HISTORY OF OUR SCHOOL
Inspired by the vision of Catherine McCauley, the school was established in 1881 by the Sisters of Mercy. Over the years our school has grown in response to the population growth and needs of Arklow and the wider area but our commitment to care and education remains central to our mission at St. Mary’s College.
The trusteeship of the College changed from the Sisters of Mercy to CEIST (Catholic Education, an
Irish School Trust) in 2007. To mark this significant occasion, Oana Gaftoi, (Leaving Cert class of 2009) was selected to undertake a large painting that would symbolise the spirit of CEIST. This painting is now on display on the main corridor and is greatly admired. The school is run by our Board of Management in cooperation with CEIST which ccomprises four Trustee Nominees, two Parent Nominees and two Teacher Nominees. The Principal acts as Secretary to the Board.
MISSION STATEMENT
St. Mary’s College is a Catholic Secondary School for girls under the Trusteeship of CEIST and welcomes students of all persuasions. We are committed to educating the whole person to her full potential in a caring, supportive and joyful environment in partnership with parents and community.
OUR CURRICULUM
Junior Cycle CORE SUBJECTS
> English
> Irish
> Maths
> Science
> History
> Geography
> Religious Education,
> Wellbeing
> Physical Education(PE)
> Civic, Social & Political Education(CSPE)
> Social, Personal and Health Education(SPHE)
> Digital Literacy
> Choir.
OPTIONAL SUBJECTS
> French
> German
> Visual Art
> Home Economics
> Business Studies
> Music
Senior Cycle CORE SUBJECTS
> English
> Irish
> Maths
> Religious Education
> LCVP (Leaving Cert Vocational Programme).
> Physical Education
> Social, Personal & Health Education (SPHE)
> Career Guidance
OPTIONAL SUBJECTS
> Accounting
> Applied Maths
> Art, Craft & Design
> Business
> Biology
> Chemistry
> French
> German
> Geography
> History
> Home Economics
> Music
> Physics
> Physical Education (New LC Exam Subject)
> Politics and Society
> Religious Education
Transition Year
The aim of the optional TY Programme at St. Mary’s College is education for maturity and adult life by giving students opportunities to grow in confidence. The programme offers a variety of opportunities including Leaving Certificate subject sampling, work experience, community involvement, Gaisce President’s Bronze Medal Award and E-portfolio development.
TY CORE SUBJECTS
> English
> Irish
> Maths
> Religion
> Language-French/ German
> International Computer Driving Licence (ICDL)
TY OPTIONAL SUBJECTS
> Coding
> Young Scientist
> Sustainable Design
> Mini-Company
> GAA Future Leaders
> Theatre Studies
> European Studies
> Community Projects
Outside of the classroom students participate in many workshops and educational excursions. Along with traditional assessment, TY students’ work and achievements are featured in exhibitions, presentations and interviews.
Transition Year students work towards an individual TY Award at the end of the year by earning credits. Credits are earned through participation in the Programme and a Portfolio of work.
TY MODULES
> Floristry
> Sports (Rugby, TRX, PE)
> Early Child Care
> Body Rights
> Dance
> Chinese Studies
> Public Speaking
> Driver Education
> Interior Design
> Art
> Business Studies
> Home Economics
> Physics
> Biology
> Chemistry
> Music
> History
> Geography
> Philosophy (Leaving Certificate Religion)
> Politics and Society
Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme
The Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme is a programme that students take alongside the Established Leaving Certificate and is designed to enhance the vocational dimension of the traditional Leaving Certificate. The programme consists of two Link Modules: Preparation for the World of Work and Enterprise Education. Students participate in a range of vocational activities through these link modules including:
> Preparing a Curriculum Vitae and carrying out a career investigation
> Undertaking a work placement
> Planning and organising an enterprise activity
> Researching aspects of their local area including local entrepreneurs, voluntary organisations and business support groups.
Students prepare a portfolio of documents outlining their LCVP experiences. This portfolio (60%) along with a Leaving Certificate exam (40%) makes up the final Leaving Certificate grade.
Wellbeing
Student Wellbeing is at the core of what we are about in St. Marys College, Arklow. We believe that if our students are happy, then everything else will fall into place and academic achievement will flourish.
Our Junior Cycle Wellbeing programme incorporates Physical Education, Social Personal Health Education (SPHE), Civic Social Political Education (CSPE) and Wellbeing as a subject (this incorporates modules such as Public Speaking, Creative Performance, Couch to 5Km, Pilates, Digital Literacy, Artistic Performance, Mindfulness, Paired Reading Programme in collaboration with local primary schools.)
A wide range of student supports
are in place to guide our students through the ups and downs of secondary school- Liaison students, Class Tutor, Year Head, Guidance Counsellor, AEN Team and School Management.
St. Mary’s Positive Code of Behaviour means that we emphasise what the students do well rather than what they do not do well and are awarded accordingly.
Restorative Practice is fast becoming a popular approach to resolving conflict, and building relationships in our school. Restorative Practice is all about creating a culture of mutual respect in our school. This approach helps address anxiety and stress related to friendship and peer relationships.
