St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School Archives

Music Journeys: How St Margaret’s Old Girls Are Inspiring the Next Generation

At St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School, music has long been more than an extracurricular. For many students, the school’s rich and diverse program has provided the spark for lifelong careers in the performing arts. Three Old Girls – Meleia Richardson (’21), opera singer Nina Korbe (’15), and violinist Annabelle Traves (’14) – show just how far that spark can reach.

Read: St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School in Australian Education Awards Finals (Again!)

For Meleia Richardson, music shaped every corner of her school life. From choirs and rock bands to lead roles in school musicals, she embraced every opportunity to perform. In her senior year she played Miss Honey in Matilda, a role that felt symbolic of the encouragement she had once received from older girls and was now passing on to younger students.

“I spent most of my spare time in the Sister Helen Orchestra Room and absolutely loved it,” she recalled. “I feel very lucky to have been part of a school that offered such a rich, diverse, and high-quality music program.”

Meleia Richardson (Photo credit: St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School)

After graduating, Meleia studied Contemporary Voice at the Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University, where she developed as a solo artist and songwriter, experimenting with recording and production as well as performance. In 2025, she returned to Classics in the Cathedral, a St Margaret’s tradition she always loved, before stepping into professional performance.

Now represented by an agent, she is working towards contracts as a vocalist on cruise ships and has also begun exploring the growing field of music therapy after her experiences in disability support.

While Meleia’s career is taking flight, two other St Margaret’s alumnae are already established names in the performing arts.

Old Girls — Photo credit: St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School/Facebook

Nina Korbe (née Wildman ’15) has become one of Brisbane’s rising opera stars. Recently listed among Style Magazine’s 30 Under 30, she is fresh from playing the lead role of Maria in Opera Australia’s West Side Story. Next year she will take to the stage at QPAC’s Glasshouse Theatre as Molly Johnson in The Drover’s Wife, marking another milestone in her fast-growing career.

Annabelle Traves (’14) has taken her violin to some of the world’s most celebrated concert stages. She has toured globally with André Rieu and his Johann Strauss Orchestra, performed alongside Bruce Springsteen, and earlier this year released her debut single. Also featured in Style’s 30 Under 30, Annabelle continues to balance large-scale international tours with her own creative projects.

Read: St Margaret’s Principal Named One of Queensland’s Most Influential Educators

Together, these three Old Girls represent the breadth of opportunity that begins at St Margaret’s: from opera and orchestral touring to contemporary performance and music therapy. Each has followed a different path, yet all share the same foundation – a school community that nurtured their talents, challenged them to grow, and inspired them to dream boldly.

Their stories now inspire the next generation of St Margaret’s students who, like them, are discovering their passions and imagining their futures in music and beyond.

Published 22-September-2025

St Margaret’s Ascot Educator Named Among Australia’s Most Influential 2025

Photo Credit: St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School/Facebook

Kerry Daud, head of digital innovation and design at St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School in Ascot, has been named among Australia’s Most Influential Educators for 2025.

National Recognition for St Margaret’s Leader

The Educator magazine listed Daud among 50 professionals whose work has significantly influenced the Australian education sector in 2025. Supported by the Australian Boarding Schools Association, the recognition highlights those achieving measurable outcomes and sector-wide impact.

Role at St Margaret’s

Daud serves as Head of Faculty for digital innovation and design at St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School, where she leads technology integration, eLearning development, and digital literacy initiatives. She has also held leadership positions in curriculum design and literacy coaching in other Queensland schools.

Digital Hub for Students, Staff and Parents

At St Margaret’s, Daud established M@ggie’s Digital Hub, a platform for students, staff and parents featuring interactive lesson planning tools, AI prompt-writing support, video tutorials, wellbeing resources, and eSafety guidance. Within two days of launching, the hub’s AI section recorded more than 970 visits.

