St Mary's College

Building future pathways for Year 11 and 12

Stefania Bostock — Wed, 06 May 2026 04:47:23 +0000

With our Year 10 students soon approaching their senior secondary years, we are pleased to share some key dates and opportunities that will support them in making a confident, well-informed transition into Year 11 at St Mary’s College.

Across the remainder of the year, Year 10 students will take part in a series of events designed to help them explore their interests, discover the pathways available and experience the breadth of learning offered in Years 11 and 12 at SMC. Our goal is to ensure every student feels supported, inspired and equipped to choose a pathway that reflects their strengths, goals and aspirations.

If Year 10 families have any questions about our diverse programs, specialist subjects or the personalised support available at our College, our Teaching and ��Vlog team is always here to help. We also look forward to seeing you at the upcoming events.

We’re excited to work closely with our Year 10s and their families as they take this important next step in their learning journey.

What we offer our Year 11 and 12 students:

Greater independence, choices and responsibility
Smaller classes for personalised learning
Flexible course options, including cross campus and external study (UTAS and TAFE)
Experienced Secondary Teacher who are familiar with our students and understand their needs
Strong academic outcomes
Structured support and mentoring to guide students through their senior pathways and future careers
Leadership opportunities within a K–12 community
A growing Performing Arts space and Dance subjects

Pathways for Year 11 and 12:

ATAR pathways
VET and Vocational programs
University and TAFE partnership opportunities
School-based apprenticeships and traineeship opportunities
Career exploration and industry engagement

What Senior School students and families value:

A cross-campus model that gives students more subjects, experiences and pathways beyond a single campus
Access to courses at St Virgil’s College, MacKillop Catholic College, St Aloysisus Catholic College and Guilford Young College
Dedicated senior spaces and privileges
Meaningful senior events, retreats and traditions
Strong wellbeing and pastoral care
A supportive, student-centred environment
Smooth transition into senior schooling
The Year 11 and 12 Pillars program

St Mary’s College Instrumental program

Stefania Bostock — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 23:40:45 +0000

Music is vibrant and thriving at ��Vlog, with exciting things happening across the year levels. All students in Years 5 to 7 have now been allocated their class concert band instruments and are enthusiastically playing through a variety of pieces. It has been wonderful to see and hear students developing their skills, working collaboratively and making great music together as part of their classroom learning.

In addition to classroom music, the Music department offers a comprehensive private instrumental and vocal tuition program for students across the school. While participation in private lessons is optional, it provides a fantastic opportunity for students to build confidence, refine technique and make strong musical progress on their chosen instrument.

Lessons are delivered during school time at a cost of $40 per half-hour. Instrumental tuition is available in voice (singing), piano, flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, drums, violin, cello, bass guitar and guitar.

Families interested in enrolling their child in private music lessons or seeking further information are encouraged to contact Mr Scott Weston at sweston@smc.tas.edu.au.

We look forward to continuing to nurture a strong and dynamic music culture at ��Vlog.

St Mary’s art takes flight

Stefania Bostock — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 23:35:33 +0000

We recently caught up with Year 11 student, Madi Marr, a recipient of the National Gallery of Australia’s prestigious 2026 National Summer Art Scholarship. Each year, only 16 students from across the country are selected for this highly competitive program, which culminates in a week-long artistic residency in Canberra.

What was your first reaction when you found out you got the scholarship? I was honestly really surprised. I thought my chances were slim given the competition, so when I received the call confirming my spot for Tasmania, I was beyond excited and eager to get involved.

What’s been the most exciting part of the experience so far? Meeting new artists at every session has been amazing, as each has a distinct practice and story. I’ve also loved receiving art material packages before workshops. Most recently, a bedazzling kit!

Has anything surprised you about it? The variety of activities and artists has been surprising. So far, we’ve made colourful prints, created a photo flip book and bedazzled pictures of inspiring people.

What’s something new you’ve learned about your own art practice? I’ve learned my art doesn’t need to stick to one style. Seeing artists like Aretha Brown switch between murals and bedazzled pieces has been really motivating.

What’s been the biggest challenge so far? Sharing my work with other students has been challenging, as some are more experienced or talented. But everyone has been supportive, which helps build confidence.

What would you say to another student thinking about applying? Just do it! Even if you don’t get in, the process of researching and expressing your ideas about a chosen artwork is really rewarding.

What are you most excited about for the rest of the year? I’m excited for the week-long residency in Canberra this December. It will be amazing to work with practising artists, see behind the scenes at the NGA and meet the other students.

Congratulations on this wonderful opportunity, Madi. Your talent and dedication in the visual arts position you well for the learning and growth that lie ahead. We are excited to see where this next chapter in your artistic journey leads.

Applications for the 2027 National Gallery National Summer Art Scholarship will open in Spring 2026 for those interested in applying.

Pictured below: Experiments that Madi has created as part of the Visual 3 Art course she’s currently studying at St Mary’s College.

A stellar encounter at EdCat Techtopia Summit

Stefania Bostock — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 23:10:00 +0000

It’s not every day you receive personalised advice from a trailblazing space engineer who also happens to be Australia’s first female trained astronaut and the 2026 Australian of the Year.

Sarah Thomas (Year 12) and Rozalia Arnold (Year 11) attended the 2026 EdCAT (Education, Careers and Technology) ‘Techtopia’ Summit at Wrest Point on Friday 17 April, where they heard from inspiring keynote speakers Katherine Bennell-Pegg, an astronaut with the Australian Space Agency and Australian of the Year, and Tracey Spicer AM, an established author and AI commentator.

STEM, digital skills and future career pathways were key themes throughout the day, but it was Katherine’s message about empowering Australia’s STEM future that really resonated with our senior students – especially her encouragement for girls to see themselves in space and STEM careers.

After the keynote and panel, Sarah and Rozalia were lucky enough to grab a photo with Katherine, which soon evolved into a great chat about where they hope to head in the industry. Thank you for your time and encouragement, Katherine.

Thank you to our staff, Mrs Lucy Paske and Mrs Catherine Midson, for organising this opportunity for our students.

EdCAT is Tasmania’s flagship Education, Careers and Technology Summit, a celebration uniting students, educators, industry leaders and innovators to shape the future of digital skills and technology.