Other Programs
Specialist programs cater for individual talents and challenge students to broaden their horizons.
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Social Skills
All students from Kindergarten to Year 6 participate in a social skills program during Term 1.
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Literacy Support
Literacy support is an effective early intervention program, designed to assist those children experiencing difficulty in reading. It is a “second chance” program available to children from Kindergarten to Year 3.
In addition to their classroom program, eligible children are given teaching in small groups. The aim is to help children to “catch up” with the other children in the classroom.
Our Literacy Support program is supported by two teachers, and it has proved a very successful way of helping children who are having difficulty getting started with reading and writing.
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Special Education
At Our Lady Queen of Peace the Special Education program is staffed by two Special Education teachers and a teacher assistant.
The Special Education program caters for students who have a physical, sensory, intellectual, emotional or learning disability. The aim of the program is to provide effective education support for these children by:
- appropriately assessing children
- implementing programs and providing resources to meet the needs of individual children
- working in collaboration with classroom teachers in developing effective strategies to meet the needs of students within the program
- liaising with Principal, parents, Catholic Education Office personnel and outside agencies to effectively meet the needs of these students.
Special Needs Programs
A Special Needs Committee has been established at the school to assist children, parents and teachers. Its permanent members include:
- the principal
- the assistant principal
- 'Reading Recovery' teacher/s
- Special Education staff
- Language Support staff
Other members of the school community may be invited to attend and participate in these meetings when a matter pertinent to them is being discussed. The committee caters for:
- early intervention
- students with learning difficulties
- early achievers and advanced learners
- gender issues
- students with disabilities
- non-English speaking background students
- socio-economically deprived students
- repeated behaviour management concerns
- students at risk
Language Support
Language Support is a program which provides English language support to children whose first, or “home” language, is not English. Oral and written language support groups operate within the regular classroom program. This assistance is provided by an English as a Second Language teacher. The program is flexible as it is designed to give assistance where it is most needed.
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Enrichment
Our Lady Queen of Peace is committed to providing all students with appropriate educational experiences in partnership with parents. All teachers differentiate the curriculum to cater for students' individual needs.
An Enrichment program aims to provide increased opportunities for children with academic and creative talent to enjoy a challenging and enriching education. The emphasis is on the development of higher-level thinking skills (critical, creative and evaluative thinking and problem solving), both within the class, and in withdrawal groups; through interest clubs; extra-curricula activities and through competitions.
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New Arrival Program
The Commonwealth Government, through the Catholic Education Office Parramatta, funds an intensive English program for any child with a non-English speaking background who has entered Australia recently. The students range from Kindergarten to Year 6 and to be eligible, must have been in Australia for 6 months or less. (Kindergarten children are eligible for up to 18 months).
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Transition programs
- Kindergarten orientation
Designed to assist preschool students entering Kindergarten, there are two orientation sessions in the year prior to starting school. Students take part in a mixture of whole, and small group, activities. The following year of school, students take part in a transition program where they are placed in fluid groups for two weeks.
The aim of the transition program is to allow the teachers to become familiar with the needs of the students and to adapt teaching programs to meet their varying needs. During this time the teachers will endeavour to gain as much information about each child which will aid in programming for the needs of the students. It also allows students to adapt and adjust to their new surroundings in an enjoyable way.
- Year 6 students entering high school
Our Lady Queen of Peace supports all high school open days. Teachers from the school meet with teachers from secondary schools to discuss students individual needs.
Physical Education
A specialist Physical Education teacher is employed four days a week at Our Lady Queen of Peace. She is responsible for co-ordinating all sports programs, including external competition. Students are selected, trained and entered into many competitions including:
- zone swimming, athletics and coss country carnivals
- diocesan swimming, athletics and coss country carnivals
- state swimming, athletics and coss country carnivals.
Students are also given opportunities to compete in various other sports, including basketball, volleyball and cricket.
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Music
A specialist music teacher is employed two days a week. Each student (K – 4) has the opportunity to participate in the music program which complements activities completed in class. Students in Years 5 and 6 participate in music lessons within their classroom programs.
Students in Years 3 to 6 have the opportunity each year to audition for the school choir, which performs at many events including Education Week and eisteddfods.
A school band was established by Musicorp Australia in 1997 for those children in Years 3 to 6 who are interested. A fee is charged each term to cover the cost of tuition and instrument hire. Further details are available from the school office.
Technology
Computers enrich the educational environment of all students and support the achievement of quality in education. They are now an integral part of our Australian society. Computers are used to assist students in many areas, including acquiring basic literacy and numeracy skills. With appropriate software and teacher guidance computers promote a co-operative approach to problem solving.
We recognise that computers can be used by teachers to promote the active involvement and engagement of students in their own learning. We presently have over 120 computers in the school, including a portable bank of 45 laptop computers,, which includes both Mac and PC platforms. The school is fully networked using both cable and wireless technology. The students have access to a data projector, four digital cameras, two video cameras and two scanners.
Students also have supervised access to the internet. All students must have a parent permission note to use the internet and agree to our Acceptable User Policy.
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