Welcome to St Mary's Catholic Primary School
At St Mary's Catholic Primary School, we are dedicated to providing a nurturing and inclusive environment where every child can thrive. Our school is a one-form entry institution, meaning we have a single class per year group, ensuring a close-knit and supportive community for all our students.
Reception Class
Our Reception class offers 30 places, providing a warm and welcoming start to your child's educational journey. We focus on creating a stimulating and engaging learning environment that fosters curiosity and a love for learning from an early age.
Our Mission
Our mission, Called by God, is to inspire and empower our students to achieve their full potential academically, socially, and spiritually. We are committed to delivering a high-quality education rooted in Catholic values, promoting respect, compassion, and a sense of community.
Designated Outdoor Environment and Sensory Pod
We are proud to offer a designated outdoor environment and access to a sensory pod for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). These facilities provide a safe and supportive space for all our students to explore and learn.
Support for SEND Students
Our children benefit from teaching assistants who are trained in intensive interactions, early communicators, and Attention Autism. This specialized support ensures that every child receives the attention and care they need to thrive.
Curriculum
We offer a broad and balanced curriculum that caters to the individual needs of each child. Our children are taught the Sounds Write Programme, which is designed to develop their phonics and literacy skills effectively. Additionally, English is taught through the Talk for Writing approach, which helps students develop their writing skills by imitating, innovating, and inventing stories.
Continuous Provision
We provide continuous provision that supports learning through play, aligning with the principles outlined in the Ofsted Strong Foundations document.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/strong-foundations-in-the-first-years-of-school/strong-foundations-in-the-first-years-of-school
This approach ensures that children have the best start in life by building strong foundational knowledge and skills.
Communication with Parents
We believe in maintaining strong communication with parents and guardians. We use the SeeSaw app to celebrate successes and share experiences, ensuring that families are always connected to their child's learning journey. For more information on the Sounds Write Programme, please visit the Sounds Write parents page
Community and Values
At St Mary's, we believe in the importance of a strong partnership between home, school, and parish. We encourage active participation from parents and guardians in school activities and events, fostering a sense of belonging and community.
Characteristics of Effective Learning in Reception
In Reception, the characteristics of effective learning are fundamental to children's development and success. These characteristics include playing and exploring, active learning, and creating and thinking critically. Through playing and exploring, children engage with their environment, showing curiosity and enthusiasm as they discover new things. Active learning involves children being motivated and persistent, enjoying their achievements and learning from their experiences. Creating and thinking critically allows children to develop their problem-solving skills, make connections, and think creatively. These characteristics foster a love for learning and help children become confident, independent learners.
Characteristics of effective learning
Areas of Learning in Reception
- Communication and Language: Developing listening, speaking, and understanding skills.
- Physical Development: Enhancing gross and fine motor skills, coordination, and overall physical health.
- Personal, Social, and Emotional Development: Building self-confidence, managing feelings, and forming positive relationships.
- Literacy: Learning to read and write, understanding phonics, and developing a love for books.
- Mathematics: Understanding numbers, shapes, space, and measures.
- Understanding the World: Exploring the environment, people, technology, and communities.
- Expressive Arts and Design: Encouraging creativity through art, music, dance, and imaginative play.
Communication and language
Physical Development
Personal, social and emotional development
Literacy
Mathematics
Understanding the world
Expressive Arts and Design
Sounds Write
At St Mary's we teach a highly effective phonics program to teach children how to read and write. It focuses on developing children's understanding of the relationship between sounds (phonemes) and letters (graphemes). Through a structured and systematic approach, children learn to blend sounds to read words and segment words into sounds for spelling. This method helps build a strong foundation in literacy, enabling children to become confident and proficient readers and writers. The program is engaging and interactive, making learning fun and accessible for young learners
Join Us
We invite you to explore our website to learn more about our school, our values, and the opportunities we offer. If you have any questions or would like to arrange a visit, please do not hesitate to contact us