Primary School Curriculum
At St. Mary's College Junior School, we follow the Irish Primary School Curriculum. A highly qualified staff deliver the curriculum to the children in a modern and dynamic way, using state of the art technology and resources. An emphasis is placed on the acquisition of knowledge and the development of concepts and skills.
The Primary School Curriculum was developed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA). Primary education consists of an eight year cycle: junior infants, senior infants, and first to sixth classes. The primary curriculum aims to provide a broad learning experience and encourages a rich variety of approaches to teaching and learning that cater for the different needs of individual children. The primary curriculum is designed to nurture the child in all dimensions of his or her life—spiritual, moral, cognitive, emotional, imaginative, aesthetic, social and physical.
The Primary School Curriculum outlines the contents of children’s learning—the what and how of children’s learning—for children’s first eight years in school, from junior infants to sixth class. The curriculum aims to:
- develop each child’s potential to the full
- encourage a love of learning
- help children develop skills they will use all their lives.
The curriculum is presented in seven areas, some of which are further subdivided into subjects. These are:
- Language: Gaeilge and English
- Mathematics
- Social, environmental and scientific education (SESE): history, geography and science
- Arts education: visual arts, music and drama
- Physical education
- Social, personal and health education (SPHE)
- Religious Education
- French - all children from Form 3 - Form 6 have weekly French classes as part of the school day.
Information Technology
iPads and other items of information and communication technologies enrich the teaching of subjects considerably. The Primary School Curriculum advises the integration of I.T. into all subject areas and recognises that technological skills are important for advancement in education, work and leisure.
All classrooms have interactive smartboards. Our iPad timetable and I.T. plan ensures that pupils have the opportunity to develop competency in I. T. during their time in the school. Developed I.T. skills e.g. word-processing, touch-typing, data handling etc. is integrated into all subjects to support all aspects of the Primary Curriculum. Skills developed at a young age will benefit pupils for the remainder of their education and beyond.