ETHOS AND APPROACH

We believe that loving our students is central to our effectiveness as curriculum facilitators.

We work with our students to help them to recognise that they need to become independent learners who increasingly assume reponsibility for their own learning - thus, from the first day of their Year 8 studies, we help them to realise that they are accountable for their actions in the classrooms, in laboratories, in specialist rooms and in the Brother Mark Farrelly Resource Centre.

We encourage your sons to engage with our learner centred curriculum which is outcome based, contextualised and designed to allow them to further develop life-long learning skills, incorporating all the literacies. We support them in their problem solving by facilitating their learning in the non-fearful, non-punitive atmosphere of our classes where new understandings are shared and celebrated. We work with them to develop and refine their understandings of social justice through the critical literacies which underpin the new and evolving Years 1-10 Syllabuses and through our Marist charism which permeates all aspects of our curriculum.

Essentially, in all their learnings, we wish your sons to

• develop integrated understandings of concepts rather than fragmented pieces of information
• pose and solve problems which are of interest to them
• make connections and relationships between different areas and contexts of learning
• grapple with challenging concepts
• construct, produce and manage knowledge rather than simply recite it
• become critical thinkers
• become confident and competent users of the Information and Communication Technologies
  

Curriculum Structure

• The curriculum is based on Semester length modules.
• Year 8 is a common foundation year for all students. The modules undertaken at this stage are the "40" series modules (with the exception of LOTE).
• For each of the remaining FOUR semesters (in Years 9 and 10), students will select SEVEN modules to study (one of which must be Religious Education).
• These modules are organised into Key Learning Areas (KLAs). Students will be required to select a minimum number of modules from each KLA.
• Students' learning outcomes are described as 'Excelling', 'Achieving', 'Consolidating', 'Beginning', or 'Not Apparent'. These descriptors apply at each level from One to Six as designated by the National Curriculum Framework or the syllabuses produced by the Queensland Studies Authority.
• Student Progression through the modules will depend upon their levels of knowledge, understanding and skills; that is, a student must demonstrate understanding and/or skill in the core learnings of a module before he progresses to modules of a higher level.
• Over the four semesters (in Years 9 and 10) students will complete a number of short courses which include Study Skills, Rich Tasks and Career Education.