日本語: Japanese

Japanese is taught by our specialist Japanese teacher to all students F-6 once a week. We believe that learning languages in addition to English extends student’s literacy repertoires and their capacity to communicate. It strengthens student’s understanding of the nature of language, culture, and the processes of communication.

The Japanese program is varied using songs, stories, games, arts and crafts. Multimedia tools are also used in the program to create a fun and interactive learning environment.

Physical education promotes active lifestyles, teamwork, resilience and personal wellbeing. 

Students participate in a variety of sports, games and fitness activities that develop movement skills, confidence and a lifelong appreciation for healthy living.

Our Visual Arts program encourages students to develop critical and creative thinking skills as they engage in creative processes. 

Students explore how and why artists create artworks and how art can communicate ideas and meaning. Through hands-on experiences, students experiment with a wide range of materials, techniques, and visual conventions. 

Students explore and experiment with artistic mediums, including:

• Watercolour paints
• Acrylic paints
• Clay
• Mixed media
• Oil pastels
• Threads and textiles

All students have one hour of visual arts each week to plan, create and refine artwork as they develop understanding of art practices. 

Students have opportunities to share and celebrate their art within the school and wider community.

St Mary’s is well equipped with a diverse range of musical instruments, including percussion, ukuleles, and djembe drumming, providing students with rich, hands-on learning opportunities. Through engaging with these instruments, students develop foundational music skills such as understanding rhythm, pitch, and tempo, while also learning key musical terminology. They are introduced to reading simple musical notation and scores, building their confidence and literacy in music. 

Students are also exposed to a wide variety of musical genres, ranging from rock and pop to jazz and classical. This broad exposure helps students develop an appreciation for different styles of music and understand how musical elements can vary across cultures and time periods. 

Music lessons at St Mary’s also emphasise collaboration and teamwork, as students regularly play together in ensemble settings. This shared experience fosters listening skills, cooperation, and a sense of belonging, while encouraging students to appreciate the role each part plays in creating a cohesive musical performance. Through these experiences, students not only build technical skills but also develop creativity, self-expression, and a lifelong appreciation for music.

At St Mary's Primary School, we believe that children's mental health and wellbeing is fundamental to development and learning. Our school is proud to participate in the statewide Mental Health in Primary Schools (MHiPS) initiative. Through this program, we employ a dedicated mental health and wellbeing leader who champions a whole-school approach, ensuring our students receive the vital early support and proactive wellbeing strategies they need to thrive. 

Developed by paediatricians, educators, psychologists, researchers, and teachers, the MHiPS initiative upskills experienced teachers to become mental health and wellbeing leaders. Good mental health means having a positive sense of wellbeing, coping with challenges, and being able to realise individual potential.

Rhythm2Recovery (R2R) is an evidence-based therapeutic model of drumming that combines simple rhythmic music activities with reflective discussions to support social and emotional health, particularly for people recovering from trauma. Students from Foundation to Year 6 engage in Rhythm2Recovery sessions once a week for a term at the beginning of the year.

Seasons for Growth supports children and young people who have experienced change and loss, including, although not limited to friendship changes; family separation; loss or death of someone they care about; loss of a pet; relocation and forced migration; living away in out of home care; physical or mental illness.  Seasons for Growth is run over 9 consecutive sessions throughout a term.

Zones of Regulation is grounded in research and real world application. It is taught and used across the school. This is a program that supports all children to identify and understand their emotions as well as developing tools to build stronger emotional self-regulation, improve behavioural outcomes, and foster more inclusive learning communities.  

Digital Technologies (Digitech) equips students with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in an increasingly digital world. Through hands-on learning experiences, students develop problem-solving, critical thinking, creativity and digital citizenship skills that prepare them for the future.