Evidence-based learning is the foundation of learning and teaching at St. Mary’s. Students make critical decisions about their own learning from the evidence they are given about what they know and can do and where their next opportunities lie. By knowing what success looks like, they have a true voice in their learning – asking effective questions, setting goals and actively seeking feedback to continually develop their knowledge and skills. Teaching is therefore highly targeted to their needs and interests, ensuring the learning process is enjoyable as well as successful.
As learners at St. Mary’s, we believe that the evidence related to diagnosis and formative assessments gathered are centred on three major questions: Where are we going? How are we going? and Where to next? All analyses are purposely built into the learning and can be viewed at an individual level, cohort, class, and/or school level and drive future reform in the curriculum to ensure success.
St Mary’s Educational Design Principles
We at St. Mary’s Thornbury:
- Offer the Catholic community and the people of Thornbury an educational foundation to develop the whole person;
- Regard and inspire each individual within our community as life-long learners
- Develop and maintain a positive climate where all feel safe, respected and are part of an inclusive environment that enhances learning and self development;
- Nurture and encourage the development of our agreed school dispositions which reflect Gospel values for lifelong learning;
- Skill all staff to be able to implement ‘best practice’ to deliver an informed and comprehensive curriculum through the use of analysed data, in order to ensure ongoing success;
- Provide effective feedback that is ongoing based on Learning Intentions, Success Criteria and Goal Setting to inform future learning;
- Consistently sustain an awareness of expectations and procedures for behaviour management;
- Maintain opportunities to participate in professional dialogue in the area of teaching and learning; empower learners to take ownership of their learning; maximise collaboration in all areas of planning.
The Learning Pit
The Learning Pit is a way for students to represent their learning challenges by working through a process where they are asking questions and being self regulated learners.
The Learning Process
The Learning Process is where students engage in the learning on a daily basis across all curriculum areas and use the listed skills to discover new learning.
