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St Catherine's School, Toorak

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Coordinates: 37°50′17″S 145°1′15″E / 37.83806°S 145.02083°E / -37.83806; 145.02083
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For other schools of the same name, see St Catherine's School (disambiguation).

St Catherine's School, Toorak
St Catherine's School in November 2015
Location
Map
Toorak
,
Victoria

Australia
Coordinates37°50′17″S 145°1′15″E / 37.83806°S 145.02083°E / -37.83806; 145.02083
Information
TypeIndependent, day & boarding school
MottoLatin: Nil Magnum Nisi Bonum
(Nothing is great unless it is good)[1]
DenominationNon-denominational Christian[2]
Established1896[2]
FounderJeanie Hood
ChairmanJ. Hodder
PrincipalMichelle Carroll
Years offeredELC–12
GenderGirls
Enrolment~730 (P–12)[4]
Colour(s)Blue, gold and grey    
SloganOne of Australia's finest since 1896[3]
AffiliationGirls Sport Victoria
Websitestcatherines.net.au

St Catherine's School is an independent and non-denominational Christian day and boarding school for girls, located in Toorak, an inner south-eastern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Established in 1896 as Castlemaine Ladies' College, the school has a non-selective enrolment policy. As for 2006 the school catered for approximately 730 students from pre-school to Year 12, including 80 boarders, on a 2.9 hectare campus.[5] Boarding students come to St Catherine's from country Victoria, interstate and overseas.[4]

St Catherine's is a member of the Junior School Heads Association of Australia,[6] the Alliance of Girls' Schools Australasia,[7] the Association of Independent Schools of Victoria,[2] the Australian Boarding Schools Association,[8] and a founding member of Girls Sport Victoria.[9]

History

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St Catherine's School was founded as Castlemaine Ladies' College in 1896 by Jeanie Hood in Templeton Street, Castlemaine.[1]

At the instigation of Henry Langley, the first Anglican Bishop of Bendigo, his daughters, Ruth, Aphra and Nona took over the school in 1903. The Langley sisters later changed the school's name to Castlemaine Girls' College, and in 1911 to St Catherine's Girls College, Castlemaine, after the Anglican school St Catherine's School at Waverley in Sydney, where Ruth and Nona Langley had been educated. St Catherine's was a nominally Anglican school at this time in its history.[1]

In 1920 St Catherine's School moved to Williams Road in Melbourne, where 48 pupils were enrolled. Ruth Langley had been joined in 1919 by Flora Templeton, who came as co-principal from Blair School, at St Georges Road, Toorak, with her students.[1]

In 1922 St Catherine's Grammar School had 80 students, and in need of more accommodation, Langley and Templeton purchased "Kilbride House", formerly known as "Beaulieu", at 17 Heyington Place, Toorak. The building was ultimately renamed "Sherren House" in recognition of Ruby Lawrence (née Sherren), who was the schools matron from 1923 to 1946. Flora Templeton died in 1931, but Ruth Langley continued the administration of the school, appointing Edna Holmes as headmistress. After Langley's death, at St Catherine's, on 17 December 1933,[10] her sister, Hilda Langley, became principal.[1][11]

In 1942 World War II saw the school buildings requisitioned as a residence for the Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force (WAAAF). St Catherine's found a temporary home at Mountain Grand, Warburton, and returned to Heyington Place in 1943. In 1944, Sophie Borland was appointed headmistress and worked with Hilda Langley as principal until the end of 1947, when the trustee of the late Ruth Langley decided to hand control of the school to a council. The first chairman of the council was the Right Reverend John McKie, Bishop in Geelong.[1]

In 1948 Barbreck, at 33 Heyington Place, was acquired for use as a junior school, making possible further extensions to the secondary school, and pupil numbers increased to about 400.[1]

In 1950 Mary Davis was appointed as principal and headmistress. In 1957, Hilda Langley died, ending the Langley family's long association with the school.[1] R. Ann Baylis served as principal from 1971 to 1977 and her two daughters attended the school. In 1977, Dorothy Pizzey was appointed to this post.[12] In 1978, St Catherine's School inaugurated the senior student Slawa Duldig Art Prize.[13]

Campus

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St Catherine's School is located on a single 2.9 hectare campus, in suburban Toorak, 6 km south-east of the Melbourne city centre.[5] The school comprises the Early Learning Centre, the Junior School and the Senior School.[14]

Sport

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St Catherine's is a member of Girls Sport Victoria (GSV).

GSV premierships

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St Catherine's has won the following GSV premierships.[15]

  • Cricket – 2011
  • Hockey – 2001
  • Tennis – 2013
  • Volleyball – 2006

National Rowing Championships (Sydney Cup for Schoolgirl Eights)

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  • 2016
  • 2022

Henley Royal Regatta

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On Sunday 3 July 2022, the St Catherine's 1st VIII made history by winning the Prince Philip Challenge Trophy for Junior Women's Eights at Henley Royal Regatta, beating Winter Park Crew, USA in the final.

To progress to the final, St Catherine's beat St Paul's Girls' School and then Hinksey Sculling School in the heats and Surbiton High School in the semi-final.

