St John's is a Gifted Education Lead School in the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle. Our focus is on identifying gifted learners and assisting with the process of developing talent by providing specific opportunities for learning, training and practise. We have high expectations for all students with an increased focus on gifted learners and their needs.

The school’s Gifted Education Mentors (GEMs) and a gifted education committee assist teachers with collating and analysing data, identifying the strengths and needs of students and providing appropriate strategies to meet their needs.

Gifted Education is a priority in the system and is providing exciting opportunities for students in our school and we look forward to working with all the schools in the diocese during this exciting era of learning.

At St John’s we strive to develop a love of learning in every child. Rich teaching and learning experiences aim to develop knowledge and skills that enable children to become active and responsible members of society. Students engage in learning in well-resourced classrooms which utilise technology as a learning tool. We believe in challenging every child in a supportive learning environment, and value each child’s different abilities. Academic strengths are challenged during classroom learning along with initiatives such as Mathematics Olympiad and the Virtual Academy. The learning of children with special learning needs is nurtured through inclusive classroom practices and utilises the skills of our Learning Support Team. At St John’s we delight in assisting each individual to reach their potential. 

Student Enrichment

Student enrichment activities seek to identify and support potential in students with particular extension in various academic disciplines. Enrichment provides a variety of challenging learning opportunities which seek to cater for the diverse intelligences of children. Consequently, group composition is flexible, and dependent upon the focus of the program offered. Students are encouraged to participate in various enrichment activities including the Premiers’ Reading Challenge, Creative Minds, Tournament of Minds, public speaking competitions, debating, coding, lego robotics as well as many in-class activities.

Wellbeing

We hope that all families feel welcome and part of the St John’s school community, as parents are a vital and valued component of our school. By working together, we can best assist your child develop for the future. You are your child’s first and most important teacher - the effectiveness of the school can only be enhanced by a unified effort from all involved. 

At St John’s we aim to accept, respect and support all members of our community. We wish to develop confident children with high self-esteem, resilience, respect and dignity. We aim to provide an effective, safe and enjoyable learning environment where a sense of belonging is evident. We believe in the importance of the wellbeing of our students, parents, staff and community. We have a Wellbeing Team who organise ‘Wellbeing Week’ once a term and promote the continued focus on mindfulness activities in all aspects of school life throughout the year

Additional Needs Support Program

Children who need assistance in a particular area of learning are identified by both norm-referenced tests and teacher-constructed assessments. Selected students are given assistance on an individual and/or small group basis within the cohort. This Learning Support Program is provided in each grade. Students with significant additional needs are supported through the implementation of their Personalised Plan (PP), in consultation with parents and other professionals.