Science

The Science programs at Loreto focus on developing skills, understanding and knowledge which allow students to negotiate the many complex issues which they encounter in society today. Students are encouraged to develop skills such as observation, interpretation, measuring and evaluation. Students are actively encouraged to transfer these skills outside of the Science classroom. The Outreach program is an example of this where students use skills in the classroom in an unfamiliar environment to collect information which leads to examining current issues in a real world context.

Science at Loreto is taught within a student-centred approach which engages student thinking at developmentally appropriate stages. Student learning takes place where possible within contexts which are familiar and important to students. Teachers are passionate about challenging and supporting all types of learners in their classes, so that students develop a lifelong interest in the scientific aspects of their lives. Students with a particular interest or ability in Science are encouraged to participate in a range of enrichment activities.

In Years 11 and 12 Loreto offers Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Senior Science, and students are encouraged to choose those subjects which best suit their abilities and will give them a wide range of options post-HSC.

The FACE curriculum is integrated within our Science programs as we examine the ethical implications of applications of science. The NSW Board of Studies syllabus requires this development of values and attitudes and so issues are examined from a Christian, and more specifically Loreto, perspective. Science is the study of our world and students are encouraged to develop knowledge and understanding of Science within the context of their current and future membership in a community.