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A new report commissioned by the Alliance of Girls’ Schools Australasia analysing Australian and New Zealand PISA data from 2015 and 2018 reveals that girls attending single-sex schools outperformed girls from co-educational schools on academic measures of science, mathematics and reading. Students from girls’ schools also reported higher academic aspirations, more adaptive and flexible teachers, stronger feelings of school belonging, and a significantly lower prevalence of bullying. The analysis includes a total of 314 individual measures comparing the responses and test results of girls from single-sex and co-educational schools.

The OECD’s Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), held every three years, goes beyond assessing whether 15-year-old students can reproduce what they have learned in school to examine their ability to extrapolate across subject areas, apply their knowledge creatively, and demonstrate effective learning strategies. PISA also looks at teaching quality, academic support provided to students, and aspects of wellbeing and pastoral care. In both 2015 and 2018, students from girls’ schools excelled on PISA’s three measures of academic performance in science, mathematics and reading, even after accounting for socioeconomic status.

Compared to co-educated girls from the top 25% of socioeconomic backgrounds, single-sex girls from the top 25% of socioeconomic backgrounds:

• scored up to 10 percentage points higher on academic tests of science, mathematics and reading,
• scored 10 percentage points higher on measures of scientific enquiry, interpreting scientific evidence, procedural and epistemic science knowledge, physical science and life science, and
• scored up to 7 percentage points higher on literacy measures of reading evaluation and reflection, locating information, and understanding information.

The analysis of PISA data from Australia and New Zealand also found that students from girls’ schools scored higher on measures of academic engagement, teacher effectiveness, involvement in science, and enthusiasm for science. In addition, single-sex educated girls are considerably more likely to aspire to a university education, with 69% intending to complete a university-level degree or doctorate compared with 51% of co-educated girls.

Ros Curtis

Now that we are five weeks into the term, I thought I would share six recommendations for students’ use of electronic devices that have been set out by Charles Sturt University. You may like to use these as a guide for use of devices at home.

1. Turn electronic devices off at least one hour before bedtime to improve a student’s ability to fall asleep, and to help them sleep longer.
2. Administer a 20-20-20 rule to break up unavoidable and prolonged periods of screen engagement: look away from screens a maximum of every 20 minutes and look 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. This can allow a shift in focus and allow the muscles around the eyes to be exercised.
3. Smart phones should be held 30cm away from the head and computer screens 50-63cm away – this is to avoid eye strain.
4. To avoid low gaze angles that could impact on neck and head posture, mobile devices should be around eye level when reading/viewing.
5. Evaluate whether an electronic device is essential for student engagement in a particular task. Many students prefer reading off paper and do better when writing notes rather than typing them.
6. Ensure text on a students’ screen is three times larger than the smallest size they can read from a normal viewing position.

Karen Gorrie

Prayer space - Dadirri as it is known at St Margaret’s, is a gift to our students and staff. The space is set up so students can come away from the busyness of school life. They are invited to be still, to be mindful, reflect, deeply listen and if they choose, to pray. The theme for the Prayer Space is The Lord’s Prayer. Senior students will be invited to visit 8 stations based on the Lord’s Prayer.

Our Father in Heaven (Into God’s Hands)

Hallowed Be Your Name (Characteristics of God)

Your Kingdom Come (Big Questions)

Your will be done (Jesus’ footprints)

On Earth as it is in Heaven (The World)

Give us today our Daily Bread (The Bread of Life)

Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us (The Bin)

Save us from the time of Trial, and deliver us from evil (Be the Light)

The Prayer Space, Dadirri will be open for our Open Day as well. We invite you to come and visit our reflective space, to listen deeply to your inner longings.

Term 1

The Pre-Prep to Year 3 Twilight Family Service will be held on Wednesday 24 March at 6pm. Families and their children are invited to attend this special Family Service. Please click here (PDF 384.6KB) to view the information letter.

Term 2

Looking ahead to Term 2, Years 4-6 students are invited to participate in preparation for Baptism and Admission to Holy Communion (preparation is done during class RVE lessons). The service will take place at the Years 4-6 Family Service to be held on Wednesday 28 April at 6pm. Please note, those Year 4 girls and families who were not baptised and admitted to Holy Communion due to the cancellation last year, will be invited to participate this year. Please click here (PDF 308.2KB) for further information.

