocabulary for the literacy demands specific to their learning area

students need explicit and systematic literacy teaching in that learning area.

B. Numeracy The complexity of contemporary society requires young people to be increasingly numerate. They need to recognise the mathematical basis of authentic problems and engage constructively in their solution.

The identification of mathematical demands in learning areas enables students to: transfer their mathematical knowledge and skills to problem solving in those learning

areas recognise the interconnected nature of mathematical knowledge, learning areas and

the wider world become confident and willing users of mathematics in their lives.

C. Information and communications technology (ICT) Increasingly, ICT permeates every area of our society and lives. Students need to be equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills to use ICT to support contemporary learning and living. ICT affords the opportunities to personalise learning and to learn both within and out of school.

An important outcome of schooling is the competence students develop in using ICT for tasks associated with information access and management, problem-solving, decision-making, communicating, creative expression, and empirical reasoning. ICT provides tools for transforming the way students think and learn as they support risk-taking and knowledge sharing; they are fast and automated, are interactive and multimodal and they also allow



students to control how and when they learn. Equally important is the manner in which ICT is used, based upon an understanding of the limitations of the technology and the impact of technology on individuals, groups, communities and organisations.

Specific ICT capability requirements change according to the needs of individuals to find solutions to problems (or to complete tasks). The requirements are also dynamic and evolving because of the rapidly changing nature of ICT. It is essential that students develop perceptions and conceptions that are based on knowledge, skills and understanding of the fundamental logic and conventions that underpin ICT use and are consequently transferable from one ICT environment to another (such as from school to community to workplace).

D. Critical and Creative Thinking are fundamental to students developing a habit of effective thinking. Students learn to select from a range of thinking strategies and to adapt and transfer their knowledge to new contexts. Increasingly, they manage of their own learning as they become confident and autonomous learners and thinkers.

Changes in society have led to the need for what is often described as anywhere, anytime, ubiquitous learning and problem solving. Given that students will face unknown challenges and technologies in the future, they need the skills to think creatively, innovate, solve problems and engage with new disciplines.

Twenty-first century learning theories emphasise the importance of authentic and inquiry-based learning which encourage students to plan and organise learning activities with their peers as they tackle big ideas and become technologically literate and culturally aware.

E. Ethical behaviour The examination of ethics through the stages of schooling provides students with the opportunity for engagement with ethical values, principles and concepts that improve moral judgment. This enables them to build a strong ethical outlook when faced with uncertainty and conflicting claims and aims to strengthen their sense of moral purpose and vision.

The ethical behaviour capability is based on the assumption that it is possible to map out common paths of development in relation to the capacity to form and make ethical judgments while recognising that each student’s pace of development may be influenced by the growth of their life experience, sense of self in the world and cognitive capacities.

Ethical behaviour incorporates four interrelated elements: understanding ethical concepts and recognising the moral domain knowledge of accepted values and ethical principles engagement in reasoned moral decision making knowledge of common virtues.

F. Personal and Social competence The development of personal and social competence assists students in becoming successful learners, friends and family members who are well-equipped to contribute positively and productively to the workforce and to civic life. For individuals, learning personal and social skills can improve their academic learning and enhance their motivation to cooperate and achieve. On a social level, students who have developed solid



social and emotional skills find it easier to manage themselves, relate to others, develop resilience, resolve conflict, and feel positive about themselves and the world around them.

To develop their personal and social competence students need regular opportunities within the curriculum to:

identify and assess personal strengths, interests and challenges recognise and respond to the viewpoints and experiences of others discuss their emotions, reactions and interactions with others observe modelling of effective personal and social skills apply and practise their own personal and social skills receive feedback and support from teachers and peers monitor and reflect on their personal and social development

G. Intercultural understanding The general capability Intercultural understanding responds to the imperative for all young Australians to become responsible local and global citizens, equipped through their education for living and working successfully in the globalised world of the 21st century.

Intercultural understanding develops through sustained interaction between people from different cultural groups and their efforts to understand and relate to one another. It focuses on personal and social knowledge, understanding, abilities and skills that students need in learning to live together in a multicultural and multilingual world.

At a personal level, intercultural understanding allows students to investigate their own and others’ cultures, developing their self-awareness and sense of belonging. They learn to empathise with others and to reflect on their learning as a means of better understanding themselves and people they perceive to be different from themselves.

At a social level, intercultural understanding builds students’ sense of their own cultural identity and the cultural values that underpin Australian society. They learn to take responsibility for their interactions with others and for developing and improving relationships between people from different cultures in Australia and in the wider world.

The Australian Curriculum General Capabilities (accessed Dec 08, 2010)


http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/GeneralCapabilities


Appendix Six: Sample Unit Plan

??? OVERVIEW, TERM ???

