At Mercy College, our diverse community—representing over fifty-six cultural backgrounds—creates an inclusive and vibrant learning environment. We recognize the pivotal role of the early years as the foundation for a child’s educational journey. Our philosophy fosters a love for learning by integrating our three pedagogical pillars: “Commitment”, “Connection”, and “Discovery”.

Play is central to our learning philosophy, serving as a vehicle for holistic development. It enables children to become curious, effective communicators, collaborators, risk-takers, and resilient individuals.

We empower children to express themselves authentically and promote their agency by allowing choices based on their interests, fostering a sense of belonging to the wider school community.

We create meaningful relationships, value each child’s unique identity, and involve families in decision-making processes regarding their child’s learning.

We design engaging experiences that encourage exploration, investigation, and connection-making, helping children discover the world around them and deepen their understanding of self and others.

Our commitment to partnerships aligns with our three pillars, creating purposeful and trusting relationships.

We build purposeful and trusting relationships with children, families, and the wider community, collaborating with families in decision-making processes regarding their child’s learning.

We actively involve families in the school community, recognizing that shared beliefs and values contribute to effective learning, and report on children’s development respectfully and promptly.

We recognize the importance of reciprocal relationships in creating a sense of belonging for all children, targeting all children’s language and cultural needs through our programs.

Our child-centered and Christ-centered approach is foundational to our philosophy.

We model Gospel values and the Mercy values of Justice, Compassion, Excellence, Dignity, and Service daily, striving to create Catholic learners who embody these values.

We celebrate the Mercy values throughout the school community, fostering a sense of community through intentional teaching and aiming to build a Christ-centered, child-focused community.

We nourish faith through Religious Education and participation in Catholic experiences, aligning our commitment to high-quality Religious Education with the principles of exploration and discovery.

We embrace and celebrate the cultural diversity within our community, guided by our pillars.

We recognize that diversity enriches our society and strive to meet the needs of all children, regardless of their genetic, cultural, environmental, or economic context.

We create a sense of belonging by celebrating each child’s culture and inviting parents and families to share their cultural knowledge.

We engage in a range of cultural experiences, fostering exploration and understanding of diverse perspectives through celebrations and specialized programs.

Our Early Childhood Philosophy at Mercy College is a dynamic interplay of Commitment, Connection, and Discovery, inspiring every child’s holistic and inclusive learning journey. By fostering a love for learning and nurturing a Christ-centered, diverse community, we are committed to “Inspiring Futures Together”.

Diverse representations of concepts will be introduced, teaching approach following the I Do, We Do, You Do model for explicit instruction of new concepts. Additionally, students will have the chance to independently demonstrate their comprehension and articulate their mathematical reasoning through various assessment tasks.

A consistent lesson structure forms the foundation for teaching mathematics. Teachers
in the junior years draw on bond blocks and Paul Swan resources to provide tier 1 instruction and tier 2 intervention for students in Numeracy. Teachers in the upper years draw on various resources such as Learning Through Doing, 99 maths, ochre maths and mathstrek.

Using the whole school scope and sequence from Bond Blocks, Paul Sawn and the Learning Through Doing program, each class will timetable a minimum of 4 x 50-minute mathematics lessons per week.

It is a non-negotiable that hands-on and concrete materials are used to help students understand what they are learning. Evidence of this must be explicit in your teaching and learning programs.

By implementing these strategies, we aim to create an environment where students not only grasp mathematical concepts but also cultivate a genuine passion for mathematics, setting the stage for lifelong learning and success.

At Mercy College, our literacy program equips students with the skills they need to become confident and capable communicators. We prioritise the effective use of language in diverse contexts, preparing students to succeed both academically and in life.

From Kindergarten to Year 6, students engage daily in dynamic literacy experiences that focus on speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Through a variety of activities, we help students develop a deep understanding and mastery of the English language and literature.

We are committed to using the latest research in literacy education to ensure all students, including those who may have struggled in traditional learning environments, can succeed. Our approach integrates evidence-based practices such as Synthetic Phonics, Explicit Teaching, Direct Instruction, and the MultiLit programs.

Our goal is to build a strong foundation in reading and writing, ensuring that every student meets or exceeds grade-level expectations. Drawing on extensive research into the Science of Reading, we know that explicit, systematic instruction in phonics and decoding is essential for teaching children to read effectively. Our literacy program incorporates the six essential components of effective reading instruction to support all learners.

For students in Years 1 to 6 who need additional support, we offer targeted interventions through programs such as MiniLit and MacqLit, ensuring every child has the opportunity to achieve literacy success.