A future-focused curriculum and ample opportunities for students to build entrepreneurial skills in areas they are passionate about have made St Clare’s College Waverley a Secondary School of the Year – Non-government finalist in the 2021 Australian Education Awards. 

According to Principal Kerrie McDiarmid, St Clare’s has gained popularity thanks to this approach, adding more than 200 students to its community in the past four years, including a very healthy waitlist.

“When we engage in this type of learning, often we’ll collapse the curriculum and we’ll allow the girls to work in groups, engaging with experts – teachers or external collaborators,” Mrs McDiarmid said.

“Authentic learning is at the heart of what we do, so the girls have an opportunity to engage in learning that has real-world outcomes” – Kerrie McDiarmid

“We have a staff of like-minded, passionate educators,” Mrs McDiarmid said. “They’re excited by the opportunity to push boundaries and engage students in learning that sits beyond the traditional curriculum.”

PROJECT POWER

Students at St Clare’s are exposed to new technologies and software with Artificial Intelligence. But it is a focus on collaboration, creativity and critical thinking that allows students to make the most of projects on offer and even to suggest their own.

For example, students have collaborated with NASA Mission Operations Manager Alice Bowman to create 3D animations of Mars.

They created a documentary about soldiers who died at Fromelles, one of the most devastating battles in Australia’s military history, with Australian author and broadcaster Patrick Lindsay.

They have made short films on issues of homelessness and sustainability for their own social justice-themed film festival, and formed a committee to improve their school’s environmental sustainability.

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