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She Who Dares

Nil Magnum Nisi Bonum / Nothing is Great unless it is Good

The moment a student walks through our Heyington Gates, she is encouraged to be bold, to inquire, to question, to learn and contribute. St Catherine’s School aspires to graduating intellectually and emotionally agile young women, fully prepared to navigate their futures across new and emerging industries, thrive within global and digital communities, persevere during adversity and remain authentic and fearless in all they pursue.

We welcome girls from local, rural and international communities and have a School population of 760 students. Up to 50 of our students call our Boarding House, Illawarra, home. As a smaller School, our size has many advantages for students, particularly the way in which each girl is known and valued, and being located on a single campus in inner-city Melbourne means our youngest to oldest students learn in one central community.

With Illawarra located on our School grounds, your daughter can easily participate in our outstanding co-curricular program and access the Library and the School’s Sports and Aquatic Centre before and after school.

Illawarra is home to an enthusiastic community of boarders. It is a place where strong academic care is given and the emotional health and wellbeing of each girl is a priority. The city boarding experience gives girls the opportunity to gain the independence they need for tertiary life and beyond. St Catherine’s offers sound careers guidance which facilitates a smooth transition to tertiary studies. Combined with the St Catherine’s School University Enhancement courses offered in Years 11 and 12, boarders can establish an easy pathway to tertiary studies at places such as Melbourne University. The girls make lifelong friendships with their fellow boarders, enriching their life and broadening their horizons.