What we Teach
St. Dominic's Primary School Camberwell East
In Religious Education, children learn through dialogue, connection, prayer, inquiry and a deeper understanding of Catholic traditions, rituals, scriptures and sacraments. In our specific school context, the 'Dominican Charism' is integral to our learning and life, in the area of Religious Education. Prayer, Learning, Service and Community seamlessly integrate with our RE program.
Students are invited to express their wonderings about faith and its context in today’s world. Religious Education is integral to other curriculum areas, particularly Inquiry-based Learning and Wellbeing programs.
We foster the faith development of all in our community, to be living examples of Gospel values in their lives.
The principles of Catholic Social Teaching are embedded in student’s learning experiences across the curriculum and underpin all we do.
Religious Education
Religious Education
At St Dominic’s, the teaching of Mathematics equips students the necessary skills and efficient strategies they can apply to everyday experiences. We believe that the teaching of Mathematics equips students with the necessary skills and efficient strategies that they can apply to successfully navigate their day to day lives. In line with the Victorian Curriculum, students' numeracy skills are developed through exposure to concepts from the three strands of Mathematics: Number and Algebra, Measurement and Geometry and Statistics and Probability. The students are empowered to think logically and creatively, with an emphasis on problem solving and developing relational thinking in all areas of Mathematics.
Mathematics
Mathematics
At St Dominic’s, our STEM program provides students with opportunities to develop problem solving skills, creativity, independent learning, communication and digital literacy. The Digital Technologies curriculum enables students to incorporate the world of technology into their learning. Students become confident and creative developers of digital solutions through the application of information systems, and specific ways of thinking about problem solving. We embed digital learning into the curriculum to align with the ever changing digital world. With a dedicated STEM leader and explicit & immersive teaching, our students are learning to be confident, empowered and competent global citizens.
STEM
STEM
Through our Visual Arts program, students at St Dominic’s engage in many rich learning opportunities to develop Visual Arts skills. Our Art curriculum gives students the opportunity to learn, explore, create and respond to various art elements and mediums. Students learn how artworks can represent the world and their own ideas and they draw on artworks from a range of cultures, times and locations. Artistic work of our students can be seen on display around the school and every second year, the students proudly exhibit their artwork in an art show.
Visual Arts
Visual Arts
The Italian language program at St Dominic’s provides opportunities for students to explore a wide range of Italian traditions and customs. Students develop new ways of seeing and being in the world, and understand more about themselves through deepened connections with the Italian language and culture.
Italian
LOTE - Italian
At St. Dominic's Primary School, we inspire our lifelong learners to consciously make a difference, and demonstrate respect and care for the earth's resources by exploring the sustainability Ethos and Catholic Social Teaching of Stewardship of Creation. Guided and inspired by Pope Francis’ ‘Laudato Si’, we are inspired to be stewards of our world in every way we can. Our St. Dom’s productive garden and Garden Club, along with our commitment to sustainable practices and education enhance this care and engage our students in hands-on care for creation.
St Dominic’s is a registered ResourceSmart school and we work in partnership with the City of Boroondara and Eastern Alliance for Sustainable Learning.
Sustainability & Garden
Sustainability & Garden
At St Dominic’s, the teaching of English is an integral component of the broader curriculum. Literacy skills are explicitly taught and modelled through the three modes of the English curriculum - Reading and Viewing, Writing and Speaking and Listening.
We use Seven Steps to Writing Success, which explicitly teaches highly-impactful writing skills for all students. All students use the Soundwaves spelling program, to support learning in grapheme awareness and sustainable spelling skills. Students have the opportunity to learn through whole class and small groups, where they are immersed in a wide range of literature to foster a love of reading.
English
English
Inquiry Based Learning at St Dominic’s is an approach that engages and challenges the thinking minds of our students. We provide rich and authentic learning experiences where the students become informed and active global citizens.
The focus is unit based and developed around inquiry based learning principles, whereby the child constructs much of their understanding of the natural and human-designed world in which we live.
Inquiry Based Learning
Inquiry Based Learning
At St. Dominic’s, the Victorian Curriculum F–10 Capabilities underpin all learning in other areas of the curriculum. The Capabilities (Critical and Creative Thinking, Ethical, Intercultural, Personal and Social) are a set of knowledge and skills that are taught explicitly in and through learning areas.
