Experience
St Brigid's College

On International Women’s Day this year, we celebrate the incredible women shaping our future—those who are not only excelling in their fields but also paving the way for the next generation of leaders. One such woman is Hayley Sherrington, a dedicated early years educator at St Brigid’s College. With a deep commitment to making a difference in the lives of young learners, Hayley embodies the values of empowerment, resilience, and community that are so important for young girls today.  A Lifelong Connection to St Brigid’s College Hayley’s journey at St Brigid’s College is both personal and professional. She was a student at St Brigid’s from Kindergarten through Year 7, before continuing her studies at Penhros College, upon her finishing her primary years at St Brigid’s College, Hayley was also the very honoured recipient of the Principal’s Award. From the very beginning, St Brigid’s became a place where Hayley developed a strong sense of belonging and connection to the community. Her love for the school and its values has come full circle, as she now teaches the next generation of students at the very same institution that shaped her. Her passion for education was sparked during her time at St Brigid’s, where she was deeply inspired by her Year 6 teacher, Tanya Kazakoff. Hayley credits Tanya for having the biggest impact on her, igniting her desire to become a teacher. It was this inspiration that led her to pursue a career in education, first as a teaching assistant and later as a qualified teacher and returning to St Brigid’s to teach.  A Vocation, Not Just a Job For Hayley, teaching is more than just a career—it’s a calling. She says, “The biggest draw for me is to make an impact on the younger generation. It’s not just a job to me; it’s a vocation and it’s more than a job.” This deep sense of purpose drives Hayley every day, as she works with young learners to nurture their growth and development. Through her Postgraduate studies in Early Years Education, Hayley has honed her skills and knowledge, particularly focusing on empowering young girls. She believes that empowering girls in the classroom begins with fostering confidence, curiosity, and a sense of belonging in the early years. By encouraging a growth mindset, Hayley helps her students embrace challenges and learn from their mistakes. “Praising effort, normalising mistakes, and promoting resilience” are key elements in her teaching philosophy. These practices help build a strong foundation of self-belief that young girls can carry with them throughout their lives. Nurturing Confidence and Independence In the classroom, Hayley places a strong emphasis on creating leadership and decision-making opportunities for her students. Whether through rotating classroom jobs or encouraging children to voice their ideas, she provides them with the tools to build confidence and independence. “By nurturing these qualities, girls feel capable, valued, and free to express themselves in all areas of learning,” Hayley explains.  Her approach is also rooted in the values of Mercy, which have shaped her as both a teacher and a person. The Mercy values emphasize compassion, justice, and service to others—values that are evident in the way Hayley builds relationships with her students. “The main thing for me is to build relationships with the kids and to have love, gentleness, and be super positive,” Hayley shares. It’s this warmth and positivity that help her students feel safe and supported in the classroom.  Giving Back to the Community Hayley’s connection to the St Brigid’s College community is deepened by her involvement in local activities. She has been an active member of the Lesmurdie Legends swimming club, furthering her sense of belonging and community spirit. For Hayley, being part of the St Brigid’s community isn’t just about her professional role; it’s about giving back to the place that gave her so much.  The Power of Diverse Role Models One of Hayley’s most powerful tools for empowering young girls is the use of diverse role models in the classroom. She believes that seeing strong women from different fields—through books, visuals, and real-life examples—helps broaden her students’ aspirations and gives them the confidence to pursue their dreams. This approach not only nurtures a sense of possibility but also promotes inclusivity and respect for all genders and backgrounds. In this way, Hayley is helping to create a classroom environment where young girls can thrive. By nurturing their confidence, encouraging their curiosity, and providing them with leadership opportunities, she is setting the stage for them to become the strong, empowered women of tomorrow.

This is the first of a series of getting to know our teachers and staff at St Brigid’s College. As a College, there have been some changes to the Academic teaching structure, as well as new faces who have joined the College over the last 12 months. Here’s us getting to know our Deputy Principal, Teaching & Learning (Year 7 to Year 12), Mrs Marsha Pengilly:   Share with us your experience and some of your achievements as an educator. My teaching career has been quite diverse in location, I began my teaching journey in the public system which grew to a range of Government High schools in the city and in the country, this included a two year stint at Harvey Senior High School where I was also employed as a House Mother at the Agricultural Campus. I then moved into Catholic schools where I started at Sacred Heart College and then with Emmanuel College before moving to Santa Maria College (SMC) where I taught for 20 years holding numerous roles in my time at there. Like SMC, St Brigid’s is a Mercy School and I thoroughly enjoy working within this environment. To be able to share the rich history and traditions of Catherine McCauley is a great point of difference. The values of Mercy Education connects to me both professional and personally and I believe provides an excellent foundation for our students. My years in girls education has developed my expertise in this valued and niche area of study and development. I have developed an extensive knowledge and skill set around ensuring our girls are able to learn and grow to become strong Mercy women of the future who will light the way for others. What have been the pivotal / milestone moments in your career as a teacher and now as Deputy Principal? A definite milestone was completing my Master of Education: Leadership and Management, at the end of 2023 which has enabled me to successfully work in the leadership roles I have held. I particularly enjoyed being the Dean of Students at SMC where I led the students in each of the year groups from Year 7 to 12. This provided a very broad understanding of the academic and pastoral needs of each of the year groups which is essential in my current role. Another very unique highlight was accompanying SMC students in Years 11 and 12 on an Art Tour of Milan, Florence and London in 2019. Seeing the students experience such amazing art and the impact this had on their learning to enrich their own work and also their understanding of the masters. This trip further inspired my passion in the Professional Development and Teaching and Learning areas. The growth in academic achievement is limitless when we provide high quality, real world learning opportunities and experiences to both our students and teachers. In my new role at SBC I hope to continue facilitating this for our community.  What are your favorite subjects to teach? One of my pet subjects is Accounting and Finance. In 2024, we introduced Accounting and Finance to our Year 11 and 12 ATAR subject selection, with a view to this being taught in future years. For students studying A&F, the course work is entirely new as students are generally not exposed to these concepts in lower school. The students I have taught love the challenge of this course and the opportunity to learn something completely new and different. They are also able to see the real-world application of A&F into their lives. I am always excited to hear of previous students who have embarked on careers in the business world and how their initial enjoyment of A&F has sparked their curiosity and progress in this field. I also really enjoy teaching maths and supporting students to gain more confidence in their abilities. I try to encourage my students to have a growth mindset to maths and challenge them to feel positive about their abilities in this subject area. How do you envision our students growing both pastorally and academically at SBC?  I am looking forward to seeing the growth of our students academically at SBC. It is a privilege to be a teacher of secondary students and to journey with them as they move through the senior years of their education. It is at this time that you really see the students grow and mature as they find their passion and work out where they intend to head post school. Supporting students as they shape their future goals and work toward achieving them is such a unique opportunity. What is the biggest point of difference in learning/teaching at SBC? Our environment provides unique opportunity for our students to learn about our impact on the environment. Being able to walk in our own school grounds and see almost perfect bushland and to be able to study our native flora and fauna on our doorstep provides some amazing real life lessons and great classroom experiences for our students. The amazing boarding community at SBC and what they provide to our college when they bring their diverse backgrounds and “home” experiences to our community. Means our students learn from and gain an understanding of the world, beyond the hills.