Over the last four years, St Hilda’s has been committed to providing increased opportunities for our girls to engage, interact, and connect with our neighbouring boys’ schools through our cocurricular offerings. Feedback from our annual parent, staff and student surveys supports this commitment. As a school, we recognise the many advantages that co-education opportunities offer both to our girls and to boys. Strong partnerships with boys’ schools, particularly Christ Church Grammar School, Hale School and Scotch College, are also invaluable for maintaining positive professional connections for our staff.
In our Early Years, we have regular play opportunities with CCGS boys in our school playgrounds, often venturing over to the adventure park near the Chidley campus.
Our Year 5 Ignite Program with Scotch and debating opportunities with Aquinas allow our girls to socialise, debate and work in partnership with boys. In addition, local independent boys’ schools are regular invitees to our Year 6 production matinee. We are also looking to share a new opportunity with Hale School for Year 6 in 2024 in the coming months.
Our boarding students have a special connection with our boarding brother schools as often this is a great opportunity for them to personally catch up with their brothers and boys from their hometowns. Regular weekend activities include visits to waterparks, quiz nights, and dinner swaps. Recently we hosted a Year 7 – 8 movie night with Hale School and a Tennis morning with Scotch College. Our boarders also host the annual Year 10 Boarding River Cruise, which is a highlight on the boarding calendar.
Senior School presents many opportunities through afternoon, evening and weekend activities. In the coming weeks, our Year 7 and Year 12 Prefects will combine with Hale School Year 7 and Year 12 Prefects for a combined afternoon of sporting, drama and miscellaneous activities.
Our Year 8 girls travelled to CCGS to meet their camp partners for our combined Cape to Cave Outdoor Education expedition, which involves the students experiencing the great outdoors in small groups, hiking for five days and four nights in Term 2.
As part of our Year 9 Wandering Spirit Program and CCGS’s Year 9 On Queenslea Drive Program, our staff run a series of workshops throughout the year focussing on girls and boys establishing, building and maintaining healthy relationships.
In Year 10, our girls are invited to engage in Foodie Fiesta and Carve and Create with Hale School, apply for international exchange programs with CCGS to France, USA and UK and attend a CCGS social in Term 2.
This year we introduced a new cocurricular offering, Swing Dancing, with Hale School for Year 11 and last week we hosted the Year 11 Great Gatsy Dinner Dance, welcoming approximately 150 boys from neighbouring schools. It was a fabulous evening! We look forward to our Marble Bar Immersion with CCGS in nine days’ time and our Leadership Day with their Prefects in Term 4.
As Luke Callier, our Director of Discovery announced two weeks ago, we are also proud to partner with UWA and Hale School to offer a first-year UWA unit called Active Leadership for our Year 11s. Allowing students to explore how leadership is related to interpersonal behaviour, communication, the capacity to motivate others and to self-manage. This micro-credential will provide a full unit of academic standing towards their university degree.
Before the commencement of the academic year, St Hilda’s partnered with Hale School for a Year 12 Prefect Leadership Day, engaging our student leaders in thought-provoking conversations around what modern-day leadership looks like in action. We also hosted our Year 12 Ball at Frasers Restaurant which was a night of glamour and fun. Early in Term 2 we will welcome back CCGS boys to our annual ‘Battle of the Schools’ student assembly and compete against the boys in a fun round of lunchtime netball.
For our girls involved in our Cadet Program, many opportunities present for training camps, leadership camps and parades with both CCGS and Guildford Grammar Cadets.
This year also brings with it our first Rowing season based out of the Scotch Rowing Shed. Our partnership with Scotch allows St Hilda’s to have a rowing home base close to campus. It is wonderful to see the coeducational rowing opportunities that are now taking place as we share resources, a combined Rowing program and Rowing staff with Scotch.
And, one of the traditional highlights of the school year is our annual St Hilda’s and CCGS Music Concert which the girls and boys are currently rehearsing for. This event first took place in 1988. For three years our combined concert was unable to take place due to COVID restrictions, so it is with great excitement that this annual tradition and opportunity for the girls and boys returns in Term 2, with only a few tickets remaining.
We will continue to embrace co-education opportunities for our girls, when they present, as we know how much they enjoy the connections and friendships that they make from these experiences with our neighbouring boy’s schools.
Fiona Johnston
Principal