The crew, known as "Maxi" (rowing in a boat christened "MMXXI" following the school's first Head of the Schoolgirls Championship in 2021) was undefeated in the 2021/2022 domestic rowing season. They won the 2022 Head of the Schoolgirls Regatta and then the Schoolgirl Eight at the 2022 Australian Rowing Championships with a blistering second 1000m after trailing Melbourne Girls' Grammar by a length at the halfway mark.

The Crew

Cox: Summer Balla-Kellett, Stroke: Bronte Cullen, 7: Sienna Darcy, 6: Sarah Marriott, 5: Chloe Nevins, 4: Zara Bongiorno, 3: Lucy Green, 2: Jemima Wilcox, Bow: Zara Peele. Coaches: John Saunders and Brigette Carlile.

Music

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St Catherine's offers a music program with an extensive classroom curriculum and instrumental program, a range of opportunities for both individual and ensemble performance are available.

Classroom music

Classroom music forms a part of the core curriculum from the Early Learning Centre through to Year 8. Girls of all ages are encouraged to learn an instrument and to join the choirs, ensembles, orchestras and bands which rehearse and perform regularly.

In Years 7 and 8, students develop music appreciation, performance skills and explore a wide variety of music technology programs available through our keyboard laboratory.

From Year 9 onwards, music becomes an elective and VCE subject with emphases on developing performance, composition and analysis skills.

Instrumental program

All students have the opportunity to learn a stringed instrument in Year 2, recorder in Year 3 and 4, and a brass or woodwind instrument in Year 5. These small group lessons allow students a "hands-on" experience including opportunities to perform throughout the year.

The school also offers a comprehensive Instrumental Program in all instrument families (including string, woodwind, brass, voice, percussion and keyboard instruments) where students learn with specialist teachers in classical and contemporary styles. Individual tuition from specialist staff is available for violin, viola, cello, double bass, flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, horn, trumpet, trombone, tuba, piano, harpsichord, recorder, classical singing, jazz singing, guitar, harp, percussion, music theory.

Choirs and ensembles

The ensemble program provides ensemble opportunities from classical to contemporary. The list of ensembles includes choirs, orchestras, concert bands, string, woodwind, brass and percussion ensembles, chamber groups and contemporary groups.

The Epstein Singers, àBeckett Strings, Junior Concert Band, Suzuki ‘Cellos, Suzuki Violins, Flute group, Percussion and recorderensemble, Chamber ensembles, The Langley Singers – Prep to Year 2, Heyington Choir – Years 3 and 4 Choir, Barbreck Choir – Years 5 and 6 Choir,

Jorgensen Orchestra, Senior School Concert Band, Soul Power, Sherren Singers, Chamber flutes, Years 7–12 choir, Viva Voci, Stage band, Brass ensemble, Percussion ensemble, Years 7 and 8 concert band, Years 7 and 8 flute ensemble, and small chamber ensembles

An extensive performance program enables all students to participate in a wide variety of concerts and recitals including the annual gala concert, twilight concert, instrumental recitals, Barbreck Concert, Barbreck recitals, masterclasses, jazz cabaret evenings and music theatre performances. Students also perform at the school's church services, speech nights, assemblies and many other school events both at school and in the community.

Notable alumnae

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Alumnae of St Catherine's School are known as "Old Girls" and may elect to join the schools' alumni association, the St Catherine's Old Girls' Association Inc.[16] Some notable St Catherine's Old Girls' include:

Academic

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Business

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Community and philanthropy

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Entertainment, media and the arts

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Medicine and science

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Politics, public service and the law

