Over half of the Schools' students from all Years at St Hilda's learn to play an instrument or take voice lessons every week from one of our 42 peripatetic music staff. Lessons are available before, during and after School on a rotation basis. All classical, jazz and rock instruments are offered and voice students may choose to pursue classical, jazz or contemporary styles of singing.
Music groups include the Symphony Orchestra, String Orchestra, Concert Band, Saintly Jazz (swing band), Jazz Combo, Soul Band, several Rock Bands and various Classical Chamber Ensembles, Flute Ensemble, Saxophone Quartets, Clarinet Ensembles, Percussion Ensemble and Classical Guitar Ensemble.
Vocal groups include the Year 7 Choir (part of the curriculum), Whitby Chorale (Years 7 and 8), St Hilda's Chorale (Years 9 to 12) and Barbershop (Years 11 and 12).
There are no auditions for this cocurricular program, except for Barbershop.
Year 7 has 2 periods of music per week, one of which is a choral session. There are large numbers of students who opt for music in Years 8 to 12.
There are countless performance opportunities throughout the year for all musicians within the School and for the wider community. The major events are the Inter House Arts Festival; Combined Concert with Christ Church Grammar School; Choral Evensongs in the chapel as well as in St George's Cathedral; Strings Concert; annual School Musical; Jazz Night; An Evening of Song (choirs and vocal soloists); Concerto Concert; Years 7 to 9 Showcase; Ensembles Concert; Band Fest (rock bands); An Evening of Song and Dance; St Hilda's Music Festival (for students in all Years and at any level in 10 different categories); and Speech Day musical items.
Many of these performances occur in the brand new and spectacular Performing Arts Centre, which seats 900.
The students of the peripatetic music staff perform in casual recitals after school in a relaxed atmosphere.
An eagerly awaited and popular annual Music Camp for Years 8 to 12 takes place in Margaret River every April with numerous performances in local wineries, restaurants and breweries.
Other community engagements include ad hoc Government House invitations, local festivals, local Council occasions, Care Homes and weddings along with many other private and corporate opportunities.
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St Hilda’s provides students with a safe and enthusiastic learning environment in which they can explore movement. All students are encouraged to become involved and to fulfil their potential. They are encouraged to take part in interhouse, interschool, club and state competitions.
Through sport, St Hilda’s provides an holistic approach to education and aims to:
- Develop the student’s mind, body and soul through participation in sport
- Promote a healthy, active lifestyle by providing all students with the opportunity to participate in physical activity
- Develop students’ skill levels in a range of sports
- Encourage students to achieve their personal best in physical activity
- Develop self awareness and identity through participation in sport
- Develop a sense of fair play and sportsmanship through cooperative group behaviour
- Provide opportunities for social interaction, personal development and leadership
- Encourage students to demonstrate initiative and acceptance of responsibility
Students participate in a range of interschool sports learning from our elite coaches who are outstanding athletes in their fields.
In Junior School our sports are organised as follows:
| Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 | Term 4 |
| Fitness Swimming | Running Club | Athletics Club | Fitness Swimming |
| Netball | Netball | Netball | Water Polo |
| Minkey | Minkey | Minkey | Basketball |
| Water Polo |
Sports available through external providers before and after school include:
Dancing
Kidz n Sport
Soccer
Taekwondo
St Hilda’s provides students with a safe and enthusiastic learning environment in which they can explore movement. All students are encouraged to become involved and to fulfil their potential. They are encouraged to take part in interhouse, interschool, club and state competitions.
Through sport, St Hilda’s provides an holistic approach to education and aims to:
- Develop the student’s mind, body and soul through participation in sport
- Promote a healthy, active lifestyle by providing all students with the opportunity to participate in physical activity
- Develop students’ skill levels in a range of sports
- Encourage students to achieve their personal best in physical activity
- Develop self awareness and identity through participation in sport
- Develop a sense of fair play and sportsmanship through cooperative group behaviour
- Provide opportunities for social interaction, personal development and leadership
- Encourage students to demonstrate initiative and acceptance of responsibility
Students participate in a range of interschool sports learning from our elite coaches who are outstanding athletes in their fields.
In Senior School our sports are organised as follows:
| Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 | Term 4 |
| Swimming | Cross Country | Athletics | Softball |
| Tennis | Hockey | Basketball | Water Polo |
| Volleyball | Netball | Soccer | Sculling (Year 8s only) |
| Rowing | Rowing |
We also provide an extensive fitness program involving circuit training, Pilates, Zumba, Running Club and Swim for Fitness.
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The Outdoor Education Program at St Hilda’s begins in Year 3 and continues through to Year 12. All students in these years participate in the program at various locations throughout Western Australia.
The programs in the Junior School are aimed at promoting a sense of comfort in the Australian bush as well as developing basic camping skills. The Senior School programs are designed to encourage adventure, personal growth and student led expeditions.
