Each girl’s personal growth is developed in a caring environment – focusing on growing their unique strengths, and encouraging them to value and grow friendships.
Mrs. Wendy Ross
Head of Junior Primary
About
In Junior Primary and Grade R, we focus on building character and inspiring young minds through specialised areas that are constantly being adapted to keep up to date with changing trends. These include:
- Thinking Skills: Habits of Mind, Thinking Maps and Visible thinking routines
- Emotional Intelligence (EQ),
- Big Sisters, Saints’ Sisters Family Groups and the Buddy programme: Social Emotional Learning
- A focus on reading using the Time to Read Programme
- Allowing girls to express themselves in our Creativity Centre.
Each girl’s personal growth is developed in a caring environment – focusing on growing their unique strengths, and encouraging them to value and develop friendships.
Learning in a loving, caring environment gives our Junior Primary and Grade R girls’ (known as Little Saints) a strong foundation. Our experienced, nurturing teachers cultivate and instil curiosity and a love of learning in girls with a major focus on their holistic development. Our philosophy is to promote a Growth Mindset and to challenge them to be curious. Through educational games, use of our world-class Creativity Centre (or CC as our girls call it) and free play, we inspire young minds – developing cognitive, social and creative thinking skills. A nature of spirituality is taught and encouraged in this phase staying true to our motto ‘Service Before Self and God Before All‘.
In our classrooms, we have enhanced sound systems that improve acoustics to create an optimal learning environment. These FM systems make it easier for children to hear the teacher clearly in the midst of general classroom noise – to maximise their listening skills and learning.
We also offer an aftercare facility, ‘Saints Kids’, for girls in Junior Primary and Senior Primary for your daughter’s safety, run by three full-time staff open every afternoon after school until 17:00. Girls are given a snack, supervised during homework, and enjoy time playing with their friends.
At St Mary’s we understand that every girl is unique and deserves to be nurtured from a young age. Our specialist teachers are passionate about inspiring our ‘Little Saints’ in a caring environment that allows them to openly express themselves through work and play. The ‘Little Saints’ are given the freedom to have fun and build long-lasting friendships together.
Computer (ICT)
Religious Education
Drama
School Readiness
Media
Music
Theme lessons
Physical Education
Time 2 Read
2 Large Verandahs
Fairy Garden
Beningfield Library
Mud Kitchen
Block Construction Area
Fantasy Area
Cognitive Room
Fantasy Area
Creative Area
Jungle Gym
Cycle Track
Kitchenette (For baking activities)
Theme Room
Sand Pit
Our experienced teachers ensure that each girl that enters this phase is given the attention she needs. Through ongoing support and motivation, she is shown that she has no limits to what she can achieve. Our SMART Centre (St Mary‘s Accelerated Remedial and Therapy) has dedicated Remedial Specialists that are able to offer assistance when required.
Afrikaans
isiZulu
Arts
Life Orientation
Drama
Mathematics
English
Music
Handwriting
Physical Education
ICT (Information and Communication Technology)
Religious Education
Thinking Skills
Our philosophy of ‘Success Through Participation’ allows your daughter to get involved in various sporting programmes offered by St Mary’s where she can develop her skills, build her character, and most importantly have fun.
Athletics
Cross Country
Gymnastics (For Grade R and Grade 1)*
Hockey
Karate Club*
Madsen Hockey Academy*
Netball
Soccer
Swimming
Tennis
Our cultural programme will allow your daughter to explore her artistic side, grow creatively and experience the joy of self-expression.
Art
Ballet, Modern, and Hip-Hop dance*
Choir
Drama
Music
Amphitheatre
Beningfield Library
Chapel
Creativity Centre
Dance Studio
Gymnastics Arena
2 Heated Swimming pools
Indoor Sports Hall
Information & Communication Technology Lab
LRC - Lecture Theatre
2 Netball Courts
SMART Centre
Soundscapes (St Mary’s Music School)
2 Sports Fields
7 Tennis Courts
Water-based Astroturf
School map
From classrooms, boarding houses and even the Chapel, this easy to understand map will help you find your way through St Mary’s.
Download map
Grade R & Junior Primary
Quick FAQ
Is aftercare available?
Yes. It is available daily until 17:00. On half-term and break-up day it is available till 15:00.
What are the school times?
Grade R: Monday to Friday 07:20 to 12:25, Grade 1 and 2: 07:20 to 12:50, Grade 3: Monday to Thursday 07:20 to 13:50 and Friday 07:20 to 12:50.
What extra lessons are offered?
We have a wonderful SMART (St Mary‘s Accelerated Remedial and Therapy) Centre with qualified Remedial Specialists who are able to assist girls during the school day when required.
What are the channels of communication?
Although formal communication is through our mobile app, we invite parents to join our regular, termly coffee catch-ups. These informal discussion mornings are an opportunity to share with one another.
What is Emotional Intelligence (EQ) and what are the benefits?
Emotional Intelligence (or EQ) is the ‘ability to understand, use, and manage emotions in positive ways’. Building a high EQ helps our girls communicate better, bounce back when faced with adversity, and show empathy.