St Mary's Prospectus

WHERE GIRLS DISCOVER THEIR BEST...

WELCOME

TO ST MARY’S ANGLICAN GIRLS’ SCHOOL

For almost 100 years, St Mary’s has taken pride in educating girls to be the best they can be. We are committed to nurturing confident and considerate young women who embrace opportunities and contribute meaningfully to their community, both within and beyond school.

With a reputation for outstanding academic achievement in an Anglican faith-based environment, St Mary’s is a caring and inclusive community. Our highly qualified and professional staff are supported by excellent facilities and provide a warm and supportive learning environment to enable our girls to thrive. Discovery is at the centre of the St Mary’s student experience, and our staff are faithfully committed to the holistic development of each girl. Importantly, we recognise that at the heart of happiness is knowing yourself,

MEET

OUR PRINCIPAL

understanding others, and being a good human being. We aim to develop the unique qualities of our students while encouraging them to strive for personal excellence.

A rich co-curricular programme provides our girls with outstanding opportunities to engage in service activities, outdoor education, surf and dive programmes, drama, dance, debating, music and sport. These activities assist in developing essential professional and life skills, such as critical thinking, creativity,

Mrs Judith Tudball commenced as the Principal of St Mary’s in January 2019.

collaboration, communication and self-confidence.

Our St Mary’s boarding family also plays a significant role in the life of our school. The girls feel a true

With over 25 years in education, Judith is recognised as a leader in single-

sense of home living in the safe, secure and happy environment that is a hallmark of the St Mary’s boarding

sex education for girls. She is passionate about inspiring and empowering girls

experience.

and young women to become independent and capable citizens of the world through the promotion of learning excellence, the fostering of well-being and resilience, and the development of authentic relationships.

As the tenth Principal of St Mary’s, I am charged with a special responsibility to instil in our girls a love of life-long learning and to guide them towards a future filled with happiness, confidence and opportunity.

I look forward to welcoming you to St Mary’s to explore the possibilities.

Beginning her education career as a teacher of music, Mrs Tudball has held the positions of Deputy Principal (Operations) at Brisbane Girls Grammar School and Principal of St Michael’s Collegiate School in Hobart. Mrs Tudball holds a

MRS JUDITH TUDBALL | PRINCIPAL

Master in Leadership and Management in Education (Distinction) and a Master in Business Administration. She is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Judith is a former member of the Executive Committee of the Alliance of Girls’ School Australasia and is the current President of Anglican Schools Australia.

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THE EXCITEMENT OF BEING AT THE CENTRE OF THINGS

At St Mary’s we are all about girls. We believe that a school which focuses its attention on girls’ interests, talents and their specific styles of learning, is a school in which girls will flourish. In our classes, our girls have the full attention of their teachers.

Our focus is on critical thinking and inquiry-based learning, designed to prepare our students to adapt and succeed in an ever-changing world.

We encourage our girls to be curious and inquisitive; we inspire them to think widely, to research, to collaborate, to interpret and evaluate; we challenge them to be self-motivated and self-directed.

We cultivate their passions and instil in them an aspiration to aim high while remaining grounded, respectful and caring.

For us, each girl is an individual; she has her own talents and interests, her own strengths and her own areas where she needs a little extra help to succeed.

At St Mary’s we encourage our girls to discover their best selves and a world of unlimited possibilities.

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WE WILL KNOW YOU WHEN YOU COME TO ST MARY’S

We will make you feel welcome and help you feel comfortable, secure, respected and valued. We will celebrate and applaud your successes. We will support you when you need a helping hand.

We have Gifted and Talented programmes offering tailored learning in an intellectually stimulating environment, to enable you to exceed your expectations. If you are experiencing difficulties with your studies, we provide ongoing encouragement, support and assistance to help you overcome obstacles and improve your performance.

BEYOND TEACHING You will become a member of one of our six Houses, represented by six colours. You will know the pride of competing for your House in any number of ways, from debating to dance, from swimming to our Creative and Performing Arts Festival (CAPAF). You will know the exhilaration of House spirit in supporting your fellow House members, and you will have many opportunities to develop as a leader.

Your teachers will take a special interest in you. Your Class or Link Teacher will be the one to greet you at the start of every day. They will know how well you are progressing academically; they will encourage you to be involved in the many co-curricular opportunities at St Mary’s; they will be kind and thoughtful listeners if you are having difficulties with a friend or subject.

