INFORMATION FOR APPLICANTS
PRINCIPAL St Mary's Anglican Girls' School
INTRODUCTION St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School is a leading, independent, nonselective Australian girls’ school. It is an Anglican school, whose values reflect the Christian ethos of thoughtfulness and care for others, along with the spiritual growth encouraged by the regular worship and religious education programmes that are an integral aspect of the life of the School. Our full-time Chaplain and Chaplain Emeritus are both Anglican priests and our Chapel is a focal point on the campus. The first thing you will notice, as you arrive at St Mary’s, is the beauty and space of our campus. Nestled as it is, surrounded by bush land and just behind the bush-covered sand hills which overlook the Indian Ocean and the sand and surf of Trigg Beach, the School is situated in the suburb of Karrinyup in Perth, Western Australia, but there is no sense of being in suburbia. Tall plane trees line the drive to the main Administration building, and ancient tuart trees tower their shade across grassed areas where girls gather to relax and talk and laugh together. Magpies carol, kookaburras chortle, pink and grey galahs peck at seeds in the grass. Here there is space for the girls to discover, learn and grow, space to find themselves, space to be themselves. And in July 2018 there will be space for a new Principal to build on the legacy of the nine who have developed the School to be the outstanding educational institution it is today. Retiring Principal, Mrs Lynne Thomson, has led the School for just over 20 years. Under her leadership St Mary’s has grown from strength to strength; numbers have increased, the campus has been enriched with the addition of many marvellous new learning spaces, and academically, the School is consistently ranked in the top 8 Western Australian Schools in the annual WACE results, and more often than not, in the top 3.
INTRODUCTION St Mary's has a strong and long-established relationship with our brother school, Hale School. In addition to many families having children at both schools, St Mary’s and Hale combine in an outstanding musical performance programme as well as arranging social occasions for day students and boarders. The new Principal will take the helm to lead the School into the celebration of its Centenary in 2021. They will continue the development of an education which inspires and equips young women to aim to be leaders in their fields throughout the 21st century; which inspires and equips them to work for the good of humankind and the planet on which we all live; and which inspires and equips them to lead with soul, to be true to themselves and to the Christian values which are the foundation of this School. Â
Strategic Directions About St Mary's
history In 2016 St Mary’s acknowledged its 95th anniversary, celebrating the vision and foresight of the founder of the School and first Principal, Reverend C L Riley. The fledgling school was established in the inner-city suburb of West Perth, with 95 pupils and it is hard to imagine that even the vision of Rev’d Riley would have allowed him to imagine the School as it is today. Our nine Principals have each contributed to the extraordinary development of St Mary’s, some through the extremely challenging times of the Great Depression and the Second World War. In the late 1950s, as the School began to outgrow its buildings in the increasingly crowded West Perth, plans were made to acquire land in the northern suburb of Karrinyup, and to build a new campus for St Mary’s, another instance of vision and foresight that has led to the growth of the School. By the end of the 1960s, new buildings had been constructed, and all of the students were relocated to Karrinyup.
Vision and foresight are the constants inspiring the growth and changes that mark the progress of St Mary’s to its position as a leading Australian school for girls. We are the only girls’ school in Western Australia to have a country campus, the beautiful St Mary’s at Metricup: The Lady Treatt Centre for Learning and Leadership, situated in the picturesque south-west of our state, where girls in Years 4 to 9 and in Year 11, attend year group camps as part of our rich and challenging outdoor education programme.
Our History Prospectus St Mary's at Metricup
structure St Mary’s is the school of choice for just over 1400 girls, ranging from Kindergarten to Year 12, with approximately 400 girls in the Junior School and 1000 in the Senior School. The students come from a diverse range of backgrounds, mostly from across the northern suburbs of Perth. Within the Junior School, the Early Learning Centre is home to 60 girls in Kindergarten and Pre-primary, with the remaining girls in Years 1 to 6. In the Senior School, Year 7 is a transition year, centred in a block of purpose-designed classrooms and allowing for a gradual change from the close care of a single teacher in their own classroom in the Junior School, to the multiple teachers and classrooms typical of secondary schooling. There are 185 boarders across Years 7 to 12, making St Mary’s one of the largest girls’ boarding schools across Australia.