Our Year 8 Family Service will be held in Term 2 on Tuesday 18 May, 6pm.

Susan Crothers-Robertson

In Boarding, we encourage the girls to learn and practice important values and skills, such as self-respect and other personal values and attitudes, social skills, tolerance and understanding, helpful and optimistic thinking and skills for getting things done. We cannot protect the girls from experiencing difficulties or tough times, but we can give them the skills to deal with difficult situations, take responsibility and move on in a positive manner. Accepting responsibility for their actions is an important step in their development and shows their growing maturity.

Self-respect grows out of setting standards for behaviour. If your daughter has self-respect, she believes that she matters and should be treated respectfully by others. She’s also more likely to protect herself by avoiding risky behaviour and situations. Empathy, respect for others, kindness, fairness, honesty and cooperation are also linked to resilience. This includes showing care and concern for people who need support, accepting people’s differences, being friendly and not mistreating others.

The girls are faced with different situations daily in Boarding and with self-respect and empathy they will become more resilient. We sometimes do need to let them sort it out for themselves and learn the skills to deal with difficult situations. This will ultimately make them more resilient and able to deal with situations independently. In Boarding, our goal is to help the girls on their journey to becoming more resilient and prepare them well for when they leave school.

Lesa Fowler

1. How the ATAR system and our Portfolio Pathway work
2. The process of subject scaling
3. The importance of the girls working in the subjects they have chosen
4. The importance of Units 1 and 2 in preparing for Year 12 in relation to assessment practice
5. And finally, not to listen to gossip and second guess their subjects as they made those decisions last year to suit their journey.

As I have done with the Year 12s over that last few weeks, I will meet individually with the Year 11 students at the beginning of Term 2 to monitor their progress. However, as always, my door is open for anyone to come and have a conversation about academic pathways and processes.

Year 12 Exam Day – 8 March

Monday 8 March is an exam day for Year 12 Math Methods students. The girls are required to wear full school uniform to the exam. We are also ensuring that no electronic devices, including mobile phones and smart watches are brought into the exam room, so please remind your daughters to leave them at home or in their lockers. Girls who are not studying Math Methods do not need to attend school on this day.

Nicole Devlin

At St Margaret’s, we expect all teachers to produce home learning activities that are challenging, stimulating and have an emphasis on revision of learning and reflection. The purpose of home learning is to reinforce the skills and concepts learnt in class. It also provides opportunities for students to show initiative, work independently and develop strategies to problem-solve when they are faced with challenges.

While requirements may vary from time to time with subjects, particularly during times of assessment, the following can be used as a guide:

• Years 7 and 8 are encouraged to complete approximately one and a half hours of homework five times a week
• Years 9 and 10 should be aiming for two hours of homework five times a week
• Years 11 and 12 should be completing 2 to 3 hours of homework five or six times a week

Below are some suggestions that may assist with home learning and the process for your daughter.

Establish a routine. Work out a study time which works best for your child. Maybe take advantage of the School’s Supervised Study Sessions offered.

Establish a good working environment. Make sure your child has a quiet area (away from distractions such as mobile phones and television).

Help them make a plan. On heavy home learning nights or during times of assessment, encourage your child to break up the work into manageable chunks. Create a work schedule for the night/week if necessary.

Motivate and monitor. Make yourself available for questions and concerns. For example, ask about upcoming assessment. It is also important to provide encouragement and check completed homework.

Lastly, a reminder that your daughter/s Form teacher or Academic Advisor and Year 12 teachers will be available for Parent Teacher Interviews in Week 7. These can be booked via Parent Lounge until Wednesday 3 March.

Caitlin McCluskey

We would very much appreciate your support in publicising the event to friends and colleagues who may be interested in seeking a St Margaret’s education for their daughter.

Furthermore, Saturday 6 March is a day when we require all of our students to be present at school, in full uniform and either participating in curricular, co-curricular or community activities. Students should arrive no later than 9:15am.

If, due to extenuating circumstances, a student is unable to be at school on Open Day, we will require a written note or email requesting absence to: studentleave@stmargarets.qld.edu.au

Nikki Townsend

One of the most important goals of camp is for the girls to experience interactions with peers in a different setting and for a longer period. Another is for the girls to test their social skills in an environment that is not home or school, as they learn to live with other students in cabins, sharing bathrooms and meals. Camp is also the perfect experience to challenge self-regulation, the fourth of five life skills as identified by Judith Locke.

