The unique setting and position of
the Queensland Children's Hospital School and its network of regional partner
programs calls for a special approach to developing and delivering curriculum,
with the Australian Curriculum priorities at the core.
The QCHS curriculum model
(below) was developed through a synthesis of current research and extensive
staff and community consultation. The model accommodates the diversity and
length of stay of students who access hospital educational programs.
Whilst students are encouraged to
engage with the programs of their own base school, QCHS offers a
purposeful and structured curriculum developed from the Australian Curriculum.
Student programs are personalised, taking into account length of stay, base
school support, and any special considerations and requirements of the
individual student.
Developing
the QCHS Curriculum model
English, Mathematics and Science are
identified as priority Australian Curriculum learning areas in line with
systemic Department of Education direction. The time allocations for teaching
and learning in these areas were developed in line with the minimum time
requirement.
The QCHS underwent a
collaborative process to identify the core curriculum for English, Mathematics
and Science, with the understanding that not all content descriptions could be
covered in any given year due to context, transiency and time constraints. This process was undertaken
through alignment with the achievement standards for each year level, ensuring
adequate coverage from year to year.
The Transdisciplinary investigations are organised under the model of the Learning worlds. The ‘Learning worlds’ is a
school-based approach for curriculum organisation and management. Exploring the
notion of transdisciplinary learning through broad contexts brings together the
ideals of curriculum management and problem-based learning through authentic
contexts. Transdisciplinary learning draws on key learnings from two or three
Australian Curriculum Learning Areas such as History, Geography, The Arts,
Technology and Science.
The Learning worlds include:
- Our
sustainable world
- Our
aesthetic world
- Our
scientific world
- Our
historical world
A different Learning world is
explored across each of the four terms, alternating between a STEM (Science,
Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) and HASS (Humanities and Social Sciences)
focus.
Teaching and
learning approach
The Queensland Children's Hospital School's Pedagogical
Framework was developed drawing on best practice in hospital education and
current educational research undertaken by Anita Archer and Charles Hughes in
the field of Explicit Instruction.
QCHS is committed to explicit instruction. The staff is focused on a structured,
systematic, and effective methodology for teaching academic knowledge and
skills. A whole-school approach ensures consistency across the school in
teaching practices, a shared language, clear expectations of student
achievement, and articulated differentiation programs catering for the
diversity of our students’ learning
needs.