Our boarders come from all parts of Western Australia, as well as a small number of girls from countries overseas – China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea. St Mary’s girls are typically cheerful, positive and down to earth. They are highly motivated to achieve their best, not only academically but also in pursuing the amazing talents and passions so many of them possess across the extraordinary extracurricular programme the School offers. Teaching and Learning St Mary's Boarding St Mary's Boarding Brochure Our International Students
governance The Board of Governors oversees the conduct of the School in keeping with its Anglican tradition, its vision, mission, purpose, objectives and values. Members of the Board are appointed in consultation with the Perth Diocesan Council and the Archbishop. The Board of Management of the Foundation has worked very successfully, together with the Board of Governors, the Principal and the Director of Finance and Administration, to ensure the sustained sound financial position of the School. The Principal, with the support of a strong Executive team, is responsible for inspiring, leading and guiding the staff, students and the wider School community towards the achievement of those objectives and the standards of excellence that have come to be associated with all that is St Mary’s. Members of the Executive team include four Deans, one of whom is appointed by the Principal as Deputy Principal. The Deans’ roles are Dean of Curriculum, Dean of Students, Dean of Teaching and Dean of Administration. Other members of the Executive are Head of Boarding, Head of Junior School, Director of Finance and Administration and Director of Information Systems. The Principal, the Deans and the Head of Junior School all have a classroom role.
Staff Typical of the staff of St Mary’s is their extraordinary commitment to the School and the girls, with the awareness that they are all part of a large team, working towards a common goal, that being providing the best possible education for the students, in the best possible environment. To this end, the teachers, in particular, are extremely generous with their time and expertise in assisting the girls to discover and achieve their best. The School employs approximately 270 permanent staff: 115 teaching staff in the Senior School; 47 in the Junior School; 61 in Administration; 40 in the boarding house; and 11 caring for grounds and maintenance. There are numerous opportunities for members of staff to aspire to and assume positions of responsibility as Heads or Managers of Departments or their assistants, Heads of Year and Heads of House, among others. Board of Governors
The St Mary’s Community Key to the success of the School is the feeling of the place. We are warm and welcoming. Parents, Old Girls, former staff, former parents, and friends of the School, the Board of Governors and the Board of Management of the Foundation, along with the students and staff, make up a community in which all are included. We are all linked by a sense of belonging to an outstanding institution, a place to which we have been privileged to contribute, in which each of us has played some part, small or large, in helping to develop this wonderful place of discovery, learning and growth. The Principal’s Role With so many varied groups making up the School community, there needs to be a leader at the helm: someone who unites, not divides; someone who inspires and encourages, not disheartens; someone with a sense of fun, as well as the awareness of the significance and challenges of the role
June 2017 Fideliter June 2013 Fideliter
St Mary's girls This is not just another girls’ school and St Mary’s girls are not just other girls. Central to the ethos of the School is that each girl is known and nurtured as an individual. We are girl-centred; we know girls. As a non-selective school, we design courses, programmes and activities that cater for the wide range of talents, abilities and interests of the student population, always with the latest developments in girls’ education in mind, while making well-considered decisions about their implementation. Girls are encouraged to discover their best. Be their talents academic or sporting, musical or dramatic, artistic or inventive, they are encouraged to pursue their passions, aim for excellence and then to reach beyond that to the next level. At the same time, we care for the well-being of each girl. We want her to be happy and successful, but also to have the inner resources to meet and deal with challenges and disappointments, at times with conflict or sadness and tragedy. We want her to be resilient and resourceful. We want her also to be aware of others, caring and compassionate, and willing to give of her time and herself to assist others in need.
Prospectus
Not only are St Mary’s girls encouraged to be thoughtful of others, but they are also encouraged to develop awareness of the wider world, through programmes such as the Year 10 Exchanges, where each year, up to 30 Year 10 girls have the opportunity to spend time in one of 13 schools in the USA, UK, Canada, New Zealand, Singapore and South Africa. On graduation from St Mary’s, Year 12 girls also have the opportunity to apply for a Gap year in schools in the UK and the USA. International tours, both academic and service learning, extend the horizons and inspire the aspirations of many girls in Years 9 to 12. When girls leave St Mary’s, we want them to aspire to make a positive contribution to the world, whether it be in their local community or their workplace, or somewhere on the world stage. We want them to be a voice for good. We want them to know that they can lead and effect change.
