Curriculum

Schooling in NSW is based on the mandatory NSW syllabuses for students from Kindergarten to Year 12. The syllabuses are developed and endorsed by New South Wales Education Standards Authority (NESA). 

St Agnes’ Primary School follows the approved syllabuses with the exception of Religious Education, which is approved by the Bishop of Lismore.

Subjects are called Key Learning Areas (KLAs).

They are:

• Mathematics
• Science and Technology
• English
• Human Society and its Environments
• Personal Development Health and Physical Education
• Creative Arts
• Religious Education

As a Catholic school, Religious Education is both a Key Learning Area and integral to our way of life.  

You can visit the NESA website for more information on the NSW syllabuses.

St Agnes’ Primary School provides students with a safe and supportive learning environment with innovative learning experiences. We foster within each student the ability to grow and develop the skills necessary to adapt to an ever-changing world underpinned by the Catholic ethos of leadership, responsibility, duty and dignity towards others.

You can view the Parents Guide to the NSW Primary Syllabus for examples of what your child may learn.

The staff at St Agnes’ Primary School provide innovative learning opportunities for each student to be engaged, imaginative and reflective in their learning. We promote a culture of inquiry-based learning, ensuring that all students gain the knowledge, skills and deep understanding required for future success. We are dedicated to quality teaching that nurtures lifelong learning, enabling our students to realise their true potential and empowering our students with the skills and attributes that will enable them to achieve the fullness of life.  

In our St Agnes’ Primary School learning community, we believe that a partnership between families, community and parish is vital in developing a supportive, holistic learning environment for our students. We foster in our student's the values necessary to meet the challenges in this dynamic and ever-changing world, strengthened by their Christian values. This enables us to guide our students to develop and recognise their full potential, guided by the Gospel teachings of our Catholic tradition.

Our engaging and inclusive curriculum focuses on developing students' depth of understanding of key skills needed to be adaptive, transfer learning to new contexts and prepare for learning throughout life.

We offer a broad curriculum with a high priority given to literacy and numeracy.

Our Learning Areas:

• The Arts (Dance, Drama, Music, Visual Arts)
• English
• Health and Physical Education
• HSIE
• Mathematics
• Science
• Technologies

We are committed to excellence and equality in the growth and development of all students as lifelong learners who are actively engaged with a passionate curiosity and wonder about the world.

At St Agnes’ Primary School, we recognise that quality sport and physical activity at school has a positive influence on students' confidence, competence, health and motivation to be active at school and throughout their life. We acknowledge the important part that sports can play in the development of teamwork, leadership skills, positive social connections, self-discipline, growth mindset and patience as our students become active and value-based members of society. 

Sport plays a significant role in school life, and we recognise that students have different interests and strengths. Students are provided with a wide range of sporting activities and opportunities. These include in-school sports programs, access to community sports coaches, carnivals, gala days, trials and competitions. Our students, including multiclass students, can also participate in the Diocese of Lismore structured representative sport pathway. 

OUR STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE PATHWAY:

• School-based carnivals/trials
• Diocesan carnivals/ trials
• NSWCPS – Polding carnivals/trials
• NSW PSSA carnival/trials
• Australian National Championships

Creative arts can provide an avenue for students to explore their talents and interests. Students will experience unique learning opportunities in visual arts, music, drama and dance that will invite them to make, appreciate, perform, organise, listen and compose. 

Our passionate teaching staff develop engaging and innovative learning experiences that inspire students to be confident and creative learners and to reach their expressive potential. 

Students at St Agnes’ Primary School are encouraged to:

• strengthen their practical skills in an art form
• immerse themselves in a dynamic creative environment
• think critically about the arts
• find new ways of tackling creative challenges.

Our students are offered lunchtime extra-curricular opportunities in singing, dancing and drama. Students work towards an annual showcase that is performed for parents, carers and the broader community. Other opportunities that may be offered include Eisteddfod, Mass and Liturgy performances and touring local Elderly homes.

In addition to the classroom Performing Arts curriculum, private and small group instrumental lessons are available during school hours for students from Years 3 to 6 with qualified, experienced tutors from St Joseph’s Regional High School. These lessons are at an extra cost. Timetables are rotated each week, so children do not miss the same classroom work. Instruments taught are Flute, Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Trombone, Baritone, Bass Guitar, Keyboard, Bass Violin, Acoustic Guitar, Trumpet and Drums. The band performs regularly for the school, in combined workshops with visiting schools as well as community-based events. Students are able to reach a standard that allows them to progress into high school bands in Year 7. Students are tested to determine instrument suitability. 

St Agnes’ School offers an after-school Drama Enrichment Program organised by Claire Thurlow, a teacher at St Agnes’ Primary. These classes aim to introduce and extend students from Years 1 to 6 interested in the Performing Arts. These classes are conducted on Thursday afternoons at the school.

After-school art classes occur each Wednesday afternoon during school terms with local artist Jane Whitfield. Classes are offered to students from Kindergarten to Year 6 and cover a diverse range of art mediums such as painting, drawing, collage, printmaking, sculpture, photography and more.