Learning

Learning brings Hope

St. Brigid’s Catholic Primary School invites students to make sense of their world and their lives within a faith community that is faithful to the mission of Jesus. Our school embraces the contemporary world with a Catholic imagination, and a particular hope-filled view of the human person and all of creation.

At the very heart of our school is the desire for the full flourishing of each student, across religious, physical, cognitive, emotional and social domains. We honour the sacred dignity of each student, believing that everyone can experience success. Our school supports students to embrace a view of themselves and the world that leads to peace and social justice.

Religious Education

St. Brigid’s is a Christ-centred community where students learn about the values and teachings of the Catholic faith through daily prayer, religious education lessons, whole-school liturgies, and Masses. Saint Brigid of Kildare is our patron saint, and we celebrate her life at the beginning of each year on her Feast Day. Saint Brigid lived her life demonstrating courage, generosity, and kindness. These are the values we encourage with our students.

Religious Education lessons are taught throughout the school week following the Religious Education Curriculum Framework as outlined by the Melbourne Archdiocese. Students explore, interpret, and reflect on the Life of Jesus and Scripture, God, Religion and Life, Church and Community, Morality and Justice. Students are encouraged to engage in discussions, pose questions and wonderings, and make connections between the teachings of Jesus and their daily lives.

Throughout the Gospel stories, Jesus’ message was to reach out to those in need. Students have the opportunity to learn about social justice initiatives in our local community and are also invited to participate in school-based initiatives each year. We endeavour to strengthen our ongoing connections with our parish community by attending weekday masses and supporting parish-based initiatives organised by Parish groups.

Each class gathers daily for personal prayer, communal prayer, and engaging religious songs. Prayer time allows each student to focus on their own faith journey. Students lead our school in prayer during weekly assemblies and liturgies.

St.Brigid’s School and Parish work together with parents to support their child’s Sacramental faith journey. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered at Year 3, the Sacrament of Eucharist in Year 4, and the Sacrament of Confirmation in Year 6. Preparation is part of the curriculum, and parents are involved through attendance at Parent-Child evenings.

Victorian Curriculum

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English

At St Brigid’s, we help students build strong, confident foundations in Mathematics. Our program develops not only essential skills and knowledge, but also the ability to think critically, solve problems and apply learning to real-life situations.

We use the OCHRE Maths program, which focuses on continual practice and regular review of key mathematical concepts. This approach strengthens understanding and ensures long-term retention, helping students build confidence as they progress through each year level.

From the early years onwards, students engage in hands-on learning and rich, open-ended tasks that encourage curiosity, persistence and deeper thinking. As their skills grow, they are supported to develop fluency, reasoning and strong problem-solving abilities.

We also provide additional support for students who need extra assistance. Our dedicated mathematics intervention teachers work closely with students to provide targeted instruction, ensuring every child has the opportunity to succeed and feel capable in their learning.

At St Brigid’s, our goal is for every student to develop confidence, resilience and a genuine sense of achievement in Mathematics.

Mathematics

At St Brigid’s, our students develop mathematical skills, knowledge and ideas that enable them to apply their understanding to solve a range of problems. Our Mathematics curriculum aims to develop our students’ capabilities of mathematical understanding, fluency, reasoning, modelling and problem-solving. Students develop their numeracy understanding through a range of hands on experiences where they explore and discover connections between number concepts and ideas. They are challenged to develop a more abstract understanding of numeracy as they become more fluent and established in their numerical understanding.

At St Brigid’s we incorporate challenging, open-ended tasks to encourage students to apply their knowledge and to develop their reasoning and problem solving skills. Our students are offered enrichment opportunities, through involvement in the Australian Mathematics Competition and Mathematics Association Victoria (MAV) Maths Talent Quest.

We offer additional numeracy support to our students through our Early Number and Algebra Program in the Junior Years, our Getting Ready in Numeracy (GRIN) program and through small group learning sprints with Learning support staff and classroom teachers.

Italian as an additional language

Our unique Leading Languages Program sees all teachers and students learning Italian together and applying the language throughout all facets of school life. Teachers and students learn new vocabulary every day for 15 minutes. This approach is called Teachers as Co-learners and is a highly effective approach to learning literacy. Through the use of intentional gestures, students are able to make a connection with the Italian phrases and use them more readily.

Specialist Subjects

Bush School

Bush school is founded on the global principles of Forest School, offering students the chance to immerse themselves in a sensory-rich learning environment. Through experimentation, discovery, and exploration, they interact with the natural world. These dynamic and open-ended activities foster creative learning, encouraging children to tackle problems collaboratively while engaging in outdoor play and education.