Curriculum curriculum St Mary's vision includes a commitment to providing an innovative curriculum that equips girls for future study, life and work in the 21st century. The broad but rigorous curriculum recognises students' wide spectrum of abilities, interests and ambitions and embraces innovation in classroom practices and the integration of technology. Junior School The exciting classroom programmes and the rich specialist teaching areas focus on challenging the individual student, nurturing her talents and supporting her in becoming the best that she can be. The comprehensive support system ensures that there is early intervention where girls are experiencing difficulties, in addition to increased challenges for the more academically able students.
Our teaching and learning programme involves the whole community of staff, parents and children. This community works together to provide a harmonious, nurturing environment where all students can develop a sense of selfworth, a high level of personal integrity, competence to form moral judgements, individual responsibility and a sincere sense of respect and concern for others and for our environment. In addition to the core subjects of Mathematics, English, Science, Humanities and Social Sciences and Digital Technologies, taught with their classroom teachers, the girls study Art, Health Education, Languages Other Than English (currently Mandarin), Music, Physical Education and Religious Education with specialist teachers. We have developed a strong focus on STEM in the Junior School in the last two years. Our goals include: to deliver a rigorous teaching and learning programme in STEM subjects;Â to advance our global connection through technology; to provide ongoing exposure to the knowledge, skills and processes that the STEM subject areas provide; to ignite passion in our girls to consider STEM careers.
Curriculum Year 7 Year 7 provides an introduction to the Senior School, allowing girls a unique initiation to the opportunities and challenges Senior School brings, while still retaining the core pastoral care a central classroom provides. A balance between the challenges of specialist subject areas and pastoral care within the classroom makes this an invaluable step in the learning journey. Support is given to every student in the development of personal organisation and time management, research and presentation skills, which combine to produce independent, life-long learners. The reasoning behind this model is that we believe that knowing one teacher especially well has considerable benefits for this age group.
Year 7 Â Student Handbook
Year 7s are members of the Senior School and involved in all aspects of Senior School life. We continue with following the Western Australian Curriculum in the core subjects of Mathematics, English, Science, Humanities and Social Sciences and Digital Technology, taught with their classroom teachers. In addition, the girls study Art, Debating, Drama, Health Education, Languages Other Than English (French, Italian or Japanese), Music, Physical Education and Religious Education with specialist teachers. The beginning of the year is marked with an outdoor education camp which provides an opportunity for everyone to get to know each other. Later in the year the girls travel to Canberra and Sydney as the culmination of their Year 7 studies. Girls can explore their interests and develop their talents in the vibrant extracurricular programme of sport, music, dance, drama and after-school clubs.
Curriculum Years 8, 9 and 10 In Years 8 to 10, girls study the core Western Australian Curriculum in English, Mathematics, Science and Humanities and Social Sciences, Health Education, Physical Education, Digital Technologies and Religious Studies. Year 8s follow a compulsory programme, which includes studying Visual Arts, Music and one or two languages of French, Italian or Japanese. In Years 9 and 10, more individual choice is offered with a variety of elective subjects that are enriching, intellectually stimulating, useful and enjoyable. Advanced Physical Education, Construct and Innovate, Creating Apps, Dance, Drama, Digital Design, Environmental Science, Fashion and Graphic Design, Food Technology, Marine Science, Mechatronics, Media Studies, Outdoor Education, Young People and the Law are just some on offer. Years 7, 8 and 9 students all participate in compulsory Outdoor Education camps, run out of the School’s campus at Metricup in the South West. Extension programmes challenge academically gifted students, many of whom experience outstanding success in state-wide and national competitions. There is also additional support from specialised staff, who work towards improving skills in literacy and numeracy in a positive, productive and encouraging environment. In most cases, both programmes contribute to an enhanced overall performance. Career education and work experience are aspects of the Year 10 course, which contribute greatly to personal development and an increasing maturity.
The opportunity to participate in a student exchange programme to schools in the USA, Canada, the UK, South Africa, New Zealand and Singapore is offered to Year 10 students, with a rigorous selection process.