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YOUR CREATIVITY

There are so many ways to be creative. As human beings we all have something unique to express and we all have the capacity to create. Whatever the spark of creativity in each individual girl, our goal is to kindle it and enable your talent to develop and shine.

BE INSPIRED You may be creative scientifically. Perhaps you will develop or invent the next new technology. You may be a master chef in the making. You may play or compose music. You may be a writer, a designer, a singer, an artist or a photographer. Perhaps you love dancing or aspire to be an actor, a choreographer or a costume designer.

If numbers are your passion, you may become a financial analyst or data expert.

Perhaps you will care for the health of our oceans as a marine biologist or become a doctor or medical researcher.

The possibilities are many and at St Mary’s we offer courses in all of these, taught by inspiring teachers, who are passionate about their subjects. They aim to ignite that same excitement in you.

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WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

Learning is a life-long pursuit and a love of learning is at the core of the St Mary’s experience. Guided by our teachers, we want our girls to be excited by the exploration of ideas and the quest for knowledge.

THE JUNIOR SCHOOL EXPERIENCE In our early years, girls will discover a school where learning is fun. With an emphasis on the basic skills of literacy and numeracy, we help our girls develop strong foundations on which to build increasing knowledge and understanding. They are taught to interact and co-operate as they grow. In those early years, our girls also make firm friendships and develop a sense of connection to their school.

Schooling from Kindergarten through to Year 6, includes science, technology, humanities and social sciences, art, music, dance, drama, Mandarin, health and physical education. Religious studies are part of the programme for all girls throughout their school journey.

SENIOR SCHOOL OPPORTUNITIES In Senior School, in addition to core subjects and a continued focus on numeracy and literacy, our girls have the opportunity to select from a wide range of electives. These include foreign languages, outdoor education, marine science, food technology, music, art, enterprise and business technology, to name but a few of the subjects designed to give you the ability to focus on your talents and interests.

In Year 10, supported by extensive information provided by the Career Education programme, you will make your course and subject selections for Years 11 and 12.

With the culmination of your wealth of learning experiences, in your final two years of schooling we trust you will be studying subjects which inspire you to achieve excellence.

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YOUR BOARDING FAMILY

Our boarding community is at the heart of St Mary’s, both in location and spirit. We have a strong connection with our rural and remote families, going back almost 100 years. For our international girls, we have a dedicated international student co-ordinator to welcome and care for you.

We know how to care for our girls and provide a warm, family environment with great support. Moving away from home to live at school with 180 other girls is a prospect which is both exciting and daunting.

But when you arrive at Anne Symington House, you will be made to feel welcome and comfortable in your new home.

Nestled in a safe, secure location, St Mary’s is a little bit of the Australian countryside only minutes from the beach.

HELPING YOU TO FLOURISH There are many people to care for you in the boarding house, from the Head of Boarding to our extensive and well-trained staff, including 24-hour onsite medical care. You will be taken under the wing of a ‘big sister’- a Year 10 student, who will help you feel at home and fill you in on all you need to know. We have tutors to help you with your homework and assignments during Prep time. These are ‘Old Girls’, former St Mary’s students now studying at university.

The Rec programme provides you with a variety of activities to join in each weekend and our exciting

Beyond the Gates programme offers you the opportunity to learn skills that will better prepare you for everyday life, including cyber safety, mindfulness, sewing and cooking, financial literacy and first aid, plus much more. There’s so much going on at St Mary’s it is impossible to be lonely or bored. And, of course, on our extensive campus, there is space – to exercise, explore or just sit among the trees.

FRIENDSHIPS FOR LIFE In Anne Symington House you will be supported and nurtured. You will be encouraged to do your best academically. You will have fun. You will make some very special bonds and lifelong friends.

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AN AMAZING LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Our school campus is truly beautiful. Tucked away behind a nature reserve, you’ll be surrounded by space, greenery and extensive facilities, in a gated 40-acre campus.

You will learn in modern classrooms, laboratories and specialised teaching spaces, all with cutting-edge resources, designed to emulate real-world environments. With your own laptop, you will link to interactive whiteboards and use modern technology to complement classroom activities.

You can experience classes held ‘in the field’, such as marine science, scuba diving and outdoor education.

STATE OF THE ART FACILITIES From the Lady Wardle Performing Arts Centre to the Ron Farris Media Studies Centre and the Lady Treatt Centre for Music and Dance, you will have the opportunity to create, perform and learn in spaces that would be the envy of many professionals.