Photo Credit: St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School/Facebook

Addressing Gender Gaps in Gaming

In 2022, Daud founded the Girls in Gaming program to provide an inclusive, girls-led esports environment. The initiative links gaming to skills in project management, music, game design, and art. Competitions are held on campus with supervised play, vetted games, healthy food, and movement breaks. Since launch, participation has grown by more than 1,500 per cent, with tournaments in 2024 involving over 190 students from 15 schools.

Sector-wide Collaboration

Beyond her work at St Margaret’s, Daud is co-founder and vice president of the Queensland Schools Network for Emerging Technologies (QLDSNET), supporting over 30 schools in technology adoption. In 2024, she helped organise the Education in AI Conference for Independent Schools Queensland and QLDSNET, focusing on AI ethics, assessment integrity, and policy in education.

Ongoing Contributions and Recognition

Daud is recognised as an Adobe Creative Educator Leader and is a research fellow with the International Coalition of Girls’ Schools Global Action Research Collaborative for 2025–2026.

Published 12-Aug-2025

St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School Honoured Across Multiple Categories at 2025 Australian Education Awards

St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School has received national recognition across several major categories at the 2025 Australian Education Awards, with four Excellence Awards for its staff and programs, affirming the school’s strong leadership and commitment to excellence in day and boarding education.

Read: St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School in Australian Education Awards Finals (Again!)

Among the individual honours, Ros Curtis AM, Principal of St Margaret’s, has been named one of eight Excellence Awardees in the School Principal of the Year – Non-government category.

Photo credit: St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School/Facebook

In 2024, Ms Curtis was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the King’s Birthday Honours List for her significant service to education and professional associations. Under her leadership, St Margaret’s has continued to thrive academically while fostering a strong, values-based culture for both students and staff.

Meanwhile, Angela Drysdale, Head of Primary, has been named one of eight Excellence Awardees in the Primary School Principal of the Year – Non-government category.

Known for her compassionate leadership, Ms Drysdale earned admiration during the COVID-19 pandemic when she organised a personal walkathon—passing students’ homes on her daily commute to raise funds for vaccine research. Her efforts became a symbol of the school’s community spirit and dedication to student wellbeing, even during the most challenging times.

In addition to these individual acknowledgements, St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School is among the Excellence Awardee in two school-wide categories:

Boarding School of the Year, alongside six other leading schools, and
Primary School of the Year – Non-government, with seven other recognised institutions.

These acknowledgements highlight the school’s holistic approach to education, with a strong focus on academic performance, student care, and leadership in both primary and boarding education.

Now in its eighth year, the Australian Education Awards celebrate outstanding achievements across 29 categories. The final winners will be announced at a black-tie gala at the Star Event Centre in Sydney on Friday, 8 August.

Read: St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School in Ascot Unveils Ambitious Expansion Plans

With four Excellence Awards spanning key leadership and institutional categories, St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School continues to set the standard for high-quality education in Australia.

Published 14-May-2025

St Margaret’s Anglican Girls’ School Excels in 2024 NAPLAN Rankings

St Margaret’s Anglican Girls’ School in Ascot has once again distinguished itself in Queensland’s academic landscape, achieving notable rankings in the 2024 NAPLAN results.

Read: St Margaret’s Principal Named One of Queensland’s Most Influential Educators

As the only girls’ school to place in the top 10 for primary education, St Margaret’s secured 8th position in Queensland rankings with a Year 5 average score of 558.8. The school also performed strongly at the secondary level at the 2024 NAPLAN, ranking 14th with a Year 9 average of 624.8.

Photo credit: St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School/Google Maps

St Margaret’s Anglican Girls’ School is an independent day and boarding school for girls from Pre-Prep to Year 12, with boys also welcomed in Pre-Prep. The primary school encompasses Prep to Year 6, providing a foundational education grounded in literacy and numeracy.

2024 NAPLAN — Photo credit: St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School/Google Maps

Known for its commitment to academic excellence, the school attributes its success to a combination of specialized teaching, supportive programs, and a focus on holistic education. According to its website, “St Margaret’s students are supported to develop strong foundational literacy and numeracy skills, critical building blocks for their future learning.”

