LEARNING & TEACHING
OUR LADY OF LOURDES PRIMARY SCHOOL BAYSWATER
Learning & Teaching
Education in Faith
At Our Lady of Lourdes, Christ is at the centre of all we do, guiding our mission to grow in faith, deepen our relationship with Him, and live out our discipleship through prayer and service. We strive to educate our students and maintain our Catholic identity whilst being inclusive and respectful of other religious traditions within our school community.
We celebrate our faith and life through:
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​ Prayer, fostering a personal and communal connection with God through embracing different forms of prayer.
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Faith and Life curriculum and Inquiry, integrating Catholic values into our learning,
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·Mass and liturgy, gathering as a community to worship and reflect in both ordinary time and special Feast Days.
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Sacramental learning and celebrations, nurturing students' and parent spiritual growth.
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Christian meditation, welcoming Jesus to be with us as we create moments of stillness and reflection, as a part of the school day.
Sacraments
Sacramentality is at the heart of our faith celebration and spiritual growth at OLOL. In collaboration with our parish and families, we support and guide our students as they prepare to receive the sacraments, strengthening their relationship with God and deepening their understanding of the Catholic faith. The sacraments are offered in the following years:
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Year 3: Sacrament of Reconciliation
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Year 4: Sacrament of First Eucharist
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Year 5 or 6: Sacrament of Confirmation (Biennial)
Through these significant milestones, we nurture our students’ faith journey and foster their connection to the Catholic community.
Literacy
At Our Lady of Lourdes, we recognise that a strong foundation in literacy—encompassing oral language, reading, and writing—is essential for success in education and everyday life.
Our Literacy Program is guided by evidence-based practices within the Science of Learning, with Scarborough’s Reading Rope serving as a key framework for reading instruction. This model highlights the interconnected skills required for skilled reading, including language comprehension and word recognition, which we explicitly develop in our students. Elements of this approach were introduced in 2023 and 2024 and are now embedded across the school.
Our English program is designed to nurture imaginative thinkers, confident communicators, and informed citizens. By integrating listening, speaking, reading, and writing across the curriculum, we ensure learning is meaningful and student-centred. Through explicit instruction, we provide targeted teaching that actively engages students in a variety of literacy experiences, fostering both skill development and a love of learning.
Nurturing oral language skills provides a strong foundation for learning to read. Oral Language has an explicit and comprehensive focus, school-wide. Beginning with rigorous Phonemic Awareness and Phonics programs in the junior school, then growing towards a deep understanding of vocabulary and correct grammar in the senior school, we guide our students toward becoming critical and creative thinkers.
Students receive early and ongoing access to literacy support programs and strategies to help them develop their English skills.
Numeracy
The teaching of Mathematics at Our Lady of Lourdes has its foundations in Cognitive Science, with explicit instruction breaking new information into manageable parts. Teachers introduce complex skills in small steps, through explanation and demonstration. Once foundational knowledge is established, students are actively involved in ongoing practice to gain mastery in mathematical skills. Additionally, students review prior learning daily to firmly establish concepts within their long-term memory.
Mathematical knowledge, skills, procedures and processes in Number, Algebra, Measurement, Space, Statistics and Probability form the basis of our curriculum. Teachers build on students’ prior knowledge and skills to provide whole class, small group and individual instruction. Daily mathematics sessions include:
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using concrete materials to develop a clear number sense
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thinking, reasoning and explaining through targeted questioning
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investigation of rules and procedures
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mastery of operations, such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division
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developing a variety of problem-solving strategies
At Our Lady of Lourdes, we strive to build confident, effective and adaptive users of mathematics who can reason and problem-solve in the real world.
Inquiry Based Learning
The Inquiry Based Curriculum at OLOL is the way the school organises learning and teaching in the Key Learning areas of:
Humanities and Social Sciences
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Science
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Technology
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History
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Geography
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Health (component of Health and Physical education) Capabilities
Inquiry based learning describes approaches to learning that are based on a process of inquiry, study and research in which students:
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take on more responsibility for identifying precisely what they need to learn and finding resources which will allow them to explore the gaps in their knowledge
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can begin in the first years of school and progressively develop their research skills as self-directed learners
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learn to identify and find answers to the questions that they need to ask and the resources that they need to draw upon in solving any given complex problems
Intervention & Extension
We offer a range of intervention and extension opportunities to support and challenge our students:
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MiniLit Program– Supporting early literacy development.
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Targeted Reading Intervention– Enhancing reading skills for students needing additional support.
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Targeted Writing Intervention– Focused support to strengthen writing abilities.
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Learning Sprints – Short, targeted learning cycles designed to assist or extend students based on their individual needs.
Learning Sprints
As part of our ‘Learning Sprints’ program, identified students have the opportunity to participate in a four week ‘Sprint’ program where they target a particular aspect of learning in Literacy or Numeracy. The students will work in a small group (up to four students) on a specific, measurable goal over the sprint cycle, with the intention of making rapid improvement in a short space of time. At the end of the Sprint cycle, the students are assessed on their newly gained knowledge. These extra focus group Sprint sessions complement the work that is being completed in the classroom. The planning and implementation of the Sprints program is based on the work our school has undertaken with Dr. Simon Breakspear.
Specialist Program
Physical Education
At Our Lady of Lourdes School, we are committed to promoting physical activity, health, safety, and personal development. Our Physical Education program encourages students to engage in movement, build confidence, and develop essential life skills, all while fostering a sense of community and well-being. The curriculum focuses on developing movement skills, allowing students of all abilities to participate in physical activities with competence and creativity.