UNIT FOCUS: UNIT TITLE: LENGTH: YEAR LEVEL:Knowledge and Understanding (K&U)

Proficiency StrandsAssessment (A)

DEVELOPING INQUIRING AND REFLECTIVE LEARNERS Community Contributor

Leader and Collaborator

Effective Communicator

Active Investigator

Designer and Creator

Quality Producer



CROSS CURRICULA PRIORITIES

Catholic Ethos (CE) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education (ATSIE) Asian Education (AE)

The overarching purpose of Catholic schools of the past, as well as the future, is to bring the Good News of Jesus to all who hear it. In the midst of a world of educational, social and economic change the focus on the holistic growth of the individual remains the surest way catholic school can prepare students for the uncertainties of the future.

Defining Features, Diocese of Cairns

The curriculum provides opportunities for young people to connect their curriculum experiences to a living Christian faith.

Active engagement of inclusive curriculum practices which reflect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander priorities, knowledge, histories, cultures and spirituality. A genuine commitment to Reconciliation, guided by principles of personal dignity, social justice and equity, which reflects the Gospel message and the mission of the Church.

The curriculum provides opportunities to value and respect:

1. traditional knowledge and practices2. culture and natural heritage3. spirituality

and to critically examine and/or challenge:1. social constructs2. prejudice and racism

This perspective requires students to develop skills, knowledge and understandings related to Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia.

The curriculum provides opportunities to know, understand and be able to:

1. Understand ‘Asia’2. Develop informed attitudes and values3. Know about contemporary and traditional

Asia4. Connect Australia and Asia5. Communicate effectively with people of the

Asian region both within and outside Australia confidently

Sustainability Education (SE) Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Inclusive Education (IE)

Access to current information about environmental issues and promotion of a reflective and responsive attitude towards stewardship of the gifts of creation.

The curriculum provides opportunities to reflect upon:

1. the gift of creation2. an attitude of responsible stewardship

and to critically examine and/or challenge:1. the impact of human interaction with the

Social and emotional competencies are integral to academic and work success and are the basis of resilience, relational quality and social capital.

The curriculum provides opportunities to develop:1. Self Awareness2. Social Awareness3. Responsible Decision Making4. Self-Management5. Relationship Management

It is by the quality of interactions and relationships that all students learn to understand and appreciate difference, to value diversity and learn to respond with dignity and respect to all through mutually enriching interactions.

The curriculum provides equitable access for and/or positive interactions with students from different backgrounds and with diverse needs and abilities.



natural, built and social environment2. current environmental issues

GENERAL CAPABILITIES

Literacy (Lit) Numeracy (Num) Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Critical and Creative Thinking (CCT)

Students become literate as they develop the skills to learn and communicate confidently at school and to become effective individuals, community members, workers and citizens. These skills include listening, reading, viewing, writing, speaking and creating print, visual and digital materials accurately and purposefully within and across all learning areas.

Literacy involves students engaging with the language and literacy demands of each learning area.

As they become literate students learn to: interpret, analyse, evaluate, respond to

and construct increasingly complex texts (Comprehension and composition)

understand, use, write and produce different types of text (Texts)

manage and produce grammatical patterns and structures in texts (Grammar)

make appropriate word selections and decode and comprehend new (basic, specialised and technical) vocabulary (Vocabulary)

use and produce a range of visual materials to learn and demonstrate

Students become numerate as they develop the capacity to recognise and understand the role of mathematics in the world around them and the confidence, willingness and ability to apply mathematics to their lives in ways that are constructive and meaningful.

As they become numerate, students develop and use mathematical skills related to: Calculation and number Patterns and relationships Proportional reasoning Spatial reasoning Statistical literacy Measurement.

Students develop ICT competence when they learn to: Investigate with ICT: using ICT to plan and

refine information searches; to locate and access different types of data and information and to verify the integrity of data when investigating questions, topics or problems

Create with ICT: using ICT to generate ideas, plans, processes and products to create solutions to challenges or learning area tasks

Communicate with ICT: using ICT to communicate ideas and information with others adhering to social protocols appropriate to the communicative context (purpose, audience and technology)

Operate ICT: applying technical knowledge and skills to use ICT efficiently and to manage data and information when and as needed

Apply appropriate social and ethical protocols and practices to operate and manage ICT.

Students develop critical and creative thinking as they learn to generate and evaluate knowledge, ideas and possibilities, and use them when seeking new pathways or solutions. In learning to think broadly and deeply students learn to use reason and imagination to direct their thinking for different purposes. In the context of schooling, critical and creative thinking are integral to activities that require reason, logic, imagination and innovation.

