School Life
Education
Namoi Valley Christian School is a non-selective school that values all students as individual learners. We are committed to nurturing every student regardless of their ability and have learning programs that reflect the diversity of our students.
Our experienced staff provide a rich and connected learning environment where students are valued and encouraged to find their place and purpose in God’s world. At NVCS we recognise that each student has a unique set of strengths and abilities. Our staff work hard to identify these in each student and to provide opportunities for individual student growth that nurtures their gifts and equips them to reach their full potential.
We offer stage based classes with an aim to keep all Primary class small. This allows the teacher and teachers aide to get to know each student as an individual learner. We also run a Prep class each Thursday which caters for children in the Year before Kindergarten. As we develop our High School, we will aim to keep classes to one year level. The Board is committed to keeping class sizes small to enable targeted teaching and learning for all students.
A personal approach to education has seen students and their learning flourish, progress and indeed transform. Education of the curriculum works best when taught alongside social, emotional, spiritual and relational learnings. Christian Schooling aims to educate the whole person; head, heart, and hand.
Our curriculum follows the NSW Syllabus Documents but is also varied and innovative. The majority of teaching time is given to Literacy and Numeracy as they are foundational to all other areas but the Arts, Personal Development Health and Physical Education, Science, Geography, History, Design, Information Technology, and others all play a role.
NVCS teaches InitiaLit in Years K-2. This exceptional, evidence-based program provides our youngest students with an explicit and thorough understanding of English. Writing is taught explicitly across the school using the Seven Steps to Writing Success program.
For older students who may have gaps in their learning in Literacy, we provide interventions using the MiniLit & Reading Tutor programs to get them back on track. These programs, taught by trained staff in small groups or individually, have been incredibly successful in helping students improve their reading, writing, and spelling. We also impement the PreLit program in our Prep class.
In Mathematics we utilise the PR1ME program created by Scholastic. This program provides teachers with explicit models of HOW to teach mathematical concepts, strategies and problem solving. Each lesson follows the I Do, We Do, You Do method and enables students to gain a solid understanding of Numbers and Operations, Measurement, Geometry, Data Analysis and Algebra
Partnering with parents is central to who we are as a school. Parents know their children best and we value this. We don’t want to take on the education and nurturing of your child, we desire to work in partnership with you. At NVCS we have a wonderful culture of staff, students and parents navigating the educational road together.
Prep
We run a Prep class every Thursday during Term time. This class is for students who are in the year before Kindergarten (normally 4 year olds). The overall aim of our Prep class is to prepare students for Kindergarten and a focus is placed on Literacy & Numeracy. There is also ample hands-on play which allows students to learn whilst exploring their world.
Learning Support
The Learning Support team implement programs for students who require additional personal or academic support. Staff work closely with classroom teachers to ensure that identified students are fully and realistically integrated in the regular classroom, at the same time as making provision for the withdrawal of such students for specialist teaching.
The Learning Support team pursues and enjoys a close working relationship with the parents of identified students. Meetings are organised between a student’s parents and teachers and there is ongoing management of the close link between home and school to ensure good communication and planning.
Student Wellbeing
We understand that the spiritual, social, emotional and physical wellbeing of students is of key importance to success at school and the overall enjoyment of life. Students with a positive sense of wellbeing are happy, settled, responsible and resilient. They enjoy positive relationships with peers, staff and parents, and are engaged more completely in school life. Such students are strongly placed to develop into well balanced adults who confidently know who they are and are willing to take their place in the world. NVCS is committed to promoting, nurturing and developing each student’s sense of wellbeing.
Our classrooms teachers are on the frontline in ensuring that the wellbeing of students is catered for. They seek to develop positive relationships with a desire to demonstrate to each child that they are a valued member of the classroom and school. Relevant support staff and the Principal assist in the development of student wellbeing.
We have a chaplain who is available for students to speak with. Our chaplain works alongside classroom teachers to identify which students might benefit from a regular catch-up and chat. These regular times help students to continue managing in the classroom and assist in developing the overall wellbeing of individuals.
Technology
NVCS values God’s gift of digital technology as a tool for learning, communicating and creativity.
These technologies enable students to engage with and use information, give expression to their imaginative ideas, create for a diverse audience, communicate with a wider learning network and engage in collaborative learning. We see this as being an expression of the gospel values of relationship and community.
NVCS is equipped with excellent IT facilities. We have iPads for use by our Kindergarten students. Other classrooms are either equipped with desktops, Chromebooks or laptops to assist student learning.
Spiritual Life
Namoi Valley Christian School is a Christian school; it makes up who we are. We believe in a living God who is active in the world in people’s lives today.
God and His ways are not confined to a religious instruction class or a chapel service once a week. God is part of every aspect of our life. He is in all things.
At NVCS, God is in every part of who we are, what we do, and how we teach. He is part of every relationship within the school. We want to give our students a worldview, using the lens of God’s Truth and understanding who they are in God’s abundant Love. We want this view to stay with our students as they leave school and navigate their life in a way that impacts others for good.
To do this, we employ staff who live this worldview, and we teach using a framework that embeds this worldview into the curriculum.
Partnering with parents in this area is a joy and is a reason Christian Education National (CEN) schools were established in the beginning. Faith is not a prerequisite of enrolling at Namoi Valley Christian School, but we do want parents to be aware of and supportive of this.