Curriculum
St Michael’s has incorporated the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (PYP) designed for students aged 3 to 12. PYP is an international, transdisciplinary program designed to foster the development of the whole child, not just in the classroom but through other means of learning.
The PYP focuses on the total growth of the developing child, touching hearts as well as minds. It encompasses social, physical, emotional and cultural needs in addition to academic welfare.
Students also follow the Australian Curriculum undertaking subjects that provide a broad and balanced curriculum.
Key areas of learning are: english, mathematics, science, humanities and social sciences, health and physical education, the arts, technologies, German and Christian studies.
Find out more about our Programme of Inquiry.
IB Primary Years Program (PYP)
The Primary Years Program (PYP) developed by the International Baccaluareate Organisation (IBO) is designed for students between the ages of three and twelve years.
It is an international, transdisciplinary programme, designed to foster the development of the whole child. The PYP aims to touch hearts as well as minds and encompasses social, physical, emotional and cultural needs of the developing child in addition to academic welfare.
Mission Statement of the IB
The International Baccalaureate organisation aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.
To this end the IB works with schools, governments and international organisations to develop challenging programs of international education and rigorous assessment.
These programs encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.
The PYP combines best research and practice from a range of national systems, with a wealth of knowledge and experience from international schools, to create a relevant, significant, challenging and engaging framework for all children.
After a rigorous authorisation process, St Michael’s Lutheran School became an IB World School on 9th December 2005.
Since that time, St Michael’s has undergone several high-level evaluations to ensure that we are providing the very best education for our students. The most recent of these evaluations was in 2019.
To find out more about the PYP at St Michael’s please book a tour and see our learning in action.
You may also wish to visit the IB PYP website to learn more.
Co-curricular
Language other than English (LOTE)
Learning languages at the Primary level gives students exposure to other languages and provides insights into different cultures and lives.
All students receive one hour a week of instruction in German.
Physical Education
Students are led by St Michael’s Physical Education Teacher in two hours a week of physical activity, including daily fitness and sports such as gymnastics, athletics and ball sports.
St Michael’s students can participate in competitive inter-school sport from Year 4. We send teams to School Sport SA events including athletics, cross country, softball, football, soccer, cricket, gymkhana and hockey.
Creative Arts
Our students participate in a weekly creative arts lesson with a specialist teacher.
Creative arts lessons can include art, drama, music, dance and media arts; these lessons provide students with an understanding of the world viewed through the arts.
Wellbeing
A fundamental aspect of St Michael’s is our concern for each and every student’s wellbeing.
Our staff care deeply about our students and support them to be thriving, happy children who are encouraged to reach their full potential. Every staff member is responsible for student wellbeing, and all are trained to deliver pastoral care to enhance a student’s wellbeing.
Our student’s wellbeing is fostered in an environment that is safe, supportive and inclusive, and where partnerships with our families, congregation and the broader community are nurtured.
Wellbeing Room
St Michael’s has a dedicated wellbeing room that provides a calm space for students to take scheduled breaks, or a quiet place to reset their “engines” as required. The room has an external garden which is another peaceful space to assist students to self-regulate.
Wellbeing Dog
Several times a week our school wellbeing dog, Raz, visits to spread joy and calm. He is an important member of our wellbeing team and a sought after “teacher” when students require assistance to regulate themselves.
School Chaplain/Diverse Learning Coordinator
The Diverse Learning Coordinator fills the role of School Chaplain and is responsible for planning wellbeing experiences that support our students and develop their social skills.
The Coordinator organises activities to educate students in self-awareness, social awareness, self-management, relationship skills and responsible decision making. Students are encouraged to develop their understanding of themselves as learners and identify and practice strategies to maximise their sense of wellbeing.
You can contact the school’s Diverse Learning Coordinator, Georgia Pope, by email at gpope@stmichaels.sa.edu.au.
Pastoral Care
Religious pastoral care is offered to students on a voluntary basis and is another wellbeing activity offered at St Michael’s.
Pastoral care is a crucial part of St Michael’s culture. We make sure we look after and care for everyone within our community.
Behaviour Management
We work hard to create a positive and safe environment for our students. Our wellbeing program works with our behaviour management process to develop respectful relationships and restore broken ones.
The gospel of Jesus Christ is the motivation we use for encouraging and developing healthy relationships in our community. God’s love and forgiveness, and an emphasis on reconciliation is the foundation for our behaviour management process.
Using restorative processes, we guide children to consider peaceful ways of resolving conflict and support them to develop empathy toward others. Families are encouraged to be involved in this process and to support learning.
When responding to challenging behaviour, we consider the needs of individual students, but also the learning, wellbeing and safety of others. We assist our students and their families to work with health professionals for learning and wellbeing needs.
Bullying
St Michael’s strives to create an environment of mutual respect for all. As an International Baccalaureate school we want to develop young people who are interested in helping create a better and more peaceful world.
St Michael’s takes a proactive approach to bullying, providing education to our students and promoting a culture of respect across the school.
Any incidents of bullying – whether physical, verbal, social, psychological or cyber - are taken very seriously, and are investigated and addressed through the school’s restorative process.
Technology
St Michael’s students access well-equipped facilities and up-to-date digital resources for their information and communication technology (ICT) activities. ICT capabilities are incorporated into the whole school curriculum.
Students from all year levels are provided with an iPad to use at school, which are included as part of your child’s current inclusive tuition fee. There are no additional costs to families.
We integrate the International Baccalaureate learner profile attributes into ICT based teaching and learning. We equip our students with the skills and knowledge to be safe, effective and confident users of ICT, understanding its possibilities, limitations and impact on individuals, groups and communities.
ICT learning provides students with the skills to make the most of the digital technology available to them, ways to adapt to new technology and it’s uses, and reducing risks to themselves and others in the digital environment.
Online Learning
In 2020 the need to rapidly move into a position to provide quality online learning for our students provided us with an opportunity to engage in specific professional learning on platforms such as Zoom, SeeSaw, Teams and Edmodo.
Cyber Safety
Education on the safe and responsible use of ICT teaches students how to act in a safe and responsible manner on the Internet and other connected environments. Cyber Safety workshops are conducted with students on or near Safer Internet Day in February and at other times during the year.
Join us for a Principal's Tour
If you would like to see and hear more about what our school has to offer, book a tour with our Principal and realise the wonder within St Michael's for yourself.