The learning environment is a safe and supportive place to build self, social, emotional and spiritual capacity.

All efforts to promote positive attitudes, achievements and behaviour have as their prime goal, the Christian growth and development of students as individuals, and as members of a community. This practice is based on the Christian principle of caring for each other, rather than maintaining order through a purely punitive system. We strive to maintain a school environment where children can experience success while feeling safe, happy and secure.

We encourage commitment to a restorative approach when relational challenges arise. A restorative approach provides opportunity for those who have been affected by conflict to be part of the healing process. When students play a part in the repairing and rebuilding of relationships and have a clear understanding of behavioural expectations, prevention of ongoing conflict results.

Learning is attuned to be engaging, developmental, personalised and differentiated to meet individual need.

Differentiated learning at Good Shepherd involves providing students with different pathways to achieve success. Students engage and focus on a task when they are at the centre of their own learning experience. Personalised learning leads to deeper understanding and application for students.

Learning is constantly reviewed and challenged as we design curriculum for the future that is also relevant to our setting and context. We promote flexible learning arrangements focused on growing each child.

Learners are enabled to be resourceful, innovative and persistent and to use initiative.

Looking to the future we recognise our students will be required to be strong problem solvers. In a dynamic world where technology and automation is changing the workplace at rapid rates, children must be ready to face the challenges, ask questions and think for themselves. Well developed, these skills will positively impact all facets of their lives.

Learners are active and informed citizens, connecting strongly with communities and practice beyond the classroom.

At Good Shepherd we are a local, national and globally connected school. Being connected through technology in all areas of learning provides students with excellent opportunities to be innovative.

Our Christian studies curriculum gives children a spiritual perspective that generates clarity and hope as they attempt to understand the world and their place in it.

Learning capacity to think deeply, critically and creatively is enhanced through active and purposeful inquiry, question posing and problem solving.

Curriculum at Good Shepherd is shaped by the Australian Curriculum, with innovative connections made through an integrated delivery across all subjects. We offer an array of original, creative and engaging units of inquiry. Our core values of love, optimism and creativity underpin all learning and teaching at Good Shepherd and support development of the ‘whole child’.

Learners master the essential skills in literacy and numeracy and are creative and productive users of information communication technologies.

Enabling technology provides students with power and opportunity to gain real knowledge and experience beyond the classroom. While a focus on learning continues to drive and stimulate the curriculum at Good Shepherd, technology enhances and amplifies the learning and gives every student opportunity to succeed.

Learners reflect and receive regular, timely and targeted feedback in order to understand, monitor and adjust learning goals for rigorous learning and to meet high standards.

Teachers with varying gifts and talents work collaboratively to ensure curriculum is relevant, vibrant and engaging. A focus on individual learning styles, brain based learning and an ever increasing knowledge of how students learn, combine to create a rigorous learning environment.

Quality assessment practices are an integral part of teaching and learning.

We believe children grow through all areas of their learning. No matter what their ability, with a mindset for growth, all students can accomplish improvement. Developing ongoing assessment throughout learning units, giving purposeful feedback, actively engaging students in setting learning goals and reflecting on themselves as learners, creates an atmosphere where student growth is illuminated.