Each week, the Prep students head outdoors to learn and play in our school’s large natural bush space. Our distinctive weekly bush school program is tailored specifically for our school, encompassing all curriculum areas, particularly science, design, and technology, alongside the development of interpersonal skills. We place a significant emphasis on integrating our Catholic Identity and Aboriginal perspectives throughout our curriculum, including within the bush school framework. We explore the environment, talk about the plants and animals that live there, think about the history and the future of the space, as well as engage in a variety of activities and games to connect children to nature. We are very lucky to have this amazing play experience that connects children to the natural world, teaches them about the wonders of life and instils a desire to take care of their planet.

Library

As part of our specialist-led library program, students develop a broad range of library skills that support both literacy and lifelong learning. During their fortnightly visits, they learn how to navigate the library catalog, locate books independently, and understand how fiction and non-fiction texts are organized. Lessons also focus on building information literacy, including how to find, evaluate, and use information responsibly—skills that are increasingly important in the digital age. Students are introduced to research techniques, including asking effective questions, gathering relevant sources, and citing information correctly. They also explore a variety of genres and authors to discover reading for both pleasure and purpose, helping to foster a love of literature. Additionally, students learn about library etiquette, including how to care for borrowed materials and respect shared spaces. These foundational skills empower students to become confident, curious, and capable learners across all areas of the curriculum.

Music

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Performing Arts

Building confidence, creativity, and connection through performance.

At St Brigid’s, every student from Prep to Year 6 engages in our Performing Arts program, where creativity and self-expression take centre stage. Through weekly lessons in movement, improvisation, mime, and speech, students are encouraged to explore their individuality and develop their performance skills in a supportive and inclusive environment.

Performing Arts is more than just learning to act or move — it’s about building self-esteem, trust, and collaboration. As students work together to rehearse and perform, they strengthen their communication skills, grow in confidence, and experience the joy of creative teamwork.

A highlight of our program is the biennial whole-school production, a much-anticipated event that brings our entire school community together. Every student, from our youngest Preps to our Year 6 leaders, takes part in this showcase of talent, teamwork, and storytelling. It’s a celebration of the arts that leaves lasting memories for students and families alike.

Whether on stage or behind the scenes, our Performing Arts program empowers students to shine in their own unique way.

Physical Education

Physical Education classes allow students to experience a range of activities to improve their fundamental movement skills and then how to participate effectively in game situations through their use of teamwork and tactics. Students are also given the opportunity to participate in the annual swimming, athletics and cross country carnivals (all levels) as well as in the basketball HoopTime event (only Grades 3-6). Progression through the School Sport Victoria pathway is also a part of the sporting program.

STEM

At St. Brigid’s, our STEM program (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) empowers students to become confident problem-solvers and creative thinkers. Through engaging, hands-on learning experiences, children explore real-world challenges and develop practical solutions using the design process.

From planning and building to testing and refining, students work collaboratively to bring their ideas to life. Whether designing a bridge, coding a simple game, or exploring sustainable practices, our learners are encouraged to think critically, work together, and persevere through challenges.

STEM at St. Brigid’s is more than just learning facts—it’s about nurturing curiosity, resilience, and a love of discovery. We prepare our students with the skills they need to thrive in a rapidly changing world, while staying grounded in our values of community, creativity, and care.

Visual Arts

Our Visual Arts program is designed to nurture students’ confidence, curiosity, imagination, and joy through hands-on engagement with the creative process. From making and experimenting with artworks to viewing, discussing, interpreting, and evaluating them, students are encouraged to explore and express themselves in meaningful ways.

Throughout their schooling, students are introduced to a wide range of artistic techniques, materials, and processes, allowing them to develop their skills and discover their unique creative voice.

Student artwork is proudly showcased in a variety of formats across the year — including vibrant visual displays, our Learning Expo, and the highly anticipated biennial Art Show, celebrating the artistic achievements of our young creators.

A Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) is an evidence-based system that St Brigid’s uses to support all students’ learning, wellbeing, and behaviour in a structured and responsive way. It recognises that every child is different and that some students may need extra help at different times.

Tier 1 (approximately 80% of students) is the foundation and includes high-quality classroom teaching, social-emotional learning, and wellbeing support that all students receive in the classroom. These practices are designed to meet the needs of most children and support their academic and social success.

Tier 2 (approximately 15% of students) provides additional support for students who may need more help, based on data and professional observation. This can include small-group interventions, targeted skill development, or short-term academic/wellbeing supports. These supports are more focused but still flexible and responsive to students’ needs.

Tier 3 (approximately 5% of students) is for students who require more intensive, individualised support. This may involve personalised learning plans, one-to-one interventions, or collaboration with specialists such as wellbeing staff or external professionals. Tier 3 supports can also be used regarding academic, behaviour and wellbeing.

The Multi-tiered system of support allows St Brigid’s staff to identify students' needs early, provide the right level of support, and adjust strategies as students grow. It ensures every child is supported. We also work closely with families and specialist support teams to help students feel safe, supported, and ready to learn. Families are encouraged to contact our school to discuss the current adjustments, programs, and interventions in place to support current and future students.