Principal Natalie Charles

I love the start of a new school year (always have, even as a child); there’s something quite magical about the possibilities contained therein and something equally cathartic about farewelling the year that was.  And I couldn’t be more excited about the work that we’re going to do, this year at St Catherine’s together. With a new Strategic Plan to be officially launched this term and a new Music School taking shape before our eyes, we’re more than ready for the future, whatever it might bring!

Service has always been at the heart of the St Catherine’s School community and so it was wonderful to see so many Old Girls, past parents and past staff, recognised in the Australia Day Honours list for 2026. From Old Girls Carolyn Creswell OAM (Tennent ’91) for Service to the Food Industry as an Entrepreneur to Sylvia Black OAM (Meares ’62) for Service to Community History; from past parents, the Hon Andrea Coote AM, for Service to the People and the Aged Care Sector in Victoria to Professor John O’Donnell AM for Significant Service to Orthopaedics as a Clinician and Mentor, there was much to celebrate. We were also delighted to see Deputy Principal, Mr Paul Cross AM honoured for Significant Service to the Arts, and to Secondary Education. Mr Cross was Deputy Principal at St Catherine’s from 2006-2015; Head of Senior School from 2006-2015 and a Geography Teacher from 2006-2018. 

Speaking of service, the campus was abuzz with excitement yesterday as our Year 12s arrived with their parents at 7.30am for the annual breakfast celebrating their last First Day. Proceedings were wrapped up by 8.45am, however, so that the time-honoured tradition of meeting the Year 7s at the gates to carry their bags to lockers could continue. From here they headed off to Ormond College for their Leadership Retreat where they received their light blue jumpers – a symbolic adjustment that sets them apart from their peers and reminds them of the responsibility they bear as leaders of the School. In my address, I spoke of the three elements that have always set a St Catherine’s education apart: that being a conscious focus on nurturing one’s character, one’s relationships and one’s intellect. In doing so, we commit to living intentionally and uphold the vision of our founder Miss Jeannie Hood, that this is an education not just for school, but for life… 

This philosophy finds practical application in our approach to transition at Year 7 where, in partnership with the University of Queensland, we have made the research-informed decision to delay the introduction of laptops to facilitate an increased emphasis on routines for metacognition; improve emotional regulation and establish class cultures around belonging and connection. Handwriting, as we know, activates a broader network of brain regions involved in motor, sensory, and cognitive processing and so it stands to reason that we want to see the girls get the best possible start – socially, emotionally and educationally. 

With 2026 being officially named the Year of the Female Farmer by the United Nations, and summer’s apocalyptic bushfires reminding us of the challenges faced by so many in our rural communities, we were delighted to welcome our boarders back to Illawarra House. From Euroa to Wagga Wagga; Albury to Hay; Shepparton to Lerg; Echuca to Ballarat; Singapore to Hong Kong; Vietnam to China, the Boarding House is indeed a rare gem in the St Catherine’s crown, and we are all the better for the dynamic community of girls who call Illawarra, home. 

I want to take a moment to thank those parents who filled out the Independent School Surveys (ISV) at the end of last year. The results came back in and they weren’t surprising – you’ve chosen the School for its size (which we know is one of our greatest strengths) and for its strong culture of academic excellence; we’re going to continue to work on improving our communication channels this year. 

I saw the film Hamnet during the holidays and recommend it unreservedly – it’s been a long time since I sobbed (with joy and sorrow) in a cinema and with everything that’s going on in the world over these last couple of months, I found it to be immensely cathartic. Do yourself a favour and let cinema/literature move you again, as it did me.

It remains for me to thank you once again for choosing this iconic institution as an extension of your family by trusting us with your most important possession – your daughter/s. It’s a responsibility and a privilege that we don’t take lightly, and our girls, your daughters, are at the heart of every decision we make – big or small. 

Here’s to new beginnings...

Nil Magnum Nisi Bonum

Nothing is Great, Unless it is Good

Ms Natalie Charles

Principal