Capabilities
Capabilities
Through our Performing Arts program, the students at St Dominic’s are provided with many rich and engaging opportunities to develop their Performing Arts skills.
We have sourced the absolute best in professional performing arts companies, and bring them to our students!
We work in partnership with Footsteps Dance, African Drumming & Circus Crew, to provide an engaging, energising and comprehensive Performing Arts program, which results in community performance opportunities each school term.
Performing Arts
Capabilities
At St Dominic’s, we run a comprehensive Physical Education and Sport program that aims to maximise student participation at all levels & for all abilities.
We aim to develop a lifelong appreciation for movement, exercise and confidence in a range of sports and activities. Students participate in the ‘Sporting Schools’ initiative which provides opportunities for all year levels to benefit from specialist training in a range of sports. Throughout the year students have the opportunity to participate in a variety of clinics that include sports such as cricket, lacrosse, tennis, AFL and athletics. Our students participate in interschool sport and a whole school swimming program (P-4- intensive swimming program & Year 5/6s- lifesaving beach safety program)
Physical Education
Physical Education
At St. Dominic's, we value the gift of reading and the lifelong love of books. We offer weekly Library lessons as part of the curriculum. A specialist Library Teacher takes classes for all students with author studies, allowing for browsing & borrowing, and fostering a love of reading.
We embrace Book Week each year, where we can all immerse in this love of reading, dress up, and learn about children's book illustrators & authors. We also host an annual Book Fair, where families purchase books to continue the love of reading at home, as well as to add to the resources of our our own school library. We endeavour to make the library an engaging and interactive learning space.
Library
Sustainability & Garden
Extra Curricular Opportunities
Throughout the year, our students participate in many learning opportunities and extracurricular activities:
These may include, but not limited to:
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Whole School & Level Masses & Liturgies
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Whole School & Year Level Assemblies
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Intergenerational Connections in our local community
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'Serving Communities' fund raising festivals
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School Athletics Carnival
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Cross Country Carnival
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Swimming Lessons (Prep-Yr 4)
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Lifesaving Beach Safety Swimming Program (Year 5/6s)
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Swimming Carnival (Yrs 3-6)
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Interschool Sport (Yr 5/6s)
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Excursions
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Incursions
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Year 5-6 Camp (Canberra/Kangaroobie)
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Year 3-4 Camp (Phillip Island/Sovereign Hill/Oasis- Mt Evelyn)
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Italian Day
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Biennial Italian Festa
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Performing Arts- outsourced, providing exceptional learning opportunities (ie. Footsteps, African Drumming, Circus Crew)
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School Concert
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School Choir
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Selected Lunch time clubs - e.g Garden Club, Library, Chess
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St. Dominic's Netball Club & Net Set Go!
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St. Dominic's Tennis Club- tennis lessons
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Chess in Schools- coaching & game play
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Music Lessons (keyboard, guitar & vocals)
Why We Teach
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To equip students with the skills, attitude and mindset to become lifelong learners
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To nurture well-informed, critical thinkers and active global citizens
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To grow and learn together
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To provide a caring and nurturing environment for young people and their families
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To support students to be resilient, particularly in the face of challenge, stress or adversity
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To make a difference in the lives of every child, 100% of the time
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To develop the ‘whole’ child
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To ensure that teaching connects learning to life
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To work alongside our parents in partnership in the education, care and wellbeing of all children
How We Teach
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With a collaborative approach which engages student voice and agency
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With inclusive practice
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With contemporary pedagogies and practices
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With innovation, based on current educational practices
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With a data, research and evidence-based approach to approach
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With a child’s eye for engagement, what makes learning fun, and an open mind
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With a wholistic and well-rounded educational mindset
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With acceptance and tolerance of all
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With ongoing feedback which is integral to both teaching and learning
How We Measure Success
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Data walls
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Assessment data- eg. NAPLAN
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Verbal and non-verbal feedback
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Student feedback
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Social action and acts of social justice
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Happiness and Social Connection of students
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Student confidence, risk-taking and competence
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GEM (Gratitude, Mindfulness, Empathy) in practice
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Student, Staff and Parent Surveys (eg. MACCSIS, ECSI)