From the Principal - OGA eNews Issue 1, 2026

This theme invites us to look to the future with confidence while recognising and appreciating the people and moments that enrich our lives. I encourage every member of our community to carry this theme into the year ahead: to notice the good, to celebrate progress, and to seek possibility in every challenge.

Congratulations to our graduates of 2025, our newest Old Girls. Their achievements reflect not only their effort but also the encouragement and belief shown by their families and teachers. We are deeply grateful for the partnership that underpins success at St Margaret’s.

Our 2025 seniors delivered excellent outcomes across both ATAR and vocational pathways. Highlights included:

• An impressive spread of top results, with 84 students (approximately the top 12% of the State) achieving ATARs in the 90s, placing them among the strongest academic performers in Queensland.
• Outstanding median ATAR performance (93.05), reflecting the collective commitment to learning across the cohort.
• Continued excellence in Portfolio Pathways, where students graduated with a broad array of diplomas, certificates, and traineeships.
• Once again, 100% of students achieved a Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE), a testament to their perseverance and the guidance of our dedicated staff.

At our Scholars’ Assembly earlier this year, where we acknowledged students who attained an ATAR of 90 and above, I reminded them of the power in taking ownership of their future. In moments of uncertainty, optimism becomes a discipline, choosing to overcome or work around obstacles and believe that effort leads somewhere worthwhile, even before the results are known. This mindset will serve them well in the next chapter of their lives.

Across 2025, there were many significant achievements that strengthened the St Margaret’s experience, too many to mention specifically. However, it would be remiss of me if I did not in this newsletter acknowledge the increase in the participation of our Old Girls in our St Margaret’s Plus Mentoring Program. Thank you to all the Old Girls who answered the call, generously sharing their time and wisdom. Their optimism about the next generation and their gratitude for the education they received has created something truly meaningful for our students.

An uplifting sign of confidence in our school was the continued strength of enrolments throughout 2025. We have opened the 2026 school year with 1450 students across Pre-Prep to Year 12. St Margaret’s remains a place where families feel known, supported, and well served. This is something for which we are very grateful.

Beyond the classroom, we remained committed to improving the physical environment for our students. The Canopy Café opened to primary and secondary students part way through 2025, replacing the tuckshop and completely transforming the under-croft area near the Sister Helen Orchestra Room. The café will now open to 4:00pm weekdays and Saturday mornings during water polo season. Over the Christmas holidays, the Year 12 area in the Boarding House was refurbished and students now have more storage and, most importantly, a larger desk that can be, at the press of a button, a standing desk. Of course, we now have the official approval to build the St Margaret’s Arts Precinct, and we will celebrate the start of the construction with a Turning of the Soil ceremony in Term 2.

As we look to the year ahead, we have a brand-new Strategic Plan and Masterplan. St Margaret’s is an exciting place to be. I hope 2026 is a year where every member of our community experiences moments that spark optimism and give rise to gratitude. May we continue to flourish together – uplifted by hope and possibility, strengthened by connection, and guided by purpose.

Per Volar Sunata

Ros Curtis AM
Principal