St Marys Senior High School, St Marys School Reviews

St Marys Senior High School, St Marys

School Reviews

By Parent - 08 Apr 2023, Rate: excellent

I got A's and B's but a C in 5.3 math do you think I'll make it. I also have 2 trophies, public speaking awards, am in selective, and have a scholarship. Does this school accept everyone cause there's so many people in my school applying and I don't want them to go they'll bring my rank down.

By Student - 08 Apr 2023, Rate: excellent

Hello, I applied for this school I have all Cs and 1 B and D I wrote a alright personal profile and got my year advisor to write me a letter, do you think I’ll make it in

By Student - 26 Aug 2021, Rate: bad

this is a bad school, teachers dont like me and im telling my friend to not go to that school but she is...hope the best mwah

By Parent - 24 Sep 2020, Rate: excellent

The school's students enjoy and actually appreciate being in classes at this school - where students WANT to learn (without constant interruption from students who simply don't want to be there - and/or other trouble-makers! After attenind Years 11 and 12, my daughter gained a scholarship for University and was on the Dean's List at University this year; I wholeheartedly thank the excellent teachers here who gave such good education to help her achieve such distinction.

By Parent - 31 May 2020, Rate: excellent

How can I be prepared for an interview for SMSHS, and how much study do you have to do a day.

By Parent - 11 Dec 2019, Rate: bad

This is a terrible school !!! I took my child right out they don’t learn & they treat all kids differently. They don’t even know how to run a school properly they should just close down

By Student - 15 Nov 2019, Rate: excellent

Are we allowed fake nails at this school
I’m getting them down in the holiday and just wanted to check

By Student - 28 Sep 2019, Rate: excellent

This is the best school. Whoever is rating it bad is just salty that they didn’t get accepted and pretends that they go to the school but they only know about their school bcos of their smarter friends. The truth is I found myself at this school, I became better, and this school provided me so many opportunities. I have amazing friends and lovely teachers. You will 3000% regret it if you don’t send your kid to the school. You won’t know how it is unless you actually go there. I love this school.

By Alumnus - 10 Jul 2019, Rate: excellent

Despite all the bad things said about St. Mary's Senior High School l would attend and give it a try because is good.

By Alumnus - 04 Jul 2019, Rate: average

Soo guys..... I really wanted to get into this school but sadly ... I GOT REJECTED :( they gave me a late vancancies letter and I was wondering would they be any chance of me getting in and do thy actually pick students from the late vancancies letter PLEASE HELP ME

By Alumnus - 04 Jan 2019, Rate: excellent

If you are looking for a challenge and want to become more independent in your studies, St Marys is the place for you. Here, they allow students to find their own ambition to do their best as opposed to most schools who force effort from their students by hanging detentions and calls home over their students' heads. If you are hoping that by being enrolled in SMSHS will guarantee you a 90+ ATAR, you are wrong. Like every other school, hard work is required, however the trend over the past few years, shows that SMSHS' rank is promising, as it has sat in the top 12% of NSW schools, and in 2018, was ranked 157th. In summary, the stats show promising results for students hoping to achieve a high ATAR, but this is not done without hard work. However, the learning environment is productive and the staff make an effort to ensure all students are coping well, and that everyone understands that we all have a life after HSC.

By Alumnus - 12 Oct 2018, Rate: excellent

does anybody now what the highest atar was for this school

By Alumnus - 12 Oct 2018, Rate: excellent

IDK What to do I GOT ACCEPTED but like the thing is idk if i should go.
Should I go Should i not got
IK that the next 2 years of my life are gunna be hella important
im doing pretty well in my school right now thank god
but like would going to smshs be able to help me in achieving a 98+ atar so i could get into the course i want
someone help me

By Alumnus - 29 Sep 2018, Rate: excellent

I’m struggling to decide whether I should attend this school next year, can someone drop down some things about SMSHS, also do students achieve ATARS above 97 and if yes how many

By Student - 31 Mar 2018, Rate: excellent

I am currently a year 12 student at this school and to all the people giving this school a bad review then you don't know the real saint marys. This school is an amazing learning environment with a competitive nature amongst peers, not in a bad way but in a nurturing way that makes you WANT to do better. The teachers are amazing and even though it is an independent learning environment, when you ask for help the teachers do not stop helping you until you understand. All my teacher are beyond amazing and have enabled me to reach my maximum potential. If you don't ask the teacher for help how are they supposed to help you?! This is why other people are giving bad reviews because THEY DIDNT ASK FOR HELP, THEY DID NOT TAKE INITIATIVE IN THEIR LEARNING AND THAT IS THERE FAULT NOT THE TEACHERS. The people giving reviews are the ones not happy with the school but that is a small handful of students who are not enjoying it for their own reasons. I am currently in the top 10 ranks for all my subjects in a cohort of 400 students! Along with the academic nature of this school we also have stress relieving clubs and events on big days. We have our annual Valentine's Day rose ceremony, heritage day, talent shows and major celebrations which bring the school together. Our year 12 grade is one massive support system and you make life long friendships that I know will last forever. Anyways I 100% reccomned this school to people who have the initiative to study and ask for help when needed. It was honestly the best decision of my life and I hate the fact that it only lasts 2 years :(

