Teaching and Learning
At Margaret Hendry School, we personalise learning. This means children are empowered to become active participants in their learning. We do this by using learner interests, strengths, and areas for development to inform learning design and goals. While at school, a child’s year level does not determine the learning experiences. Instead, we use a multi-age approach, meaning children learn at their point of academic and social need alongside peers in a K-6 learning environment.
This approach supports Gonski’s recommendation to prioritise learning growth rather than specific learning outcomes based on age and grade. Multi-age learning communities provide organic opportunities to learn and practice problem-solving, collaboration and social skills, and critical and creative thinking in context with peers of differing ages and abilities.
By personalising the learning, children work on learning objectives at their own pace, advancing when they have mastered a concept. We know a child has mastered new concepts when they can apply skills across a range of contexts. Personalised learning fosters engagement, self-regulation and collaboration, therefore enhancing a child's overall feelings of success and self-confidence as learner. Our mission is to ensure that all learners are empowered to feel as though they can and will achieve success.
Ongoing assessment and reporting are essential features of personalised learning. All children have explicit learning goals which are informed by the Australian Curriculum and developed collaboratively with their Learning coaches. An inquiry mindset shapes the teaching and learning cycle, ensuring that children work on multiple goals simultaneously. This process facilitates both intentional and coincidental learning.
This ongoing cycle of teaching, learning, assessment and reporting means learner growth is captured in real time to ensure that we maintain learning momentum. Summative reports are shared in term 2 and 4 and provide detailed insight into the development of skills, assets and dispositions for learning along with reporting against the curriculum.
Margaret Hendry School builds skills for life and shapes children as capable, productive citizens. Children in the Margaret Hendry School catchment area will go on to attend Amaroo High School or Gold Creek School.
Essential Language for Teaching and Learning
Pedagogy: How we Teach
Curriculum: What we teach
Personalised learning: Our teaching and learning approach
