YEAR 7&8
The Year 7&8 Experience
The intermediate years of a pupil’s schooling are key times in the child’s development both educationally and socially. They crave new and interesting information and activities but still need a familiar and stable environment in which to achieve best results.
At St Mary’s we offer all of the year seven and eight pupils all of the opportunities that they would receive in a far larger school but we do so in an environment that encourages independence, leadership and self motivation. The success of this programme is evident by the only measure that really matters, how well we have prepared our pupils for the next challenges in their lives.
I invite you to ask teachers at any school that our pupils contribute to what their experiences of our year nine pupils are. The words that I hear are motivated, polite, enthusiastic, cheerful, have strong basic skills and responsible.
Quite simply the pupils who pass through our year seven and eight class achieve excellent results at secondary school.
Please don’t make the mistake of thinking that bigger is better but rather remember that quality in education is achieved by really knowing the pupils and their families and working as a team to achieve a common goal.
Having seen the experiences of children who leave our school at year eight in comparison with those who leave earlier I absolutely believe that staying at St Mary’s until the end of year eight is to your child’s advantage.
Additional Opportunities for Year 7 and 8 Pupils at St Mary’s Mosgiel
· All pupils take part in a week long camp. (Alternately a winter camp or a summer camp).
· All pupils take part in the Otago University Maths Problem Solving Competition
· All pupils have the opportunity to take a meaningful leadership roll within the school
- Whanau leader
- Leading roles in Masses
- Help organise assemblies
- Older buddy for new pupils
- Ground Zero/Summit
· To take part in inter-school public speaking competitions
· Receive specialised teaching in Music, I.C.T. and technology (manual).
· To take a part in a variety of sports – touch, softball, golf, athletics, cross country, basketball, netball, hockey, rugby and rippa.
· To learn in a purpose built year seven-eight class room incorporating the most up to date teaching aids.
· To take part in an annual sports interchange with St Joseph’s Oamaru.
· To take part in programmes designed to support their learning.
· To have access to a wide range of artistic opportunities, including learning to play the guitar and piano, be a part of the school choir, to take part in Stars on Stage.
WHAT PEOPLE SAY
Arden Monoghan
Year 8 Student
You get more opportunities like leadership roles , sports exchanges. You get to be the oldest in the school and bond with your younger buddy. You get to know all the teachers and kids. you build strong relationships because of our small class numbers.
Amy & Steve Monaghan
Year 8 Parents
Leaving our girls at St Mary's for Year 7 & 8 was an easy decision. They have both had numerous opportunities to help them grow and develop personally and academically. These have included being Whanau Leaders and Big Buddies, taking part in Science Fair, EPro 8, Otago Triathlon, Otago Problem Solving Challenge, Haddon Shield Speech Competition, Stars on Stage- just to name a few.
The quality of the teachers, small class sizes and high expectations has meant that both girls have had the support, encouragement and challenges they needed to improve their learning and for our eldest, to be well set up to achieve academically at Secondary School.
The community feel, the sense of belonging and the fact that every teacher at St Mary's knew our girls (and the family) as they continued their education for Year 7 & 8, was definitely something special that not every school can offer.
Jorja Creedy
Year 8 Student
You get more things to do. There are less people in your class and you are already friends with them all. You get leaderships roles like taking fitness, whanau leader, leaders during church services and having our Room 1 buddies. It was great getting to stay with my friends.