“A challenging,
innovative place
where students develop skills for work, life and study”
Augustine Program
Identifying & Catering for Talented Learners
The Augustine Program is based on the philosophy of providing the most appropriate learning environment for students, as they progress developmentally and individually. It recognises that students learn at different rates and attempts to pace learning to meet the range of student learning needs and abilities.
In this program we are careful not to identify “talented” learners too early. For this reason we progressively refine and broaden our assessment of and provision for able students. We also recognise that students will display different needs at different stages, and that students will move into or out of the program as their learning progresses and their abilities develop.
Junior School
Independent Learners - Years 2, 3 & 4
These streamed classes comprise students who display an aptitude for self directed/managed learning, well developed social ability and appropriate reading and literacy skills, enabling students to undertake individual set work with a reduced level of teacher instruction/direction/intervention.
Streaming does not attempt to identify Gifted and Talented students, although we recognise that some G&T students will possess the characteristics necessary for placement in this group. Placement is dependent both on general reading and literacy skills and personal learning characteristics. This streaming is not intended to cater for gifted underachievers.
Benefits of this streaming include more individualised differentiation of curriculum, as the teacher sets different work for different groups of students and is able to work with small targeted groups while some are “working independently”. This structure also reinforces the behaviours of self-directed learning for future years. The work covered is more enrichment than it is acceleration.
Middle School
Advanced Learners: Year 5 to 8
Streamed classes comprise students who show capacity for accelerated coverage of the standard curriculum, in both Literacy and Mathematics. This is a more general identification of academic talent. Criteria for placement in this stream will endeavour to identify and include the gifted underachiever or the gifted student with other learning difficulties.
Curriculum compacting is a feature of these classes but will not usually involve grade skipping and acceleration. Rather, extra learning opportunities gained through compaction of the curriculum will be used to extend and enrich the KLA’s (Key Learning Areas) within the class.
Extension Programs
Year 5 |
Year 6 |
Year 7 |
Year 8 |
Spelling |
Spelling |
English |
English |
Mathematics |
Mathematics |
Mathematics |
Mathematics* |
|
|
|
Science* |
* The Augustine Accelerated Programs allow advanced Year 8 students to begin a compacted curriculum in Science and Mathematics.
Senior School
Accelerated Classes: Years 9 to 12
Commencing in Year 8, Augustine Maths and Science classes undertake curriculum compaction, completing three school syllabus years over two calendar years. For example, students in these classes would complete School Certificate requirements in their accelerated subject at the end of Year 9 instead of at the end of Year 10. Various options are then available during Year 10, including repeating the School Certificate course in that subject or commencing a Preliminary course in that subject area.
Continuation of the acceleration program would result in students completing the HSC in that subject a year ahead of their cohort. The benefits of this include remaining with their cohort to enjoy the support and competition of a whole class experience, while having a reduced Unit load in Year 12 or exploring the opportunity of undertaking other courses. Possible scenarios are listed below:
Subject |
Year 8 & 9 |
Year 10 |
Year 11 |
Year 12 |
Science |
School Certificate |
Prelim. Chemistry |
HSC Chemistry |
|
Maths |
School Certificate |
2 Unit Prelim. |
2 Unit HSC + |
Ext.1 HSC + |
