Junior School
The academic program at Radford is designed to:
- Provide a purposeful, imaginative and enjoyable learning environment;
- Nurture student potential;
- Foster sound personal values and attributes; and
- Encourage an understanding and acceptance of Christianity as the spiritual and moral basis of life.
About the Junior School's Academic Program
The Junior School inquiry learning programs extend from the Early Learning Centre, to Year 4 and are delivered through the International Baccalaureate (Primary Years Program) which then link to our integrated inquiry in Years 5 and 6. The Primary Years Program (PYP) focuses on the development of the whole child, in the classroom and the world outside. Our Junior School curriculum aims to make learning relevant and meaningful to our children. Therefore we adopt a balanced curriculum consisting of traditional disciplines and trandisciplinary units of inquiry, both of which focus upon the children as learners. Both class and specialist teaching staff work together to support this approach. Subject content may therefore be taught in stand alone core disciplines or through integrated program units.
The Junior School curriculum organisers reflect the PYP domains of:
- Language (English and Languages Other than English)
- Mathematics
- Science and Technology
- Personal, Social and Physical Education
- Social Sciences
- Arts
Godly Play and Religious values Education is addressed through our College Chaplain.
The PYP Units of Inquiry form the basics of our integrated units, Classroom teachers work with specialist staff to deliver Units which cover all Science and Technology, Social Science content and some/or much of the content from other domains. Content not covered by the Units of Inquiry are addressed as stand alone curriculum by the class teacher (daily) or specialist teachers in Language Other than English, Physical Education, Visual/Creative Arts and Music.
As in the High School the learning program offers a broad international curriculum that encourages students to realise their potential, manage their own studies, show initiative, make informed choices, accept responsibility and demonstrate respect for others. After completing their studies at the College we are confident our students will have the skills and understandings necessary for them to contribute as informed participants in local and world affairs with ‘truth, compassion and wisdom’.
Extra Curricular Academic Activities
NAPLAN
Years 3 and 5 ACTAP data and yearly standardised assessment data (SA Spelling, PAT, Burt, SENA, Early Years Literacy, Ravens) is analysed by the Director of Studies, Head of School and class/specialist teachers to identify areas of concern and patterns of performance at a Junior School and individual level. This is done with reference to National Benchmarks, Junior School Benchmarks and individual student data.
The NAPLAN standardised data is also used as a part of identifying student strengths and needs and is used:
- to prepare to meet the needs of incoming students;
- by the Learning Support Teacher in developing differentiated educational programs and individual learning plans (ILPs);
- by the HOS/DOS when considering class placements;
- in conjunction with Junior School Benchmarks (eg year Minimum Reading Levels) when reviewing Junior School Programs;
- stringent privacy policies apply.
National Competitions
UNSW Competitions
Tournament of the Minds
EEAT
Years 5-7 Cyclical vertical academic programs.