Why St Hilda’s

EXTRAORDINARY FUTURES

Modern learning in a supportive environment is a priority at St Hilda’s. Our strategic plan, St Hilda’s Reimagined, outlines our commitment to creating a school of the future that provides young women with the skills to flourish in this world beyond our gates.

How do we do this? At the heart of our success is our staff. Strong, vibrant leadership with a clear vision sets the school’s direction and values, and this dynamic combination underpins the culture of the entire community.

Our Strategic Plan, St Hilda’s Reimagined, sets out our path forward to deliver a contemporary and relevant education that sparks extraordinary futures. We are proud to chart our own course, creating opportunities that are unique to St Hilda’s based on our community’s individual needs.

Three beautiful campuses in Perth and Pemberton provide our students with state-of-the-art learning environments, both in and out of the classroom. Unique compulsory programs, including the Year 9 Wandering Spirit program, ESSTEAM program, the Junior School Dance program and our Outdoor Education program from Years 2 to 10, provide our girls with opportunities beyond the standard curriculum. A vast array of cocurricular activities offer girls the chance to find their niche and shine.

With a history dating back from 1896, St Hilda’s has led girls’ education in Western Australia for over 125 years. Over 50,000 inspiring women have been educated by St Hilda’s. These women demonstrate the power of the St Hilda’s spirit – a sense of confidence, belonging and a belief in their own abilities.

Our Vision and Values

Vision: To spark extraordinary futures by inspiring inventive and adaptive thinkers with a curiosity for learning.

Our values aren’t just a list of nice words. They are qualities that you will find throughout the School in all interactions. Our staff lead by example and instil these values in our students.

Excellence  //  We encourage the pursuit of our personal best and lifting others.

Authenticity  //  We value who we are and respect others knowing that self-belief is our greatest attribute.

Belonging  //  We nurture relationships, the St Hilda’s spirit and the part we play in the global community.

Imagination  //  We are courageous and open our minds to possibilities.

These values are woven into our behaviours, our recognition programs and our leadership opportunities.

A Community of Belonging, Excellence, and Empowerment

St Hilda’s is a place where every person can truly belong. This profound sense of community, paired with our unwavering commitment to academic excellence and holistic education, makes St Hilda’s a school like no other. There is a strength, warmth, and inclusivity that radiates through our school – a camaraderie and an unspoken understanding that here, we look after each other. More than a school, St Hilda’s is a second home where your daughter will feel valued for who she is and empowered to embrace her authentic self. At St Hilda’s, we prepare young women not only for the future but to shape it.

Spirit of St Hilda's

Some call it culture, we call it the Spirit of St Hilda's. It's about girls lifting girls; it's building friendships for life; it's about being part of something bigger and yet knowing your contribution is essential.

People who visit our campuses comment on the comradery between teachers and students. This is because it's more than just a teaching profession. Our staff are passionate about their role in shaping their students' futures.

The St Hilda's Spirit extends into our broader community. Families share their loyalty to the school through their participation in community events, barracking on the side of a field and supporting the school to reach its potential through volunteering, fundraising and advocacy.

Empowering Girls to Thrive, Lead, and Succeed

As a proud independent all-girls school, St Hilda’s provides an environment where your daughter can thrive without limits. Research consistently shows that single-sex education allows girls to excel academically, develop self-confidence, and participate fully in all aspects of school life. In an all-girls setting, your daughter is free from gender stereotypes and encouraged to lead, ask questions, and explore her passions. St Hilda’s is a place where girls lift each other up, building friendships and leadership skills that will carry them through life. At St Hilda’s, every opportunity belongs to your daughter – from becoming a leader in her field to pursuing her passions with confidence. 

Why a Girls School?

St Hilda’s has been educating girls to strive for excellence since 1896. Our teaching staff understand girls and the way in which they learn, develop and communicate. The benefits of choosing a single sex girls’ education are thoroughly researched. As a proud member of International Coalition of Girl’s Schools, further research as to why choosing a girls’ school is beneficial can be found on their website.

Why a Girls School?

Girls-only schools are places where friendships flourish, and girls support one another to achieve their best. At St Hilda’s, we embrace the philosophy of “girls lifting girls,” which translates to women lifting women in the future. This culture of mutual respect, encouragement, and empowerment creates a foundation for lifelong connections and helps your daughter develop the resilience and confidence she will need to thrive in a complex and evolving world.

The question ‘Why St Hilda’s?” becomes easier and easier to answer as the St Hilda’s secret sauce becomes more and more transparent.

Ultimately our girls want to perform well and are motivated and inspired to do so. Furthermore, they don’t want other girls to underperform.  Examples of this are plentiful.  Whenever a girl gets stuck other students immediately offer assistance without hesitation. They do this across all subject areas and do it in a very mature way. They ask leading questions rather than simply giving answers. They guide rather than show. They encourage rather than mock. “Let me help you” is part of their learning vocabulary.

Our girls’ ability to share their gifts for the common good is impressive and is what gives St Hilda’s the point of difference of not just being an academically excellent school but one with an amazingly impressive soul. It is the spirit of St Hildas, which comes from within our girls, that makes it the school it is, and a joy to lead.

Fiona Johnston, Principal

Hear It From The Girls

Girls benefit from single-sex environments where there are no expectations that they should fulfil traditional gender stereotypes in the subjects they study, the activities they participate in or the careers they pursue. Girls attending girls’ schools are more confident and assertive in single-sex environments. Research demonstrates that girls feel empowered to behave in more competitive ways without the presence of boys. Girls in girls’ schools are free to pursue academic excellence in any area they choose, including in the 'gender atypical' areas of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM). Statistics show that girls from girls’ schools are more likely to study STEM at school and pursue university studies and careers in STEM fields.

Inspiring Curiosity, Innovation, and Future Success

Our approach to education extends far beyond delivering exceptional academic results, though year after year, St Hilda’s students achieve remarkable success. We believe that when students feel supported, seen, and heard, they are free to thrive. Our unique programs, like ESSTEAM, embody the creativity and curiosity that drives our students to ask “what if?” and explore bold ideas, preparing her to lead, innovate, and shape the future with confidence.

At St Hilda’s, imagination fuels everything we do. Whether it’s in the arts, sciences, or outdoor education, we encourage your daughter to dream big and think outside the box. This spirit of inquiry is at the heart of our Year 9 Wandering Spirit retreat, where students step away from their busy schedules and embrace the natural world.

Fiona Johnston, Principal

Beyond the Classroom

St Hilda’s offers a wealth of cocurricular and coeducational programs designed to develop the whole person. From music and drama to sports and outdoor adventures, these experiences help your daughter develop essential life skills – problem-solving, teamwork, and independence – while encouraging her to step out of her comfort zone. It’s in these moments of challenge and growth that students discover who they are and what they can achieve. 

At St Hilda’s, we prepare young women not only for the future but to shape it. Your daughter will be part of a vibrant community where she feels supported, inspired, and empowered to create her own extraordinary future. 

Discover the Spirit of St Hilda's for yourself

The best way to get a feel for whether St Hilda’s is the right fit for your family is to see the school in action. We encourage you to book a tour and meet the Director of Junior and/or Senior School to see what a St Hilda’s education has to offer.