Like most heads of department, Howe Lai, Leader of Learning for Science at Trinity Catholic College, knows the type of resources his students need: accessible, engaging and comprehensive.
Trinity’s Science team chose the Jacaranda Core Science series for the new Stage 4 and 5 NSW Science syllabus. Here’s why they’re glad they did.
Implementing a new syllabus is never simple, especially across a large, academically and culturally diverse cohort, but the change also provides an opportunity to consider what is (or isn’t) working with your existing resources. As Howe explained: ‘Our transition to Jacaranda was driven by the need for more consistent and engaging materials that aligned well with the new syllabus.’
‘Jacaranda brings peace of mind. Everything we need is there—we’re not scrambling between 20 resources to teach one concept.’Howe Lai, Leader of Learning for Science at Trinity Catholic College
Balancing innovative, digitally aligned resources with effective classroom management was essential. ‘We wanted to use online tools effectively without being overly reliant, which can result in disengagement if kids lose focus,’ Howe said.
Trinity Catholic College is a Year 7-12 coeducational school with an enrolment of over 1300 students over two campuses in Auburn and Regents Park, Western Sydney.
Why choose Jacaranda Core Science?
After evaluating several options, Trinity’s Science team selected Jacaranda’s Core Science series for Stages 4 and 5. ‘It really gets to the point,’ Howe said. ‘The previous resources we used were often too verbose and didn’t engage the students effectively.’ There were several other key factors that swayed their decision.
Jacaranda’s Core Science series suited Trinity’s diverse range of learners, ‘The content is a good starting point to build foundations and is accessible for students of all abilities,’ Howe said. The built-in differentiation also meant teachers could tailor question sets for individual student needs, supporting differentiation in a way that’s practical and effective. ‘The ability to pick and choose questions for different students makes differentiation much easier.’
‘We primarily use Jacaranda’s digital resources. Print textbooks are still valuable … especially for students who prefer physical books or for when digital access might be limited.’Howe Lai, Leader of Learning for Science at Trinity Catholic College
The resource’s practical flexibility complemented Trinity’s established teaching methods well too. Pre-tests play a significant role in assessing students’ understanding and guiding lessons. The team found Core Science to be a ‘solid foundation’ that could easily be ‘modified and integrated with their own existing materials where needed’.
The content’s meticulous coverage of the curriculum was also a great planning time-saver. ‘We structured our lesson sequences to align closely with Jacaranda chapters, and it flows very well,’ Howe said.
Trinity is still early in its journey with Core Science, but the decision to switch has already shown clear benefits.
The accessible and consistently structured lessons help students to engage with the content.
Every student in every class has access to the same reliable high-quality materials.
Teachers can personalise learning more easily, saving time and enriching student outcomes.
Jacaranda Core Science for the new syllabus is now available
Jacaranda Core Science for the new syllabus is now available
Jacaranda Core Science for the new syllabus is now available at www.jacaranda.com.au/subjects/science/nsw-curriculum/
Moving Forward with Jacaranda
While Trinity’s team is still exploring the full potential of Core Science, they’ve already identified opportunities for deeper integration, such as incorporating its interactive and video features more heavily into lesson design. Howe is very optimistic about the ongoing collaboration with Jacaranda and the support he receives from the team.
‘Yes, we’ll be using Core Science when we implement the new Year 8 and 10 syllabus next year too … It’s a fantastic tool that ensures our teaching and the students’ learning are aligned and efficient.’
Interested in how other teachers in schools like yours are having a positive impact with Jacaranda? Read their stories and get inspired here.