As the school prepares to celebrate 130 years of educating young women in 2025, it remains dedicated to its mission of delivering a well-rounded education that balances academic achievement with the development of leadership skills, compassion, and individual passions.

Achievements Beyond NAPLAN

While the school’s performance in the 2024 NAPLAN is commendable, St Margaret’s also emphasizes broader educational and extracurricular achievements.

Middle School Ethics Olympiad: Year 9 students excelled in the 2024 Middle School Ethics Olympiad, where they debated ethical issues such as AI in education and responsibilities of bystanders. The school’s Black Team secured a gold medal and will represent the school in the International Ethics Olympiad in 2025, while the Green Team placed 4th with an honourable mention.

Acknowledgement Assembly: Primary students were celebrated at the recent Acknowledgement Assembly, where achievements across academic, cultural, sporting, philanthropic, and leadership domains were recognized.

Commitment to Holistic Education

Photo credit: St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School/Google Maps

St Margaret’s approach to education goes beyond standardized testing. With dedicated roles such as a Literacy Coordinator and Mathematics Specialist, the school ensures that students receive expert guidance in foundational areas.

This specialized instruction has contributed to the school’s consistent performance across all NAPLAN domains—Writing, Reading, Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation, and Numeracy—where its results are significantly above state averages.

“NAPLAN results are used both individually and collectively. Individually, they provide important insights to a child’s progress, strengths and areas requiring further development. Collectively, the results ensure we are meeting our commitment to developing strong foundational skills and are used to further inform curriculum programs and delivery throughout the school,” the school stated in its website.

The school acknowledges the role of its community in these achievements. “We commend the efforts and dedication of our students and the staff and parents who support them,” it shared in a statement.

Read: St Margaret’s in Ascot Declared Boarding School of the Year

Looking Ahead

As St Margaret’s approaches its 130th anniversary, it continues to uphold its reputation as a leading educational institution in Brisbane. With a blend of academic rigor, specialized support, and opportunities for students to thrive in diverse areas, the school remains committed to its vision of preparing students for future challenges while nurturing their passions and talents.

Published 9-December-2024

St Margaret’s Principal Named One of Queensland’s Most Influential Educators

Roslyn Curtis, principal at St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School in Ascot has been recognised as one of Queensland’s most influential teachers at the annual Queensland College of Teachers (QCT) TEACHX Awards. Among the 31 educators honoured this year, Ms Curtis stands out as the sole recipient from Ascot.

Read: St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School in Ascot Unveils Ambitious Expansion Plans

A Career Dedicated to Education

Ms Roslyn “Ros” Curtis AM’s journey in education spans decades and multiple prestigious institutions. Beginning her career as a History and Drama teacher, she has held various roles from classroom educator to senior leader across six schools.

Her path has taken her through Shailer Park State High, Moreton Bay College, Brisbane Girls Grammar School, St Hilda’s School, St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School, and finally to St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School, where she was appointed Principal in 2011.

Transformative Leadership at St Margaret’s

In her nearly 14-year tenure as Principal of St Margaret’s, Ms Curtis has orchestrated a remarkable transformation. Under her guidance, the school has seen a staggering 78 percent increase in enrolments.

This impressive growth is attributed to her strategic focus on refining teaching methods, attracting top-tier staff, and fostering a strong sense of community cohesion. These efforts have not only bolstered the school’s reputation but also enabled significant investments in facilities and fundraising initiatives.

Ms Curtis’s impact extends far beyond enrollment numbers. Her leadership has garnered multiple accolades for both herself and the institution. St Margaret’s has earned four Five Star Employer of Choice Awards, highlighting its commitment to staff development and satisfaction. The school’s dedication to reconciliation was also recognised with the Queensland Reconciliation Award, celebrating its positive impact on First Nations students.

Personally, Ms Curtis has been honoured with a Most Influential Educator award, and in 2024, she was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for her significant services to education and professional associations. This latest recognition at the TEACHX Awards further cements her status as a pivotal figure in Queensland’s educational landscape.

The TEACHX Awards: Celebrating Educational Excellence

The QCT TEACHX Awards, now in their 16th year, have recognised over 120 teachers for their exceptional contributions to education.