Through these experiences, students learn about their bodies, improve cognitive skills, and discover the joy of movement, laying the foundation for lifelong health and fitness. We also emphasise community connections, with coaches from local sporting clubs offering their expertise and inspiring students to explore new sports. These partnerships enhance the curriculum by promoting personal and social skills such as communication, teamwork, and decision-making.
Each year, Our Lady of Lourdes School participates in a comprehensive swimming program designed to teach vital survival skills, stroke development, and water confidence. Students engage in lessons tailored to their year level, ensuring they build essential skills that promote safety and enjoyment in the water.
Students in Years 4-6 participate in inter-school sports, including athletics, swimming, cross-country, and round-robin days, giving them exposure to a range of summer and winter sports.
For our youngest learners, the Perceptual Motor Program (PMP) in Prep helps develop their physical and cognitive skills through structured movement experiences.
Our Twilight Sports event in Term One celebrates student achievements in a fun, community-focused atmosphere while providing students the chance to showcase their skills and progress.
Music / Dance
At Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School, we provide exciting opportunities for students to develop their musical skills and appreciation. Our program follows a two-year cycle, ensuring a rich and varied experience in both performance and music education.
In odd-numbered years, students participate in a school musical production, previously created by OLOL staff. These performances have featured modern music with original lyrics and a storyline that aligned with the school's learning themes, allowing students to engage creatively while building confidence on stage.
In even-numbered years, students explore different musical experiences, such as learning about the families of the orchestra, experimenting with different instruments and sounds. As part of this learning, in recent years we have visited the Melbourne Arts Centre, where we toured the facilities and enjoyed a live performance tailored for primary school audiences. Recent productions have included Alice Through the Opera Glass (Melbourne Opera, 2022) and The Peasant Prince (Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, 2024). This dynamic program promotes a develop a lifelong appreciation for music and the performing arts, while also fostering creativity, collaboration, and confidence.
Art Wellbeing
At Our Lady of Lourdes School, we recognise that a key factor in supporting students’ learning is their mental and emotional well-being. To further strengthen the connection between student wellbeing and the curriculum, we offer our unique ‘Art/Wellbeing’ program. This initiative aims to provide students with creative outlets that promote both emotional expression and mindfulness.
Through weekly sessions, students engage in the creation of various artworks while also practising mindfulness and meditation techniques. These activities help students develop concepts and skills to manage stress and enhance their emotional resilience, fostering a positive and calm learning environment. In particular, we look at developing a growth mindset.
Throughout the year, students create a wide range of artworks that carry positive messages, often tied to significant events in the school calendar, such as Lent, Book Week, and Advent. These pieces of artwork are proudly displayed around the school, allowing students to showcase their creativity while also contributing to the welcoming and inspiring environment. This program not only nurtures creativity but also deepens students' understanding of these important themes, encouraging reflection and personal growth.
LOTE - Italian
At Our Lady of Lourdes School, the Italian (LOTE) program offers more than just learning basic vocabulary and numbers. Students are immersed in the Italian language through the **D.A.L.L. (Development of Autonomous Language Learners)** program, which focuses on understanding the structure, purpose, and function of an additional language.
To reinforce the connection between English and Italian as functional languages, classroom teachers model the use of Italian within daily routines and lessons. The DALL program also incorporates **gestures alongside spoken language**, providing a visual prompt to support understanding and enhance language retention. This multimodal approach helps students become confident and independent language learners.
Students also have the opportunity to engage with Italian language and culture through special events and authentic experiences. They celebrate Italian Day and Carnivale, experiencing Italian traditions and festivities firsthand. In everyday situations, they learn practical phrases such as "Posso prendere il mio pranzo per favore?" (Can I get my lunch please?), helping them use Italian in meaningful ways. Additionally, students learn prayers in Italian, connecting language to our Catholic beliefs and deepening their cultural and spiritual understanding.
Sustainability
At Our Lady of Lourdes School, we have a strong focus on caring for the environment as we believe that it is our responsibility to care for God’s creation. The students are encouraged to take pride in the school environment and take responsibility for their learning spaces. As part of our program, classes participate in activities promoting Sustainability in our school. We aim to maintain and develop our school environment while raising awareness throughout the school of environmentally friendly practices. These practices are also embedded into the everyday life of the school through initiatives such as our compost bins, gardening program and our school's sensory garden.
Extra Curricular Activities
At Our Lady of Lourdes School we offer a variety of learning opportunities that extend beyond the regular curriculum. These extracurricular activities are designed to enrich students’ social, academic, physical, creative, and intellectual development. Some examples of the opportunities available at Our Lady of Lourdes include:
Student Wellbeing​
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Kindergarten Transition Program
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Year 6 Buddy Program
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Inform and Empower Cyber Safety Program
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Lunchtime clubs
The Arts
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Art/Wellbeing Program
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Music
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Book Week Activities
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School Productions
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Leadership
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School Captains
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House Captains
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Social Justice Leaders
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SRC
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Spiritual
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Sacramental Preparation
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Confirmation Retreat Day
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Altar Service
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Class Masses
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Whole School Masses
Academic
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Excursions/Incursions
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Camp (Year 5/6)
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Library Borrowing
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Learning Sprints
Sporting
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Swimming Program
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Cross Country
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Athletics
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District Sport
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Twilight Sports
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Sporting Clinics run by Approved Providers
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