Year 8 Student Handbook Year 9 Student Handbook Year 10 Student Handbook
Curriculum Years 11 and 12 A wide range of Year 11 and 12 ATAR courses, from Physics to French, Economics to Physical Education Studies, Accounting to Drama, provides for students planning to pursue a university degree. Other General courses, such as Food Science and Business Management, prepare students for destinations such as TAFE, employment, traineeships, specialist colleges and for life in an ever-changing world. In addition, students can participate in CareerLink, a selective programme in association with employers, which allows Year 12 students to gain a VET certificate as well as workplace training one day a week and provides an excellent foundation for prospective employment. VET certificate courses in Visual Arts, Design and Sport and Recreation are also offered within the School. Students can choose a combination of ATAR, General and VET courses.
Computer technology is an integral part of the curriculum in many study areas. In 2016 the School introduced a BYOD programme for all students in Years 7 to 11. This expanded to Years 5 and 6 and Year 12 in 2017. The outstanding Elizabeth Myles Library provides a haven for reading and research, both in traditional and technological ways.
Years 11 and 12Â Â Student Handbook
extracurricular activities extracurricular activities The foundation upon which we build our approach to the education of our girls is that at St Mary’s each girl is known and nurtured as an individual, and that we are in the business of educating the whole person. We are about girls discovering their best, and to that end, we offer countless opportunities for girls to explore possibilities, uncover hidden talents and develop personal passions. Whether she is a dancer or a debater, an artist or a netballer, a musician or a coder, there are activities in which the St Mary’s girl can excel, in which she can shine and lead, or just enjoy having fun and gaining personal satisfaction from her own quiet achievement. There are opportunities to serve others, within our local community and in the wider world. There is encouragement to invent and create, to confront challenges and overcome obstacles, and to discover hitherto unknown capacities and capabilities.
St Mary’s is a member of IGSSA, the Independent Girls’ Schools Sports Association, with very large numbers of our girls vying to represent the School in our interschool teams in the challenging competition offered at this level. At St Mary’s we are proud of the depth of sporting talent in the School, which enables our teams to consistently achieve success across so many different sports. In 2014 IGSSA introduced a new Champion School award, of which we were the inaugural winner, winning again in 2015 and being close runner up in 2016.
facilities
Our beautiful sixteen-hectare campus is home to well-maintained, well-appointed, airconditioned buildings offering the girls light, spacious, modern classrooms and laboratories, along with well-equipped specialist rooms for the visual arts and home economics. The Elizabeth Myles Library has become the hub of the School, a hive of learning activity from 7.30am to 8.15pm, with the Ron Farris Media Studies Centre, the Lady Wardle Performing Arts Centre and the Lady Treatt Centre for Music and Dance offering the girls and staff spaces in which to inspire and create, to nurture passions and hone skills. Dannatt Hall and Hearn Hall provide meeting and assembly spaces, as well as being venues for a number of the sports we offer, and the recently upgraded Sir Thomas Wardle Swimming Pool complex is home to a year-round swimming development programme.
In the Junior School, the Peter Arney Centre for Early Learning is home to an innovative early learning programme for the St Mary’s Playgroup, Kindergarten and Pre-primary years, in bright, purpose-designed classrooms, supplemented by a stimulating nature-based play and learning space. Classrooms for girls in Years 1 to 6 are also bright, stimulating spaces, where learning and growing continue to be exciting and enriching experiences. There are specialist areas for subjects such as Art, Music and Science, and a sustainable garden allows girls the opportunity to learn about growing their own food and recycling waste.
SELECTION CRITERIA It is expected that the Principal will bring to the position the knowledge and skills, experience and personal qualities, outlined in the following selection criteria. Inspirational Leadership The Principal must be a leader who inspires confidence, respect and trust from all members of the St Mary’s community – students and staff, parents, Old Girls and friends of the School. They must be a role model and connect with the girls, encouraging them to aspire to excellence in their achievements and in their personal development, both at school and beyond, as future leaders in their careers and communities. They must be visionary and innovative, aware of changing times and technologies, and of the need for the School not just to keep pace with advances in education for girls, but for St Mary’s to continue to be a leading girls’ school. At the same time, they must be wise and deliberate in their approach to change, so that the School community is excited by and supportive of new directions they might propose.
They must be a passionate and knowledgeable advocate of single-sex education for girls. They must be a proud and excellent teacher, with significant classroom experience.
They must be able to maintain the team and community culture of the School, so that all members of the community continue to feel included, involved and valued, working together in the best interests of the girls.