By Student - 15 Mar 2018, Rate: excellent

I’m honestly so disheartened to see all the negative review regarding this school. For those who say there is too much freedom, yes we do receive some liberty within our school but it’s not to an extreme and this is an ‘adult learning environment’ for a reason. You need to remember that when you’re child grows up, they can’t always be supervised. This school teaches independence and maybe that just isn’t for all student I agree. The worst thing I probably heard is that the teachers do not support the students and can’t do anything. We have HSC MARKERS for our teachers, they are able to teach us and help us learn from previous mistakes made in past HSCs. This is ridiculous for the fact that I personally have a math teacher who is an absolute legend. He sacrifices his spare time to help me during my free periods without ever providing a single complaint. Why? BECAUSE HE CARES! For those of you who have nothing good to say about the school, did you even give it a chance? At the end of the day, everyone is different and if you really hated after you gave it a chance, moving to another school was still an option so then why did you complain about your life being ruined when you didnt even think of other ways it can be fixed. Thanks for actually reading the essay guys!

By Parent - 13 Mar 2018, Rate: excellent

The best thing that I have done to my child. My child loves this school becuse of the support from teachers and other students. its a great school

By Parent - 09 Jan 2018, Rate: excellent

The school is far better than local high schools; my child excelled at her local high school but did not really like many students who did not want to go to school at all!) My child loves this school and has not missed one day of school in the past year, due to better teachers and fellow students. I would recommend this school to anyone and everyone.

By Student - 08 Nov 2017, Rate: excellent

St Marys Senior High School prepares everyone for the HSC. It has a very independent adult learning environment. Students are expected to take initiatives of their studies and ask as many questions as possible. YES, you will be given lots of books and booklets, but you have to apply yourself to your studies and stay committed. I would agree that there are teachers who are not very helpful and would sit in class while students are doing work, but this is a great time to ask them for as many questions as possible. This is why it is very INDEPENDENT. Teachers are not going to spoon-feed the answers to you, you have to THINK and ASK. After this, you will find that they are APPROACHABLE and explains the topic as simple as possible for you to get it.

By Parent - 31 Oct 2017, Rate: bad

This school is not for everyone! The environment is great, however the assistance from teachers is VERY limited. Yes its true, teachers dont engage the students in learning, its just covering all the content. This is ineffective in my opinion, as subject content is so heavy and the HSC is based around memorisation. Also year 11 and 12 are the most crucial years for students to obtain the maximum help from teachers, which is not demonstrated at this school. However the school, usually has a really good cohort as majority of students care about their studies.

By Parent - 21 Aug 2017, Rate: bad

This school just has the name but the teachers don't teach at all and will only do timepass at school. The teachers leak the paper before exam to their favorite students who bride them.Most of the staffs are corrupt -Science and Maths. CORRUPT SCHOOL
I regret sending my son

By Alumnus - 19 Dec 2016, Rate: excellent

St Marys isn't a school for everyone. If you're not committed to self-studying and taking initiative for your own success then it's not a school for you. But if you're willing to make that effort then it is an excellent school that is centred around ensuring success in the HSC. The teachers provide you with the necessary materials but sometimes their teaching isn't geared towards engaging the students but merely covering the syllabus. Self-study and continuous individual work is necessary. That is essentially what St Marys' "adult-learning environment" is, grasp your own success because no one will be there to do it for you anymore. Tutorials and peer tutoring are available to students but you must seek it out yourself. St Marys offers an experience similar to university to prepare students and is truly an amazing school.

By Alumnus - 24 Sep 2016, Rate: good

As a recent graduate of the school, I have to disagree with some of the points made by the most recent comments. The school itself nurtures a very self-reliant, and 'adult' learning environment, so the students are expected to conduct study in their own time. The school itself is not renowned for its academic excellence (don’t get me wrong, it has academic strength in its own right; look at the titration team), but rather for its ability to prepare young people for the future, and shaping them as a whole, and not just academically. The school offers a lot of extra-curricular clubs which foster this kind of growth, and are very helpful with information regarding university applications and scholarships. However there is a downside that I must agree with, and that is the teaching ability of the staff. I can’t speak for the entire teaching faculty since my subjects were limited to a specific range, but some of the science teachers… weren’t the best. The science faculty as a whole offers a lot of help with weekly tutorials in each subject such as Chemistry and Biology, and the teachers themselves are not afraid to help individuals as long as they ask, but the method that they teach the course in class is not very effective. Most science teachers read from a powerpoint, which isn’t very engaging, and some don’t even bother to teach the class at all (from what I’ve heard). The HSIE faculty as well (in particular, the histories) do a poor job of teaching the students. The point I’m trying to make from all this is that you need to have the motivation and drive if you are to academically succeed at this school. A lot of new students have no idea what to do with their new-found freedom upon arriving at the school and waste their ‘study’ periods doing jackshit at the shops, or even skipping class. Students are responsible for their own learning, and if they don’t like it, then why did they apply in the first place? The school in itself is very welcoming, but do not expect to be spoon-fed because it is an ‘adult’ learning environment.