Our physical education and sporting facilities are world class and include a heated 50-metre swimming pool, diving pool and junior pool, two multi-purpose gymnasiums, basketball and tennis courts and extensive playing fields.

For those who enjoy the challenge of competition, there are countless opportunities for you to try out for interschool teams or to compete for your House.

ST MARY’S AT METRICUP, SOUTH WEST WA You will also discover our rural campus, St Mary’s at Metricup: The Lady Treatt Centre for Learning and Leadership, in the natural bush land of the Margaret River region.

This is your place to enjoy school camps and outdoor education, as you develop your skills, confidence and leadership abilities across a range of activities.

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BEING PART OF SOMETHING

St Mary’s is a community. A community of students and teachers; parents and extended families; support staff; our Old Girls; and industry and university supporters.

St Mary’s has developed extensive relationships with our extended community and offers many opportunities for you to meet, interact with and learn from ‘real world’ mentors during your studies.

LINKED FOR LIFE As a St Mary’s girl, you will become part of this wonderful community. For our Year 8 to 12 students, you will have a Link group, where you will spend time with girls from each of those year groups, remaining part of that group as you progress through your senior school years. The fortnightly newsletter is called

NewsLink. We are all about forging connections, from linking current students with one another across the year groups, to having our Old Girls mentor current students, and linking parents to one another through special events and the St Mary’s Auxiliary and the Parents’ Society.

CELEBRATING OUR TRADITIONS You will also enjoy the many ways we recognise school traditions, which link our past with our present and our future. You will help celebrate our school’s significant birthdays; you will attend assemblies and hear guest speakers; you will acknowledge key dates in the Australian calendar; you will cheer for your friends at the Interhouse Carnivals and applaud their creative performances.

At St Mary’s, there are always memories in the making.

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DISCOVER YOURSELF

Self-awareness is an essential skill in life. We will empower you to get to know yourself and be proud of the person you are. We want you to respect yourself, be confident and explore your possibilities.

We help you develop strength of character by taking calculated risks, by pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone, by being prepared to experience failure and having the courage to continue.

We will support you when you are worried or anxious and need someone caring to listen.

CONNECTING AND SUPPORTING Our dedicated pastoral care team, led by the Dean of Students in the Senior School, and the Deputy Head (Pastoral Care) in the Junior School oversee the pastoral care and well-being of our girls.

In the Senior School, Bonds and Bridges is the overarching umbrella under which our pastoral care approaches and programmes sit. These are focussed on strengthening connections, developing respectful relationships, feeling safe and respected, meeting personal challenges and learning how to flourish.

In Junior School, programmes devoted to pastoral care, such as the Be You programme, Girl Power,

Positive Education and Bounce Back, help our girls to recognise their character strengths and to develop skills and strategies to manage their emotional and physical well-being.

If you need extra support, our dedicated psychologists will be there to help you work through and manage your concerns.

When you leave St Mary’s, our aim is for you to go out into the world as a confident, authentic and resilient young woman.

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WHAT MATTERS TO YOU

At St Mary’s, faith and service are at the heart of the School. We will ask you to reflect on the things that really matter to you. You will become familiar with our values and codes and develop the courage to speak out to try to right a wrong. You will have the sensitivity to ensure that no other girl is left out or alone.

STRENGTHENING FAITH AND COMMUNITY As an Anglican school, through regular Chapel services and our Religious Studies programme, you will appreciate our philosophy is based upon Christian principles and teaching. St Mary’s girls are characterised by their thoughtfulness, their caring approach and their deep respect for others.

You will help fundraise for many worthy causes; you will learn how life is for many people less fortunate than we are; you will commit time to community service, all the while learning how a little effort on your part can make a big difference in the life of someone else.

St Mary’s girls want to make the world a better place, to value and preserve all that is good, and to develop new ideas, encourage more caring societies, reduce poverty and promote justice.

By the time you graduate, your future will be guided by a moral compass based on Christian values, virtues and an empathy for others.

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A GLOBAL OUTLOOK

Tucked away in an enclave of bushland and gardens, it is easy to forget that St Mary’s is only fifteen minutes from the city of Perth. While feeling like you are in a little world of your own, you’ll be encouraged to think of the wider world and develop an international perspective.

From global exchange programmes to overseas science and language trips; from service visits to help under-privileged communities to drama tours, or diving and marine science expeditions, as a St Mary’s student, you will have many opportunities to explore the state, the nation and the world.

STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAMME

“Unforgettable!” “An experience of a lifetime!” “Life-changing!” These are some of the words our students use to describe our Year 10 Exchange programme. With 14 partner schools in six countries, we offer you the opportunity to experience living and learning overseas and, in return, to host a visiting exchange student from your partner school. An exchange experience is not only a remarkable adventure of discovery, but also an exciting opportunity to enhance your education, independence and life skills.

A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITIES When our students graduate from St Mary’s, the majority go on to further study, both within Western Australian and beyond, to other states and countries. Our girls work hard to achieve the results they need to take them to new horizons, including being awarded highly sought-after international academic, sporting and performance scholarships.

In today’s internationally mobile workforce, a global outlook is more important than ever. We will encourage and support you to see yourself as a citizen of the world.

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POSSIBILITIES EVERYWHERE

We recognise that each girl has her own strengths and talents. You will witness girls excelling in our extensive range of academic subjects, with many girls achieving personal bests as they grow in their learning. You will see girls shining on the stage and demonstrating amazing sporting prowess. You will see girls leading in many and varied positions of responsibility.

CHALLENGE YOURSELF You will be inspired to try new things – join new clubs, take up a different sport, learn to dance.

You will be inspired to aim high academically: to achieve Academic Colours or an Attitude and Effort Award; to be awarded a General Exhibition when you complete the WACE exams at the end of Year 12 or be the top VET student in our Elevate programme.

You will be inspired to aim to be a leader: to wear your Year 6 Badge with pride; to be elected a Year 7 Captain; or to wear the blazer with stripes that says you are a Prefect in Year 12.

ROLE MODELS AND MENTORS You will hear about and from St Mary’s Old Girls, women achieving great things in the world. You might hear from a graphic designer, an economist, a farmer, an Olympic athlete or a doctor. You may meet a nurse caring for the poor in a third world country or a Member of Parliament striving to improve everyday life for her fellow citizens here in Australia.

You will be surrounded by amazing role models at St Mary’s who, along with your teachers, will inspire you to discover a world of possibilities beyond the school gates.

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SCHOLARSHIPS St Mary’s offers academic, boarding, performing arts and music scholarships to students in Year 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 in recognition of their achievement and potential. These awards are open to current students and girls who are new to the school.

St Mary’s accepts up to two Indigenous students each year, who have been awarded scholarships through Madalah, for commencement in Year 7 or 8.

We also welcome applications from families who require some financial assistance to attend the school through our means-tested Annual Giving Scholarship. Financial assistance, in the form of bursaries, is sometimes available for students who may otherwise have to leave the school due to financial difficulties.

The Marlene Carter Old Girls’ Association Scholarship (for Year 8 only) and the Ethel Beaton Old Girls’ Association Scholarship (for Years 11 and 12) are awarded to the daughter or granddaughter of an Old Girl who is a Life Member of the Old Girls’ Association.

Scholarships are awarded for a portion of the annual tuition fee and continuation is dependent upon ongoing excellence.

ENROLMENT If you would like to know more about St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School, please contact the Enrolments Registrar who would be pleased to answer your questions. The best way to understand the advantages of a St Mary’s education is to visit the School and see us in action.

We would be delighted to welcome you to attend one of our Open School events or to contact us for an individual tour.

To register your daughter, please complete an Application for Enrolment form and submit it along with the application fee. Your daughter will then be placed on a progressive waiting list. As demand for places is keen, parents are advised to register their interest well in advance of the expected entry year.

Our main intake years for day students are Kindergarten, Year 1, Year 5, Year 6 and Year 7. Occasionally places become available in other years across the Junior and Senior School.

For boarders, Year 7 is the major entry point. However, boarders are also considered for placement in Years 8 to 12.

We look forward to welcoming you to St Mary’s and to meeting you and your daughter.

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ST MARY’S FOR YOURSELF

We invite you to find out more at www.stmarys.wa.edu.au Or contact our Enrolments Registrar at enrolment@stmarys.wa.edu.au | +61 8 9341 9121

75 Elliott Road, Karrinyup, Western Australia PO Box 105, Karrinyup WA 6921 T +61 8 9341 9111 E stmarys@stmarys.wa.edu.au W www.stmarys.wa.edu.au CRICOS Number 00454C St Mary’s is a Child-Safe School