Santa Maria College, Perth

Santa Maria College is an independent Catholic single-sex primary and secondary day and boarding school for girls located in Attadale, a southern suburb of Perth, Western Australia.

Established by the Sisters of Mercy in 1938, the school currently caters for over 1,300 students from Year 5 to Year 12, including 150 boarders.

The college is affiliated with the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia, the Australian Boarding Schools' Association, the Alliance of Girls' Schools Australasia, and the Independent Girls Schools Sports Association.

Santa Maria's brother school is Aquinas College located in Salter Point.

History

Santa Maria College was established in 1938 by the Sisters of Mercy to meet the growing demand for boarding places from rural families. The College was built on bushland in Attadale, with the first building constructed in a Spanish architectural style. It opened in February 1938 with approximately 60 boarders and 13 day students, staffed by seven Sisters of Mercy. The boarders transferred from Victoria Square Ladies' College, now known as Mercedes College. Santa Maria College was officially blessed and opened by Archbishop Prendiville on 6 February 1938, commanding a view of the Swan River.

During World War II, the College was considered for use as a military hospital but was deemed unsuitable. Soldiers from the military camp at Point Walter attended Mass at the College, and a searchlight was installed on the lower grounds for training purposes.

Following World War II, the growth of residential areas around Attadale contributed to an increase in enrolments and a shift from a primarily boarding population to a majority of day students.

Governance

Santa Maria College operates under the governance o
Mercy Education Limited
the delegated authority of the Institute of Sisters of Mercy of Australia and Papua New Guinea (ISMAPNG). Through its board of directors, Mercy Education oversees the governance and operation of eleven Mercy Sponsored Colleges owned by ISMAPNG, including Santa Maria College.

Associations

Santa Maria College is an education provider affiliated with th
Catholic Education Western Australia (CEWA)
the governing body for Catholic schools in the state. The College is also a member of th
Association of Independent Schools of Western Australia (AISWA)
which supports the development and advocacy of independent education.

In addition, Santa Maria College is a proud member of th
Independent Girls Schools Sporting Association
which provides students with access to a broad range of interschool sporting competitions and opportunities for personal and team development.

Principals

Jennifer Oaten, a former student of Santa Maria College and previously a Deputy Principal, has served as Principal since 2018.

Since its establishment in 1938, the College has had several Principals. Sister Mary Bertrand was the founding Principal, serving from 1938 to 1960.

Facilities

Santa Maria College is situated on a campus overlooking the Swan River in Attadale. Facilities include a performing arts centre, science laboratories, 25 metre swimming pool, sports fields, and four boarding houses.

Recent developments at the College include the construction of a Cultural Centre, which will feature a 642-seat auditorium, a black box theatre, a dance studio, general learning spaces, and backstage facilities.

The Centre is designed to support performing arts and creative learning programs, with the opening anticipated for early 2026. The College's existing theatre will also be transformed into a dedicated orchestra space.

Academics

Santa Maria College offers a comprehensive academic program for students from Years 5 to 12. The curriculum is designed to support diverse learner needs, with pathways for university entrance, vocational education, and alternative tertiary preparation.

In senior secondary education, students can pursue the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) pathway, the ACCESS vocational education and training pathway, or the UniReady program. In 2023, 65% of Year 12 students undertook the ATAR pathway, 28% chose the ACCESS pathway, and 7% participated in the UniReady program.

22.3% of students attained an ATAR above 95 and 49.6% achieving an ATAR above 90. Vocational education students completed a range of qualifications, with an increasing number achieving Certificate IV level awards. The ACCESS program enables students to pursue pathways into university, TAFE, apprenticeships, and employment.

The College’s academic approach emphasises skill development through initiatives such as the "Connecting Learning to Life" strategy, which fosters attributes including collaboration, creativity, communication, resilience, and innovation across learning areas.

NAPLAN results in 2023 indicated that student performance was above or well above the national average across most testing areas. Santa Maria College maintains a focus on continuous academic improvement, with programs supporting both high-achieving and diverse learner needs.

House System

Santa Maria College operates a House System to promote student leadership, community spirit, and participation in sporting and cultural activities. Students are assigned to one of eight houses upon enrolment, participating in inter-house competitions and events throughout their time at the College.

Boarding

Santa Maria College provides residential boarding for approximately 150 girls from Years 7 to 12, primarily from rural and regional areas of Western Australia.

The boarding community is structured across four houses. Year 7 and Year 12 students are grouped by year level, while students in Years 8 to 11 are accommodated in mixed-age houses to encourage cross-year relationships and peer mentoring. Each student has a private room, and boarding houses include common lounge and kitchen areas.

Boarding staff include a Director of Boarding, Boarding Supervisors, and Housemothers, who provide supervision and pastoral care. Students participate in a transition program called ''Embrace'', designed to support adjustment to boarding through relationship-building, routine development, and academic support.

Boarders engage in a range of co-curricular and recreational activities, both within the College and in the wider Perth area. These include sports, cultural events, and regular interactions with students from other schools.

Uniform

The summer uniform consists of a green and white dress, white socks, and black leather shoes. The winter uniform consists of a school blazer, green jumper; green, red, and white tartan skirt; bottle green, red, and white striped tie; and black stockings. The sport uniform consists of a white shirt and red shorts.

See also

*List of schools in the Perth metropolitan area
*Catholic education in Australia

References

External links

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Girls' schools in Western Australia
Catholic primary schools in Perth, Western Australia
Boarding schools in Western Australia
Educational institutions established in 1938
Catholic secondary schools in Perth, Western Australia
Catholic boarding schools in Australia
Sisters of Mercy schools
Alliance of Girls' Schools Australasia
1938 establishments in Australia