What makes a girl feel that she truly belongs at school?
Is it having a friend to sit with at lunch? A teacher who knows when she needs encouragement? An older girl who remembers her name? Or the confidence to walk into a new experience knowing she has people around her who will support her?
At St Hilda’s Junior School, we believe belonging is built through moments like these. It grows through friendships, shared experiences, meaningful relationships and the reassurance that every girl has a place in our community.
And importantly, it doesn’t happen by accident.
More Than Feeling Welcome
For young girls, feeling connected to their school is an important foundation for learning, confidence and wellbeing.
When a girl feels known, valued and supported, she is more likely to find the courage to try something unfamiliar, contribute her ideas, ask questions and take on challenges.
That’s why belonging at St Hilda’s extends beyond the classroom. It is intentionally woven into the experiences that bring our girls together, encourage them to look beyond themselves and help them understand what it means to be part of a community.
One example is our Year 3 Little Wanderers program.
Little Wanderers, Lasting Connections
Our Little Wanderers program introduces Year 3 girls to an outdoor education journey that will continue throughout their years at St Hilda’s, eventually culminating in Wandering Spirit in Year 9.
While the two-day adventure encourages curiosity, resilience and an appreciation for the natural environment, its purpose reaches much further.
At its heart is connection.
Through shared experiences, challenges and reflection, girls have opportunities to strengthen friendships, support one another and discover the value of contributing to something bigger than themselves.
From exploring marine environments at AQWA to participating in cultural learning and team challenges at the beach, the girls learn that trying something new is often easier, and more rewarding, when you do it together.
They discover that belonging isn’t about everyone being the same. It’s about respecting differences, encouraging others and recognising that everyone has something valuable to contribute.
The Power of an Older Girl Who Cares
One of the most meaningful elements of Little Wanderers is the connection between our Year 3 girls and Year 9 girls participating in Wandering Spirit.
Through art activities, shared meals and conversations, our younger girls have opportunities to build relationships with older girls who are further along their St Hilda’s journey.
For a Year 3 girl, having an older student take an interest in her experiences can be a powerful reminder that she belongs to a much larger community.
For our Year 9 girls, the experience offers something equally valuable: the opportunity to lead through kindness, empathy, encouragement and service.
These connections also create continuity across the School. The girls begin to see that their Junior School experiences are part of a longer journey, one where relationships, shared values and a sense of community grow alongside them.
Belonging Is Built in the Everyday Moments
While Little Wanderers creates memorable opportunities for connection, the same principles shape everyday life in our Junior School.
They can be found in a girl including someone in a game, a classmate offering encouragement when something feels difficult, or a teacher recognising when a girl needs additional support.
They are reinforced through reflection, gratitude, teamwork and the everyday practice of treating others with kindness and respect.
These moments might seem small, but together they help build a culture where girls feel comfortable being themselves, confident contributing their ideas and willing to support one another.
Our girls learn that being part of a community comes with both the comfort of being supported and the responsibility of supporting others.
A Sense of Belonging That Grows With Her
At St Hilda’s, we want every girl to feel that she is known, that her voice matters and that she has a place in our community.
From her earliest years in Junior School through to Senior School, the experiences we create are designed to strengthen relationships, develop confidence and help girls discover what they can achieve together.
Because belonging is more than feeling welcome on the first day.
It’s knowing, every day, that you are part of something special.
And that you have a place here, just as you are.
