From the Acting Director of Teaching and Learning K–12

At St Mary’s College, we believe every girl should see herself as a mathematician. As a thinker, a problem solver and a creator. Mathematics is not just about numbers; it’s about curiosity, reasoning and the confidence to tackle challenges. From our youngest learners in Kindergarten through to our senior students, we are proud to offer rich and engaging opportunities that nurture a love of Maths and empower our girls to see its relevance in the world around them.

One recent highlight was 'Drop Everything and Do Maths'. This lively and interactive session had our Year 6 and Year 9 students teaming up with younger classes for a morning of mathematical games, challenges and activities. Laughter, collaboration and problem-solving filled our classrooms as students discovered that Maths can be both exciting and deeply rewarding when explored together.

Alongside these engaging in-class experiences, our students have also excelled in external opportunities to extend and challenge their mathematical thinking. Many of our students from both the Junior and Senior Schools took part in the Australian Mathematics Competition, and some students from Years 3–6 in the Maths Olympiad. These are two very challenging competitions, and all participants are to be congratulated on demonstrating impressive perseverance and critical thinking.

Special mention must go to the following students for receiving awards in the competitions mentioned above. 

Australian Maths Competition – Distinction 

• Clementine Fraser (Year 3)
• Anya Nordinson (Year 5)
• Suvaani Rajbhandari (Year 5)
• Jessica Wong (Year 5) – also received the Best in School Certificate
• Zoe Ratcliffe (Year 7)
• Jean Beerworth (Year 8)
• Emma Clark (Year 8)
• Amity Brown (Year 9)
• Rozalia Arnold (Year 10)

Maths Olympiad

The following students earned a High Achiever Medal, placing them in the top 25 per cent of Australia: 

• Suvaani Rajbhandari (Year 5)
• Jessica Wong (Year 5)
• Isla Brown (Year 6)

Junior School students were presented with their certificates at a recent assembly. Senior School students will receive their certificates in the coming weeks. 

However, it is not just Maths where our students are shining. Excellence in learning is flourishing across all disciplines. This has also been notable in some outstanding results in a variety of ICAS competitions. ICAS is an online academic competition that gives students the opportunity to challenge their higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills in English, Mathematics, Science, Writing, Spelling Bee and Digital Technologies. Once again, our students have achieved amazing results in these competitions in both the Junior and Senior Schools. 

This year, four of our students earned ICAS medals across different areas. Winning an ICAS medal is a big deal. Medals are awarded only to the top 1 per cent of participants, requiring students to achieve the highest score in their region. 

I would like to congratulate the following ICAS medal winners: 

• Suvaani Rajbhandari – English (Year 5)
• Madeleine Hedges – English (Year 7)
• Jean Beerworth – Science and Mathematics (Year 8)
• Rozalia Arnold – English and Science (Year 10)

As we celebrate these achievements, we are excited for the opportunities that lie ahead. Together, we will continue to foster a culture