Education
The curriculum at St Mary’s School is directly aligned with the NSW Education Standards of Authority. Specific outcomes, appropriate for the stage of a student’s development, are targeted as the focus for teaching and learning in each of the Key Learning Areas throughout each term. Student progress is regularly assessed against the identified outcomes. At St Mary’s, we teach a low-variance curriculum in order to assist each individual child's academic development.
St Mary’s Primary School is committed to excellence in education through the delivery of High Impact Teaching Practice (HITP). HITP is based on the findings of national and international educational research (the Science of Learning and how the brain processes and stores information). Our high impact teaching programs and practice ensure effective student learning and performance.
The key learning areas taught are: Religious Education, English, Mathematics, Science & Technology, Human Society and Its Environment (History and Geography), Personal Development, Health and Physical Education, and Creative Arts.
Information and Communication Technology skills are a focus in all year levels and integrate across Key Learning Areas.
Classroom Support
Early intervention is provided for children who have difficulty in acquiring the skills of language and mathematics, individually and through special group programs. Individual Education Programs and a variety of specialised programs are used to support and monitor students with learning difficulties.
Ongoing support for students with Additional Needs is provided by a well-coordinated team of Classroom Teachers, Classroom Learning Support Teacher, Principal and Classroom Support Assistants who work with the Catholic Education Office and visiting consultants, such as Speech Pathologists, Occupational and Physiotherapists, to ensure that all students are given the best possible environment in which to achieve their potential.
Enrichment is programmed for students, especially in key learning areas of Maths and English.
Specialist Classes
Performing Arts
A Performing Arts (Dance, Drama and Music) Teacher teaches each class over two days each week. Through a wide range of experiences, the children are introduced to a balanced program focusing on listening, collaboration, practising and performing.
Opportunities for private music tuition are available with visiting music teachers are on a weekly basis for piano, guitar, keyboard and drums.
Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
The school’s main aim is to ensure we produce students who are competent and confident in using computers as a tool to support and enhance their learning. Our Computer Laboratory has 24 computers, and in addition to that, students have classroom access to laptop computers, Chromebooks and iPads, all of which integrate Information and Communication Technology into all aspects of the curriculum. Each classroom is equipped with an Interactive Whiteboard.
Staff make an ongoing commitment to maintaining their competence in using classroom technology in effective and educational ways.
Library/Information Literacy
All students from Kindergarten to Year 6 participate in a Library/Information Literacy lesson on a weekly basis. These lessons focus on fostering a love of books and reading, as well as developing skills that will enable students to become confident users of the library. The skills developed include locating, retrieving and using information from a variety of sources, print and electronic, to assist them in becoming independent learners. Children are encouraged to borrow books on a regular basis and therefore must have a Library Bag. Students are able to access the Library during lunch breaks on Tuesday and Thursday each week.
Personal Development, Health and Physical Education
Each child is involved in some form of physical activity designed to help maintain an adequate level of fitness, to improve gross motor skills and to introduce skills required for participation in leisure sports. It has been demonstrated that participation in physical activities will not only achieve these ideals but that they also enhance academic achievement.
An annual School Carnival is held for Swimming, Cross Country and Athletics. Representative teams are then selected to compete in Regional Carnivals. Opportunity for progression to Archdiocesan, MacKillop, and on to State selection at PSSA level is available for talented children aged 8-13yrs.
Children also have the opportunity to compete for selection in Tennis, Basketball, Cricket, Softball, Soccer, Rugby League, Rugby Union, Netball, Touch Football and Hockey. Progression to higher levels in each of these sports is achievable.
St Mary’s has two Sports houses: Aloysius (Green) and Lawrence (Yellow). Students are allocated to a house on enrolment. All children from a family will be placed in the same house.
Representative Sports Trial Registration
Registration Instructions for Parents
For more information on Primary Sports visit the Canberra Goulburn Sports Page https://sport.cg.catholic.edu.au/nominations and click on the information link.
Registration for ALL Canberra Goulburn, MacKillop and NSWCCC is through the new CSNSW website: https://csnsw.sport/help/help-guide-for-parents
If you have any queries please email Sherree Bush at sherree.bush@cg.catholic.edu.au
Parent SETTING UP AN ACCOUNT If you had an account on the previous website (www.csss.nsw.edu.au), you would have received an email requesting you to go to the new portal to update your details. If you have NOT previously had an account, you will need to set one up so you can register your child.
Additional detailed information can be read from the Registrations page.
Language
During their schooling, students will participate in a weekly Japanese lesson taught by a staff member who is Japanese in nationality and part of the Crookwell Community.
Additional Opportunities
Perceptual Motor Skills Program
Perceptual Motor Skills Program assists with the sensory development of our identified students. The program focuses on improving memory, gross motor skills, space awareness, body control, and laterality and is run twice a week with the support of classroom assistants.
Public Speaking
Children from Years 3-6 are invited to further develop their Public Speaking skills through school and inter-school competitions.
School Camp
School Camp is offered to Year 6 students annually at a Department of Sport and Recreation Centre.
Poetry, Writing and Art Competitions
Students are encouraged to extend their skills by entering a variety of competitions offered by local, state and Australia-wide organisations.
School Performances
Throughout the year the children enjoy the delights of visiting performers and get to perform themselves in a Showcase of Learning, Grandparents Day Assembly and Christmas Concert.
Christian Meditation
Students from Kindergarten - Year 6 are taught meditation techniques and practice this each week in class.
Lunchtime Clubs
Staff and students coordinate and plan a variety of Clubs every lunchtime. These can range from, Chess, Lego, Drawing, Tie-dye, Origami, Drama, STEM, Curiosity and Sport. Children can nominate which interest club they want to attend every term.
Morning Club
Morning Club is held daily in the Library from 8.00am until 8.40am. At Morning Club students have to opportunity to play games, do puzzles, colour in, use technology or read.
STEM
Students in Years K-6 have the opportunity to participate in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics lessons. STEM endeavours to develop student's innovation and expression through open-ended and creative Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics tasks.
Students have the opportunity to learn to code using our Edison robots, Sphero orb robot, and WeDo Lego kits.