As they develop critical and creative thinking students learn to: pose insightful and purposeful questions apply logic and strategies to uncover

meaning and make reasoned judgments think beyond the immediate situation to

consider the ‘big picture’ before focussing on the detail

suspend judgment about a situation to consider alternative pathways

reflect on thinking, actions and processes generate and develop ideas and

possibilities analyse information logically and make

reasoned judgments evaluate ideas and create solutions and



learning (Visual information) draw conclusions assess the feasibility, possible risks and

benefits in the implementation of their ideas

transfer their knowledge to new situationsEthical Behaviour (EB) Personal and Social Competence (SC) Intercultural Understanding (IU)

Students develop ethical behaviour as they learn to understand and act in accordance with ethical principles. This includes understanding the role of ethical principles, values and virtues in human life; acting with moral integrity; acting with regard for others; and having a desire and capacity to work for the common good.

As they develop ethical behaviour students learn to: recognise that everyday life involves consideration of

competing values, rights, interests and social norms identify and investigate moral dimensions in issues develop an increasingly complex understanding of ethical

concepts, the status of moral knowledge and accepted values and ethical principles

explore questions such as:o What is the meaning of right and wrong and can I be

sure that I am right?o Why should I act morally?o Is it ever morally justifiable to lie?o What role should intuition, reason, emotion, duty or

self-interest have in ethical decision making?

Students develop personal and social competence as they learn to understand and manage themselves, their relationships, lives, work and learning more effectively. This involves recognising and regulating their emotions, developing concern for and understanding of others, establishing positive relationships, making responsible decisions, working effectively in teams and handling challenging situations constructively.

As they develop personal and social competence students learn to: recognise and understand their own emotions, values and

strengths, have a realistic assessment of their own abilities and a well-grounded sense of self-esteem and self-confidence (Self-awareness)

manage their emotions and behaviour, persevere in overcoming obstacles, set personal and academic goals, develop self-discipline , resilience, adaptability and initiative (Self-management)

perceive and understand other people’s emotions and viewpoints, show understanding and empathy for others, identify the strengths of team members, define and accept individual and group roles and responsibilities, be of service to others (Social awareness)

form positive relationships, manage and influence the emotions and moods of others, cooperate and communicate effectively with others, work in teams, build leadership skills, make decisions, resolve conflict and resist inappropriate social pressure (Social management).

Students develop intercultural understanding as they learn to understand themselves in relation to others. This involves students valuing their own cultures and beliefs and those of others, and engaging with people of diverse cultures in ways that recognise commonalities and differences, create connections and cultivate respect between people.

As they develop intercultural understanding students learn to: identify increasingly sophisticated characteristics of their

own cultures and the cultures of others recognise that their own and others’ behaviours, attitudes

and values are influenced by their languages and cultures consider what it might be like to ‘walk in another’s shoes’ compare the experiences of others with their own, looking

for commonalities and differences between their lives and seeking to understand these

reflect on how intercultural encounters have affected their thoughts, feelings and actions

accept that there are different ways of seeing the world and live with that diversity

stand between cultures to facilitate understanding take responsibility for developing and improving

relationships between people from different cultures in Australia and in the wider world

contribute to and benefit from reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.



WEEKLY PLANNER

K&U Learning and teaching experiences/assessment GC CCP Resources Evaluation

WEEK ONE

WEEK TWO

WEEK THREE

WEEK FOUR

WEEK FIVE

WEEK SIX

WEEK SEVEN

WEEK EIGHT



WEEK NINE

WEEK TEN

DIFFERENTIATION



Appendix Seven: Assessment Tools

ToolCriteria Known by

Task Sheet required

Scaffold Available forRubric

Teacher Student Teacher Student

Ong

oing

Checklist J Optional

Cont

ribut

es to

A to

E R

epor

tingDevelopmental Continuum J Optional

Anecdotal Records

Deliberate J

Incidental Optional

Diagnostic Tasks J

Spec

ified

Tim

e

Assessment Tasks

Oral J J J J J JWritten J J J J J JOther J J J J J J



Appendix Eight: Assessment Task and Criteria Sheet

Student Name: Year Level:

Name of Task: Teacher:

Learning Area/s:

Date Commenced: Date Due:

Type of Task: Oral Written Other

Task Conditions: Individual Pair Group Work

In Class Homework Other

Opportunity to Access: Books Notes Library Technology

Assessed By: Self Peer Teacher

Task Description (needs to include purpose and audience)

Procedure (You will)

1. Is a plan required?

2. Is a draft required?

3. Minimum requirements e.g. length/duration, references, presentation style

4. Are there different components to the task that students need to complete?

Resources:



CRITERIA SHEET TITLE

Knowledge and Understanding

Proficiency Strands

Assessable Elements A B C D E

The student work demonstrates evidence of:

Feedback

Signed: Date:


Documents

Version Control - The Curriculum Place€¦ · Web viewtransforming society, hastening the kingdom which Jesus announced. Thus, Catholic school students are informed and formed