Mercedes College
Heritage and Values
Founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1846, Mercedes College offers young women from Year 7 to 12 an outstanding Catholic education based on the Mercy values of compassion, justice, excellence, integrity and service.
Situated in the heart of the City of Perth and located in the City's beautiful heritage precinct, the College is the oldest girls' school in Australia on the original site of foundation. Its mix of heritage and modern new facilities offers students an extensive range of excellent academic, cultural and sporting opportunities in a unique and dynamic learning environment.
At the heart of the College community is a commitment to nurturing faith and building relationships. Each member of the community is called to walk in the footsteps of Christ and in doing so honour the heritage of Catherine McAuley and the Sisters of Mercy. In Catherine's own words 'Perfection does not consist of doing extraordinary actions, but in performing extraordinarily well the ordinary actions of every day'.
Learning
Being innovators in girls' education, we pride ourselves on being dedicated to meet the needs of all of our students: equipping them to become leaders of the future. Our teaching and learning programs focus on meeting individual needs and catering for many future pathways. We believe in learning intervention and identification of our students learning needs from the earliest possible moment. Students are challenged in their classes to continually strive for excellence. Teaching staff are dedicated to supporting and guiding the girls to achieve and celebrate success.
The College encompasses the three learning communities of Years 7 and 8, Years 9 and 10 and Years 11 and 12.
Our curriculum aims to:
• Develop the whole person within a caring and supportive Christian Catholic environment and witness to the values and teaching of the Gospel.
• Promote excellence and the highest education outcomes within a non-threatening learning environment.
• Guide students to be self-directed, critical thinkers who take ownership of their educational journey and persevere to achieve their personal best.
• Graduate women with a sense of who they are and of the influence they can have in the world.
Pastoral Care
Mercedes College has a vision that calls us to create a caring community where students and staff get to know each other in a mutually respectful and nurturing environment.
Pastoral Care at the College is centred on God, embracing the spirit of Catherine McAuley. Our Pastoral Care is concerned with maximising learning and growth, while developing the students’ values, attitudes, knowledge, skills and practices. Our students are encouraged to develop a positive self-image reflecting self-awareness, courage and resilience, as well as caring for others, the community and the environment. Young Mercedes women have a love for life, a belief in themselves, and confidence in their abilities.
Spiritual
Ministry at Mercedes College is concerned with the wholeness of the human being, the quality of life and the purposeful nature of a meaningful vocation. It encompasses the development of young women – their intellectual, emotional and social development alongside their spiritual growth. It also encourages them to act as responsible adults and to evaluate the world in light of their Christian faith. We trust our students will become skilled in acknowledging their strengths and weaknesses and more aware of their own potential and ability to exchange and communicate information concerning faith and life experience. We hope to nurture in them a desire for discipleship and to love and be loved into a relationship with God.
Co-Curricular
An exciting range of activities form an important part of the co-curricular life of the College. Students develop skills and interests in many varied fields which contribute to the broad education experience offered by Mercedes College.
Students participate in a range of academic, cultural and sporting competitions and activities through the year. Academic competitions cover a diverse range of problem solving, team work and creative exercises that are fun, challenging and rewarding.
The campus boasts an outstanding multi-purpose sports hall which caters for a broad range of indoor sports, a fitness centre and a 25-metre indoor heated pool.
A vibrant arts scene is reflected in the bustling activity program offering a broad range of activities from choral singing to orchestral music, the House Film Festival and drama productions.
Location and Facilities
The College is located in the heart of Perth’s CBD in the beautiful heritage precinct. Access to and from the College is made easy with bus and train transport close at hand. Facilities include the recently opened Coady Sports Centre and Serisier Learning Centre which includes science classrooms and a 25 metre indoor heated pool; the Chapel; Performing Arts Centre, and a specialised media department with radio station and television suite.