At times depending on the needs of the students and enrolment numbers, there will be a need for multi-age classrooms. A multi-age classroom is a community of learners where students are intentionally grouped together across various age groups of more than one-year level. Our teachers deliberately focus, establish, and activate a student-centred learning model, characterised by differentiation.
Effective learning and teaching in a multi-age classroom is very similar to that of a traditional single-year classroom structure. Multi-age or single year level classes are made up of learners
- with a wide range of abilities
- working at different developmental stages
- with different needs
Research and experience tell us that in any class, be it straight or multi-age, there is up to 5 years academic ability range. In a sense, every class is a 'multi-age' class. Like single-year classroom structures, our multi-age teachers:
- Use effective pedagogical practices,
- Plan, teach and assess the Australian and BCE Religion Curriculum appropriate to their year level, ensuring access to the breadth and depth of all curriculum areas
- Report twice-yearly on the progress and achievement of students against the relevant year level achievement standard
Our teaching staff address the diversity of learners in a multi-age classroom, with a student-centred approach whilst maintaining curriculum entitlements for all learners through distinct features. These features include:
- Learning primarily organised around conceptual threads, big ideas and/or inquiry questions derived from the curriculum
- Learning is organised to promote student agency and self-regulation via hands-on, engaging, open-ended and effective approaches such as
- Responses to the learning needs of individual students are proactive so that all students can progress in their learning (differentiation)
- Culture of collaboration and support
- Flexible groupings throughout the day