Experts regard self-regulation as one of the most important skills to teach children. However, it is not one, but a set of skills, including the ability to control something – behaviour, thought, movement or feeling and impulse. Delay of gratification is the most significant self-regulation skill. It has been linked to long term outcomes for children, that is, children who wait longer are more sociable, achieve better grades now and in the future.

We teach self-regulation as part of cognitive learning and the social thinking program. This program teaches skills which contribute to self-regulation. Parents can also help by helping your child to:

1. Control an impulse in order to meet the higher goal (empathy, relationships, learning)
2. Use situations to teach strategies to help regulate impulses
3. Acknowledge the challenge of regulation (help children conquer hard things, don’t give up)
4. Make a choice and a plan - develop decision-making skills
5. Play games
6. Be flexible so the child is not too rigid

Be patient with your child as self-regulation skills develop over a lifetime.

Congratulations to the girls who trialled for City Districts. Their results contributed to the school winning the Percentage Cup.

Good luck to Chloe Nheu, Adelaide Bothwell, Charlotte Rhode, Clementine Cooke, Inés Vidot, Charlotte Morgans, Annabelle Crowe, Mena Bertinato, Sophie Hebron and Isabela Coleman who were selected and trialled for Met North this week.

Congratulations also to Isabela Coleman, Adelaide Bothwell and Inés Vidot who made the City Districts Netball team.

Angela Drysdale

Music Support Group

The next Music Support Group meeting will be held on Tuesday 2 March at 5:00pm in the Primary Music Room (second floor of Chaseley). Parents from both the Primary and Secondary Schools are welcome to attend.

Brad King

Junior

1st: Bede

2nd: Kendall

3rd: Herrick

Intermediate

1st: Milton

2nd: Tennyson

3rd: Herrick

Senior

1st: Kendall

2nd: Tennyson

3rd: Chaucer

Overall

1st: Kendall

2nd: Herrick

3rd: Chaucer

4th: Tennyson

5th: Spenser

6th: Bede

7th: Milton

8th: Lawson

QGSSSA Swimming

It is less than one week until the QGSSSA Swimming Championships. The squad have done an amazing job in maintaining their commitment to training and the Meets to enable them to achieve their best at the QGSSSA competition for not only themselves but the brown, white and blue. Details for the final week of preparations for the swim team are as follows:

• Friday 26 February - Internal squad time trials at the St Margaret’s Pool, 3:30pm-5:00pm.
• Sunday 28 February - Compulsory session for all squad members at the St Margaret’s Pool, 8:00am-9:15am, followed by a barbecue breakfast.
• Monday 1 March – 6:30am start to morning session.
• Tuesday 2 March – 6:30am session ONLY
• Wednesday 3 March - QGSSSA send-off at morning tea, followed by team meeting, photos and lunch.
• Wednesday 3 March - QGSSSA Competition - Swimmers depart at 1:30pm. Competition commencing at 3:30pm-7:45pm. Presentations to follow.
• Sunday 7 March - QGSSSA Swimming Presentation.

Further information can be accessed via the POD Swimming page.

Cricket

It was a super afternoon of Cricket at the first home game for both the Open and Division 1 girls. The Open team, led by Captains, Meg Mettam and Grace Nankivell were too strong for Somerville House (6-30) quickly scoring the required runs (0-31).

The Division 1 team displayed good teamwork, enjoyment and skill development against strong opposition Brisbane State High School (BSHS). The final score ended with BSHS 5/100 and St Margaret’s all out for 49.

St Margaret’s Autumn Fixtures

The fixture season for the Autumn sports will commence on Friday 12 March. Detailed draws for each sport and their teams will be published via the individual POD pages over the coming week.

Cross Country Events

The Cross Country squad has been invited to participate in the Nudgee College Meet this Friday 26 February. This fun run is a great opportunity for all girls to test their fitness against different opponents, including Stuartholme School, Gregory Terrace and Nudgee College. To register your participation, please visit the Cross Country POD page.

Congratulations…

Ruby Gowns (Year 7) who was selected in the 12 Years City Districts Netball team and will now contest the Metropolitan North Championships in April.

