Primary Years at St Rita's Enrolments
Providing choice and opportunity for families and their daughters
From the commencement of the 2022 school year, St Rita’s recommenced tuition to girls in Year 5. These students form the initial Year 6 cohort in 2023.
St Rita’s College provides exceptional learning experiences for the Secondary Year levels. Students of Year 5 and Year 6 at the College flourish under our College mission to inspire engaging, inquisitive and passionate learning, leading to action for a just world. Our Primary Year levels experience a holistic, safe and first-class learning environment.
Years 5 and 6 at St Rita's College, known as the Primary Years, follow the Australian Curriculum and are guided by the principles of the Lantern Learning Framework, the pedagogical framework that underpins our learning philosophy at the College. The Lantern Learning Model's focus on resilience and metacognition are vital components in the education of young girls who are developing an understanding of their learning and their place in the community. Our Class Teachers are Primary specialists working alongside Secondary specialists to deliver the Religious Education program and the eight key learning areas of the P-12 Curriculum - English, Mathematics, Science, Humanities and Social Sciences, Health and Physical Education, Technologies, The Arts and Languages. Years 5 and 6 students also benefit from exposure to specialist learning areas which include Science/STEAM laboratories, Language laboratories, Drama studios and Music suites.
We recognise that the inclusion of quality sporting opportunities are fundamental to a well-rounded education and provide team and leadership development, courage and confidence alongside the known health and physical benefits. As a further enhancement to their learning experience at St Rita's, our Primary Years have use of the College's onsite sports facilities for Netball and Tennis and the 25m heated pool for Water Polo and Swimming - all being sports in which St Rita's excels. Students also have access to State Representative school sport.
Importantly, each girl is connected to one of the eight St Rita's Houses from Year 5 and formally join the Vertical House System from Year 7. The pastoral education and support provided at St Rita's allow the Primary Years students to develop a sense of who they are and contribute to the betterment of society in meaningful, but fun, age-appropriate ways. They enjoy the opportunities to be together as a whole College for days of significance, including College assemblies, Masses and our calendric celebrations.
The College’s Nagle Centre is home to our new students - an environment somewhat removed from the general busyness of activity seen within a Secondary campus, and where our Primary Years students experience a sense of comfort and safety in their own surrounds. The modern Nagle Centre is filled with dynamic learning spaces and technology that provides our young students to experience collaboration in their learning and be stimulated, challenged and engaged in their lessons.
The College's Head of Primary works closely with the College Leadership Team and Heads of Faculty in the planning and delivery of a holistic curriculum, which also meets high standards of spiritual, physical, emotional and social growth for the students. Our Primary Years students benefit from the provision of retreat, service, outreach and justice opportunities consistent with the Presentation charism - opportunities which encourage them to become Women of Action; not just words.

Our Primary and Secondary Classroom teachers offer a highly supportive model of education to the Primary Years students across the key learning areas of the Australian Curriculum, as well as Religious Education studies. Our young students engage in problem solving through collaborative work with classmates, they are encouraged to explore and progress their individual strengths, and be inspired to develop an eagerness for learning.
About St Rita's College
Established as a P-12 school in 1926, St Rita’s became a Secondary-only school in 1969. In June 2021, the College received accreditation to reintroduce the primary years of Years 5 and 6.
The College continues to experience a broad suburban catchment for enrolment, with students attending from the very outer northern and western suburbs, through to the Peninsula district and inner CBD areas. The College’s enrolment enjoys a strong alumnae tradition, and approximately one-quarter to one-half of any given year’s total enrolment are siblings.
The reintroduction of Year 5 at St Rita’s was a long-awaited enhancement to our College community and one which we believe provides families with greater choice when considering their daughter’s educational and spiritual opportunities.
Joining the St Rita’s community at Year 5 offers many advantages. Research has shown that the continuity experienced when combining Years 5 and 6 with the traditional Secondary years can help deliver increased opportunities in academic and cocurricular education, and in wellbeing and spiritual life. The inclusion of Years 5 and 6 will also assist with providing a seamless transition to the Secondary years.
How will the initial enrolment process work?
Enrolment for Year 5 2022 is fully subscribed.
Year 5 2023: Families who have lodged Enrolment Applications for Year 7 2025 have been invited to lodge an Expression of Interest to enrol their daughter for Year 5 2023.
Applications to enrol at St Rita’s offer the ability to nominate preference for either Year 5 or Year 7 entry.
The greater number of places will continue to be offered in Year 7.
The enrolment selection process will be undertaken in accordance with the College’s existing policy which prioritises applications in the following order:
- Siblings of current or past students
- Daughters of past students
- Catholic students who are practicing members of their parish
- Students who belong to other faith traditions
- The College’s ability to cater for the specific talents and needs of each student
Questions and Answers
Infrastructure
Will this increase traffic?
