Personal Development
Personal development is the golden thread that runs through all aspects of our school.
Our Flagship Core Enrichment Offer
Our Core Enrichment offer ensures that every child has access to an extensive and rich set of exceptional experiences that go beyond the expected.
We have 5 'Personal Development Days' over the course of the academic year. On these days students access a range of educational visits, experiences and external visitors to the school in a carefully planned series of activities. The plans for each year group and dates of the PD Days can be found in the parental letter on this page and the core enrichment map below.
In addition to this, we also have a bespoke inclusion Core Enrichment curriculum for our SEN cohort which is carefully planned to match the needs of our students. Details of this can be found in the core enrichment map below.
Our Distinctive Extra-Curricular Offer
We believe in celebrating the unique qualities of all our students allowing them to develop the confidence to be the most remarkable individuals they can be. As such, our exciting extra-curricular programme, inclusive Core Enrichment offer, and vast array of student leadership opportunities facilitate endless possibilities for our students every day.
Enrichment clubs: Timetables
New timetables for 2026-27 coming soon!
Sports Extra-Curricular clubs
Music Department Enrichment
New timetables for 2026-27 coming soon!
PSHE/RSE and British Values
At St Mary's College we have a strong belief and unwavering commitment to preparing our students for life in modern Britain. Fundamental British values permeate all parts of the curriculum enabling students to develop into respectful individuals who will have a positive impact on the local community and their society. Within PSHE sessions we provide students with a wide range of rich opportunities and experiences to inspire, nurture and develop their talents and interests and prepare them for life in modern Britain.
In terms of structure, students have weekly PSHE sessions within their form time curriculum. The plans and structure for these sessions can be found in the 'PSHE mapping' document on this page and the resources are either using the Humberside Police's Pol:Ed curriculum, resources from Ten:Ten to ensure the Catholic lens of PSHE is communicated to students clearly and some resources are also created in-house by our Personal Development Team. In addition to the form time sessions, students cover some topics, such as Relationships and Sex Education, First Aid and Knife Crime , in more detail within the PD Days outlined above and these include external visitors and speakers to further engage our students. Resources for form time PSHE or any of our Personal Development days can be sent to parents who wish to see these on request to the school admin email address.
Key Documents
- PSHE Mapping Document 2026-27
- RSHE Mapping Document 2026-27
- Personal Development Parent Letter 2026-27
- A copy of the SMC PHSE Policy can be found on the Policies page here
Student Leadership
The views of our students are crucial to the staff at St Mary's College, and our school council is the bridge between the staff and student body. Our student leaders apply via their Head of Year each year to be part of the school council, and then attend regular meetings as a student body to discuss key topics and the answers to questions posed by Mrs Stead and the senior leadership team. The Year Representatives attend half termly meetings with Mrs Stead to give their views and discuss important upcoming changes to the school to ensure students are on board with key changes and the opinions of the student body are taken into account.
Furthermore, all students on the school council work towards an accreditation to recognise their student leadership positions. This is something which students complete independently but with support from staff and is something which is excellent for future job, college and university applications. The accreditation is done in conjunction with the SSAT and more information can be found here: https://www.ssatuk.co.uk/cpd/student-leadership/
Study Support & Revision Activities
At St Mary's College, we believe in giving students the maximum potential access to success.
Please find below details of progress support and revision sessions that are on offer.
Revision Guides for Students & Parents/Carers
DOWNLOADS
-
Easter-revision-2026-TT
download_for_offline
download_for_offlineEaster-revision-2026-TT
- KS4-Your-Guide-to-Successful-Revision download_for_offline
download_for_offlineKS4-Your-Guide-to-Successful-Revision
- KS5-Your-Guide-to-Successful-Revision-1 download_for_offline
download_for_offlineKS5-Your-Guide-to-Successful-Revision-1
- Y10-term-1-2025-26 download_for_offline
download_for_offlineY10-term-1-2025-26
- Y11-term-1-2025-26 download_for_offline
download_for_offlineY11-term-1-2025-26
Progress support and revision sessions for exams students
Please see downloadable timetables below, detailing revision and progress support for Year 10 and Year 11 students in the coming term:
Year 11 revision timetable: Autumn term
Year 10 revision timetable: Autumn term
Performing Arts Productions
Our world class productions utilise professional contacts with West End quality sets, sound and lighting, ensuring our students get as close a taste to professional theatre as possible.
Come opening night the shows are run and performed by our incredible students from Front of House through to leading roles. If we chose a production without a younger ensemble, we put on a second production on in the summer term in order to give our younger stars a time to shine.
Annual productions
Our ambitious annual productions are well respected in the area and offer the audience a chance to see the stars of tomorrow in our professional theatre.
We also put on regular productions performed by our vocational exam groups - not forgetting the annual Christmas Pantomime!
2026-2027 Productions
- Will be announced shortly, please watch for announcements on our social media pages
Opportunities with the RSC
St Mary’s College is proud to be one of the first Royal Shakespeare Company Lead Associate Schools. Having piloted the scheme for the RSC, St Mary’s has now established partnerships with other secondary, primary and special schools in the region.
