Educating for the future

The learning journey at St Thomas Aquinas primary honours the developmental stages in a student’s life. Based on leading educational research and the best of today’s technologies, we prepare students for the future by teaching them how to think critically and creatively, how to communicate effectively and how to lead and work both independently and collaboratively.

Educating for the future

Student playing dress up at St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Primary Springwood

We are committed to offering a holistic education throughout which our expert teachers offer support and guidance not just academically, but spiritually, emotionally and socially. We offer engaging and relevant learning programs designed to meet the many outcomes of the NSW curriculum. Learning reflects our Catholic faith and values and is carefully planned by our dedicated teachers to meet the different learning needs of our students. We are proud to offer a learning environment that is comprehensive, inclusive and challenging.

St Thomas Aquinas is focused on developing in our students the types of skills that they need now and in the future, such as strong communication, collaboration, creativity, curiosity and critical thinking. We take the time to learn what motivates and interests our students so that we can engage them to be a willing participant in their learning. We include in our teaching the solving of real-world problems and showing our students how to take responsibility for their own learning. Our students learn to work in teams and independently, and to competently use a range of technologies to maximise their learning.

Curriculum at St Thomas Aquinas Primary Springwood

The key learning areas

We follow the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) approved curriculum in the key learning areas of:

English

This involves the strands of Speaking & Listening, Reading & Writing. A needs-based literacy group program operates throughout the school, which targets the individual needs of children.

Mathematics

Concepts taught in Mathematics include number, space & geometry, data, measurement, patterns & algebra.

Science and Technology

This includes the learning processes of investigating, designing, and making and using technology.

Human Society and the Environment

This is arranged in four strands - Change and Continuity, Environments, Cultures, Social Systems and Structures.

Personal Development Health and Physical Education

We have a specialist Physical Education teacher who teaches each class for one hour per week, supplemented by class lessons. Students participate in a vast number of sporting experiences, including our annual sports, swimming and cross country carnivals.

Creative Arts

Visual Arts, Music, Dance and Drama.
We have a specialist Music Teacher who teaches the music strand in classes. Students have the opportunity to be involved in the school ensemble, choir and other musical performances. Small group music lessons are available at school.

Religious Education

As a Catholic school we also have a strong religious dimension that runs through all the KLAs and is also formally recognised as the KLA of Religious Education.

St Thomas Aquinas primary students take part in formal Religious Education every day, based on the new Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese curriculum, Encountering Jesus. This curriculum invites all students to consider how the teachings of Jesus Christ can apply to their lives.

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Religious Education

Students and teachers engaging in Religious Education at St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Primary Springwood

Based on student need we offer a special education program, St Thomas Aquinas Rich Support (STARS) to support those with additional learning needs.

To challenge and extend gifted and talented students we offer participation in special programs such as inter-school Science enrichment days, Kids Congress, University of NSW competitions.

The process of learning is expressed orally, pictorially and symbolically. Reflective practice plays a significant part in all the school’s curriculum areas.

As the building blocks for all learning, we have a strong focus on Literacy and Numeracy throughout our learning and teaching programs.
Students learning Literacy and writing at St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Primary Springwood
At St Thomas Aquinas we make literacy learning an exciting and stimulating time.

It is incorporated into the school timetable for a dedicated two hour block each day where students get opportunities to engage in talking, listening, reading and writing activities in a series of whole class, small group, pair and individual experiences. Students are exposed to a variety of literature through the forms of spoken, print, visual, multimedia, and digital texts.

To offer additional support we have two Reading Recovery specialist teachers who provide one on one intervention to students in Year One.

 St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Primary Springwood Students learning numeracy
The learning of Mathematics is seen as being linked to everyday life.

Students investigate, explore and manipulate both concrete materials and abstract ideas through open-ended rich tasks. During the first two weeks of the year every student participates in a one-on-one interview (approx. 30 minutes) with their classroom teacher. This is used to determine the student’s mathematical strengths and areas for development, and from here goals are set. These are continually reviewed throughout the year.

Students in Year One have access to the Extended Mathematical Understanding Intervention program provided by specialist trained Mathematics teachers.

We offer a varied curriculum that is engaging and relevant!

Contact St Thomas Aquinas TODAY to learn more about our innovative learning community.

Our Learning

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Pursuing passions

Extracurricular opportunities for students.

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