This year’s ceremony, to be held in Brisbane on Thursday 24 October on the eve of World Teachers’ Day in Queensland, will officially recognise the 31 educators whose accomplishments range from improving at-risk students’ attendance rates to implementing innovative digital lessons that pair robotics with dance moves.

Emeritus Professor Wendy Patton, QCT Board Chair, praised the award recipients, stating, “This year’s recipients continue a proud tradition of exemplifying the extraordinary work teachers do to improve their students’ education and inspire their colleagues.

“Their enthusiasm, innovation, and unwavering commitment to education have set a remarkable standard for excellence within our community.”

Read: St Margaret’s in Ascot Declared Boarding School of the Year

As Ms Curtis joins the ranks of Queensland’s most influential educators, her story serves as an inspiration to teachers across the state and a reminder of the profound impact dedicated educators can have on their students, schools, and communities.

Published 7-October-2024

St Margaret’s Anglican Students Have Fewer School Days in 2024 Than Public School Students

Did you know that largely because of the school’s longer instructional hours in a day, students at St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School in Ascot will be spending up to five and a half weeks less days in school than their Queensland public school counterparts this school year?

Read: New School Openings Prompt Catchment Changes Across Brisbane

The Christmas holiday for students at St Margaret’s will commence on 21 November 2024, giving them almost three weeks of extra vacation before public schools start break on December 13. Total school hours for the year, however, remain comparably similar to public school hours because of the longer days.

From Monday to Thursday, school hours at St Margaret’s run from 8:20 a.m. to 3:20 p.m. and Friday hours are 8:20 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. — that means students study for a total of 34 hours and 40 minutes in a standard week.

Students at St Margaret’s will spend 171 days in school this year. Students at other private schools such as Marist College Ashgrove or St Peters Lutheran in Indooroopilly will likewise spend less than 180 days in school, as independent schools traditionally align their schedules around the needs of their students, school communities, and activities calendar for the year.

A spokesperson from Independent Schools Queensland stated that historically, the shorter terms at some private schools were to accommodate boarding students travelling from afar. Whilst this is still the case for many institutions, the spokesman added that there are other factors like overall campus time and school activities that determine term length.

In contrast, Queensland public school students will spend 199 days in school this year.

The significantly shortened academic calendar at St Margaret’s and some other elite private schools is perceived to be creating an imbalance between public and private institutions and causing logistical challenges for some families.

There are parents who struggle to coordinate work leave, childcare help from relatives, and vacation plans with friends to accommodate the extra time off.

At the same time, numerous rural families purposefully send their children to prestigious Brisbane boarding schools so they can return home for holidays several weeks earlier than if they attended their local public schools.

Read: Student from St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School in Ascot Takes Top Prize at 2023 IEU-QNT Literary Competition

Although private schools maintain their abbreviated terms to serve the needs of their student population, the significant discrepancy continues to elicit mixed reactions from families.

Moving forward, communication and coordination between private and public sectors will be key to finding solutions that bridge divides and create more uniformity in scheduling where possible.

Published 10-January-2024

Student from St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School in Ascot Takes Top Prize at 2023 IEU-QNT Literary Competition

Photo Credit: IEUQNT

Ellouise Tkaczyk from St Margaret’s Anglican Girls’ School in Ascot stood out as a shining star at the 2023 IEU-QNT Literary Competition, winning the Year 9 and Year 10 category with her short story, “Blood and Ribbon.”

Now in its 64th year, the IEU-QNT Literary Competition is the longest-running writing competition in Queensland.

Organised in partnership with the English Teachers’ Association of Queensland (ETAQ), the competition seeks to inspire and recognise the talents of students and staff from state and non-government schools, promoting the growth of literary development and creative expression in young minds.

St Margaret Anglican School Ellouise Tkaczyk — Photo Credit: IEU-QNT

Terry Burke, the IEU-QNT Branch Secretary, highlighted the value of the Literary Competition in fostering young writers’ creativity and honing their writing skills.

