Curriculum

​​​​​Vision for Excellent Learning and Teaching

We are committed to building a community where learning and teaching are visible, explicit and responsive – creating equity and excellence for all learners;

 where all members demonstrate motivation, engagement and empowerment in reaching their potential as lifelong, enthusiastic learners.

At Holy Spirit School our primary consideration is to the learning and development of our children. We are focused on developing a community of globally informed learners whose behaviours are reflected through our values….​

  • HEART - Respecting and valuing the diversity in others.
  •                 Being active in caring for our planet.
  • MIND -   Seeing things from different perspectives and understanding the impact this has on the world.
  • SPIRIT - Taking responsibility for and reflecting on our actions and attitudes.
  • PEACE - Promoting an understanding of others' circumstances and cultures.

To ensure we offer the best educational opportunities to all our students, we commit ourselves to the following practices and expectations:  

  • Teaching and Learning at Holy Spirit School is undertaken through the lens of a Catholic perspective and is underpinned by the BCE Learning and Teaching Framework.
  • Planning and collaborative teamwork is essential to the development of curriculum plans that meet the needs of our students. It is an expectation that all classes in the same year level plan units of work which cover similar concepts and contexts, however, the mode of delivery may differ to meet the needs of specific students.
  • To ensure consistency Holy Spirit endeavours to provide time for teachers to participate in year-level planning and cross-level conversations regarding assessment activities.
  • We are committed in our planning and teaching to offer students access to all elements of the Australian Curriculum to which they are entitled.

In accordance with the Queensland Studies Authority and Australian Curriculum, the Learning Areas taught at Holy Spirit School are:

  •  Mathematics
  •  English
  •  Religious Education (based on the Archdiocesan RE Program)
  •  Science
  •  Health & Physical Education
  •  Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS)
  •  Technologies
  •  The Arts
  •  STEM

Students also have weekly lessons with specialist teachers in the areas of Music, Physical Education and LOTE. During these times the class teachers have their Preparation, Planning and Correction time.

A call to celebrate and learn from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge and history will be embedded across all student learning and community engagement.

(Alice Springs Education Declaration)​


​Resource Centre

Holy Spirit has a vibrant resource centre that is well-resourced with a variety of quality literature for students of all ages. The centre also houses the school's extensive range of Home Reading books and Guided Reading books for classroom use. The centre also has a large space, equipped with projectors, which is used for class activities, staff meetings, parent information sessions and P and F meetings. Students can utilise this centre for lunchtime activities such as reading, construction, drawing and games.​


Sport

In addition to their weekly PE lessons, sports events are held throughout the year and include Cross-Country and Athletics Carnivals. From here, some students go on to represent the school at district level and beyond, taking pride in wearing the TEAM SPIRIT shirt. Students in Years 5 and 6, participate in regular Gala days with other local schools. Staff train students before school and during lunch breaks in preparation for sporting occasions.


Incursions, Excursions and Camps

Teachers design a variety of learning experiences to engage the students. These include incursions, where an outside provider brings an exhibit or show to the school or excursions, where the students travel beyond the school to participate in a learning opportunity such as visiting a museum or cultural site.  Excursions always have strong links to the curriculum.

Senior students participate in school camps, which have a focus on leadership, collaborative skills, team building and the development of the whole person, as defined in our Catholic ethos.