The partnership includes our regional venue Hull Truck Theatre enabling our students to take part in an annual festival either at Hull Truck or at St Mary’s.
As well as innovative teaching of Shakespeare, our students have opportunities to visit Stratford upon Avon to see productions and take part in a residential work experience programme at this world class organisation.
The Royal Shakespeare Company regularly brings their productions to St Mary’s College.
Cast, crew and backstage opportunities
We encourage students who may not wish to perform on stage, to experience the joys of working backstage with our state-of-the-art equipment for sound lighting and flying scenery. To develop their skills, we run a backstage club each week and once a year Year 12 students who have progressed through this experience are taken to work backstage at the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Past Productions
2027 to be announced! 2026 Shrek the Musical 2025 Everybody's Talking About Jamie / Joseph & the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat 2024 We Will Rock You 2023 SIX: the teen musical 2023 Annie 2022 Chicago / Matilda 2020-2021 (Covid lockdown meant that 'Anything Goes' was cancelled) 2019 School of Rock 2018 Sister Act 2017 Billy Elliot 2016 West Side Story 2015 The Wizard of Oz 2014 Kiss Me Kate 2013 The Phantom of the Opera 2012 We Will Rock You 2011 Evita 2010 Mack & Mabel 2009 All 4 One 2008 Sweeney Todd 2007 Les Miserables Library
The Library or LRC (Learning Resource Centre) is a spacious and inviting place which provides students with an opportunity to read or revise in calm and comfortable surroundings.
Students can access the library to explore the vast array of literature we have available to loan and read, including the most recent teenage fiction, and seek reading recommendations from our enthusiastic librarian, or helpful student librarians.
We run a full literacy enrichment programme centred around the LRC which ensures our culture of reading for pleasure is at the heart of what we do at St Mary’s College. This year, we have held ‘Spooktacular’ reading and writing workshops in October, a ‘Cosy Christmas’ event in December and have recently hosted published authors for a ‘meet and greet’ with our budding writers!
The library is also a place where student leadership can flourish through our student librarian positions and our Reading Champions.
Learning Resource Centre Manager
Mrs Sara Robinson
Email library@smchull.org for any book reservations or queriesLibrary books (terms and conditions):
- All books borrowed from the LRC must be checked out at the librarian’s desk. Booked are normally loaned for two weeks but can renewed where necessary.
- Books should be returned or renewed on time—all books issued to the borrower remain their responsibility until they are returned on the computer system.
- There are no fines for overdue books; please ensure your child returns any books belonging to the LRC, no matter how late they are. However, if a book is lost or damaged beyond repair, the person it is issued to will be responsible for replacing the book or paying a £5.00 charge for its replacement.
LRC Opening Hours for students in Y7-11 (sixth form students and staff are welcome to use the library at any point during the school day with the entirety of the 1st floor reserved for 6th Form independent study):
- Before school 8.35-8.45am
- Break time: 10.15-10.30am
- Lunchtime: 12.35-1.20pm
- After school: 3.35-3.50pm
Music Tuition
Instrumental music tuition for students now sits within our Academy of Music and Performing Arts and has offered the college a real opportunity to refresh the vision for music and arts education within the Trust and provide a wide range of opportunities for more and more students.
We employ our own instrumental teachers who bring a fresh vision of music provision for all of our young people aged 3-19.
Curriculum Leader for Music
- Mr D Zobkiw
Music Staff
- Director of Music Enrichment – Mr K Iannidinardi
- Teacher of Music – Miss K Whittaker
Woodwind
Mr D Thompson Mr B Read Upper String Miss K Ghent Dr A Watson Ms G Cross Mr C Heron Lower String Ms C Waldock-Shiraz Miss R Morris Brass Mr N McEwen Mr K Iannidinardi Voice Miss M Mills Mr B Newton Guitar Mr C Brown Mr K Wilcock Mr J Honhold Piano Mr R Law Mr B Newton Miss K Wittaker Miss R Morris Mr K Wilcock Percussion/Drums Mr M King Mr J Cliff Duke of Edinburgh Award
St Mary's College students follow the Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) Award programme.
Taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh Awards programme is a life-changing experience for many students. A fun time with friends. An opportunity to discover new interests and talents. A tool to develop essential skills for life and work. A recognised mark of achievement; respected by employers.
The DofE is many things to many people, supporting generations to successfully navigate adult life.
14–24-year-olds can do a DofE programme at one of three progressive levels which, when successfully completed, leads to a Bronze, Silver or Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.
source: https://www.dofe.org/do/what/
- KS4-Your-Guide-to-Successful-Revision download_for_offline
St Cuthbert's Roman Catholic Academy Trust
The St Cuthbert's Roman Catholic Academy Trust is family of Catholic schools in the Middlesbrough Diocese offering exceptional education for pupils aged 2-19 years old. As St Cuthbert did, we give ourselves gladly for the education of those in our care and walk with them on their life road wherever it may take them.
Visit Site