Experience and understanding of the special place of boarders within a school context is highly desirable. The Principal must demonstrate a passion for and commitment to the special needs of boarders and their families, and also be aware of the importance of ongoing promotion of the excellence of boarding at St Mary’s.
They must be an effective communicator, with strong oral and written skills, and a public speaker, able to connect with a wide range of audiences. Educational Leadership Tertiary and postgraduate qualifications in education are essential. The Principal must demonstrate an ability to keep abreast of changes and advances in education in schools, and an ability to inspire and foster excellence in all aspects of teaching and learning.
They must have a record of successful senior administrative experience in education, ideally in a K to 12 school. They must demonstrate understanding of the importance of care for student well-being and be fully supportive of pastoral care programmes in a school. They must demonstrate understanding of an holistic approach to the education of girls as individuals, with support for and encouragement of extracurricular and service learning programmes.
They must demonstrate knowledge of the Australian education system, including developments in the Australian Curriculum. Some understanding of the Western Australian education context is desirable.
Personal Qualities St Mary’s is an exceptional school, seeking another exceptional leader. This person will see the position as a vocation, demanding of passion, commitment and time, the rewards being experienced in growing to love St Mary’s and being personally enriched by the opportunity of leading such a wonderful school. The Principal must be a person of integrity and sound judgement, able to make difficult decisions, and genuine and straightforward in their interactions with others. They must demonstrate the ability to take responsibility and be accountable. They must have a love of learning and teaching, and be intellectually curious and a critical thinker. They must be enthusiastic, energetic and resilient. They must have excellent interpersonal skills, which includes being warm and friendly, approachable, accessible and sociable, and being able to establish positive relationships with people of all ages and from all walks of life. They must be kind. They must show care and support for others, particularly students and staff. They must have a good sense of humour and fun. They need to be able to be seen as the team builder and leader, but also as a member of the team. They must be able to commit to St Mary’s, with aspirations for the School. As we expect the girls to be the best they can be, so the Principal must also strive to be the best Principal and educationalist they can be.
Administrative Leadership The Principal, in collaboration with the members of the Board of Governors, must work to fulfil the School’s Vision and Mission statements and oversee the implementation of the School’s Strategic Plan to achieve its stated purpose and objectives. They must have proven “people skills”, being able to connect with the very diverse members of the School community and organise and encourage the groups and teams within the School to achieve the desired outcomes and objectives. They must demonstrate understanding of governance, compliance processes and risk management in an independent school, particularly in relation to School Registration in Western Australia. In particular, they must ensure that all processes and procedures are in place that guarantee that the School is a safe and secure environment for the girls and staff. They must demonstrate the capacity to exercise sound management of the School’s finances and facilities and to lead plans for and implementation of future capital development. They must have the capacity to lead and oversee promotion of the School, understanding the need to sustain enrolment numbers by ensuring that St Mary’s continues to be seen as a leading girls’ day and boarding school.
Spiritual Leadership The Principal is the spiritual leader of the School. As such, they must be a Christian and a communicant member of the Anglican Church. As head of an Anglican school in Western Australia, the Principal will lead a “distinctively Christian community, fulfilling the Gospel imperative to teach the faith and nurture the young”. They must support the Chaplain in her/his leadership of liturgy in the School. They will commit to Christian education in the School, ensuring the continuation of regular Chapel services for all girls and a Religious Studies programme across Years K to 12. They will consistently promote and live by Christian values and the values of the School.
application process The Board of Governors is responsible for the appointment of the new Principal, with involvement of the Archbishop, or his representative, as Visitor to the School. Applications for the position of Principal of St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School should include the following information: 1. A one-page introductory letter. 2. A full résumé covering current position and areas of responsibility, prior teaching and leadership experience, as well as academic and professional qualifications. 3. A two-page response to the following: In your view, what would be the most compelling reasons that make you the best choice and fit for St Mary's? 4. The names and contact details (including mobile number) of three professional referees who may be approached in confidence about the applicant. Applications marked ‘Confidential’ may be lodged via email to slanger@derwentexecutive.com.au or by post to Ms Sally Langer Derwent Executive Level 15, 240 St Georges Terrace Perth WA 6000 Enquiries can be made by phoning Sally Langer at Derwent Executive on +61 8 9282 5250. Short-listing will take place to enable first-round interviews to be held in mid-October. Thank you for considering the significant position of Principal of St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School.