How We Teach & Support

Our expert teaching staff  are extremely skilled at identifying students who require additional support. With the support of our Learning Diversity Team,  teachers and our learning support officers implement intervention strategies in the core areas of Literacy and Numeracy. In addition to this support, our Reading Recovery Program supports students from Year One to reach reading benchmarks.

At St John the Baptist  we work in partnership with our parents through our `Program Support Group’ (PSG) meetings to set learning goals and Personal Learning Plans (PLPs) for students where adjustments for learning need to be made.

At St John the Baptist we value the dignity, difference, and infinite possibilities in each student. We believe that each child in our school is a gift to be gratefully received.At the very heart of our Catholic school is the desire for the full flourishing of each student across religion, physical, cognitive, emotional and social domains.(Horizons of Hope)

To this end we have consistent positive behaviour management across all aspects of our school to fully support the students in our care. As a community we are all strive to:

Follow directions

Listen to the speaker

Honour personal space

Speak appropriately

Move safely

Look after property

At St John the Baptist we recognise the leadership potential of every child. Whether leading class discussions, a trust exercise at camp, or a student group on an excursion , students are encouraged to discover and develop their capacity to lead.

St Johns has always fostered and developed leadership opportunities for all students. Every program  is designed to develop students’ confidence and sense of responsibility, their organisational skills and commitment to goals, so that all students may experience elements of leadership. Students are given opportunities to share leadership roles as co-captains – and so learn together. 

The school also provides specific leadership programs such as the Year 6 leadership program where students are appointed into a variety of roles such as School Captains, Vice Captains, SRC , E-Learning, Social Justice, Arts and Sports Leaders. 

In the Junior School, students begin to develop competencies in teamwork, expressing ideas and basic problem-solving – enhancing confidence and self-esteem.

The Middle to Senior School provides more formal training and participation in leadership roles such as the Student Representative Council (SRC) and buddy system and peer support with younger students. 

Prep Transition Sessions

We offer prospective Prep families a variety of opportunities to visit and tour our school with group open days or by appointment for a personal tour. Our enrolled Prep students are invited for transition sessions in Term 4 of the year prior to them commencing school. Each family that is enrolled at St John the Baptist is also welcomed with an informal interview with the Principal.

Communication With Kindergartens

Transition to school for new Prep students is supported by the whole school community. The Principal, along with the Prep teaching team, communicate closely with the local feeder kindergartens and childcare agencies to ensure all Transition Statements are obtained and passed on to the relevant teachers. This communication ensures that relevant information is exchanged to maximise student readiness and facilitates the placement of Prep students into classes. 

Buddy Program

A buddy system is in place to assist the new Prep students to settle into the school routine in a caring and supportive way. The children are introduced to their Year 6 buddies during Transition sessions in Term 4. The buddies are available during the first few weeks of Term 1 to assist the Preps with finding friends to play with and generally providing support. They continue this friendship throughout the year and participate in a number of designated ‘buddy’ activities.

Designated Play Area

Prep students are supervised closely in a designated play area at both recess and lunch at the beginning of the year. This creates a safe, caring and supportive environment for the Preps as they become familiar with new school routines.

At St John the Baptist we regularly welcome students into our school at levels other than Prep. We understand the importance of a smooth transition in order for a new student to feel safe, supported and welcome! 

– Families are always encouraged to take an extensive tour of our school to visit our learning spaces, meet our teachers and see learning in action.They are also welcome to contact the school at any time for further information.

– We can tailor a transition program to suit the needs of the student, including spending time in a learning space prior to beginning a new school year.

– We encourage families to work in partnership with us from day one, sharing any information that will assist in meeting the needs of the individual student.

– We arrange for a `buddy’ student’ (peer) to support the student in the first few days or weeks of transition, both in the classroom and on the playground.