Principal's Message

I would like to outline the philosophy which underpins all we do at St George Girls High School, our ethos and the vision we have for your daughter's future. Our school has a proven track record in preparing girls for tertiary success. The academic standards attained by our students are exceptional. 

Our curriculum offers all the subject choices and extension courses you would expect in an elite intellectual environment. Year in, year out, St George Girls is well placed in the top ranked schools in NSW from both government and non-government school systems. 

Our girls enter a wide range of tertiary courses from many universities and ex students surveys indicate they do very well. The most popular university courses taken up by our students in recent years include Economics/Commerce, Communications, Science/Technology, Law, Medicine, Pharmacy, Design, Architecture, Education and Engineering. Our students mainly attend Sydney University and UNSW followed by the University of Technology. If your daughter is aiming for a university course which requires a high ATAR this is the educational setting which will assist her to realise her dream. 

The ATAR however, is only one measure of a school's effectiveness. To reduce your daughter to a tertiary ranking is to deny her unique talents and qualities as an individual. While the achievement of academic excellence will always be a core priority of our school, there is more to a successful and fulfilled life than the attainment of a perfect university rank. Apart from this what qualities does a graduate of St George Girls possess as a result of her years here? We aim to educate the whole girl – to send her from here as a well-adjusted and well- rounded high achiever. Your daughter will leave our school with many experiences and advantages. 

She will have been challenged by an extremely experienced and dedicated teaching staff. Our teachers are constantly updating their skills and understandings in delivering a curriculum best suited to the needs of gifted girls. Many of my teachers are acknowledged experts in their field, invited to present at state, national and international conferences in their subject area and in the field of gifted education. 

Your daughter will have a life-long love of learning instilled in her through the passion and enthusiasm for learning modelled by her teachers and her peer group. She will have a vast range of co and extra-curricular opportunities to seize hold of and access to a broad array of enrichment and extension activities.

If she is a gifted musician she can access our musical tutorials and perform in our various bands, vocal ensembles and our orchestra. Currently 180 students are involved in our music tutorials in 16 performance areas. Biannually, our ensembles travel through regional and rural NSW performing for school students in isolated public schools. In recent years many of our students have had their compositions, performances and musicology essays nominated for inclusion in ENCORE, a showcase of exemplary works from HSC music students.

An artistic girl can look forward to having her works exhibited at the highest level, with students often being exhibited in ARTEXPRESS, a showcase of exceptional HSC works. Elite sportswomen at St George frequently compete and experience success at district, state, national and international levels. If she is into drama she will find opportunities to perform locally and in state ensembles as well as the many drama performance nights which are held at school throughout the year. Public speakers and debaters will have the opportunity to enter many competitions, often experiencing success at regional state, national and even international levels.

Our design students have been highly successful – their creations winning competitions usually entered by tertiary level students. All textile students have the opportunity to model their creations at our annual Inspired evening. In recent years many of our HSC students have been invited to exhibit their major work in TEXSTYLE, an exhibition of exemplary HSC Textile and Design works. 

Many of our students achieve high distinctions and distinctions in state-wide and national competitions. Your daughter will also have the opportunity to participate in overseas and interstate excursions. In recent years excursions have been organised for Europe, the USA and parts of Asia and the Pacific as well as interstate in Australia. 

We encourage our students to be good global citizens and to develop a keen social conscience. Our Enviro Club comprises a group of students committed to environmental sustainability and our school is acknowledged in the region as a leader in environmental initiatives. Our Amnesty Club continues to grow and initiates many campaigns to raise student awareness of social justice issues and raise funds to assist less fortunate people. Our student volunteering scheme attracts many students who regularly volunteer their time and services to local community groups including church, educational, council, aged care and childcare facilities. Many of our students have been acknowledged through the Premier’s Volunteering Scheme for their service to the community. Students have also participated in fundraising for many charities such as World Vision, Legacy, the 40 hour famine and the Australian Cancer Council. The Duke of Edinburgh Scheme has a large following with girls achieving at Bronze, Silver and Gold Level.

Your daughter will enjoy the freedom of self expression and the nurturing of self esteem which teenage girls experience in a single sex setting. She will have been supported through what at times can be the stormy experiences of adolescence by a committed, proactive and caring welfare team. She will leave this school with pride in her achievements and the memory of them being carefully nurtured, acknowledged and celebrated. Her capacity for leadership will be developed as will her interpersonal skills. Our prefect body and Student Representative Council have a real voice in our school, the district and the state. 

She will understand herself and be able to empathise with others. She will develop resilience – the capacity to bounce back from life's setbacks to strive for continued excellence. She will take the memory of being happy, accepted and valued. She will have made life-long friendships. And she will find school challenging and fun. She will have a keen sense of social justice, a moral conscience and be an articulate voice for the betterment of society. At St George Girls High School we educate the whole girl of today to become the successful woman of tomorrow. A graduate of St George Girls High School leaves as a woman of high competence, conscience, commitment, compassion and confidence. 

This is our mission and our vision of school life for your daughter.

Carole Knott
Principal