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Royalty

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Sport

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Notable faculty

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Our History". About Us. St Catherine's School. 2006. Archived from the original on 29 April 2007. Retrieved 23 May 2007.
  2. ^ a b c "St Catherine's School". Find a School. Association of Independent Schools of Victoria. 2007. Retrieved 15 October 2007.
  3. ^ "St Catherine's School". Home. St Catherine's School. 2006. Retrieved 15 August 2007.
  4. ^ a b "St Catherine's School". Victoria. School Choice. 2007. Archived from the original on 30 August 2007. Retrieved 15 October 2007.
  5. ^ a b "Frequently Asked Questions". Admissions. St Catherine's School. 2006. Retrieved 23 May 2007.
  6. ^ "JSHAA Victorian Directory of Members". Victoria Branch. Junior School Heads' Association of Australia. 2007. Archived from the original on 13 February 2008. Retrieved 11 October 2007.
  7. ^ Butler, Jan (2006). "Member Schools". Members. The Alliance of Girls' Schools Australasia. Archived from the original on 19 May 2008. Retrieved 11 October 2007.
  8. ^ "St Catherine's School". Schools. Australian Boarding Schools Association. 2005. Archived from the original on 29 August 2007. Retrieved 15 October 2007.
  9. ^ Mawkes, Leonie (2005). "Member Schools". Profile. Girls Sport Victoria. Archived from the original on 20 August 2006. Retrieved 11 October 2007.
  10. ^ Deaths: Langley, The Age, (Tuesday, 19 December 1933), p.1.
  11. ^ "The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 – 1957) – 23 Dec 1933 – p1". Trove.
  12. ^ St. Catherines School, at enterprisesearch.com.au, retrieved 2009-10-19
  13. ^ Clarke, Jane (1992). Mrs Duldig's Girls. A collection of artworks by students of St Catherine's School, 17 Heyington Place, Toorak. Toorak: St Catherine's Old Girls Association. p. 5. ISBN 0646-10545-0.
  14. ^ "The Heart of the City". Our School. St Catherine's School. 2006. Archived from the original on 13 October 2007. Retrieved 15 October 2007.
  15. ^ "Archives » Girls Sport Victoria". Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  16. ^ "St Catherine's Old Girls' Association Inc". Our Community. St Catherine's School. 2006. Archived from the original on 29 August 2007. Retrieved 15 October 2007.
  17. ^ Dictionary of Biography:Kiddle, Margaret Loch (1914–1958) (accessed:27-07-2007)
  18. ^ Suzannah Pearce, ed. (17 November 2006). "RICHARDSON (Sue) Susan". Who's Who in Australia Live!. North Melbourne, Vic: Crown Content Pty Ltd.
  19. ^ Suzannah Pearce, ed. (17 November 2006). "BLOOM Natalie". Who's Who in Australia Live!. North Melbourne, Vic: Crown Content Pty Ltd.
  20. ^ Suzannah Pearce, ed. (17 November 2006). "DARLING Margaret Florence". Who's Who in Australia Live!. North Melbourne, Vic: Crown Content Pty Ltd.
  21. ^ Suzannah Pearce, ed. (17 November 2006). "FORBES Sandra". Who's Who in Australia Live!. North Melbourne, Vic: Crown Content Pty Ltd.
  22. ^ Brasch, Nicolas, ed. (1996). Contemporary Australian Women 1996/97. Port Melbourne, Vic.: Reed Reference Australia. p. 148. ISBN 1-875589-92-9.
  23. ^ Suzannah Pearce, ed. (17 November 2006). "SINGLETON (Jane) Felicity Jane". Who's Who in Australia Live!. North Melbourne, Vic: Crown Content Pty Ltd.
  24. ^ Lofthouse, Andrea (1982). Who's Who of Australian Women 1982. North Ryde, NSW: Methuen Australia. p. 128. ISBN 0-454-00437-0.
  25. ^ a b c d Crikey.com.au: Famous alumni on Latham's hit list Archived 2007-09-26 at the Wayback Machine (accessed:26-04-2006)
  26. ^ Brasch, Nicolas, ed. (1996). Contemporary Australian Women 1996/97. Port Melbourne, Vic.: Reed Reference Australia. p. 228. ISBN 1-875589-92-9.
  27. ^ Suzannah Pearce, ed. (17 November 2006). "SOUTHEY (Marigold Merlyn Baillieu), Lady". Who's Who in Australia Live!. North Melbourne, Vic: Crown Content Pty Ltd.
  28. ^ Suzannah Pearce, ed. (17 November 2006). "WARRENDER Pamela Myer". Who's Who in Australia Live!. North Melbourne, Vic: Crown Content Pty Ltd.
  29. ^ Carbone, Suzanne (16 May 2011). "The whole truth on lie-detector expert". The Age. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  30. ^ Suzannah Pearce, ed. (17 November 2006). "BURRELL Celia Ann". Who's Who in Australia Live!. North Melbourne, Vic: Crown Content Pty Ltd.
  31. ^ Australian Dictionary of Biography:Church, Ann Rachel (1925–1975) (accessed:27-07-2007)
  32. ^ Australian Dictionary of Biography:Elder, Anne Josephine Chloe (1918–1976) (accessed:27-07-2007)
  33. ^ Brasch, Nicolas, ed. (1996). Contemporary Australian Women 1996/97. Port Melbourne, Vic.: Reed Reference Australia. p. 135. ISBN 1-875589-92-9.
  34. ^ Blore, Ann (21 December 2016). "Devoted builder of harpsichords". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  35. ^ Brasch, Nicolas, ed. (1996). Contemporary Australian Women 1996/97. Port Melbourne, Vic.: Reed Reference Australia. p. 279. ISBN 1-875589-92-9.
  36. ^ Suzannah Pearce, ed. (17 November 2006). "CAMPTON Jane, Her Hon. Judge". Who's Who in Australia Live!. North Melbourne, Vic: Crown Content Pty Ltd.
  37. ^ "PARLIAMENTARY LIBRARY". Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 – 1957). 18 February 1927. p. 13. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  38. ^ "New Court Appointments To Ease Backlog | Premier of Victoria". www.premier.vic.gov.au.
  39. ^ Australian Government National Archives of Australia- Photo Search (accessed:28-07-2007)
  40. ^ "Joan Richmond". St Catherines School. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  41. ^ "Anna Segal – St Catherines School". St Catherines School. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  42. ^ "Melbourne’s newest musical a multi-generational European family saga"
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