Acts of charity and kindness
promote wellbeing and a feeling good about ourselves. These are done regularly throughout the year through whole-school charity fundraisers: There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up. It is essential to our wellbeing to feel included and this is the focus of many of our whole-school initiatives which include Stand Up Week, Neurodiversity Week, Safer Internet Day, World Book Day and Arklow Mental Health Week. Ideas from our students are embraced and welcomed and flourish during fun events and themed weeks including Halloween Fancy Dress, Christmas Door Decoration, Christmas Concert, Creative Schools projects, Mercy Day and Active Schools Week.
“
“Art was my favourite sampling subject as it let me explore my creativity. I chose Art as one of my subjects”
Additional Educational Needs
St. Mary’s College welcomes students with additional educational needs and strives to meet the needs of all our students in an enriching, inclusive environment, in line with our school ethos. We recognise the right of students with additional needs to be educated in a mainstream school and are delighted to have an ASD class, which supports this. We understand the importance of genuine communication and partnership with parents, students, relevant primary schools and outside agencies in planning and delivering on our inclusive model of education. The AEN Coordinator and AEN Team, including SNAs, work with subject teachers, Tutors, Year Heads and Guidance Counsellors to support the teaching, learning and wellbeing processes in the school and to ensure students with additional educational needs can reach their potential; personally, socially and academically. The school proudly celebrates Neurodiversity Week in the school every March, to change the way learning differences can be perceived. It recognises and respects the many talents and advantages of being neurodivergent, while creating a more inclusive culture, that celebrates differences and empowers every individual.
ICT and Digital Learning School Vision
St. Mary’s College aims to realise the potential of digital technologies to open up new forms of learning, collaboration and assessment for our students and teachers. Students use technology to direct their own learning, as active learners and critical thinkers and to enhance their capacity as independent learners. Students also have the opportunity to become Digital Leaders for their class groups. Digital technology provides teachers with platforms to collaborate effectively and to develop a pedagogical approach which optimises teaching and learning in our school. We see digital technologies as an opportunity to promote life-long learning for students and teachers and help students to bridge the gap between postprimary and further education or employment. Our vision is also to facilitate students in a safe and ethical engagement with technology.
Digital Literacy
All first years enjoy one timetabled class a week of digital literacy training. Under the guidance of their teacher, students are taught how to use Office365 – the cloud services platform used by all staff and students in St. Mary’s. This includes basic training in Outlook, OneDrive, Teams, PowerPoint, Calendar, Forms, Excel & SharePoint. Students also get an opportunity to try coding using Scratch. Emphasis is placed on Internet Safety and inquiry-based learning throughout this course.
ICDL
The International Computer Driving License programmes is a central part of the core TY programme in St. Mary’s. This course provides students with the opportunity to achieve an internationally recognised IT qualification. Modules available to students include: Computer & Online Essentials, Cyber Security, Image Editing, Digital Marketing, Documents, Presentation, Spreadsheets, Information Literacy, and Online Collaboration.
Coding
Transition Year students are given the option to select Coding as an option module. During this course, under the guidance of their teacher, students will learn how to design and build a webpage using HTML and CSS.
Communication
School life is extremely busy so in order for parents and students to stay up to date we have a stateof-the-art School App which allows for easy communication between our school and parents.
Modern Infrastructure
Our beautiful campus enjoys high-speed broadband throughout, and our classrooms are equipped with the latest technology such as; portable iPads and laptops, laser projectors, and surround sound. Our common areas are fitted with large digital notice boards which update students daily with upcoming events and recent student achievements.
STEAM
Our new Science block with the addition of two new state of the art Science labs underlines our commitment to the development and promotion of STEAM subjects in St. Mary’s College.
Our students are offered the opportunity of entering the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition and SciFest competitions in an elective module in Transition Year. Here students will be afforded the time and space to explore issues relating to the environment, the sciences, social behaviour and societal problems. The students endeavour to highlight these issues and if possible suggest a solution to these problems.
We have a strong record of teams and individual students reaching the exhibition stage of the Young Scientist competition and receiving awards and commendations. Due to her long standing commitment to her students’ participation in the competition, Joanne English, our teacher of Science and Biology, was awarded the Educator of Excellence Award in Biological and Ecological Section at BT Young Scientist 2022. Our students have been extremely successful at SciFest and in 2022 St. Mary’s won the Overall Best School at the competition.
The Arts at St. Mary’s Creative Schools Initiative
In St. Mary’s College, we believe in STEAM and the power of the Arts. The Arts have a strong place among Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. Being part of the Creative School program from its inception, St. Mary’s College develops and celebrates creativity within all areas of our school community. With a vibrant arts policy, we foster the imagination and talent of all our students’ through our teaching and learning. Our students’ are enriched and have the opportunity to experience the arts in many ways in our school. We are involved in programmes to promote the Arts such as the Creative Schools initiative, NAPD Creative Engagement, IAF Architects in Schools, working with local artists and performers, gallery visits, site specific tours both in Ireland and abroad, visiting craftspeople and workshops. We have a diverse student body with an immense range of talents and skills. Putting a value on each and every students’ abilities and traditions, they have the room to share these skills and develop what we know and value as creativity and talent. We bring a unique
approach to how we develop and celebrate creativity within our school community and among young people. The students bring imagination, talent and vitality, together we make St. Mary’s College a truly creative School!
