St Rita’s provides a learning experience in which creativity and critical thinking exist together. The academic, vocational and co- curricular disciplines embed Catholic Social Teaching into all subjects across all year levels.
At St Rita’s College Clayfield, students are encouraged to be passionate about learning, to question rather than to assume and to take the lead rather than to follow. Established by the Presentation Sisters in 1926, St Rita’s provides a learning experience in which creativity and critical thinking exist together.
Students of St Rita’s College are encouraged to delve deeper into their studies, learning skills of critical reasoning, problem solving through collaboration and, importantly, sparking the confidence within themselves to share their new- found information.
The academic strengths and interests of individuals are embraced and nurtured, and one example of this is the St Rita’s College High Potential Learners Program. The High Potential Learners (HPL) program supports gifted students in Years 7 and 8, providing a truly inclusive and capability-appropriate education to young learners.
Early Secondary school programs like these place students in good stead to achieve highly in their Senior years. HPL program students regularly attend specialist Mathematics and/or Humanities classes, with visits by guest teachers from the fields of Modern History, Science, Culture, Language, Research, Mathematics, Drama, and Film and Television. The HPL program provides deep dives into topics of interest, with sophisticated subjects that take students beyond the usual classroom scope including trigonometry, civil rights, filmmaking, and protest poetry.
The rates of giftedness in any cohort vary, but most Australian state education systems agree that, on average, 10% of the population could be considered gifted. The College’s Head of the High Potential Learners Program, Ms Joanne Ikin, said the program allowed for students to learn more about themselves and their study habits, alongside content extension. “Underachievement is a prominent issue for students identified as gifted and talented, so targeting passion, engagement and good study habits early is key for success in their future,” Ms Ikin said. “If they understand how they learn and where their strengths lie, they can use this knowledge to manage and improve their studies.”
The benefit of giving students autonomy and chances to engage with complex topics has been clear, with successful results in prestigious extension competitions. “I’m really enjoying the opportunity to participate in an extension class and challenge myself in the Humanities subject,” Year 8 HPL student Madeline said. “I’m looking forward to learning even more in this class.” As a further example of the College’s first-class learning environment, the graduating class of 2021 had good reason to celebrate following the release of Queensland’s ATAR results.
Nine students received an ATAR of 99 or above, placing them in the top 1% of the State. College Dux Annabelle Hazelton was among just 32 students across the State to receive the highest ATAR score of 99.95. 23% of the graduating class received an ATAR of 95 or above, 40% of students received 90 or above, and six students received a perfect score of
100% across five subjects. Vocational studies results were equally outstanding. Notably, 10 students received the highest Subject score in the State, with two of these students only in Year 11.
College Principal Mrs Dale Morrow said she was extremely proud of these results. “Year 12 students coped exceptionally well with the challenges that came their way throughout the year Dux of College 2021, Annabelle Hazelton. and we commend them on their acknowledgment of the importance of their studies and their perseverance,” Mrs Morrow said.
“They were willing to work hard and go the extra steps beyond to secure outcomes they can all be proud of.” Dux of the College and 2021 Academic Captain Annabelle Hazelton said these results represented a significant step toward her dream of becoming a Doctor. “I was so lucky because my teachers at St Rita’s were always very supportive and would answer any questions I had,” Annabelle said. “They gave me advice about things I needed to work on, but never added pressure.”
Fellow high-achieving graduate Mia Mercurio said her time at St Rita’s helped her become more determined and confident.
“The teachers at St Rita’s helped me tremendously to achieve high academic results,” she said. “They were always willing to go the extra mile to ensure that I thoroughly understood the content and felt well-prepared for my assessment.”
Mia hopes to pursue a career in Engineering specialising in medical or civil engineering.
Enrolment applications for Year 7, 2026 and Year 5, 2024 (girls in Year 3, 2022) are currently open and will close on 21 January 2023. For enrolment enquiries, contact the St Rita’s College Registrar at enrol@stritas.qld.edu.au