Approximately one-quarter to one-half of any given year’s total enrolment at St Rita’s College are siblings. Many of the Year 5 girls are siblings of students already enrolled at the College, minimising potential increase in vehicle access. Regardless of this, the College continues to consider methodologies to manage any potential change to traffic flow.
Was the new Trinity building really built to add Years 5 and 6?
The Nagle Centre is home to the Primary Years students. If their cocurricular activities require access to the Trinity Centre, they access Trinity as would any other Year level student.
Planning
How many girls will be taken into Year 5?
The number of students we can enrol in Year 5 each year will be less than that enrolled at the entry point of Year 7. Year 7 will remain as our greater enrolment intake level.
We look forward to continuing our relationship with the primary schools whose families traditionally choose St Rita’s for their daughter's Secondary education.
Why wouldn’t St Rita’s just join with St Agatha’s?
St Rita’s has explored many opportunities to ensure the best outcome in the delivery of education for girls. Discussions regarding options with St Agatha’s, a school which initially was under the governance of the Presentation Sisters, could not produce mutually desired outcomes.
St Rita’s has the facilities and resources on campus to ensure a smooth transition for Year 5 students into the Secondary school years.
Aren’t you going to take children away from primary schools?
Traditionally our Year 7 students have come from up to 55 Brisbane Primary schools. The number of students we can enrol in Year 5 each year will be less than that enrolled at the entry point of Year 7. Year 7 will remain as our greater enrolment intake level.
We look forward to continuing our relationship with the primary schools whose girls traditionally choose St Rita’s for their Secondary school years.
Will you ever invite boys to enrol at St Rita’s?
St Rita’s is committed to girls only education. In fact, research tells us that the benefits are significant in academic and cocurricular education, wellbeing and spiritual life.
A recent study released by the Alliance of Girls’ Schools Australasia, found that research consistently demonstrates the benefits of single-sex schooling for girls, including a learning environment free from gender stereotyping where girls outperform their co-educational counterparts on academic and social and emotional measures. Both NAPLAN and PISA data reveal just how positive the effects of single-sex schooling are for girls, with girls at single-sex schools up to 4.2 terms ahead of co-educational students in reading. The positive impacts also extend to leadership, self-confidence and life success.
Do you plan on expanding Years 5 and 6 to the numbers of the other Years? If so, does St Rita’s have enough room?
At the moment we are limiting Years 5 and 6 to three Classes each. There are no further plans for expansion at this stage.
Will St Rita’s go Preparatory to 12 (P-12)?
Our commitment is to quality education for the Years we have. At this stage there is no plan to expand further than Years 5 and 6.
How long have you been planning the expansion?
The College and the Board are continually looking at ways to deliver all areas of quality learning and education for our girls. Growing research over the years has shown that there are benefits in the continuity experienced when combining Years 5 and 6 with the traditional Secondary school years. This is giving choice to families.
About Enrolments
Can I apply to enrol my daughter for Year 5 next year?
Exclusivity for Year 5 2022 enrolment was given to families who had already been offered a position for their daughter for Year 7 2024. All Year 5 2022 positions are fully subscribed.
Families currently enrolling for Year 7 2025 have been given priority notice of enrolment for Year 5 2023. Applications for Year 5 2023 can be made through the College's normal Enrolment Application process. Applications closed on 8 February 2022.
General
Will Years 5 and 6 have different uniforms?
There has been modifications to the current College uniform to cater for the younger students.
Timetable
The timetable for Years 5, and subsequently Year 6, will mirror the Secondary timetable, commencing with Class morning briefing at 8:38am and the day finishing at 3:04pm.
Will there be after school care?
St Rita’s offers an after school Homework Club on Tuesday afternoons for students who may not be able to be collected at dismissal time. Homework Club is held in the College Library on Tuesday afternoons until 4:30pm.
Will my daughter belong to a House?
The Junior Years students will each be connected to one of the eight St Rita’s Houses. The practice to place siblings in the same House, where possible, continues. The girls will formally join the Vertical House system from Year 7.
Will my daughter go to Camp in Years 5 and 6?
Yes. Year 5 students will go to Camp organised through the College's Outdoor Education Program. Year 6 students will be offered the award winning Canberra Excursion operated under the National Capital Educational Project.
What Sports can my daughter participate in?
Our Junior Years students will be able to participate in Netball, Tennis, Water Polo and Swimming using the College's excellent facilities on campus. The girls will also have access to State Representative school sport.
Can my daughter learn a musical instrument?
Yes, and we encourage their inclusion in the College's excellent music program. Under our Instrumental Music Program each student may learn a musical instrument if they wish to. The girls are also be offered the opportunity to join one or more of the College's Ensembles and Choirs.