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St Catherine’s School, Sydney offers AIEF Scholarships for boarding students.
St Catherine’s is a K-12 Anglican school in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. A central part of St Catherine’s school mission is to transform the lives of our students by offering the educational opportunities that will allow them to have lives of purpose, service and engagement. We nurture the individual spirit of each girl, guiding her academic journey and supporting her personal development through strong values, as she grows into a young woman of character and intellect ready to make a meaningful contribution to the world.
The St Catherine’s Indigenous Education program includes 20 students, comprising 11 day students and nine boarding students from Years 7 to 12. The students are supported and educated via pathways to attain formally recognised qualifications when they graduate from school.
St Catherine’s continues to provide increasing opportunities for all our students, staff and families to access and celebrate Indigenous culture and acknowledge Indigenous history. These aims have been facilitated through the inclusion of Indigenous perspectives into the teaching and learning curriculum.
Throughout 2024, senior school students participated in a Cultural Immersion to Cape York for ten days. St Catherine’s continues to celebrate our Indigenous community with events such as Reconciliation Week, NAIDOC Week and family gatherings on and off-site. In 2024, the senior school added Culture in Curriculum Week; a week dedicated to Indigenous culture, taught by all faculties and celebrated across the whole school. The junior school continued to connect with our local La Perouse community, welcoming elder Aunty Maxine to the School for various educational sessions and events.
Our annual family NAIDOC lunch on site with current, past and future Indigenous students, local elders and other members of the community was a major success and continues to be a highlight in the event calendar. At the lunch, the junior school presented their ‘Sister Girls Yarning Group’ book about belonging. The book was created through cultural and language sessions with Aunty Maxine.
During NAIDOC Week, we also ran various workshops, including weaving, art and dance. Our NAIDOC Cultural afternoon consisted of forty First Nation students from SCEGGS and Randwick Girls High School students coming together with St Catherine’s students to enjoy afternoon tea and participate in various activities. The girls were inspired by Kobie Dee, an amazing First Nations artist and Gomeroi man and master storyteller from Bidjigal Land in Maroubra; they also joined artist Darren Charlwood a Wiradjuri man from the Yabaay Wagaan (wedge tail eagle and crow) mob in Wellington and produced amazing artwork that they have proudly displayed around the School. The afternoon finished with Lauren Szigeti from the Sydney Swans AFLW running a training session. The afternoon was enjoyed by both students and staff and following this the schools have joined together for other social occasions, helping to further develop the connections.
During Reconciliation Week, our students spent time reflecting, learning and sharing stories to honour the history of Indigenous people across the country. We were fortunate to welcome the Uncles from Kinchela Boys Home Aboriginal Corporation to the School for our Reconciliation Assembly. Their story is such an important part of Indigenous history, and it was a privilege to hear them speak. Many students reflected on their emotional response as they listened to the Uncles’ speak and it is hoped that these stories are a start of the Reconciliation process for many St Catherine’s girls.
A Reconciliation BBQ was held for the entire School, where funds were raised and donated to local organisation Redfern Youth Connect.
Commencing in Term 4 2024, the school employed Theresa Ardler as our Indigenous Education Consultant. Theresa will be culturally supporting our First Nations students and working with departments to further develop and embed Indigenous culture in our curriculum. Theresa also facilitated our first whole staff On Country Learning Day, welcoming us to Kamay National Park and sharing her knowledge of Indigenous culture.
St Catherine’s School looks forward to continuing our partnership with AIEF through the Scholarship and Pathways program. There are three new students commencing in Year 7 2025, and we will ensure that these girls are encouraged to make the most of their opportunities and fulfil their future dreams.
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In my own life, education has been a key to unlock both opportunity and ambition. For young Indigenous Australians, the same key should be available and AIEF makes that possible.
Australian Indigenous Education Foundation
Suite 2A, Level 2
2-12 Foveaux Street
Surry Hills NSW 2010
T (02) 8373 8000
F (02) 8373 8001
info@aief.com.au
www.aief.com.au
ABN 13 127 908 187
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