Click on the links below for answers to common questions about our school.
Got a question? Visit our Contact Us page and we will be sure to respond
Q. “Welcoming to all? That’s not what I’ve heard! I always thought that St Mary’s just took Catholic families and that everyone had to go to Church?”
A. St Mary’s Parish School is a fully inclusive Catholic school. As such, we warmly welcome Catholic families along with families from a range of other faith backgrounds and indeed families who are not connected to any religious faith. We welcome applications from families who support our values and we strive to serve the needs of all families who come to us, including those from culturally diverse backgrounds, First Nations peoples and those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Q. “So, will St Mary’s small classes benefit my children and help them be better learners?”
A. Our small class sizes together with a high level of classroom support mean that no child falls through the cracks and that the learning needs of each individual child can be met.
Did you know overall, research shows that students in smaller classes perform better in all subjects and on all assessments when compared to their peers in larger classes? For your children, this means their teacher truly knows their strengths and where they need support.
Q. “Strong Focus on Wellbeing? What’s Wellbeing got to do with learning anyway?”
A. Wellbeing has got so much to do with learning! It truly is a relevant life skill. Quite simply,
if you’re not feeling good about yourself you won’t be able to learn. At St Mary’s we
believe that Wellbeing is the foundation of all Learning and we are committed towards the
building of a school community where the wellbeing of each child is given the same
priority as academic achievement. We actively teach children the skills of wellbeing,
focusing on the strengths of each child and supporting each one to feel good, do good
and function well.
Q. “Guided by Faith? I’ve heard you guys pray non-stop and spend more time in the
Church than the classroom!”
A. Untrue! St Mary’s is a proudly Catholic school and we gently foster the spiritual dimension of each child. A focus on meditative as well as traditional prayer, gratitude, kindness, love, hope and forgiveness is emphasised in each classroom each day. Our Religious Education program is based on contemporary teaching principles and promotes a hands-on approach that develops a sense of awe and wonder in God’s
creation within a respectful and loving Catholic school with our eyes on Jesus. As a parish school, St Mary’s works very closely with Fr Paul, our parish priest. Together the school and parish work in harmony, providing a supportive network and organising a number of community and social opportunities for families.
Q. “So what’s special about technology and innovation at St Mary’s?”
A. At St Mary’s we strive to personalise the learning of each child. This means that we don’t have computer rooms. It does mean that each child is equipped with an individual technology device, a Chromebook, which is a powerful tool to engage both children and teachers in their learning.
St Mary’s is at the cutting edge in terms of its approach to teaching children to read and write. We use the latest evidence-based teaching methods and we harness technology to zone in on individual student needs and support each child in his or her learning. For your children, this means they will receive world-class reading and writing instruction.
Q. “Ok, but what about sport?”
A. St Mary’s offers many sporting pathways and our students have the opportunity to follow sporting pathways up to State and Australian titles. For your children, this means they have every opportunity to achieve their best on the sporting field. You are welcome to chat to us about the sporting avenues in which you and your child are interested.
Q. “What about school uniform? Does St Mary’s have a clothing pool?”
A. St Mary’s has a summer and winter uniform for children. We have an extensive clothing pool that parents can access simply by making a small donation.