St Margaret’s has been named Boarding School of the Year, for the third time, at the prestigious Australian Education Awards gala dinner in August.
Previously the school had won this category for two consecutive years, in 2019 and 2020, and been Excellence awardees (finalists) in 2022 and 2024.
A boarding school since its inception in 1895, over its 130-year history, St Margaret’s has pioneered a holistic education nurturing students’ social, emotional, and physical wellbeing alongside academic excellence. For generations of rural and regional Australians, St Margaret’s has been the boarding school of choice.
This long tradition of boarding excellence combined with contemporary innovative continues to provide an outstanding boarding experience sought by many.
St Margaret’s is the second largest all-girls’ boarding school in Queensland (around 190 boarders) and proudly the largest Yalari school in Australia. Since 2008, the boarding house has been led by highly experienced and award-winning boarding educator Ms Lesa Fowler.
Ms Fowler emphasised that the most important aspect of a St Margaret’s boarding education was the wellbeing of students.
‘The school focuses on creating a second-home environment where students feel safe, cared for, and supported by dedicated, highly experienced boarding staff,’ she said.
Ms Fowler is supported by a deputy head of boarding and wellbeing coordinator, who also play a key role in ensuring the emotional and social needs of boarders are met. Additional specialist boarding staff, including year level housemothers, ensure boarders receive round-the-clock attention, contributing to a stable, nurturing environment.
Ms Fowler said that boarding families too are always top of mind.
‘A multi-layered approach providing regular formal and informal communication with families ensures parents still feel very much a part of the daily life of their child.
‘There’s even the school dog, Luna, providing emotional comfort, offering boarders a sense of home.’
Ms Fowler said the warm sense of community is palpable when you enter the school and the boarding house.
‘For many, this instinct alone, makes St Margaret’s their boarding school of choice.’