St Mary’s Primary School, Maryborough is a Catholic learning community where the Gospel of Jesus Christ inspires us to grow as confident, creative and compassionate learners, ready to make a positive difference in our world.

Guided by our core values of Service, Courage and Justice, we aim to live with compassion, act with integrity, and stand up for what is right. In doing so, we seek to be beacons of light in our community and beyond.

We learn from the past, live fully in the present, and look forward with faith to the future.

At St Mary’s, we look to Mary, the Mother of Jesus, as a model of faith and discipleship. Her courageous “yes” to God inspires us to listen with open hearts, respond with trust, and live with purpose. Like Mary, we are called to say “yes” to God’s invitation to love, serve and lead with hope.

Religious Education at St Mary’s is shaped by two complementary dimensions: teaching people religion and teaching people to be religious. This is expressed through our Religious Education Program, which integrates the Religion Curriculum P–12 and the Religious Life of the School, fostering both knowledge and lived faith.

Inspired by the vision of Brisbane Catholic Education, our Religious Education Curriculum challenges students to be cultural agents of change, living as authentic witnesses to the mission of Jesus Christ in today’s world.

The four components of the Religious Life of the School are mutually reinforcing yet distinctive aspects of the living faith at St Mary’s Primary School, Maryborough. Our aim is to provide meaningful opportunities for each child to grow in their personal relationship with God, inspired by our Catholic tradition and the values of our school community.

From the moment you enter St Mary’s, you will experience a warm and welcoming environment grounded in faith. We nurture spiritual development within the Catholic Christian tradition, enriched by the heritage of our charisms, Saint Mary MacKillop and Catherine McAuley. Our school vision and mission are lived daily through respectful relationships, a strong sense of belonging, and a commitment to service. The sacred is made visible in our prayer spaces, symbols, and the natural beauty of our school grounds, fostering reverence and reflection.

At St Mary’s, we recognise the importance of forming hearts and minds in a contemporary and diverse world. Our Religious Education program integrates faith, life, and culture, helping students to encounter the message of Jesus in ways that are relevant and meaningful. Evangelisation is expressed through our pastoral care, inclusive practices, and the lived witness of staff and students. Inspired by Saint Mary MacKillop’s words, “Never see a need without doing something about it,” we strive to be a faith-filled community that reaches out with compassion and hope.

Prayer and worship are central to the life of our school. We cultivate a culture of prayer through daily classroom prayer, whole-school gatherings, Christian meditation, and liturgical celebrations. Staff come together weekly for prayer, and our school newsletter includes a prayer focus to unite our wider community. We maintain strong connections with St Mary’s Parish, participating in the Sacramental Program and celebrating Eucharist regularly. Our liturgical life includes whole-school Masses, class liturgies, and special celebrations that mark key moments in the Church year.

Parents and families are warmly invited to join us for significant feast days and liturgical seasons.

At St Mary’s, we are committed to living the Gospel through action. Inspired by the life and mission of Saint Mary MacKillop, we encourage students to be people of justice, compassion, and service. Our community responds to local and global needs through awareness campaigns, fundraising, and outreach initiatives. Students, staff, and families work together to support causes such as Caritas Project Compassion, St Vincent de Paul, Sew PNG (local charity), and Catholic Mission.  Through these actions, we aim to be a light for others and make a positive difference in the world.

We honour the role of parents as the first educators in faith. The school supports families in preparing children for the sacraments of Holy Communion, and Confirmation, which are facilitated by the parish.  Information about sacramental preparation is shared annually via school newsletters and letters home, ensuring families are well-informed and supported throughout the journey.

The content of the Religion Curriculum P-12 is organised into four strands. Each of these strands comprises three distinct yet interrelated sub-strands: 

At St Mary’s, the four strands are interrelated and their content is taught in an integrated way with the aim of developing our learners’ religious literacy.  We want all students to be able to participate critically and effectively as life-long learners within our faith community and in society. 

Students experience a required minimum of 2.5 hours per week of religion lessons. 

Our model of pedagogy brings together the principles and practices of learning and teaching that lead to success for all learners. Based on an Inquiry Approach, our teachers use contemporary evidence-based practices to impact positively and provide feedback on, student progress and achievement. 

The Religion Curriculum P-12 enables students in Prep to Year 2 to learn about Jesus’ life as a Jew, his family and friends and his teachings and actions. They learn about God’s loving relationship with people and all of creation and the many ways in which communities of believers nurture their loving relationship with God, others and with all of Creation. 

The Religion Curriculum P-12 enables students in Years 3 to 6 to develop their understanding of community and its significance for sharing and developing faith. They learn about the experiences of different communities, past and present and the many ways in which faith is lived out and celebrated in their lives. Students learn about the particular communities for whom the human authors of sacred texts shaped their writings. They learn about the relational nature of God as Trinity and the significance of Jesus’ law of love.​​