Stuartholme School

Stuartholme School is a Catholic, independent day and boarding school for girls in Years 7 to 12. As a progressive international Sacred Heart School, Stuartholme is committed to providing an education specifically tailored to the individual student’s needs through a customised educational experience. The highly qualified teachers and specialist staff are experts in their fields and challenge their students to become independent, critical thinkers, arming them with the confidence to actively engage in their learning so no girl will ever be lost in the crowd. In the classroom, students are engaged through dynamic teaching strategies and vibrant learning environments. Stuartholme acknowledges a commitment to inclusive education and best practice principles of teaching and learning with opportunities for students to strive for personal excellence. Educational support and extension are available through curriculum differentiation and special programs. In Year 12, students can participate in university studies in specific subject areas. Stuartholme is small enough for each student to be personally known, yet large enough to offer an extensive, ever-changing and dynamic range of opportunities. Away from the classroom, students can explore opportunities to enrich their schooling. The range of co-curricular activities allow students to build self-confidence and develop talents and interests. Although only 6kms from Brisbane’s CBD, Stuartholme provides students with a quiet, safe environment where they can live and learn. Stuartholme is a highly relational educational community that is kind, inclusive and where everyone knows and cares for one another. At Stuartholme, social justice is a way of life, rather than an occasional action or choice. The cutting-edge program combines critical thinking, social awareness education and compassionate and pragmatic sustainable action. The school has created a dedicated Social Justice Coordinator role with the aim of educating students on social justice issues and facilitating actions and initiatives that are student driven. ‘By focusing on this process, students can unpack the reasons why social justice issues exist, understand the long and short-term implications and what action needs to be taken,’ Claire Lawler, Social Justice Coordinator, said. Stuartholme has established a program that centres around three lenses of social justice: volunteering, civic advocacy and social enterprise and offers three separate themes: environmental sustainability, refugees and disability. ‘The benefit of our program is that the students are the ones who voice what is important to them and where they see themselves making a difference. ‘By focusing on three themes, students can work on a project that resonates most with them and they can decide their level of involvement and where they can make a meaningful contribution. ‘As a Sacred Heart School, we have five Sacred Heart Goals that frame our educational philosophy. Social justice is part of our Goal ‘to educate our students to a social awareness that impels to action’. It isn’t necessarily about running out hoping your actions have an impact, but rather reflecting on the true need and the core issues. These steps promote long term and sustainable change. ‘Our hope is that when our students leave our gates, they will make a profound difference to their families and communities from where they came from, as well as the wider society.’