At St John’s, every student counts and every student matters. Working collaboratively with parents/carers and teachers, Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong and the community, we aim to respond to student diversity and endeavour to cater for every student’s strengths, aspirations and challenges. Our staff are highly committed to engaging, enabling and enriching each student’s learning.

Our vision of enabling each child to reach their full potential is what drives the teaching and learning at St John’s. Learning Intentions and Success Criteria are discussed for learning tasks in all classes to ensure that each student knows exactly what is expected of them.

Students are presented with learning opportunities to:

• challenge and support them in their development to improve in their own learning
• take ownership of their learning and better understand how they learn
• set goals, take action and determine what support they need

Our contemporary classrooms that allow for collaborative learning, specialist staff such as our Visual Arts, Music and Physical Education teachers, and the integration of learning technologies – such as our 1:1 iPad program – across Key Learning Areas also aim to enhance each of our student's learning at St John's.
 

PERSONALISED LEARNING SUPPORT

At St John’s, we know that learners have diverse needs and come from diverse backgrounds, cultures and contexts.

Our dedicated staff provide students with a range of quality teaching and learning experiences, where they are challenged and encouraged at their own levels of proximal development. 

We offer additional support for students, including:

• Students with a disability and/or diverse learning needs
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
• Students for whom English is an Additional Language or Dialect (EAL/D)
• Gifted students
• Students requiring counselling support 

Such students may be supported through the development of Personalised Plans support the needs of identified students in their care, which are completed in consultation with parents.

Students with a disability and/or additional needs, are supported with:

• individualised learning plans
• a dedicated diverse learning needs coordinator and support staff
• intervention programs in literacy and numeracy, such as Reading Recovery, MiniLit and MacqLit

High achievers, gifted and/or creative students have opportunities to:

• enrich their capacity through differentiated class programs
• participate in the SPLICED diocesan high achievers units of work
• enter competitions and other initiatives in their area of interest
    

For more information, view our CEDoW Diverse Learning Needs Policy