Accolades for St Margaret’s

2026 Australian Education Awards

It is with great pride that we announce St Margaret’s has received two Excellence Awards in the 2026 Australian Education Awards.

Congratulations to the primary school, the recipient of the Primary School of the Year (Non-Government) nomination for the second consecutive year, recognised for achieving outstanding outcomes across teaching, learning, wellbeing and community.

In addition, St Margaret’s has been recognised in the category of Best Professional Learning Program, nominated for the school’s innovative TeachMeets initiative which is delivering high-impact, teacher-led professional learning that has strengthened collaboration, accelerated the sharing of effective pedagogy, and aligned directly with school priorities. Congratulations to Dean of Studies Chris Dunn and Dean of Academics Caitlin McCluskey who have spearheaded this program, along with all of our staff who have embraced the program, either as presenters or participants.

These prestigious awards celebrate the outstanding achievements of the country’s top performing schools and their staff, and the Excellence Awards represent the finalists in each award category.

Employer of Choice, The Educator,

St Margaret’s has once again been named an Employer of Choice by The Educator, the sixth consecutive year the school has been recognised for excellence in workplace culture, staff wellbeing and professional growth. 

This national recognition reinforces the school’s strategic priority of fostering ‘Outstanding Staff’ and reflects our ongoing commitment to creating an environment where educators and support staff can thrive, innovate and deliver exceptional outcomes for students.

Principal Ros Curtis AM said the recognition was testament to the school’s commitment to its people.

“It is an honour to have consistently been recognised as an Employer of Choice for the past six years.

“Our staff, and their passion, expertise and commitment, are our greatest asset. They are fundamental to the delivery of excellence in teaching and learning and in the preparing the next generation of confident, compassionate and capable young women.

The annual Employer of Choice awards celebrate schools that lead the sector in areas such as leadership, professional development, workplace culture, employee benefits and staff engagement. This year’s recognition highlights St Margaret’s continued investment in initiatives designed to support staff wellbeing, career progression and a strong sense of belonging.

“We are deeply committed to nurturing a culture where every staff member feels valued, supported and inspired to do their best work,” Ms Curtis said.

“We aim to achieve this through tailored professional learning pathways, a focus on staff wellbeing initiatives and our unique ‘St Margaret’s Way’ philosophy which guides our culture.

“To be recognised as an Employer of Choice for the sixth consecutive year is not only wonderfully affirming of our progress but also motivation to continue evolving, to take on board our staff feedback, to innovate and to ensure St Margaret’s continues to remain a school where outstanding staff choose to build their careers.”

Over the past year, St Margaret’s has formalised TeachMeets as a dynamic, staff led professional learning program fostering collaboration, sharing of expertise and leadership development, while also continuing to engage highly respected educational experts to present on a range of topics at its Trends in Education Series, a professional learning opportunity open not just to St Margaret’s staff but to all educators in South East Queensland.  

At the same time, St Margaret’s has continued to focus on upskilling all staff, both educators and support, in the use of AI, appointing three AI Champions to work with staff to develop their AI proficiency.

The school’s unique Staff Wellbeing Framework has guided initiatives that have continued to create a sense of belonging and a sense of community for all staff members.