| Term | Opens On | Closes On |
|---|---|---|
| Autumn term 2026 | 2nd September 2026 | 23rd October 2026 |
| 4th November 2026 | 18th December 2026 | |
| Spring term 2027 | 5th January 2027 | 12th February 2027 |
| 22nd February 2027 | 25th March 2027 | |
| Summer term 2027 | 12th April 2027 | 28th May 2027 |
| 7th June 2027 | 21st July 2027 |
| Bank Holidays (during term time): | |
|---|---|
| May Day | 3rd May 2027 |
1st September 2026
2nd November 2026
3rd November 2026
20th November 2026
4th January 2027
The schools aspirations for pupils are exceptionally high. Nothing but the best will do. Pupils live up to these expectations and become confident and highly articulate learners who are keen to attend school. Across the school, including in the early years, pupils achieve highly. They are extremely well prepared for the next stage in their education
Ofsted, January 2025
This guide to the year ahead is designed to give parents and carers an insight into what the school will be focussing on this academic year and what our key priorities are, which form part of our school improvement plan. Each year, we continue to develop our teaching and learning approaches. We ensure that the curriculum is broad and balanced, we plan exciting things for our children to experience ensuring we give them the best possible start to their education.
As always, we aim to provide a rich and diverse curriculum this year which promotes a love of learning, equips pupils with core knowledge and skills and provides them with exciting opportunities to engage and inspire them to become lifelong learners. They include the following:
The Lunar Curriculum is a pedagogical approach to teaching all subjects that builds upon pupils interests to inspire learning and make sure it is memorable over time. This curriculum is underpinned by a set of non-negotiables and teaches both key knowledge and skills progressively. Its focus is on pupils knowing and remembering more, building on prior learning so that they leave school ready for secondary education and beyond into their working life. Learning is active and authentic ensuring investment, not just engagement.We will be continuing it this year and will continue to focus on our Personal, Learning and Thinking Skills. They are as follows: Independent enquirers, Creative thinkers, Reflective learners, Team workers, Self-managers and Effective participators and communicators. Please talk to your child throughout the year and ask what theyre learning in school and what skills they have been using. There will be a wealth of opportunities throughout the year to come into school and find out what your child has been learning through termly stay and play, parent insight mornings etc. Please look at your weekly newsletter for more information.
Pupils in Foundation Stage will access their maths learning through daily lessons and continuous provision. Mathematical concepts are introduced and built upon through a series of direct teaching sessions. Within the provision, children have the freedom to further explore these mathematical concepts through concrete resources and creative opportunities. In addition to this, they are encouraged to follow their own mathematical lines of enquiry, which are supported through effective adult modelling and interactions.
Y1 through to Y6, Maths lessons are planned and delivered using the Ark Maths Mastery programme. It is underpinned by the concrete, pictorial, abstract (CPA) approach. Classrooms have a range of mathematical resources made available for children in each key stage. These include, but are not limited to, Numicon, Base 10, place value counters, Bead string, number lines, digit cards and hundred squares. Varied starting points and timely teacher interventions are utilised in response to teachers' ongoing formative assessments through effective deployment of teaching assistants.
In addition to daily maths lessons, EYFS use the NCETM Numberblocks program which introduces the concept of number to young children gently through engaging storylines and characters.
Y3 through to Y6 provide weekly opportunities for all children to practise their mental and calculation knowledge through regular Maths Meetings.This serves to reinforce and consolidate previous learning; increase fluency, speed and accuracy; and improve confidence. Regular use of TT Rockstars within school and home enables children to practise multiplication and division knowledge.
Early reading is supported through the Read Write Inc programme. Regular training and development days ensure that staff are equipped to teach with the expertise and skills required to promote strong progress, as well as a love of reading. Children also take part in small group and whole class comprehension lessons in which a diet of high-quality texts and specific strategies are used, and where teachers explicitly model, monitor and assess reading skills to ensure children really read for meaning. Each year group has a high-quality class library from which children can choose books to take home. Class story times take place daily.
