I was at the Heyington Gates this morning as I often am, and apart from saying good morning to our students as they arrived, I was also able to welcome our 2025 Year 7 students.

Our Class of 2030 was on campus to participate in the first of their Orientation Days, designed to ensure a smooth transition into our Senior School. This morning, we also held a morning tea for parents in our Mary Davis Café and welcomed both current Barbreck parents and those new to St Catherine’s. 

I was interested in talking to the Barbreck parents about their daughters’ journeys at St Catherine’s and our new parents. The stories I heard about what makes St Catherine’s an attractive educational destination were more or less identical. The common refrain was St Catherine’s is: 

• A vibrant and close community.
• Our girls are valued and cared for.
• Our teachers are highly regarded, and they enjoy their work with the students.

In short, parents witness first-hand that St Catherine’s is a thriving school. 

McCrindle Research recently released key insights and strategies from their research on Building Thriving School Communities, that can empower educational leaders to create thriving learning communities. Thriving teachers are essential to a strong school. McCrindle’s research says, “the key areas of focus for educational leaders who are looking to have a highly engaged teaching staff are connection, belonging and leadership.”  

This means leading in such a way that facilitates belonging and builds trust with team members. Further, the data shows that teachers who are highly engaged with their school community are 1.8 times more likely than those with low engagement to strongly/somewhat agree that they feel like they belong in the school community. Similarly, they are 1.9 times more likely to feel proud to be a part of the school community. 

A critical factor in all teachers’ capacities to thrive is the level of support provided by the school for teaching being the most significant differentiator. Highly engaged teachers are 2.5 times more likely to feel well supported by the school to provide a quality learning experience.  

At St Catherine’s this year, a major focus for our Senior Leadership Team has been to ensure the wellbeing of our staff. Caring for and nurturing the wellbeing of our whole School community is essential for our students to have the highest quality educational experiences. 

Highly engaged teachers feel well supported by the school to provide a quality learning experience. They feel like they belong in the school community, are proud to be a part of the school community, trust school leadership, and believe the school’s leaders listen well.  

Feedback from parents who are highly engaged say they feel like they belong in the school community, believe strong partnerships are built between staff, parents, and students to achieve positive student outcomes, believe the school helps students to navigate life’s challenges, and believe students are equipped to thrive in their life after school. 

Students have their own perceptions about what makes a strong community. When looking to improve the student experience, McCrindle says we should focus on connection, belonging and leadership. Students who are highly engaged in their school community are 2.5 times more likely to be proud to be part of the school community, and 2.2 times more likely to agree they feel like they belong in the school community. Good school leadership positively impacts a student’s experience. Students highly engaged in their school community are 1.9 times more likely to align with the school’s direction. They are also 1.8 times more likely to believe school leaders exemplify the school’s culture and values. 

After I spent time talking with parents this morning, I went and joined our 2025 Year 7 girls in their orientation session. It was so clear from the smiles on their faces and the teachers facilitating the Orientation Day how connected the girls were to our community. There was laughter, a sparkle in their eyes, and sheer enjoyment about being part of the Senior School. 

St Catherine’s is a wonderful community of students, teachers, and parents who engage in a collective spirit to build connection and belonging. Having both characteristics enables us to thrive as a community.