CLASS STRUCTURE IN 2021

Dear Parents

As we approach the end of the 2020 school year, it is time to focus on plans for continuing to provide quality education and a happy and nurturing learning environment for 2021.  I am very pleased to announce that our staffing allocation for 2021 will allow us to continue to operate seven class groups. We will also be able to maintain the level of learning support our school provides.

The Canberra & Goulburn Education Office and St Mary’s will implement a program called InitiaLit next year. This program is a synthetics phonics program developed from the same company as MiniLit and MacLit, which are the two programs we are currently using for extra reading support. InitiaLit is a Kinder, Year 1 and Year 2 program, that is best implemented in a single stream setting. This is why St Mary’s will go to straight classes from Kinder to Year 2 for 2021 and we will continue to do this while the student numbers allow us to.

As you can see below our student enrolment numbers are not consistent across stage 2 (Year 3 and Year 4) and I believe there are still advantages of having staged classes in the older years.

In consideration for the new English program and the above class sizes in 2021, the class structure will be:

Educationally, the combined classes will be just as effective as stand alone classes as the NSW syllabus is organised in Stages: Years 3 and 4 are Stage Two and Years 5 and 6 are Stage 3.

In organising the Year 3 to 6 class groups the focus will be centred on creating a positive learning environment for all students.  The classes will be of mixed academic ability and attention will also be given to placing students with peers that they work best with and cooperate best with.  The year levels will be split evenly.  If families have two siblings in the same stage group you are invited to contact myself to discuss if you wish the children to be in the same class as we will automatically place them separately.

In Years 3 to 6 the school will continue the process implemented last year.  Next Wednesday 2 December, students will be given the opportunity to nominate, through secret ballot, 4 students who they consider would be positive class mates for 2021.  The peers the student nominates can come from their year group or the year group they will be partnered with.  The school will ensure that at least one of these students will be in the same class.  I encourage all parents to discuss this process with their children and to emphasise the importance of a positive class peer who will help your child with their learning.

I invite any parents who have any concerns about the placement of their students in a particular class to contact myself by Friday 4 December 2020.  We will be able to carefully consider your concerns and requests, however, this is best done before student and teacher allocation lists are published and made public, which will happen in the last week of school.

Regards

Mr Nielsen