In the Senior School, students are also offered the opportunity to participate in optional outdoor programs each year. These trips range from two to eleven days. Currently some of the trips go to Shark Bay, New Zealand, Coral Bay, Lancelin and Denmark. These optional trips are run during school holidays and over weekends. Fees are payable for these optional programs.
A range of before and after school programs are also available for our Senior School students. Students can enrol and participate in activities such as surfing, stand up paddle boarding and sailing. Fees are payable for the before and after school programs and the activities vary each term.
International service trips run through the Outdoor Education Department annually. The trips for 2017 are currently being finalised and will be advertised in Term 1, 2017.
The Duke of Edinburgh Award is also available to students with guidance from our staff.
Click here for Outdoor Education program details
(online enrolment links will be sent to parents separately)
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Major School Production
Every year there is a Major School Production, which is rehearsed during Term 2 and performed in week 2 of Term 3. In 2015 the production was Seussical the Musical. The production is open to students in Years 8 to 12. Auditions will take place in Term 1. The musical combines the talents of actors, singers, dancers, musicians, theatre technicians and artists. Many opportunities exist beyond the performance space and include lighting and sound design, backstage and Front of House.
The Years 9/10 Play
The Years 9/10 Play is a straight drama that focuses on the talents of the actor. It offers students the opportunity to extend their understanding of the importance of “the ensemble” and grow their performance skills. The production in 2015 was a selection of Shakespeare scenes that highlight the role that women play in his works. Each year the production runs during Term 1. There are also opportunities for younger students to become involved in the technical aspects of theatre such as lighting, sound and scenography.
IGSSA Dance
IGSSA Dance takes place in Week 6 of Term 3. Specialist choreographers rehearse with the Senior and Junior dance teams which are made up of the best dancers who audition in the Senior School.
Drama Tour
Year 11 and 12 students studying drama have the opportunity to go on an organised Drama Tour to Sydney during the April school holidays. Students will experience specialist workshops and study groups at the National Institute of Dramatic Arts as well as have the opportunity to see a wide variety of shows and performances.
Speech and Drama
Speech and Drama is offered at St Hilda’s as part of the cocurricular program for Year 4 to Year 12 students.
Speech and Drama is taught by specialist teachers who work with individuals, pairs and small groups. Junior School girls have their lessons during the school day on a rotating timetable, while Senior School students have lessons after school. Students may progress through the external Speech and Drama exam system (as with Music) or can take lessons without doing exams. Once a year, the Speech & Drama students perform a Speech & Drama Showcase; this is an evening of rehearsed pieces of theatre. The Showcase is an opportunity for parents to view their daughter’s dramatic work.
Speech and Drama is beneficial as it increases a student’s confidence and skills in daily communication, as well as in public speaking and acting. The program is extremely useful to students pursuing Drama in the senior years as it gives an opportunity for students to deepen their understanding of dramatic performance and theory as covered in the drama curriculum. The individual or small group situation enables intensive work on each student’s specific strengths and weaknesses.
The program focuses on:
- Development of the voice – its quality, power, range and expressiveness
- The techniques and confidence for public speaking
- Skills of characterisation for acting
- Solo performance, both scripted and improvisational
- Reading and performing pieces from many styles and periods of drama and literature
- Speech Theory
- Lessons
- There is an average of nine lessons per term which can be undertaken in groups, pairs or individually. Most students work towards Speech and Drama exams. The after-school large groups for Year 5 and Year 6 are more recreational and do not involve exam work. Please note that enrolments are for the whole year.
Costs
After school large groups (Years 5 and 6): $23 per lesson
Pairs (sometimes expanded to 3 or 4): $31 per lesson
Individual: $34 per lesson (30 minutes – Juniors); $40 per lesson (45 minutes – Seniors)
For further information please contact speechanddrama@sthildas.wa.edu.au or 9285 4236.
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Clubs and Committees are run by the girls and overseen by staff.
In this way, the girls can pursue a variety of areas of personal interests such as:
- Art
- Astronomy
- Audio Visual
- Bell Ringing
- Book Club
- The Chronicle
- Creative Writing
- Current Events
- Dance and Choreography
- Debating
- Drama
- Environment
- History
- Languages
- Media
- Mock Trials
- Music
- Outdoor Education
- Photography
- Sacristans
- Writers
Year 10 is a special year for the girls at St Hilda’s as it is an opportunity for them to apply for an exchange with an affiliated school overseas.
Girls go through an interview process for selection to one of the following schools for an exchange for one term:
- St Hilda’s, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Durban Girls’ College, Durban, South Africa
- The Chapin School, New York USA
- Wayo Konodai Girls’ High School, Japan
- Sydenham High School, UK
2017 winners are:
- South Africa - Charlotte Harkins and Findlay Roe
- USA - Felicity Palmer and Phoebe Browne-Cooper
- New Zealand - Bridget Smith
- UK - Holly Crow and Charlie Treleaven
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