Helen Lobegeiger

This year, we have limitations as to how many people we can have in Eton Hall due to COVID safety measures around activities indoors. This includes singing, with a required distance between performers and audience, the required spacing between seats, the nature of the staging we are assembling in the space, the size of the hall, accommodating orchestra, sound, and lighting in the venue and more.

We are currently investigating whether we can possibly add any more seats and we hope to know more soon; however, this may not be confirmed until as late as the weekend before the musical. Rest assured we want to accommodate as many of you as possible. We are not operating a waitlist; however, if we are able to release more seats, we will advertise this through The POD, with details as to exactly when these tickets will go 'live' so that you can be ready to purchase. Please have your notifications on for The POD to receive the most up to date information.

We would also love to see you on Circular Drive on Open Day, Saturday 6 March at 10:00am, where you can get a sneak preview of two musical numbers from the show. This open-air performance is free, accessible and available to all.

The Musical Production Team thank you for your support and understanding. We cannot wait to share the talents of our girls with you soon!

Annette Box

New South Wales

Ascham School, Edgecliff – 4 weeks - 2-4 students

St Margaret’s to Ascham (Term 3) from 12 July to 6 August 2021

Ascham to St Margaret’s (Term 2) from 3 May to 28 May 2021

Pymble Ladies' College, Pymble – 4 weeks - 6 students

St Margaret’s to Pymble (Term 3) from 12 July to 6 August 2021

Pymble to St Margaret’s (Term 3) from 23 August to 17 September 2021

Tara Anglican School for Girls, North Parramatta – approximately 5 weeks - 6 students

St Margaret’s to Tara (Term 3) 13 July to 13 August 2021

Tara to St Margaret’s (Term 3) 16 August to 16 September 2021

South Australia

St Peter’s Collegiate Girls School, Stonyfell – 3 weeks - 2 students

St Margaret’s to St Peter’s (Term 3) 4 September to 25 September 2021

St Peter’s to St Margaret’s (Term 3) 8 July to 31 July 2021

Please note, applications close at 3pm on Friday 26 February 2021. Applications can be submitted to Ms Achari via email: aachari@stmargarets.qld.edu.au or at Main Reception.

World Challenge for Years 10 and 11

Below, you will find links to sign up to individual trips and itineraries. The initial deposit is $500, and the terms and conditions and payment plan options are available when you register. In order to secure flights, the closing date to register is Friday 26 February.

Options

1. Red Centre – $5,250
3. Departure Date: 19 June 2021

1. Top End – $5,490

3. Departure Date: 19 June 2021

1. Cape to Cape (WA) – $4,350

3. Departure Date: 18 September 2021

Connecting with Prospective International Families

This year, St Margaret’s is partnering with AEAS to participate in two virtual online events connecting with prospective families in Hong Kong (13 March) and China (20 and 21 March). These virtual events provide a wonderful opportunity for interested families to connect with St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School via 15-20 minute online chats with our International Admissions Officer – Ms Angelin Achari, and also view our school profile and book an appointment via the following links:

Hong Kong Open Day

• Ó£ÌÒ¸£ÀûÊÓƵ Anglican Girls School Website page:
• Ó£ÌÒ¸£ÀûÊÓƵ Anglican Girls School Booking link:

China Online Fair

• Ó£ÌÒ¸£ÀûÊÓƵ Anglican Girls School Website page:
• Ó£ÌÒ¸£ÀûÊÓƵ Anglican Girls School Booking link:

If any current parents have friends or families in Hong Kong or China who may be interested in exploring an education in Australia at St Margaret’s, please share this information with them.

Please contact Angelin Achari on 07 3862 0861 or email: aachari@stmargarets.qld.edu.au if you have any questions.

Angelin Achari

This year, the theme is ‘Crime and Punishment’ – how society sets rules for behavior and finds and punishes people who breaks those rules. Criminals come in surprising shapes and sizes…

You must love reading and literature, and you should also like to share ideas. A curious mind is a definite! This is a fantastic way to enhance the way you think about ideas in texts and improve your creativity. There are different texts for different age groups.

For more information on the competition, the texts and more, please click to go to the Churchie Lit Challenge POD site. You can register on the POD site.

Please contact Mrs Wiedemann: kwiedemann@stmargarets.qld.edu.au for further information.

Reading.just.got.deadly.serious…

Kate Wiedemann

Please to view full details.

Professional Women’s Network Breakfast – Thursday 18 March 2021

‘A well lived life involves risk and I encourage you, the women of the future, to embrace fear of failure and make it your friend.’

