Santa Maria College Vision 2026 – Jennifer Oaten
Welcome back to what I believe will be an important year for Santa Maria College. I am excited about what lies ahead for our community in 2026.
This year we will be launching our new Strategic Plan for 2026 to 2030. Over the past year, many of you have shared your thoughts through conversations, surveys and feedback. Thank you for your honesty and insight. Your voices have shaped this plan, and I look forward to sharing it with you once we have approval from Mercy Education.
What I can share with you is that our Strategic Plan is grounded in our Mission: Guided by faith, we educate Mercy women to act with courage and compassion to enrich our world.
Our Vision captures where we are heading: Leading learning, shaping lives, inspiring futures.
These are not just words. They reflect a clear understanding of what young women need from their education today and what they will need to thrive in the decades ahead. The plan is built around four pillars: Faith in Action, Excellence in Learning, Thriving Communities and Securing our Future. Each pillar connects to real actions we will take this year and beyond.
The Cultural Centre Opens Soon
Our Cultural Centre will be ready for our students from Term 2, with an Official Opening taking place in June, following our senior students’ exams. This 642-seat auditorium, black box theatre and dance studio will give our Dance, Drama and Music students exceptional spaces to learn, rehearse and perform.
What truly excites me is how these spaces will develop creativity, collaboration and confidence in our students. When a student steps on stage for the first time, something shifts. When they learn to work with lighting and sound, or collaborate on a production, they build capabilities that extend far beyond the Arts. This facility will create those transformational moments for our students while also strengthening our community connections.
The Foundation - Teaching Excellence
Educational research is clear, the quality of teaching matters more than anything else. We have welcomed excellent new staff this year, and we continue to invest heavily in professional learning for all our teachers. Great teaching requires continuous learning and adaptation as our understanding of how students learn continues to evolve.
Our professional learning programs are designed around evidence-based practice. We focus on what the research tells us works, not what is fashionable or easy. At Santa Maria, teacher development is a priority.
This year we have introduced a new role, Head of Digital Innovation and AI, to support our teachers in using technology effectively in their classrooms. This is not about replacing teachers with technology. It is about ensuring our teachers have the support and expertise they need to use AI and digital tools in ways that enhance learning.
Wellbeing as the Foundation for Learning
You cannot have excellent learning without excellent wellbeing. The two are inseparable.
Our Mental Health Strategy continues to evolve based on the latest understanding of adolescent development and mental health. We know that young women today face pressures that previous generations did not encounter. We also know that they have remarkable strengths and capabilities when properly supported.
Wellbeing develops in different ways for different students. Some students find their confidence on the sports field, learning resilience and teamwork. Others discover ways to express themselves through visual arts or music. Our outdoor education program helps students build connections with each other and the natural world. Service programs give students the satisfaction of contributing to something beyond themselves. Leadership opportunities help them find their voice.
When a student finds something she genuinely cares about, whether that is basketball or painting, debating or environmental action, something important happens. She builds friendships. She develops skills that will serve her beyond school. She starts to understand who she is and what matters to her.
We are also focused on building community in deliberate, thoughtful ways. This means listening to student voice and ensuring students have meaningful opportunities to influence decisions that affect them. It means creating spaces where every student feels they belong. It means connecting families to the school and to each other.
Strong communities do not happen by accident. They are built through consistent effort and genuine care for the people at the heart of our school.
Preparing for Tomorrow
Education must always look forward. In March, we will launch the Take Your Seat campaign, which invites our community to become part of the Cultural Centre’s legacy through naming plaques on seats in the new Theatre. This campaign is about more than fundraising. It is about creating a lasting connection between our community and this beautiful facility, ensuring it serves Santa Maria students for generations to come.
We continue to expand programs that help students build the capabilities they will need beyond school. Through our emPOWER program, students in Years 5 to 10 work on real-world challenges that develop critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration and creativity. In Year 10, Future10 partners with Moneyvest to deliver financial literacy micro-credentials, helping students make informed decisions about money and sustainability. We launched this program last year, and this year we are expanding access to Year 11 students as well.
This year we are also introducing a dedicated Careers program in Year 10, with fortnightly lessons designed to help students explore pathways, understand their options and make informed decisions about their futures. We already host career sessions led by our alumni, who share their experiences and insights with current students. This year we are looking at ways to grow this alumni involvement even further, strengthening the connections between past and present Santa Maria students.
The world our students will graduate into is different from the one I graduated into, and it will continue to change in ways we cannot fully predict. Our job is to develop young women who are adaptable, thoughtful and prepared to lead.
Leading the Way
2026 represents an important milestone for Santa Maria. Our Strategic Plan provides clear direction. The Cultural Centre opens. Our teaching continues to strengthen. Our community grows deeper.
But more than any specific initiative, what matters is our commitment to leading learning, shaping lives and inspiring futures. This is work that requires vision, patience and partnership. It requires staying true to our Mercy values while embracing innovation. It requires listening as much as leading.
I am proud of what we are building together. Thank you for your trust and your partnership in this important work.
- Boarding School Community, Catholic Girls School Perth, Cultural Centre, Featured, Future-focused learning, Mercy Values, Santa Maria College, Student Wellbeing, Teachings Excellence
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.
Coming Home – Alumni Celebrate the Cultural Centre
Santa Maria College alumni gathered to celebrate the opening of the College’s new Cultural Centre, reconnecting with classmates and celebrating the role of the arts in the community. The evening featured performances by current students and a 42-member Alumni Choir, highlighting the lifelong connections and shared experiences that continue to bring Old Girls back to the College.
From the President – August 2026
The August 2026 Old Girls’ Association President’s Report provides an update on upcoming meetings and alumni activities at Santa Maria College. President Mary Heavens outlines plans for the Pleiades Gathering, the inaugural Santa Maria College and Aquinas social event, and the Golden Girls’ lunch welcoming the Class of 1976.
Sophia, Building Beauty, Confidence and a Business
Santa Maria past student Sophia Whimp (2022) has built a successful home beauty business by combining creativity, resilience and a commitment to authentic client relationships. In this Q&A, she reflects on the lessons she learned at school, the challenges of starting a business at a young age, and the advice she has for students hoping to turn their passion into a career.
Weekly Wrap Up – Term 3, Week 3
Celebrating Visual Art at Santa Maria – Art Day 2026
