Philosophy

By our own example all staff will model respect for each other. Through our Curriculum and modeling we will promote and develop tolerance, compassion, equality, justice and joy in each other’s presence. We will provide opportunities to develop and celebrate our gifts, talents, creativity and individuality. We will ensure that policies and programs nurture the whole person and cater for student needs.

We acknowledge the role of families and provide programs and services to support them.

We will promote a sense of family within the school providing opportunities for students to work in a harmonious environment, which is conducive to learning and reflection.

Faith

As we journey together in faith our aim is to be a community which, by naming Jesus as our model, promotes justice and opportunities to act justly at school, in the local community and globally. Through the teaching of gospel values and celebrating the sacraments as a community, we strive to nurture the spiritual development of each child.

Through sharing the word of God and learning and celebrating Jesus’ love for each person, we strive to promote a sense of self, including a love of and pride in self. In doing this we celebrate our diversity through family and community.

Educational

As a school we will provide students with planned learning opportunities in which they experience success.  Achievements will be celebrated and affirmed through school assemblies, concerts, newsletters, social media and news media.  As staff we are committed to ongoing learning and formal study in the pursuit of excellence.

Our school will provide staff with informed practice to teach educational programs that will instill a love for learning and encourage students to respond to the best of their abilities.

By providing the children with an inclusive curriculum and teaching the necessary skills, we develop the children’s sense of justice and empower them to become active and informed citizens with the values and philosophies to equip them in their world.

Sacred Heart School has high expectations of all students. We aim to provide a rich and broad spectrum of educational experiences that offer our students opportunities for learning and personal development.  We want students to experience success in their learning and support them in aspiring to ‘individual greatness’.  We provide programs to further assist students with who have specific learning needs.

Maintaining a safe, harmonious place for our staff, students and families to learn and grow together is a priority.

Religious Education

Through our Religious Education program, children develop an understanding of what it means to be Catholic.  We teach our Catholic traditions including an awareness of and respect for other faiths, cultures, traditions and the environment.   Our classrooms contain visible signs of our faith and traditions.

We view our role in the Catholic school as one of invitation. We invite our children and families to enter into a conversation about faith. We enable children to ‘meet Jesus’. Most importantly is our belief in the goodness of all and in the potential of each child in our care.

We have close links with our Catholic parish community. Together with our parish community we provide a sacramental program which offers the sacraments of Reconciliation, Eucharist and Confirmation.  We celebrate the Eucharist as a class, whole school and parish community.

Pastoral Care

At Sacred Heart we aim to live the example of Jesus Christ.  Maintaining student and staff wellbeing is a key part of our mission. Social and emotional learning is regarded as an essential component to the education of the whole child. We work in partnership with community organisations working with students and families in a proactive approach, in order to address social learning needs and wellbeing for students and their families.

We believe that everyone has the right to feel and be safe at school.

We follow a ‘Restorative’ approach to discipline. Through this approach we view relationship-building and behaviour management as a means to strengthen community among students and between students, teachers and parents.  Conflict is seen as causing harm to people and relationships, and there is an obligation first to repair this harm in order for the people involved to move forward. It is a way of educating students towards self-regulated right behaviour that is respectful of all concerned. In particular, it puts the onus back on the wrongdoer to be truly accountable for their behaviour and to repair any harm caused to others.