He expressed his delight at the diversity and exceptional quality of this year’s submissions from all across the state, affirming that the judges were greatly impressed by the exceptional talent on display.

“I congratulate those outstanding writers who were awarded prizes and thank all the recipients who entered the 2023 Literary Competition,” Mr Burke said, emphasizing the importance of nurturing a love for literature and creative expression among the youth.

List of Literary Competition winners for 2023

Open

• Short story: David Coleman-Mann, Chancellor State College, Sippy Downs, Sunshine Cost

Year 11 and 12

• Short story: Milli Gornik, St Thomas More College, Sunnybank

• Poem: Salem Williams, Kelvin Grove State College, Kelvin Grove

• Non-fiction prose: Felicity Williams, All Saints Anglican School, Merrimac

Year 9 and 10

• Short story: Ellouise Tkaczyk, St Margaret’s Anglican Girls’ School, Ascot

• Poem: Huntar Paterson, St Thomas More College, Sunnybank

Year 7 and 8

• Short story: Estella Dobbins, St Patrick’s College Townsville, The Strand, North Ward

• Poem: Dominic Palmani, St Thomas More College, Sunnybank

Year 5 and 6

• Short story: Isaac Furlong, Kelvin Grove State College, Kelvin Grove

• Poem: Lawson Plumbe, Toowoomba East State School, East Toowoomba

Published 25-Aug-2023

St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School #5 in Top 10 Most Expensive QLD Schools

Did you know that St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School ranks #5 in the list of the Top 10 most expensive schools in Queensland?

Here’s a rundown of the State’s priciest schools.

School	Fees	Extra	Total
Brisbane Grammar School	$28,230	$1,220	$29,450
Brisbane Boys College	$24,724	$2,444	$27,168
Brisbane Girls Grammar School	$26,555	$0	$26,555
Anglican Church Grammar School	$23,944	$1,990	$25,934
St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School	$24,560	$0	$24,560
The Southport School	$24,438	$0	$24,438
Somerville House	$23,940	$0	$23,940
St Aidan’s Anglican Girls School	$22,120	$1,735	$23,855
Clayfield College	$19,165	$2,665	$21,830
St Peter’s Lutheran College	$20,360	$516	$20,876

A 2021 National School Fees Report from Edstart showed that 40 percent of private schools across the country did not increase fees for the incoming school term whilst Queensland’s average school fees increase for 2021 was down to 1.19 percent compared to 1.87 percent for 2020

Despite the annual trend of increasing fees, around 7 percent of Queensland schools also had a minimal increase for 2021 as a relief to families.

Such was the case of St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School. In a statement to enrollees, the administrative officers said that families will receive discounted rates for 2021’s first semester for full payments made before the start of Term 1.

“The effect of this discount is that all families will be issued tuition fees based on 2020 levels for the first half of 2021,” the statement read.

“This does not apply to boarding fees or any other charges. The School has an all-inclusive fee policy. The fee covers the cost of all compulsory activities including tuition, QGSSSA sport, technology, year level camps, class excursions and a range of facilities used in the course of a normal school day.”

However, Edstart CEO Jack Stevens said that non-government schools wouldn’t be able to sustain flat fees or lowered fees in the long run due to mounting expenses like administration compliance, increased staff and facilities upkeep. Mr Stevens said that these factors will more than likely drive school fees up in 2022.

Edstart, launched in 2016, is a payment provider helping families and students manage the cost of education.

St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School in Australian Education Awards Finals (Again!)

St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School is once again proving its mettle, appearing as one of the finalists in three different categories of the prestigious Australian Education Awards 2020.

The elite Ascot school has made it to the finals for Best STEM Program and has made a repeat appearance in the roster of finalists for Boarding School of the Year, which it won in 2019.

Photo Credit: Facebook/St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School

Its popular principal, Ros Curtis, is also a finalist for Principal of the Year (non-government category) for the second consecutive year.

