Principal Letter

Welcome to St Margaret’s, a vibrant and caring Catholic co-educational primary school nestled in the heart of East Geelong. With a rich and proud tradition dating back to 1949, we proudly serve approximately 230 students from Prep to Year 6 in a single stream structure. Our school is built upon a strong foundation of Catholic faith, celebrating the values of service, respect, and compassion, inspired by our patron, St Margaret of Scotland. We are dedicated to creating a nurturing and happy environment where every child is seen, supported, and encouraged to reach their full potential; academically, spiritually, socially, and physically.

At St Margaret’s, we are committed to providing a quality education within a supportive and secure setting. Our dedicated and enthusiastic staff strive for academic excellence, implementing comprehensive and sequential programs grounded in sound educational principles. We place great importance on developing students’ competencies in Literacy and Numeracy, utilising contemporary, research-based practices.

Our academic approach is anchored in explicit and systematic instruction. We use the highly effective Little Learners Love Literacy (LLLL) program for synthetic phonics in Prep to Year 2, ensuring students rapidly develop decoding skills. In upper year levels, we transition to Spelling Mastery for a deep and transferable understanding of spelling and vocabulary. We also place significant importance on developing fluency in reading and number skills across the whole school. Our Whole School Engagement Norms create a disciplined, respectful, and focused learning environment, ensuring all students are active participants in their education and that learning time is maximised for everyone.

We offer a balanced and varied curriculum, which includes specialist areas such as Physical Education, Visual Arts, Performing Arts and Italian (LOTE). Our modern learning environments, including renovated classrooms, designated learning breakout spaces, and an exceptionally maintained Library, support an inclusive, and collaborative approach to teaching. Students are encouraged to inquire, create, and connect their learning with the wider world.

Our Catholic identity is central to all we do. Through our Religious Education program, liturgical celebrations, and strong connection with the local Parish, we invite students to discover God’s presence in their daily lives and understand what it means to be a person created in God’s image. Student wellbeing is a core priority, fostering a climate of mutual respect and responsibility where all students develop a strong sense of belonging. We uphold the care, safety, and wellbeing of our students as a fundamental responsibility, ensuring every child feels safe, secure, and valued.

We firmly believe that education is a partnership—a joint responsibility between the school and home. Our active and vibrant parent community is highly valued, and we encourage involvement through the Parents and Friends Association (P&F), the School Advisory Council, and classroom assistance. This strong spirit of mutual support ensures that together, we can empower our young people with the knowledge, skills, and hope to live meaningful lives and enrich the world around them.

We acknowledge the Wadawurrung People as the Traditional Owners of the land, waterways, and skies upon which St Margaret’s is located, and we pay our deep respects to Elders past, present, and emerging.

We invite you to explore our website further or contact us to arrange a visit and experience the warm, welcoming spirit of St Margaret’s Primary School, East Geelong. We look forward to partnering with you in your child’s educational journey.