The curriculum at Oxley State School is informed by the DETE P–12 curriculum, assessment and reporting framework which specifies the requirements for Queensland state schools for delivering the Australian Curriculum for Prep to Year 12.
The DETE P–12 curriculum, assessment and reporting framework is based on the assumption that every student can learn and that responding to the particular learning needs of students is central to teaching. In implementing this framework teachers at Oxley State School:
provide students with the required curriculum
assess, monitor and capture student achievement
set high expectations for each student and respond effectively to their current levels of achievement and differing rates of learning
prepare students with the foundation for successful lifelong learning, growth and active participation in the community
keep parents and students informed of the student’s achievement throughout their schooling.
The Australian Curriculum
The Australian Curriculum sets out the core knowledge, understanding, skills and general capabilities that are important for all Australian students. It makes clear what all young Australians should learn as they progress through schooling. It is the foundation for high quality teaching to meet the needs of all Australian students.
The Structure of the Australian Curriculum
Learning Areas:
- English
- Mathematics
- Science
- The Humanities – History, Geography, Civic and Citizenship, Economics and Business
- The Arts: Music, Dance, Drama, Media Arts, Visual Arts
- Technology: Design Technologies, Digital Technologies
- Health and Physical Education History and Geography
- Language other than English (LOTE) – Chinese - Mandarin for years 5 to 6
General Capabilities:
- Literacy
- Numeracy
- Information and communication technology (ICT)
- Critical and creative thinking
- Personal and social capability
- Ethical understanding and Intercultural understanding
Cross-Curriculum Priorities:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures
- Asia and Australia's engagement with Asia
- Sustainability
Within all learning areas, there will be a focus on developing seven general capabilities of students. The capabilities include skills, behaviours and dispositions that students need to develop and apply to content knowledge, and they will help them become successful learners, confident and creative individuals, and active and informed citizens in the twenty-first century. Throughout their schooling, students will develop and use these capabilities in their learning across the curriculum, in co-curricular programs, and in their lives outside school.
Incorporated within each of the four key subjects and the seven General capabilities, are three cross-curriculum priorities. Students will learn about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures, Asia and Australia's engagement with Asia, and Sustainability.
For each learning area, the Australian Curriculum includes content descriptions and achievement standards. The content descriptions specify what teachers are expected to teach at each year level. An achievement standard describes the quality of learning expected of students at each year level. The Australian Curriculum also provides examples that illustrate each content description through content elaborations, and student work samples to illustrate the achievement standards.
Digital Technology
At Oxley State School we value computer literacy and the use of digital technology as integral to learning. Therefore digital technologies are embedded into all parts of the curriculum. We believe children's learning is enhanced when digital technologies are integrated across the curriculum. They allow children to access and manipulate information as well as develop creative skills as they make movies, web pages and digital presentations. Each block interactive whiteboards and several computers, as well as other technologies to allow for equitable access to technologies for all students.
Positive Behaviour for Learning
In 2017, Oxley State School commenced participation in the Positive Behaviour for Learning Program (PBL). This programme is a responsive, needs based positive behaviour strategy, which uses school behaviour data to identify and proactively respond to behaviour trends within the school. Our School Values of: We are Responsible, We are Respectful, We are Learners, are supported by focuses in class lessons and enhanced through our positive behaviour rewards system.
LOTE Program: Chinese – Mandarin
At Oxley State School students in years 5 and 6 learn Chinese- Mandarin. The program follows the Queensland curriculum and covers the four skill sets in language learning; speaking, reading, writing and listening. Each term students focus on a unit topic, learning the vocabulary, phrases and grammar appropriate to their year level.
Studying a second language is an important part of each student’s education. It allows them to become part of the global community and expands their horizons by giving them the ability to communicate with people from other countries.
A range of studies has shown that those students who learn languages at a young age are more likely to have higher results in academic testing and have a stronger ability to empathise with people from other countries. They become open minded citizens who are able to appreciate and accept other cultures.