St Margaret’s has annually flexed its academic muscles as it proves itself to be one of Queenslands top schools. From 2017 to 2019, the school has placed within the Top 15 schools in the state across all four NAPLAN categories (Years 3, 5, 7, and 9). Its students topped the Year 3 category of the 2019 NAPLAN in Queensland, no mean feat indeed.

The school has also been given Innovative School awards for 2018 and 2019, for its leading academic advising program and for a program called St Margaret’s Plus, created to recognise and develop students’ skills beyond just the normal academic assessment track.

“To be a finalist in three categories truly speaks to the good work being done by all members of staff, as well as the contribution the girls and their families make to the overall fabric of the school,” Principal Curtis said.

The winners will be announced on the 6th of November at a gala awards ceremony in Sydney.

St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School, Ascot: Top 2019 NAPLAN Qld Primary School

The Preliminary Results of NAPLAN 2019 has been released and St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School came out as the top Primary School in Queensland.

As in the past, St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School performed very well in the 2019 NAPLAN testing. The Ascot-based day and boarding school for girls topped the best performing Qld primary schools list, followed by Rainworth State School in Bardon and Ashgrove State School in Ashgrove.

All students in Australian schools who are in Years 3, 5, 7, and 9 participate in the NAPLAN testing in May of each year. The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) assesses the students’ skills in reading, writing, spelling, grammar and punctuation, and numeracy.

Naplan is an important tool for the schools the parents to assess the child’s progress and identify opportunities for improvement in areas of literacy and numeracy.

NAPLAN 2019 Outcomes for St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School

Year 3
	READ	WRITE	SPELL	GP	NMCY
Average Score	510	494	491	554	479
% of students at or above NMS	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%

Year 5
	READ	WRITE	SPELL	GP	NMCY
Average Score	572	530	547	610	537
% of students at or above NMS	100%	100%	99%	100%	100%

Year 7
	READ	WRITE	SPELL	GP	NMCY
Average Score	590	562	584	608	597
% of students at or above NMS	98%	98%	98%	97%	100%

Year 9
	READ	WRITE	SPELL	GP	NMCY
Average Score	633	593	628	641	645
% of students at or above NMS	100%	98%	100%	99%	100%

Source: NAPLAN 2019 data from Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority

Underscoring the 2019 Preliminary NAPLAN Writing Results

ACARA noted that NAPLAN results in writing for 2019 have revealed a “pleasing improvement” from last year, especially that there was a noticeable decline in recent years across all year levels.

“Schools have been making focused efforts for some time to address concerns about their students’ writing. Students are to be congratulated for this year’s improvement, especially Year 3 students, where the results are particularly encouraging,” ACARA CEO David de Carvalho said.

*Photo credit: State of Queensland (Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority) / qcaa.qld.edu.au*

Despite the improvement in writing results, comparison of performance in writing by state and territory reveals that Queensland Year 9 students are the second least performing, just a step above the Northern Territory students, with only 77.6 percent of the cohorts meeting or above the national minimum standard. The Qld average is 5.3 percentage points lower than the national average of 82.9 percent.

Moreover, the percentage of Qld students at or above the NMS in Years 3, 5, and 7 also fell below the national average, with the gap increasing with each year.

NAPLAN 2019 achievement of Qld and Australia Year 3,5, and 7 students in writing:

Qld Year 3 – 96.3%, Aust – 96.9% – difference 0.6
Qld Year 5 – 91.2%, Aust – 93.1% – difference 1.9
Qld Year 7 – 86.8%, Aust – 89.8% – difference 3.0
Qld Year 9 – 77.6%, Aust – 82.9% – difference 5.3

Still, Education Minister Grace Grace lauded the preliminary results, stating that Queensland students continue to perform well in many key areas.

“This year’s results continue to confirm Queensland as one of the most improved states since testing began in 2008,” Ms Grace said.

“It is great to see our students improving in 17 of 20 NAPLAN test areas against National Minimum Standard, Mean Scale Score and Upper two Bands.”

“After more than 10 years, it’s time for a comprehensive national review of NAPLAN to ensure it remains current and responsive to changes in education,” she said.

“Queensland is still proud to be the star performer when it comes to NAPLAN.”