St Mary's and St John's CE School - Bennett House Campus

Nurture Talent: Nursery Phase

At SMSJ, we believe that young children feel secure when they feel safe, valued and cared for.  We ensure that each child is cherished and given the encouragement and devotion they deserve. Within our Nursery, every child enjoys experiences which are holistic and balanced.

Our environment is designed to promote inquiry and foster a love for learning. Our children learn by exploring the world around them, in engaging and practical ways. Play is recognised as vital for the development of our young and structured activities. SMSJ nursery children develop as confident communicators who can interact positively with their peers and with adults. The elementary skills that your child will acquire in our nursery, are the first stepping stones to life long learning.

Our objective within the primary phase is to ensure that children are excited to begin school and attend each day with the belief that ‘With God, all things are possible’.  Throughout our EYFS and KS1, we motivate each child in a positive way to help them to find interest, satisfaction, enjoyment and a sense of achievement in their schoolwork and a sense of wonder in the world around them.

Our care combined with high-quality teaching, enables our children to become confident learners, to build strong relationships and to begin to take full advantage of a broad and rounded education.

Children within our primary phase follow the National Curriculum and at Key Stage 2, an increasingly challenging academic programme promotes and secures high levels of progress.  SMSJ children in our primary phase have specialist staff for subjects such as PE, Music, Drama, Dance and MFL.  As an all through school, our children also have access to specialist facilities for Food and Nutrition, Science, Performing Arts and PE.

Students from our senior phase relish opportunities to inspire and support our younger children with activities such as reading, mentoring and performing.  The unique care and academic rigor provided at SMSJ will ensure your child enjoys their learning experience as they progress successfully through the school.

The curriculum offered to students from Years 7 to 13 is one characterised by both depth and breadth. In the junior phase; KS3, students from Years 7 to 8 follow a broad and balanced curriculum.  Our curriculum incorporates English, Mathematics, Sciences, History and Geography, specialist Music, Art, Drama, DT, Computer Science, Oracy, Religious Studies, PSHCEE, a range of MFL, and a full programme of Dance and PE.

Throughout KS3 & 4, a system of flexible banding is applied to enable the curriculum to be adjusted to suit each ability range.  In the core subjects, we operate a system of setting so that children receive specialist teaching at a pace and level that is appropriately challenging, inspiring and which instills confidence and ambition.  Most importantly, high expectations are insisted upon throughout all phases.

In the senior phase, KS 4 - Years 9 to 11, our expectation is that students study a full suite academic GCSEs. In addition, students will choose from more practical subjects such as Art, DT, the Performing Arts, Business & Enterprise, Computer Science and PE.

Information, advice and guidance is provided at each stage, to ensure that children have access to the range of subjects which will assist them in their individual career path.  As an inclusive school, we ensure additional support is made available for SEND students throughout their education.

It is our philosophy to prepare students to take responsibility for their own learning, in readiness for university and life beyond the Sixth Form in an environment in which they are not over-supervised, but well supported.  The Lower Sixth will be where students’ first experience private study periods during which they will be expected to work independently, such as in the library or the Sixth Form Quite Study Area.

With a wide variety of strong, widely-recognised A-Level courses from which to choose, the SMSJ Sixth Form curriculum allows children to build a portfolio of excellence, demonstrating to university admissions tutors and employers a depth and breadth of understanding in a wide range of fields.

Students will have a choice of academic A Level courses to study which will lead to entry to any one of the Russell Group Universities.  Drawing upon links with Universities and their world-leading research and resources, exploring best practices, and combining our own diverse experience in education, we’re setting an example of what’s truly possible for secondary school education – one that builds character and academic success.

Although precise programmes of study vary based on the individual, most students will study three A-Level qualifications, with Further Mathematics being taken as an additional fourth. In addition to this, a number of the most academically inquisitive students will complete the Extended Project Qualification.

By continually innovating, welcoming challenges, and staying infinitely curious, our Sixth Form will be recognised for creating exemplar citizens, and model communities.