SCHOOL LIFE
A DAY AT ST MARY'S
8.30 - 8.50am
Children arrive at school
8.50 - 9.00am
Class/whole school prayers (everyone is welcome)
9.00 - 11.25am
Learning period (with a 10 minute fruit break)
11.25 - 11.45am
Morning tea
11.45 - 1.00pm
Learning period
1.00 - 1.50pm
Lunch
1.50 - 2.50pm
Learning Period
2.50pm
School day ends
OUR LEARNING
Morning learning periods are when core subjects such as Religious Education, Literacy (writing and reading), and Numeracy occur. Literacy and Numeracy are taught everyday. Afternoon periods focus on the broader curriculum; Māori and Aotearoa New Zealand Histories, Sciences, the Arts and Physical Education.
ASSEMBLIES
Our weekly assemblies are held in the Church on Friday afternoons at 2.20pm. Names of the children who are receiving certificates are posted on our Facebook Group on Thursday afternoon. All parents, grandparents and friends of St Mary’s are welcome to join us.
LUNCHES
Children bring their own lunches. There is a fruit/veggie break at 10.00am. A pie warmer is available to heat up lunches. Please clearly label children’s heat ups with a vivid pen.
SCHOOL STRUCTURE
At St Mary’s School, we usually end the year with around 220 students. We have 9 classes with another new entrant’s class opening in term 3. The class structure this year is as follows:
JUNIOR
Room Pūkeko - New Entrants
Room Kea - Year 1
Room Tuī - Year 2
Room Kererū - Year 2
SENIOR
Room Rūrū - Year 3
Room Pīwakawaka - Year 4
Room Moa - Years 4 and 5
Room Takahē - Years 5 and 6
Room Kiwi - Years 5 and 6
We have two syndicates - Junior (new entrant - year 2) and Senior (years 3 - 6) but a lot of our learning and events are done as a whole school.
CLASSES
In our junior classes we try to keep numbers to 20 children or less, with our senior classes usually having between 23 and 28 children in each. We have 7 teacher aides working in our school. Each of them support classes in core learning areas and are also trained to work with individual or small groups of children outside the classroom for targeted teaching.