Our Vision for 2025 – Jennifer Oaten
Education is the key to unlocking a world of opportunities, and at Santa Maria College, we are guided by the enduring vision of Catherine McAuley, who believed in the power of learning to transform lives and shape a more just and compassionate world.
We continue her vision by equipping our students with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to shape their futures. Guided by our Mission to educate young Mercy women who act with courage and compassion to enrich our world, we strive to provide a learning experience that empowers students to embrace challenges, develop resilience, and contribute meaningfully to society.
Our commitment to improvement and innovation is unwavering. As we step into 2025, we celebrate our progress and focus on some ambitious new goals. As we enter the final year of our Strategic Plan 2021-2025, we remain focused on ensuring each initiative is brought to fruition.
Looking Back At Our Achievements in 2024
Before we look ahead, it is important to reflect on some of our 2024 Achievements that enhanced student learning, deepened engagement, and strengthened connections.
FAITH: Among our many accomplishments, we strengthened staff and student understanding of diversity in the areas such as cultures and religions, neurodiversity and abilities and how we can be a more inclusive community.
LEARNING FOR LIFE: One of our key milestones was introducing AI literacy for staff and students ensuring all are equipped for learning in a digital future.
SOCIAL INNOVATION: A significant achievement was establishing the Thrive at Work initiative, a program designed to support staff wellbeing, social connections, and meaningful engagement in their roles.
COMMUNITY ACTIVATION: A major highlight was the new initiative the Alumni Professional Network, fostering deeper connections and mentorship opportunities.
FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY: A pivotal milestone was commencing the building of the Cultural Centre, creating new learning and collaboration spaces for our community.
These achievements lay the foundation for an ambitious and transformative 2025.
Our Strategic Focus Areas for 2025
Guided by our five pillars, we have identified key focus areas that will shape the future of Santa Maria College. These priorities include:
FAITH - Living Our Mercy Values
“We provide contemporary opportunities for our community to connect with faith.”
- Promote and embody the Mercy Value of Compassion in all aspects of school life.
- Refresh the Student Ministry groups to foster greater inclusivity and engagement.
- Strengthen connections with WA Sisters of Mercy to preserve our heritage.
- Embed diversity and inclusion ensuring all students feel a sense of belonging.
LEARNING FOR LIFE - Preparing Future-Ready Students
“We develop attributes to prepare students and staff to live, learn and lead.”
- Embed Assessments for Deep Learning as the focus of teaching and learning.
- Optimise the College timetable to enhance learning, support wellbeing, and ensure benefits for students and staff.
- Ensure staff and students develop AI literacy through structured opportunities.
- Refresh Connecting Learning to Life and establish a framework for measuring attributes.
- Strengthen academic rigour for boarders in Years 10-12.
- Further embed inclusive teaching practices that support diverse learning needs.
- Advance the Mental Health Strategy by focusing on the Mercy Wellbeing Learning Continuum to ensure a progressive approach to student wellbeing.
SOCIAL INNOVATION - Empowering Change-Makers
“We empower our students to take action on issues that impact people and our planet.”
- Establish and implement strategies for student partnership in decision-making, ensuring all voices contribute to shaping the school’s future.
- Launch and embed an enhanced onboarding process for new staff, providing structured support and fostering a culture of belonging.
- Expand professional learning opportunities for Boarding and Support staff, ensuring continuous development and alignment with best practices.
- Establish a Thrive at Work mentoring program to support aspiring staff leaders and strengthen Santa Maria College as a progressive employer.
COMMUNITY ACTIVATION - Strengthening Relationships
“We engage with parents, alumni and community to enrich shared experiences.”
- Strengthen community partnerships by collaborating with businesses, universities, and local organisations to create new opportunities for students and alumni.
- Strengthen the Alumni Professional Network through engagement, industry partnerships, and career mentoring opportunities.
- Create a unified strategy to ensure consistent messaging across marketing, communications, and admissions, reinforcing brand identity and trust.
- Increase parent engagement by providing structured opportunities for meaningful contributions to school decisions.
FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY - Securing Our Future
“We ensure the future of College finances to provide opportunities, facilities and support to those in need.”
- Complete the Cultural Centre build on schedule.
- Build a culture of giving to strengthen philanthropy, support future students, and ensure Santa Maria College’s long-term sustainability.
- Implement a sustainability review to ensure long-term financial and environmental responsibility.
- Design and execute the Strategic Plan 2026-2030.
Shaping the Future Together
Your voice matters. As we work towards fulfilling our Strategic Plan 2025 by the end of the year, we embark on a new journey—Strategic Plan 2026-2030. This is an opportunity for our entire community to play a role in shaping the College’s future.
“What kind of future do we want to create together? How will we shape the next generation of courageous, compassionate leaders?”
We will be inviting you to contribute your insights, ideas, and aspirations to define the next five years at Santa Maria. Together, we will create lasting change, inspire excellence, and strengthen our legacy.
This is our moment, let us make 2025 a year of bold action, shared success, and transformative impact.
- CommunityEngagement, Education, Faithandlearning, Featured, FutureReadyStudents, Santa Maria College, SocialInnovation, StrategicVision
Author: Santa Maria College
Santa Maria College is a vibrant girls school with a growing local presence and reputation. Our Mission is to educate young Mercy women who act with courage and compassion to enrich our world. Santa Maria College is located in Attadale in Western Australia, 16 km from the Perth CBD. We offer a Catholic education for girls in Years 5 – 12 and have 1300 students, including 152 boarders.
Presidents Report – June 2026
What does it mean to belong to the Santa Maria community long after graduation? Mary Heavens reflects on alumni connection, Mercy values, and why compassion, respect, service and courage still shape life, leadership and community in today’s world.
Calling Santa Maria Alumni Golfers for the 2026 CIGS Annual Foursomes Event
The CIGS Annual Foursomes Golf Event for Alumni is a golf day for alumni of participating independent girls’ schools in Western Australia. Santa Maria College alumni are invited to take part on Monday 21 September 2026 at Mt Lawley Golf Club. Players need to be alumni of a participating school and hold a current Golflink number. Register interest with Nina Howie by the end of July.
Join the OGA Committee – Expressions of Interest Now Open
Expressions of interest are now open for alumni who would like to join the Santa Maria College Old Girls’ Association Committee. The committee helps strengthen lifelong connections between past students through events and initiatives that build belonging, celebrate alumni achievements, and support the ongoing spirit of the Santa Maria community. Alumni from a range of backgrounds and graduation years are encouraged to apply.
Weekly Wrap Up – Term 2, Weeks 9 & 10
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