Somerville House
About Our School
Consistently performing among the top schools in Australia, Somerville House offers a safe and supportive environment with renowned academic, cultural and sporting programs, and modern boarding facilities.
Founded in 1899, Somerville House is the leading Presbyterian and Uniting Day and Boarding School for Girls’ leading and leadership development, providing empowering education for girls from Pre-Prep to Year 12 and co-educational Pre-Prep. Boarding is offered to girls from Years 6 to 12.
Located in South Brisbane in an enviable position overlooking the Brisbane city skyline, Somerville House focuses on girls’ education, development, and wellbeing. Our schools provided a personalised learning experience in an environment where girls can be fearless leaders of change. With us, they can develop confidence, pursue excellence and find their purpose.
The School provides a comprehensive, balanced educational environment that recognises the importance of academic excellence as well as psychological, physical and spiritual wellbeing. This is reflected in our rich and varied academic, sporting, cultural and social pursuits and its proud history of developing well-rounded, confident and capable students.
Our Philosophy and Vision
As a school of the Presbyterian and Methodist Schools Association, Somerville House embraces the teachings and theology of the two churches while providing a well-balanced education that is academically challenging, varied physically and recreationally, socially stimulating, and rich spiritually.
The School’s highly qualified teachers aim to educate students to become confident and independent citizens, conscious of their strengths, responsive to the call of God in their lives, and capable and willing to contribute to the greater good of society.
Curriculum
With Christian values at its core, the School’s curriculum ensures each student from Pre-Prep to Year 12 is provided with rich opportunities for rigorous, independent learning and developing critical, creative thinking.
Four key principles provide the foundation for all teaching and learning: engagement, excellence, empowerment and diversity.
Our curriculum is continually informed by well-founded educational research and encourages students to continually further their expertise as learners and strive for standards of excellence.
Students benefit from the School’s higher-than-average teacher-student ratio and its commitment to the continual improvement of teaching methods and practices through its Staff Professional Development Program.
Sport
Somerville House students have the opportunity to participate in a wide array of sports in multiple competitions and associations throughout the year.
Students in the Junior School compete in seven sports within the Andrews Cup competition. Students in Years 7 to 12 compete in multiple competitions including the Queensland Girls’ Secondary Schools’ Sports Association (QGSSSA) competition, the Brisbane Schoolgirls’ Rowing Association (BSRA), Brisbane Water Polo Association Inc. (BWPI) as well as a range of club based sporting programs. Students are also eligible to nominate and compete in district and regional sport pathways right through to national representation.
Music
Music at Somerville House caters for a wide range of individual interests and skill levels. The Music Program is conducted both in the classroom (Academic Music Program) and in a co-curricular capacity (Performance Music Program). Our comprehensive Co-Curricular Ensemble Program includes string ensembles, bands and vocal choirs as well as many woodwind, percussion and small string ensembles.
Music is very much a part of Somerville House with our choral and instrumental ensembles exemplifying the excellence for which the School is known. This standard is evident across our many choral and instrumental groups, each catering for students of differing ability.
Boarding and International Students
There is no better example of the celebrated Somerville House spirit than that embraced by our Boarding Community. It is the friendships, a sense of belonging and a shared commitment to the fullness of life and learning and that makes the Somerville House boarding house a true home away from home.
Boarding at Somerville House is offered from Year 6 to Year 12 for both Australian and International students.
More than 100 girls from diverse backgrounds and nationalities call Somerville House Boarding home. They travel from around Australia, and from around the world, to take advantage of our renowned academic, cultural and sporting facilities.
Boarders, from Years 6 to 12, enjoy contemporary air-conditioned facilities, purpose-built to cater for the study and lifestyle needs of teenage girls and considerate of the required balance between personal privacy and cohesive communal living.
The Boarding House incorporates modern bedrooms and bathroom facilities, shared leisure spaces, in-house kitchen areas, supervised study areas, soundproof music practice areas and balconies overlooking Brisbane city.