Learning and Loving, Caring and Sharing through the Message of Christ.
A Purposeful, Authentic and Relevant Curriculum at St. Mary's Catholic Primary School.
At St Mary’s we offer rich and exciting experiences which are authentic, ambitious, empowering and fully inclusive. Pupils’ mental health and emotional well-being is central to the school’s philosophy and ethos.
We are committed to developing a curriculum which enthuses and inspires all of our pupils to become mature, ambitious, capable and independent learners.
We have a strong emphasis on the acquisition and application of skills and knowledge through experiential and active learning. All pupils contribute to their curriculum, ensuring that they have ownership over their learning. We enable our pupils to make sense of growing up in contemporary Wales and of issues which will be important in their future.
We allow our pupils to develop an appreciation of the ways identity, heritage and Cynefin can influence them emotionally and spiritually, and help build their sense of self and of belonging.
We promote the Christian virtues (character strengths) and shape personal values, rooted in the Gospel of Christ, and expressed in the teachings of the Catholic Church. Fostering these character strengths, enables pupils to develop, in alignment with the Four Purposes.
Our inclusive approach encompasses an entitlement to high-quality learning experiences for every pupil in the context of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).
Our Personalised Curriculum
Progression in learning is at the heart of our curriculum design. In selecting curriculum content, we use the principles of progression to inform our approach to progression.
Using the Statements of What Matters, broad, open-ended whole school topics that ignite the pupils interests are planned. These support our pupils to realise the Four Purposes and acquire the integral skills which underpin them.
Pupils then work individually, collaboratively with ‘Talk Partners’ or in groups to decide what they would like to learn according to the planned What Matters Statements.
To ensure progression, the information is collated and the pupils’ ideas are mapped to the Descriptions of Learning and Progression Steps.
A series of ‘Big Questions’ are formulated from the pupils’ plans, ensuring that learning is exciting, real and purposeful. These are used to create ‘Challenges’, which are holistic, rich learning experiences with Literacy, Numeracy and Digital Competence carefully interwoven.
Pupils work independently or in groups on their challenges. They often have the freedom to choose how they complete challenges. Seesaw is extensively used across the school as an online portfolio of pupils’ learning experiences and as a platform to engage families in their child’s learning.
Across all Areas of Learning, the application of Numeracy, Literacy, Digital Competency, Welsh, Religion, Values and Ethics (RVE) and Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) is robustly planned for.
Teachers provide effective ‘live’ feedback to support and extend learning. Effective use is made of assessment for learning strategies such as pupil-generated success criteria, toolkits, working walls, learning powers and zones to support pupils’ independence.
Teachers provide higher-order vocabulary for each ‘Big Question’ to immerse the pupils in rich language so that they can discuss and engage with the topic at the highest level.
Our curriculum is regularly reviewed including our process for feedback and ongoing revision.
Expectations for Learning.
Our Staff will:
Offer learners experience of life in an inclusive community founded on Gospel values
We have a commitment to high standards and very clear expectations of the staff, pupils and the environment in which we all learn..
Support parents in their responsibility for the academic, physical, spiritual, moral and religious education of their children in accordance with the teachings of the Catholic church.
Support the social and emotional development of all our pupils.
Enable pupils to make progress towards the four purposes.
Provide opportunities for pupils to practise their skills in real life situations.
Encourage pupils to take responsibility for their own learning.
Encourage independence and active learning.
Encourage collaboration and cooperation.
Celebrate achievement and foster positive self-esteem.
Celebrate and value differences.
Create a stimulating teaching and learning environment.
Use a blend of pedagogical approaches to promote problem solving, creative and critical thinking.
Reinforce cross-curricular responsibilities including Literacy, Numeracy and Digital Competency.
Focus on identifying each individual pupil’s strengths, achievements, areas for improvement and, if relevant, any barriers to learning.
From their starting point, effectively track pupil progress to ascertain the next steps required to move the learning forward, including any additional challenge and support required.
Respond to the individual needs of all pupils, including those with an Additional Learning Need (ALN) or Medical Need.
Embed assessment into day-to-day practice in a way that engages the learner and makes it indistinguishable from learning.
Use assessment for learning principles and support pupils to develop a growth mindset.
Meet our Staff:
The pupils will:
Be curious about everything; and active in their engagement with the world, changing what they can for the better.
Be learned, finding God in all things; and wise in the ways they use their learning for the common good.
Be faith-filled in their beliefs and hopeful for the future.
Be grateful for their own gifts, for the gift of other people, and for the blessings of each day; and be generous with their gifts, becoming men and women for others.
Be compassionate towards others, near and far, especially the less fortunate; and loving by their just actions and forgiving words.
Take risks, challenge themselves to grow and learn within their own learning zone and learn from their mistakes.
Value their own and others’ ideas.
Make choices about their learning including when to use ICT.
Use a range of approaches to learning.
Enjoy working together and on their own.
Recognise that good health and well-being are important to enable successful learning.
Our school environment will ...
Be a safe, comfortable and inspiring place for learning.
Be calm, purposeful and well-organised.
Be equipped with appropriate technology to inspire creative learning.
Provide enjoyable opportunities for outdoor learning.
Provide learners with opportunities to care for their natural world.
Learning and Loving, Caring and Sharing through the Message of Christ.