By Student - 31 Aug 2016, Rate: bad

There is definitely too much talking about how great this school is but in reality its just like any other school (and worse in some aspects). Most teachers aren't approachable and the students are mostly just smart because they study at home but don't give two hoots about school work that actually is meant to be done at school!

By Student - 27 Apr 2016, Rate: bad

I agree with 28 January 2016 student
I hate my life because I go to this school. I wish I had known that this school is garbage. I wake up everyday and regret my life for even applying for this school. Please to all the family's out there who won't to send there child to this school. Don't do it, your destroying your child's future by putting him in the hands of teachers who couldn't care less for the child and want there job to be relaxing.

By Student - 03 Apr 2016, Rate: bad

This school is terrible. The teachers arent bothered to teach. Whenever a student is having hard time with a topic and doesnt do good in an exam the teachers will tell them that there bad and they should drop. Without even attempting to help out the kid. I have a friend who is trying his hardest in attempting math and whenever he asks the teacher for help, they say sorry i cant help you. WHY ARR YOU A TEACHER IF YOU DONT WANT TO TEACH. No one should send there child to this school its terrible.

By Student - 29 Jan 2016, Rate: bad

I remember when I was growing up everyone was talking about how great St Mary senior was so I aimed to get accepted in that school. After being accepted and began attending I realised what a great mistake I had made by going to that school. I've attended 4 different schools in my schooling life time and out of the 4 there hasent been one school as rubbish and crap like this one. The teachers don't care about the students when you ask one of them with help about something they begin giving you attitude. They don't aim to help the students with there there education nor do they help the kids in making the right career choice. The teachers themselves are inappropriate. I know how much you will hear that this school is good by other people and how you should try getting accepted. I was told that to and went with it until I began seeing how garbage this school is. Guys from a student who attended this school do not send your child to this school DONT.

By Parent - 12 Nov 2015, Rate: poor

You always hear good from this school, but in reality it's not a good school. the teachers don't care about there students grades nor do they try and help them improve. There the kind of people who just work for money and not actually care about there students.

By Parent - 18 Feb 2015, Rate: bad

It's a shit school

By Student - 19 Aug 2014, Rate: excellent

Best pure public school in the whole western Sydney. Not only in HSC,but also in many ways of learning!

By Parent - 17 Aug 2014, Rate: excellent

Very gooooood school

By Student - 05 Aug 2014, Rate: excellent

This is an awesome school. There's a lot of opportunities, it's a great place to socialise because there are so many clubs available. It's also definately much easier to make friends at St Marys because there's just so many people. I love the leniency that the school provides. The school also provides a great mash of half high school half uni, the teachers are still caring but it's up to you how much time you spend. Majority of the teachers have been previously HSC markers and provide good tips, especially in tutorials for exam preparations.

By Parent - 18 Dec 2013, Rate: excellent

Also disagree with Student August 2013. Best school. My child excelled at this school, which has a more mature adult approach to learning. Not for everyone, as those needing a more regimented, controlled learning environment are not suited to this style of learning and will have a major adjustment ahead when they go to uni/tafe, where it is all up to the individual.

By Parent - 13 Nov 2013, Rate: excellent

Unfortunately I disagree with the comment August 2013. The students you are speaking about made the decision themselves. The reason you rejected the position is because you probably don't have a mind of your own and would have abused the adult learning environment offered at St Marys. The school is not for everyone and that is also mentioned at open day what type of a school St Marys is and how different it is. The students that attend St Marys Senior are there because they want to be there not because they have to be there. If you are not focused and have your own mind then no St Marys is not the school for you. Unless you have experienced the school your comments show be kept to yourself.

By Student - 18 Oct 2013, Rate: excellent

im a student at St Marys Senior High, and i seriously dont agree with the other student review :( St Marys is a fantastic school. I have recieved high marks and so much support from all of my teachers. I am interested in doing medicine when and if I get to university, therefore I need a high HSC and i, along with my parents, believe that I can get there with the resources offered at this school :) in reply to the other student review, not all the kids at ST Marys are like that, only a few, but we are very mature and dedicated to our studies, and the environment there is perfect and adult like. In support of the parent, yes I recommend anyone in year 10 to apply, give it a try :) if you are studious, St Marys is the school for you

By Parent - 18 Oct 2013, Rate: excellent

This school is a great school for year 11 and 12 students. My daughter attends St Marys and it was the best decision I have ever made as a parent. I would recommend that any parent who has the opportunity to send their daughter or son there, does, because you will never regret giving your child the best opportunities as a senior student who is about to do the HSC!

By Student - 01 Aug 2013, Rate: poor

The fact that there is too much 'freedom' that the student's take advantage over, does really lack the school's academic level. There's tooooooooooo much FREEDOM! My friends are always coming to my current school and so i ask if they've got a free/study period, and they tell me that they are truanting either economics or extension maths or some other highly rated subject. The reason why i rejected my acceptance letter last year was because i knew this was going to happen, and i thank the lord for making that decision otherwise 'friends have a great impact on the decisions you make at St Marys Senior High School!