St Catherine's School

Music and the visual arts play a vital part in our society. At St Catherine's we encouraged students to participate in the visual and performing arts and give them many opportunities to do so. Whether they seek the simple joy of being on stage for the very first time or pursuing music or art at a senior academic level, St Catherine's girls have excelled in the arts. Many have gone on to study the visual arts at tertiary level or to pursue a career in music or performance.

Music

Classroom Music forms a part of the core curriculum from the Early Learning Centre through to Year 8. Girls of all ages are encouraged to learn an instrument and to join the choirs, ensembles, orchestras and bands which rehearse and perform regularly.

In Years 7 and 8, composition, arrangement and recording skills are promoted through Music Theory and Music Information Technology in the School's own Music SoundHouse. Girls compose, mix and record their own arrangements, developing a personal understanding of composers and performers. From Year 9 onwards, Music becomes an elective and VCE subject with the emphasis on developing performance, composition and analysis skills. Some girls achieve advanced music qualifications such as the AMusA while still at School. Scholarships based on musical ability are awarded each year.

Drama

Year after year the Senior Drama co-production and the lively musicals in Year 5 and Years 7 to 9 reflect our high standards in music and theatre performance. Inter-House and Inter-School competitions give our students further scope for performing throughout the year. Speech and Drama is offered as a subject in Years 5 to 12, with individual vocal and dramatic skills developed in a creative group environment. The Twilight Festival events held at the School bring together all of the arts, providing a wider audience for exhibition and performance.

Visual Arts

The visual arts program at St Catherine's School is strong and diverse. We have studios for painting, ceramics and sculpture, drawing, print-making and photography. The visual arts are a vehicle for self-expression, as well as a foundation for later career options. Work produced by girls of all ages is displayed throughout the School and in the community, reflecting our commitment to creativity and artistic appreciation within St Catherine's.

Boarding at St Catherine's

St Catherine's School first opened its doors for boarding in 1896, the year the School was founded. Since then St Catherine's has developed an enviable international reputation as one of the finest boarding schools in Australia. We are fortunate to have a fully renovated, National Trust-listed Victorian mansion which houses our boarders.

Illawarra is central to life at St Catherine's and our boarders are a central part of the life of the School. Their presence anchors the social and cultural fabric of St Catherine's. All students benefit from both the urban, rural and cosmopolitan influences that characterise our School community.

Internationalism

The international component of the boarding houses includes students from Brunei, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Nauru, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand. Australian boarders come mainly from country areas of Victoria and New South Wales. Our boarding facilities are also an attractive option for international families working in the Asian region, as well as those international families who believe that their daughters would benefit from a period of residence in Australia. We also enjoy the benefits of hosting regular, long-term visits by exchange students from overseas schools with whom we share similar values.

Our international students are provided with extensive support in English as a Second Language (ESL) to ensure that they can benefit from all that St Catherine's offers in the curriculum and co-curriculum areas. The international club provides avenues for our students to engage with all our students: local, rural and international; to share cultural experiences. The boarding house assists students to learning more about the exciting aspects of the city of Melbourne and organizes a range of events that include going to the art galleries, theatre, sporting events, dining out and shopping. Getting to know the city is an essential ingredient for being happy and engaged in life in a student's home away from home.

St Catherine's School is also affiliated with the University of Melbourne through the Schools Partnership Program International (SPPI) and as such our international students are provided with additional assistance through the university in the area of careers. Due the strength of our educational programs and outstanding results in VCE over many years, the University of Melbourne considers St Catherine's School to be one of the leaders in international education in Melbourne and a pathway for international and local students to the University. For more information visit regarding the SPPI (or University of Melbourne ) visit http://www.futurestudents.unimelb.edu.au/int/iug/sppi.html . For enquiries about St Catherine's School or our international student programs please call our Admissions office on 9828 3071.

St Catherine's School supports students who want to experience the whole world as a classroom. We develop individual and group exchanges with schools in many countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan and the United States. Language exchanges are available to France, Belgium, Germany and Japan.

Group trips to Italy, the UK and Japan are very popular, especially for those studying languages, History, Art and Geography at senior levels. Students who have contacts or opportunities to visit other countries, arrange exchanges on an individual basis.

Sporting Potential

St Catherine's students enjoy the benefits of health education, skills and strength development and teamwork. Our outstanding Sport, Physical and Outdoor Education programs provide all girls with the opportunity to participate at a level of their choice.

Many of the girls focus on developing their personal motivation and fitness. Other girls seek the thrill of competition. Each year several of our students are rewarded with State and National titles in a wide range of sports. We are proud to have helped develop a number of elite athletes who have gone on to represent their state and their country at World Championships and the Olympic Games.

Over 20 sports are offered including: Athletics, Badminton, Softball, Equestrian, Basketball, Cricket, Cross Country Running, Gymnastics, Hockey, Netball, Newcombe, Rowing, Skiing, Soccer, Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis, Volleyball and Water Polo. An excellent Gymnastics program is available from Prep to Year 12. Rowing is offered from the end of Year 8 to Year 12.

The Great Outdoors

The Outdoor Education program is an intrinsic part of learning at St Catherine's. In a carefully planned sequential program, we select the best venues throughout Victoria in order to offer exciting and rewarding experiences. We use a process of guided discovery which gives students the opportunity to explore new boundaries and develop personal values associated with identity, community and the natural world. Activities are designed to be integrated into the academic curriculum. Once back in the classroom students can reflect and build on their experiences in the outdoors. Participation in the Duke of Edinburgh Award is encouraged at all levels from Year 8 onwards.

Our outstanding VCE results demonstrate that St Catherine's girls achieve excellent academic standards. We believe this excellence stems from the early development of intellectual curiosity and independent thinking, combined with the encouragement to aim high and work together for success.

We are extremely proud of our record of academic achievement, with many St Catherine's students consistently featuring among top scoring VCE entrants. For the most recent results, refer to the separate insert, Outstanding VCE Results. With such high standards, we seek to provide every St Catherine's girl with the basis for success in life after School.

Expanding the Horizons