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PROGRAMS

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Victorian Curriculum

At St Mary’s we are a community working in partnership to nurture the values and traditions of the Catholic faith in a warm, welcoming environment. We aim to provide a curriculum which develops positive social behaviours, values and problem solving skills. Our curriculum is based on the Victorian Curriculum.
 

The Victorian Curriculum F–10 includes both knowledge and skills. These are defined by learning areas and capabilities. This curriculum design assumes that knowledge and skills are transferrable across the curriculum and therefore are not duplicated. For example, where skills and knowledge such as asking questions, evaluating evidence and drawing conclusions are defined in Critical and Creative Thinking, these are not duplicated in other learning areas such as History or Health and Physical Education. It is expected that the skills and knowledge defined in the capabilities will be developed, practised, deployed and demonstrated by students in and through their learning across the curriculum.​

For more information on the Victorian Curriculum click on the link below;
​https://victoriancurriculum.vcaa.vic.edu.au/

 

Bluearth

Bluearth emphasises physical activity, health and well being. The program has a whole person approach that integrates body, mind and spirit. 

Brain Gym

Brain Gym® is an educational movement based program which uses simple movements to integrate the whole brain, senses and body, preparing the person with the physical skills needed to learn effectively. Brain Gym® develops the brain's neural pathways in the same way that nature does – through movement. It is used to improve a wide range of learning, attention and behavior skills. 

Buddy Program

The Buddy program involves each of our Grade Six students teaming with a student who is in the first year of school. Students are involved in regular activities to enhance learning outcomes for the varied age groups. Our buddy program is designed to help our young students orientate themselves to the school and feel secure and welcome. The older buddies are keen to welcome and interest the younger students in a wide variety of fun activities and act as mentors and role models for them. 

Meditation

Christian Meditation is about coming to stillness of mind and body whilst allowing God into our hearts. St Mary’s holds the belief that it is important that even the smallest child learn to be still. Being still is very different to being quiet.  It is in their stillness that God can speak to their hearts and they can discover the love of God for each of them personally. 

Parish Sacramental Program

The school supports the Parish in the Sacramental Program which follows the Diocesan guidelines of being family centered, school supported and Parish based. The sacramental journey for the children begins in Year 2 when they participate in the Junior Reconciliation program. The reception of the Sacraments of First Eucharist and Confirmation is usually undertaken in Year 3 and Senior Reconciliation is offered in Year 5. The whole school is encouraged to celebrate and help with the preparation of the sacramental candidates.

Seasons

The Seasons for Growth program is designed to assist our students in managing and understanding the effects of significant change, loss and grief in their lives. Using a set of well-crafted resources, and a ‘Companion’ who facilitates small peer groups, the program provides a safe and creative way to explore feelings, memories, loss and grief. At St. Mary’s, the Seasons program is facilitated by our Wellbeing Leader.

Specialist Learning Areas 
Teaching support for classroom units is provided in the specialist areas of:

  • Physical Education / Bluearth 

  • Digital Design Technology

  • Science

  • AUSLAN sign language

  • Music

  • Art

 


Classrooms are supported in the areas of Numeracy and Literacy through: 

  • ICT (Information and Communication Technologies)

  • SELL (Supporting Early Literacy Learning)

  • THRASS

  • MultiLit

  • MiniLit

  • Heggerty

  • Smart Spelling

  • EMU

  • Social Explorers
     

THRASS

THRASS is a phonetics teaching-tool that has made a paradigm shift in the teaching of phonetics. It has a phonographic, multisensory focus, complemented by an analogous learning model that makes reading and spelling acquisition much simpler, faster and more sustainable than conventional ‘phonic’ approaches. As a classroom strategy THRASS is fun, systematic, explicit and linguistically correct.

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