At St. Mary's, we are committed to delivering a broad and balanced curriculum that meets the needs of all our pupils. We follow the Northern Ireland Curriculum, which aims to empower young people to achieve their full potential and to become informed and responsible citizens. We provide a rich variety of learning experiences designed to help each pupil develop as an individual, a contributor to society, and a contributor to the economy and environment."  

Our pupils in Reception follow the Pre-school education in Northern Ireland, emphasizing a play-based curriculum that offers a broad and balanced range of learning opportunities.

This framework includes six key areas of learning:

• Personal, Social and Emotional Development: Children learn independence, cooperation, and respect for themselves and others.
• Language Development: Focuses on listening, talking, and developing competence in understanding, communicating, reading, and writing.
• Physical Development and Movement: Encourages children to develop physical control, fitness, balance, and manipulative skills.
• The Arts: Fosters imagination and creative expression through music, drama, and art.
• Early Mathematical Experiences: Builds a foundation for numeracy through practical activities, measuring, sorting, and counting.
• The World Around Us: Develops knowledge and appreciation of the environment, exploring topics like science, technology, and the natural world through hands-on experiences.

The Primary Curriculum covers children from age 4 to 11 (Primary 1 to Primary 7) and focuses on six key areas of learning. Our teachers have the flexibility to make learning interactive, practical, and enjoyable, balancing individual, group, and whole-class activities.  

Areas of Learning

• Language and Literacy: We focus on developing children's language and literacy skills through reading, writing, and talking and listening.
• Mathematics and Numeracy: Our pupils develop their understanding of the world around them through hands-on activities, preparing them for decision-making and problem-solving.
• The Arts: Our pupils explore their creativity through Art and Design, Drama, and Music.
• The World Around Us: This area helps children understand their environment, society, and history.
• Personal Development and Mutual Understanding (PDMU): We nurture our pupils' emotional and social development, helping them grow in confidence and independence.
• Physical Education: Through physical activity, children build physical development, coordination, and confidence.
• Religious Education (RE): The Grow in Love series aims to help children to see how they can respond to God's love through love: by doing acts of love that mirror the actions of Jesus.

Developing Skills for Life
Beyond the core subjects, we explicitly integrate the curriculum's essential skills to equip our pupils for a changing world:

• Cross-Curricular Skills: Developing skills in Communication, Using Mathematics, and Using ICT.
• Thinking Skills and Personal Capabilities: Our pupils learn to manage information, think critically, problem-solve, be creative, and work effectively with others."