School Musicals
St. Mary’s College is renowned for its commitment to music and the arts and one of the highlights of our school life is the biennial musical. Students from all year groups take part both on stage and off to deliver outstanding performances. A production team works with the students to develop their stagecraft and teamwork skills. Audiences are always impressed with the standard of the production, while behind the scenes we are proud of how the students grow in confidence. The senior students become mentors to the younger students during the rehearsal process. This kind of ensemble approach to the arts is a keystone of our philosophy at St. Mary’s. In recent years, our productions of Legally Blonde, All Shook Up, High School Musical and Footloose have been hugely successful in showcasing the wealth of talent in our school.
Choirs
St. Mary’s has a proud tradition of excellence in Choral singing. At Junior Cycle Forms 1 and 2 have one allocated class for choir per week. There is also a Senior Choir. This Choir has a mix of students from Form 2 to Form 6. The Senior Choir sings in 3 or 4 parts. The Choir represents the school in advanced choral competitions. Our school choirs perform each year in the Arklow Music Festival, Feis Ceoil and Kilcoole Music Festival and are regular prizewinners. The Senior Choir have won the Turner Huggard Competition in 1999, 2006, 2010 and 2016 at the Dublin Feis Ceoil.
All groups perform at the Mercy Day mass in September, and at carol services and graduation ceremonies. It is important to have target performances but it is also worthwhile to sing just for enjoyment and wellbeing.
Orchestra
St. Mary’s College Arklow is renowned for its tradition of orchestral, vocal and instrumental music for well over 100 years and the orchestra has won prestigious awards such as the Dublin Feis Ceol, The Kilcoole Music Festival and the Arklow Music Festival, taking 1st place many times over the life of these competitions and consistently placing within the top two school orchestras in the country.
All students, including incoming First Year students, are invited to learn a new skill by taking up an instrument and joining the Orchestra.It is through the commitment of the school, the teachers and the students that this very important tradition in the social fabric of the community continues to this day ensuring a range of highly skilled musicians for generations to come.
Extra Curricular Activities
Recognising the invaluable contribution that participation in extra-curricular activities makes towards the holistic development of young people, all students are actively encouraged to become involved in some of the wide variety of activities on offer within our school.
THESE INCLUDE:
Sports
> Athletics
> Basketball
> Badminton
> Camogie
> Couch to 5
> Equestrian
> Gaelic Football
> Golf
> Soccer
> Choir
> Ciorcail Cainte
> Debating
> Díospóireacht (Irish Debating)
> Drama
> Orchestra
> School Musical
> BT Young Scientist
> Creative Schools
> School Tours
> St. Vincent de Paul
> Book Club
> Film Club
> Gaisce
> Green Schools
Student Council & Student Leadership Student Council
The Student Council is a central part of life at St. Mary’s College. The council liaises between management and students and aims to channel new ideas from the student body. One council member is elected by their peers from each class and one teacher acts as liaison officer.
Council members attend meetings where they discuss matters of concern and issues among the student body. They liaise with their fellow students to help make decisions about things that will make life at school run more smoothly. The Head and Deputy Head of the Student Council meet with the school principal to discuss issues and initiatives on a monthly basis .This facilitates student participation in decision making and policy formation in the school.
The Council promotes the wellbeing of the students in the school and ensures that students’ issues are listened to and given due consideration. It also leads whole school fundraising initiatives and supports local charities and worthy causes.
Liaison Students
Form 6 students apply for and are specially chosen as ‘Liaison Students’ and appointed to First and Second Year classes. Their role is to ensure that new students are happy in school and they achieve this
through regular contact with the girls. They welcome the students to school each morning, familiarise them with their environment and encourage integration and involvement in class and school activities. The Liaison Students refer difficulties that the new students may encounter to the Tutor or Year Head.
Digital Leaders
Each year, students from every class group put themselves forward for the role of Digital Leader. These students are endorsed by their peers and assume the role of Digital Leader for their class. They become the main line of communication between the students and the IT coordinator. They help to identify and troubleshoot infrastructural issues within classrooms, train their peers in the use of Office365 and eBooks, and contribute to wider discussions about the School’s digital vision and how technology is used in classrooms for Teaching and Learning.
Parent Voice
St. Mary’s College Parent’s Association plays an important role in the running of our school and in the development of school policy . It affords parents the opportunity to get involved and voice their opinions on issues within the school community. The Parent’s Association meets regularly and has two elected Nominees on the school’s Board of Management. Parents are encouraged to attend meetings and are always welcome to get involved.
“From working with the student council, I have always felt that St Mary’s have actively supported the voice of the students and encouraged us to take part in the leadership of the school.”
Anya Wilson -LC Class of 2022
“
St. Mary’s College St. Mary’s Road, Arklow, Co. Wicklow Y14 FA38 T: (0402) 32419 E: info@stmarysarklow.ie W: www.stmarysarklow.ie St. Mary’s College, Arklow @SMCArklow Designed and printed by
