Prep

The Prep year provides a strong foundation for future learning and is carefully designed to support each child's transition into school. The program follows the Early Years Curriculum developed by QCAA and combines explicit teaching, inquiry learning, and Continuous Provision to create engaging and purposeful learning experiences.

A strong emphasis is placed on developing foundational literacy and numeracy skills. In Mathematics, students are explicitly taught early number concepts, building confidence and understanding in counting, number relationships, and problem-solving.

Reading is taught through Speech Sounds Pics (SSP), a structured and evidence-informed approach to literacy. SSP teaches students the relationship between speech sounds and the letters or letter combinations that represent them. Children learn to blend sounds together to read words and segment words into sounds for spelling, providing a strong foundation for reading and writing success.

Throughout Prep, learning experiences are designed to nurture children's academic, spiritual, physical, emotional, and social development. Students are encouraged to be active participants in their learning through exploration, collaboration, guided instruction, and purposeful play. The focus remains on meeting students at their individual stage of development while fostering confidence, independence, and a love of learning.

Additional Programs Embedded in Prep:

• Perceptual Motor Program (PMP) – Physical program that assists in developing children’s muscle tone, balance and strength through fine and gross motor skills.
• Music – formal music tuition that teaches solfa, rhythm, beat and intonation, experiences with percussion instruments, singing, movement and music appreciation.
• Physical Education – Lessons focusing on gymnastics, swimming, athletics, fitness, and ball skills.
• Japanese – Students are introduced to language and culture through stories, songs, games, movement, and interactive learning experiences.
• Digital Technologies - Students develop essential digital literacy, computational thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills through engaging and age-appropriate learning experiences. These skills help prepare students to be confident, responsible, and capable users of technology in an increasingly digital world.

Year 1 – Year 5

In Years 1-5, students engage in an inquiry-based approach to learning across many curriculum areas, encouraging them to ask questions, investigate ideas, think critically, and make meaningful connections to the world around them. Inquiry learning fosters curiosity, independence, collaboration, and problem-solving skills, helping students become active participants in their own learning.

While inquiry provides the framework for much of the integrated curriculum, English and Mathematics are taught as discrete subjects through explicit and systematic instruction to ensure students develop strong foundational literacy and numeracy skills. This balanced

approach enables students to build essential knowledge and skills while developing the confidence and capability to apply their learning in authentic and meaningful contexts.

Learning Areas

• English
• Mathematics
• Science
• Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS)
• Technologies
• The Arts
• Health and Physical Education
• Japanese
• Christian Studies

As a Lutheran school, Christian Studies is taught using the framework developed by Lutheran Education Australia and forms an important part of our curriculum.

Students continue to access specialist teachers in:

• Physical Education
• Music
• Japanese
• Digital Technologies

Our Learning Enrichment team works alongside classroom teachers to provide support, intervention, and extension opportunities, ensuring every student is challenged, supported, and encouraged to achieve their personal best.

At Good Shepherd Lutheran College, we are committed to developing confident learners, compassionate citizens, and young people of character who are well prepared for the opportunities and challenges of the future.

Gifted and Talented

At Good Shepherd, we understand and acknowledge the importance of supporting our gifted and talented students. Junior Years offers a Gifted and Talented Program with weekly extension classes of around four to five students, with extra literacy and numeracy lessons as well as a ‘Thinking Skills Program’. Students are selected by their classroom teacher, and extension classes are prepared and taught by the Head of Junior Years.