Prep to Year Six

Prep to Year 3

Learning commences long before a child enrols at St Mary’s School. Students bring to school a wide range of experiences, abilities, needs and interests. They have a natural curiosity about their world.

Students at this age are trying to make sense of their world and through opportunities provided by teachers they build upon their learning through interactions with others, experimentation, scaffolding, explicit teaching, practice and play in the classroom and beyond.

Another focus of our early years is to assist students to develop important bonds with family and educators that will enable friendships to flourish and their trust in teachers and adults to establish themselves. St Mary’s School achieves this by providing a safe and comfortable home away from home that offers an extended family environment that is so vital to the first stages in all students' educational journey.

The Prep to Year 3 curriculum builds on the key learning outcomes of the National Early Years Learning Framework. During these early years, students have access to specialist teachers for Health, Physical Education, Library lessons and Music and The Arts.

In these early years, the development of sensory, cognitive and affective appreciation of the world is provided through exploratory, analytical and creative practices.

Year 4 to Year 6

The St Mary’s School primary curriculum offers exciting and challenging growth, where early learning foundations are built upon, and students’ opportunities for learning are extended. This is achieved through the high quality of teaching and learning experiences provided by our exceptional staff.

At St Mary’s School, students learn both from what they are taught and what they are doing in everyday activities. Making a mistake is viewed as an excellent learning opportunity. In accordance with the values of the Mercy Sisters, our primary years foster the growth of each student to their full potential.

Specialist teachers also provide in-depth knowledge in subject areas such as performing arts, health, physical education, music and LOTE and help to prepare children for their transition to the secondary years.

It is in the primary years that the educational building blocks are shaped and our student-focused learning framework is fully embraced. This unique approach, based on researched teaching and learning theories, develops our students’ ability to use knowledge in ways that are creative, flexible and meaningful. 

The skills and processes taught, present students with great academic outcomes and a blueprint for lifelong learning. Educating children at St Mary’s School, however, goes beyond academics. Our students are taught to respect themselves and to respect and consider others. It is through consistent and positive behaviour management that we nurture exemplary members of the community.