Inquiry

Numerous Learning Areas in the Victorian Curriculum are underpinned by an inquiry-based approach to learning. This is most prominent in The Humanities and Social Sciences suite of Learning areas.

At Holy Family School the following curriculum is focused on through Inquiry;


Big Concepts Inquiry Learning at Holy Family is linked to our Big Concepts Scope and Sequence. Each term the entire school investigates a single Big Concept.

This means that in Term 1 Year A, every child in the school is exploring the concept 'Identity and Diversity'. Each year level inquirers from a different perspective or a different level of complexity.

Pedagogy

Inquiry learning is a pedagogical approach which is characterized by its overall goal for students to search, question, inquire, imagine and reimagine to construct meaning.

While it is necessary for teachers to guide the inquiry to various degrees (externally facilitated) and set parameters for a classroom inquiry, true inquiry is internally motivated. Inquiry learning is an umbrella term that incorporates various forms, depending on the topic, resources, ages and abilities of students and other variables.

At Holy Family the Inquiry cycle is used to guide teachers’ pedagogical choices to develop deep learning, powerful teaching and to create animated learners who are inspired by the Holy Spirit to act for justice and strive for the common good. (Horizons of Hope: Pedagogy in a Catholic school, 2015)