Independent Schools Guide 2023: How Santa Maria College is preparing students for future success

Throughout their journey at Santa Maria, students are prepared to be resilient, respectful and caring, “so when they leave our school, they are ready and confident to make an impact on their community and the world in which they live”, says Sandra Harrison, Deputy Principal Learning and Teaching.

A key part of that preparation occurs from Years 7 to 10 when students complete the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IB MYP). Santa Maria College has offered the International Baccalaureate since 2016 and it is deeply embedded within the school.

The Catholic school in the heart of Northcote was established in 1904. While it remains true to its Good Samaritan, Benedictine charism, it is also forward-thinking, and the curriculum reflects this.

The globally recognised IB Middle Years Programme focuses on developing 21st-century skills such as problem-solving, collaboration, integrating technology into learning, fostering respect for other cultures and ideas, and building links between learning and real life. It also highlights the power of learning through community engagement and helps students better understand their role as world citizens.

“The Middle Years Programme promotes inquiry-based learning and fosters an international-minded perspective. When students learn, they do so on an international scale and understand how their imprint impacts the world,” says Harrison.

“It also prepares them well for VCE because inquiry-based learning is all about being knowledgeable, openminded, balanced and reflective. Rather than a linear approach to learning, the MYP supports a more holistic learning approach.”

As part of the MYP, traditional subjects like English literature are married with contemporary themes such as psychology, in subjects like Characters on the Couch, which allows students to conduct in-depth analysis of films and literature using psychological studies and theories.

“The most enjoyable part of this subject for me is that it allows me to conduct character-focused analysis of characters utilising scientific research, rather than literary devices,” says Elsie Price, Year 10.

“As someone who finds English-based subjects easy, I can challenge myself with the more scientific aspects, which I tend to enjoy more.”

In Year 10, the final year of the IB Middle Years Programme, students undertake a personal project. This could range from organising a fundraising event for a local community group and designing a piece of animation to building a working model or designing and making a piece of clothing.

The project combines many of the skills acquired during the program and is an opportunity for students to create a personal representation of their learning journey.

The suite of skills and knowledge acquired during the Middle Years is then carried into VCE, with students consistently achieving impressive results and gaining entry to university courses of their choice.

The holistic care offered by Santa Maria’s ‘village’ model supports the academic growth of every student. Years 7 and 8, Years 9 and 10, and Years 11 and 12 each have their own dedicated ‘village’ area where they connect with each other and explore their learning together.

Within each of the three villages, lifelong and purposeful learning, a wellbeing program centred on respectful relationships honouring academic, personal and spiritual growth, and faith in action that encourages girls to be architects of change are championed by teachers.

Significantly, the three villages form one cohesive community that lives and breathes the Santa Spirit, says Harrison.

“I often describe our school as a quiet, orderly oasis,” she says.

“The girls are always smiling and respectful. They sing the college song with passion, they are proud to wear their uniform, they look out for one another, and they want to continue to uphold our heritage.”

SANTA MARIA COLLEGE
50 Separation Street, Northcote 3070

Website: www.santamaria.vic.edu.au
Enquiries: 03 9489 1600 / registrar@santamaria.vic.edu.au
Years: 7-12
Denomination: Progressive and inclusive Catholic School
Gender: Girls
Fees: $7000 – $8500 annually
Boarding: No
Scholarships: No
ATAR (median for 2022): 74.40 

This article appeared in Domain’s 2023 Independent Schools Guide.