Jenny Stevens (’73) is a respected Old Girl of St Margaret’s and an incredibly engaging keynote speaker. We are delighted to be welcoming her for our first Professional Women’s Networking event this year. Jenny will talk about how she has fought her fear of failure, and how young women can live the lives they deserve to live. Jenny has grown Attune Hearing to over 65 clinics servicing the medical community across 5 states. She is an advocate for patient care and innovation and has worked extensively on a number of fundraising committees for children with special needs. Jenny holds a Teaching Degree, a Bachelor and Master of Educational Studies, a Bachelor of Special Education and a Master of Audiological Studies from UQ.

Date: Thursday 18 March 2021

Time: 7:00am arrival – 8:45am finish

Enjoy barista coffee from a Wolff Coffee Roasters cart, before and after the event

Location: Ó£ÌÒ¸£ÀûÊÓƵ Anglican Girls School, 11 Petrie Street, Ascot

Tickets: $80 Adult, $40 Student (Tertiary, Years 10-12)

Tickets are available for purchase via , or alternatively, please contact the Development Office on: developmentandcommunity@stmargarets.qld.edu.au or 07 3862 0767.

We sincerely thank our generous corporate sponsors:

Major Sponsor: Pitcher Partners

Associate Sponsors: Programmed Property Services, Wolff Coffee Roasters

Supporting Partners: Downer Group, NAB, Clear Insurance, O’Reilly Shaw Lawyers and Red Oak Teamwear.

St Margaret’s 2021 Mothers’ Luncheon – Friday 12 March 2021

Tickets are still on sale for the 2021 Mothers’ Luncheon. These can be purchased via this .

We encourage everyone in the Ó£ÌÒ¸£ÀûÊÓƵ community to support the P&F Association and their fundraising efforts by purchasing raffle tickets. These are being sold online and are $50 each, 3 for $100 or 8 for $200. Prizes include a bar fridge filled with French Champagne and 4 x $500 Ó£ÌÒ¸£ÀûÊÓƵ Uniform Shop vouchers. You do not need to be in attendance to win. To purchase raffle tickets, please click on this .

Thank you to the sponsors of the 2021 Mothers’ Luncheon: UMS, Qscan, KLM Solicitors and Adrians.

Lindsay Khushal

Australian Defence Force

If you’ve ever wondered what a career in the Australian Defence Force (ADF) is like, then come along to the ADF Careers Expo on Saturday 6 March 2021 and find out. Register your interest .

Bond University Student for a Semester

Bond University’s Student for a Semester program gives high achieving Years 11 and 12 students the opportunity to gain an authentic university experience before they finish high school. Participants enroll in a real university subject, attend classes on campus, complete assignments and gain access to Bond's world-class facilities. Applications for the May 2021 Semester will open on 17 March 2021.

Griffith Sports College

plays a vital role in fostering students who are also elite athletes, helping them devote time to training and competition while they complete their tertiary studies. As part of the Elite Athlete Friendly University Network, the Sports College integrates sporting and academic aspirations.

Brisbane Careers and Employment Expo

The Brisbane Careers and Employment Expo is a leading careers, training and education event in Queensland. The event offers the opportunity for students, job seekers and career changers of all ages to connect with organisations for guidance, clarity and opportunities in relation to career options. The Expo will be held on 21 and 22 May 2021 at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre and entry is free. , including a list of exhibitors and registrations.

UCAT

Who should sit UCAT? Any Year 12 students who are seeking entry into medicine, dentistry and health science degree programs in 2021.For more information about the new test, including price, testing dates and format visit: .

University of Melbourne

Aspiring Scholars Program For interstate and NZ Year 12 students, Aspiring Scholars is a community-focused program that brings together ambitious students interested in studying at Melbourne. Visit for more information.

Australian National University

We encourage all domestic school-leavers interested in studying at ANU in 2022 to apply directly to us in March 2021. Within this free application, students apply for admission, guaranteed accommodation and over 200 scholarships. Stay in touch by completing this .

START QUT Information Webinar

When: Tuesday 30 March, 5pm-6pm

Are you a Year 11 or 12 student, or a parent of a student, who's interested in finding out more about the START QUT program? Find out about studying a university subject while still in high school and hear from past START QUT students about their experiences from the program.

Liz Johnston