Curriculum @ apollo

Shared Beliefs

The teaching staff at Apollo Parkways Primary School together with the community has developed the following shared beliefs with regard to educational practice.

The curriculum provided acknowledges that students come from different backgrounds, learn at different rates and have different learning styles. We provide a broad, open curriculum that allows students to transfer skills and make connections with real life situations.

We recognise that learning is best fostered in a supportive and challenging environment that promotes enjoyment and success for every student. The development of an individual's self esteem is central to learning.

The provision of regular feedback and the opportunity to reflect on learning improves performance. This applies to both children and adults - for in our classrooms we are all both teachers and learners.

Learning Experiences

Teaching & Learning practices at Apollo Parkways Primary School are designed to improve the learning outcomes for all students in the school.

The school aims to provide each student with a range of learning experiences which:

•    Build on existing learning
•    Promote individual excellence in learning
•    Develop self-esteem, confidence and independence
•    Encourage students to think, collaborate and problem solve
•    Foster a desire and enthusiasm for life long learning
•    Assist students to improve their own learning

Classroom practices

•    Actively involve students in the planning, organisation and evaluation of their learning
•    Cater for the diversity of students’ learning styles
•    Assist students to progressively take responsibility for their own learning
•    Encourage student autonomy, initiative, leadership and risk taking
•    Use raw data and primary sources, along with manipulative, interactive and physical materials.
•    Encourage student inquiry by asking open-ended questions and seeking elaboration of students’ initial
      responses.

Early Years Literacy and Numeracy

The Early Years program in both literacy and numeracy form the cornerstone of these core curriculum areas in Grades Prep - 4.  Key to their success is the grouping of students with similar learning needs for direct teacher instruction.  At other times students are engaged in independent learning tasks where skills learnt are practised and reinforced.

Middle Years of Schooling

The Middle Years of Schooling focuses on the particular needs of students in Years 5 – 9, creating a vital link between the educational processes of primary schools with those of secondary schools.

In particular it acknowledges the need for schools to deliver a curriculum that engages students and requires personal responsibility for their learning.

At Apollo Parkways Primary School our broad, comprehensive programs, which incorporate the thinking curriculum strategies provide students with excellent foundations on which to build as they move into their secondary schooling experience.

Learning Technologies

At Apollo Parkways Primary School a focus of our teaching and learning is the integration of learning technologies into all facets of the curriculum.  Students and teachers are provided with a wide range of ICT including computers (desktop and laptop), printers, scanners, digital cameras, iPads, digital microscopes, display devices and the internet.  The use of interactive, open-ended software encourages students to problem solve, verbalise ideas and make considered decisions as part of the learning process.