Senior Primary
Senior Primary (Grades 4-7)
Before moving into Senior Primary, the girls meet their teachers and are introduced to the new model of learning. They are now expected to be more responsible for their own learning. A class teacher guides them, but there are many specialist teachers. Study skills and assessment techniques are put in place to support their learning, and lessen anxiety about newly introduced formal assessments.
Grade 4
Grade 4 is a year that demands increased autonomy and maturity from the girls They develop their organisational and time-management skills with the help of their mentor teachers who play a similar role to that of a class teacher.
Additional subjects include: Design and Technology, Drama, Geography, History, Life Orientation and Natural Science. The girls are exposed to new learning experiences and assessment methods.
The girls are given increased responsibility: they gain new social skills, and most importantly, have fun. It is a wonderful learning experience outside the classroom.
The grade camp is one of the highlights of the year.
Grade 5
Grade 5 mentors are subject specialists and they offer pastoral support. Mentor sessions foster a strong understanding of the school’s values and expectations, particularly in how the girls engage with one another. Emphasis is placed on building respectful and empathetic relationships within the grade. The girls are guided to make responsible choices, take accountability for their actions and use existing reporting channels appropriately. They are encouraged to advocate for themselves and others in ways that reflect and uphold the school’s ethos.
Academic demands increase proportionally as the girls are introduced to more formal assessment tools. Study skills are taught explicitly and teachers support the application of these skills in their subjects. Sporting and cultural involvement continues and there are many opportunities for the girls to experience the broader aspects of school life.
The focus of the camp is to instil an appreciation of the natural environment and to support the girls in getting to know one another outside of the classroom.
Grade 6
Grade 6 is the girls’ penultimate year in the Junior School, and we focus on developing a greater sense of responsibility and self-reliance. The mentor system assists the girls to build their confidence and their leadership skills. Importantly, iPads become a stationery requirement and Google Classroom a useful learning resource.
With the increased exposure to EdTech in the classroom, the girls are guided through digital citizenship and the responsibilities that come with more access to online knowledge resources.
The teachers challenge the girls academically through the provision of a vibrant curriculum. This is the first year that the girls sit formal assessments, which are written twice a year. There are many opportunities, both during and after school, for the girls to build their academic, sporting and cultural skills.
At our annual camp, mentor teachers work with the girls to help them reflect on their relationships with each other and the way they relate to their community.
At the end of the year, the girls are introduced to the Grade 7 leadership programme. Several sessions are dedicated to preparing them for what they can expect in Grade 7.
Grade 7
In Grade 7 the girls become role models for the younger grades, cultivating their leadership skills while being given increased responsibility.
The Grade 7 leadership programme is designed to support the girls in discovering their leadership potential while at the same time realising the importance of serving their community. Leadership roles encompass all areas of school life. The girls are given clear guidance on how to fulfil their roles, along with an agreement outlining the teachers’ expectations of them.
The annual camp provides the girls with opportunities to build team spirit within the grade.
Once a term, small groups of girls are invited to have tea with the headmistress. This long-standing tradition gives the girls a chance to converse more informally with the headmistress as well as giving her an opportunity to stay in touch with them and remain responsive to their needs and insights.
New academic challenges await the girls and they are expected to take more accountability for their learning. They sit formal assessments twice a year and are required to produce longer essays, assignments and projects.
Grade 7 leadership programme
As the girls move into the final year in the Junior School, the Grade 7 leadership programme aims to create opportunities for them to demonstrate their strengths, and it prepares them for the new leadership development model in the Senior School. The girls are put into groups, and have mentor teachers who guide and support them in their leadership roles.
The Grade 7 leadership programme aims to empower each girl to develop her innate leadership potential, be proactive and begin with the end in mind. She is encouraged to be responsible, become fully involved in community projects and perhaps initiate her own projects, be committed to all school activities and be loyal to the school. These are the qualities that epitomise a St Mary's girl.