Academics

At the foundation of the English Curriculum is the Spalding Method – a multi-sensory, phonics-based approach to literacy – through which students learn to read, spell and write. Throughout primary school, students undertake daily instruction in spelling and handwriting and are also provided with systematic and direct instruction in grammar to enable them to write competently and with clarity in future years.

A hallmark of English at Harkaway is the study of good literature, which is critical to teaching children to love what is good and noble, and to write well. Students are exposed to a diverse range of text types, and the Great Books - rich in ideas, insights and universal themes - are prioritized and celebrated. In doing so, we develop comprehension and analytical skills, as well as cultural and critical literacy. By studying quality literature students will through imitation will enhance their analytical and creative writing skills.

To build basic comprehension skills in the early years, students are exposed to a range of text types and genres through the Springboard Comprehension program. For students in need of additional support, Mini-Lit and variety of recognised literacy intervention programs are utilised.

At Harkaway we aim to produce confident, capable and curious mathematicians, with strong mathematical understanding, fluency and reasoning.

In the Junior years, we have a strong focus on arithmetic and building sound mental math ability. It is with this foundation that students will succeed in the key areas of the Victorian Curriculum: Number and Algebra, Geometry and Measurement, and Statistics and Probability. There is an emphasis on application of mathematical skills and knowledge through designated times for problem solving.

Explicit teacher-lead instruction in numeracy is consolidated with textbook work, followed by teacher feedback using the Cambridge Mathmatics program.

Our Mathematics program is scaffolded through the use the Maths-U-See intervention program, in which students who require additional support use a distinctive set of manipulatives to visually represent and demonstrate mathematical concepts.

Throughout primary school, student participate in Science, Geography and History lessons, using an approach that allows students to discover knowledge through a process of inquiry, experimentation and hands-on learning. Specifically, students are exposed to coding and engineering skills through regular incursion programs.

Students have the opportunity to develop and deepen their understanding of the person and teachings of Jesus Christ, the sacraments and traditions of the Catholic Church. They are taught the value of prayer and a personal relationship with God in their daily life.

The Educating in Christ program is used for the formation of students in primary school. Based upon the pedagogy and principles of Maria Montessori, this program utilises “sensorially rich materials” to ground children in the scripture and liturgy of the Church. Children are encouraged to use these materials to nourish their personal relationship with Jesus Christ. In addition, students are introduced to the broader teachings and doctrines of the Church using the Faith and Life textbook series from Grade 3 onwards.

The English curriculum is designed to create highly literate and well-read students through a knowledge-rich program, that in turn allows students to excel in comprehension, all forms of writing, and to develop analytical and creative minds.

While the Spalding Spelling program continues until the end of primary school, instruction in grammar and parts of speech, continues throughout middle school and early secondary. Building on these wonderful foundations that liberate students to be free writers and thinkers, is the study of Great Books, which enjoys increasing prominence within the English curriculum. Students participate in semester or term-based examination of novels, plays, short stories and poetry. They explore elements of the text such as character, setting, themes and language through direct instruction, regular written comprehension questions and discussion. These masterpieces provide rich ideas and model sophisticated language. Through a process of mimicry and adaptation, students enhance their writing ability, their imagination and creativity. In secondary school, students also analyse a variety of print and online media, films and advertising, examining contemporary issues raised and how argument and language are used to persuade.

To bolster English fluency, students undertake the Vocabulit program. This builds word knowledge and understanding, critical to reading comprehension across the disciplines. This program also exposes students to a range of fiction and non-fiction text-types from the Classical period through to Modernity. They build their understanding of literary features and conventions, to prepare them for the challenging and complex linguistic demands of secondary English.

Our students are given the opportunity to participate in English competitions, public speaking, debating and musicals.

It is through this approach that we aim to foster high levels of cultural literacy, a love for our literary inheritance and success in the VCE and professional life.

The Middle School and Secondary Math Curriculum utilises Cambridge Essential Mathematics and Maths Online program. We aim to develop understanding, fluency and problem solving, as well as the recognition that “the laws of nature are written by the hand of God in the language of mathematics” (Galileo Galilei).

Students interpret mathematical information across three strands: Number and Algebra, Measurement and Geometry, and Statistics and Probability. Our assessment tools enable students to justify the strategies they use and evaluate their learning. Finally, we employ differentiated and visual learning strategies for students who need further support.

We aim to foster in students a love of scientific truth and to ground them in the reality and laws of the natural world. Our curriculum builds knowledge on physical, chemical, biological, earth and space sciences. Students participate in excursions to world class scientific research facilities to foster curiosity in a diverse range of scientific industries including nanotechnology, medicinal sciences, biochemistry and space science. Assessment strategies include project work, field work experiments, the collection and evaluation of data to draw evidence-based conclusions.

Students are also given the opportunity to undertake several self-designed inquiry tasks to develop their scientific skills, and to find a connection between theory and practice.

At Harkaway, we recognise that a knowledge of history is so valuable and the key to understanding the present. For this reason, history is a compulsory, yearlong subject from Years 5 to Year 10.

Students study the Greek and Roman Empires, the Middle Ages, Early Modern times, Australian History and Modern History. In this way, students achieve a deep knowledge of the past and come to understand the socio-cultural ideas, events and significant individuals that shaped these societies and our modern world.

Students are immersed in primary sources and introduced to questions of reliability and usefulness. They strive to answer analytical and inquiry-based questions such as ‘Was ‘Albert the Great’ great?‘, Were the Middle Ages ‘dark’? Or ‘What were the causes of the Crusades?’

Finally, the breadth and depth of history at Harkaway informs and enriches students’ understanding of other Humanities disciplines.

At Harkaway, students are able to foster a deep and personal relationship with Jesus Christ and a love for the Eucharist as they are blessed with the presence of a chapel onsite and the availability of daily Mass.

This relationship is underpinned and enriched by weekly study of the Catholic Faith. The course covers essential areas including the Trinity, the Sacraments, Sacred Scripture, Catholic Moral Teaching and Church History.

The curriculum draws on primary sources of Sacred Scripture, the writings of the Church Fathers, the lives of the saints and Church documents and encyclicals.

Religious education is complemented by the study of philosophy in secondary school. The course aims to give students an overview of philosophy, and to expose them to many of its various subdisciplines including logic, metaphysics, epistemology and moral philosophy. In doing so, students are exposed to major trends in modern and post-modern thinking to equip them to engage with various intellectual movements and to understanding and critique the assumptions that underpin secular Modernity.

Through instruction and discussion-based lessons, students consider enduring questions such as the nature of reality, of knowledge, of friendship, as well as what it means to be human, to be good, and a range of contemporary moral and ethical questions. In doing so, they come to discover the essential relationship of philosophy to self-understanding and to questions of truth.

The Curriculum at Harkaway Hills College is enhanced by the integration of additional core subjects to ensure students are exposed to a broad range of interests.

These subjects include Music, Visual Arts, Public Speaking, Spanish and Physical Education in Primary School, with the addition of Latin, Performing Arts and Digital Technology from Grade 7.