The writing curriculum is taught through a high-quality book led approach. By studying a high-quality text, we provide a purpose and a context for writing. We believe that pupils who are provided with a reason for writing demonstrate effective writing composition, leading to high quality outcomes.
Grammar is taught discretely but writing lessons are carefully planned to ensure children are provided with the opportunity to identify and use previously taught grammatical knowledge in context. Children are supported in how to apply the grammatical content taught in identifying features of a high-quality modelled text, before progressing to plan, write and re-draft a written piece which is fit for purpose and audience.
Teachers are aware of the importance of developing vocabulary. New and challenging words and phrases in texts are clarified and used as part of word banks to be included within writing composition.
In KS2, the writing journey is clearly seen as lessons build progressively towards an extended piece of writing.
When planning English lessons, teachers make links to other areas of the curriculum to ensure that cross curricular links provide further context for learning. Teaching focuses on fiction, non-fiction or poetry, and comprehension, grammar and writing are embedded in lessons.
A Scholastic book fair will take place in school in the Autumn Term. The children will have the opportunity to look at different books and buy one should they wish. We will also be celebrating National Poetry day and World Book day later on in the year.
We will continue to have a whole school focus on spelling and will revisit key spellings from Y1 to Y6 on a termly basis to measure progress. We will have a whole school focus on oracy in all lessons and try to weave as much speaking and listening into them as possible.
We encourage you at home to practise reading with your child on a regular basis, not only will this increase their vocabulary and develop their understanding of texts- it will also help to inspire their writing!
Regular religious education sessions enable the pupils to develop childrens understanding of Christian and other world religions.By embracing the explicit teaching of Christian concepts and God's big salvation story, the content of this syllabus gives pupils a deeper understanding of Christianity.Church services take place throughout the year. More information on this can be found in the Worship section of this website. Children will continue to have worship in class. They will also have the opportunity to evaluate worship and take part in spontaneous prayer.
Children will be assessed during three assessment periods in the school year: autumn, spring and summer. Parent/ Carer interviews are set after each assessment period so you are able to discuss your childs progress, wellbeing and next steps.
KS2 children will benefit from specialist Spanish teachers teaching them for 1 hour each week focusing on the development of speaking and listening skills- they also learn about Spanish culture and how it is similar but also different to English culture. Throughout our curriculum, children will develop their understanding of the life children lead across the world through focus days. We will invite visitors from other faiths into school to work with our children. Through our 50 things you will do before you leave St Mary & St Thomas', children will have the opportunity to develop their social and cultural understanding. Please ask your child about what they have enjoyed taking part in so far.
PSHE is taught regularly in every year group. Y5 will attend Crucial Crew learning about safety. KS2 pupils will have the opportunity to take part in cycling training. Y4, 5 & 6 will take part in SRE lessons. The health and wellbeing of our pupils is paramount and the staff and wellbeing team provide support and intervention through the curriculum and when necessary through targeted interventions.
Music lessons take place in each year group using the Charanga scheme. Brass band lessons will be available for Y4 and Y5 pupils for one hour each week and Y6 pupils who wish to carry on with Brass.
Our specialist PE & Sport coach will work alongside our teachers, to deliver high-quality lessons to our children to raise standards in this area. Pupils in Y3 & Y4 will take part in weekly swimming lessons. Sports competitions happen throughout the year.
There are a range of after-school clubs available each half-term. These are all free of charge and can be booked via the Arbor app. If you would like any further information, speak to Mr Jones.
There are a wealth of opportunities for Parents and Carers to get involved in school life such as Family Learning, Parent Insight Mornings and Stay and Play sessions. More information about these events are available on our weekly newsletter.
Barton Close, St Helens, WA10 2HS
01744 734320
stmarythomas@three-saints.org.uk
Headteacher: Mrs Parry | School Office: Mrs Hall
Maths Hub |
NWLP |
Part of The Three Saints Academy Trust
Registered in England: 9626002
TTSAT Head Office
Leach Lane
St Helens
WA9 4LZ