At St. Mary’s we:
- Honour the sacred dignity of each person
- Embrace difference and diversity
- Build a culture of learning together
- Honour equitable access and opportunity for all
Diversity is celebrated and valued as integral to the identity of the whole of our school community. The encounter between different cultures, religions and languages is seen as a source of mutual enrichment.
Diversity encompasses all learners across cultural, academic, social emotional and physical attributes noting these are not mutually exclusive. ‘Learning diversity’ refers to the infinite variety of life experiences and attributes a child brings to their formal learning at school. Educators seek to meet the needs of all learners, so that every student experiences success. While all educators have this goal, Catholic educators see each student as a sacred creation – ‘made in the image of God’ (Genesis 1:27). It is the understanding that all students should be fully active members of their school community and that all professionals in a school share responsibility for their learning.
Learning diversity at St. Mary’s is enacted through an inclusive approach to teaching and a commitment to uphold the rights of all to be:
- welcomed
- valued
- acknowledged
- actively engaged in education.
At the heart of our work at St. Mary’s is the formation of each young person. With this mindset, inclusive learning experiences are designed with a view that every student should be actively engaged in learning. Consideration is given to the range of learning opportunities offered to meet the needs of each student. Curriculum and assessment practices are flexible, build on learner’s strengths, support academic and social capabilities, and cater for each student’s learning needs.
Caring, supportive, individualised