Somerville House aims to produce well-adjusted young women who have fully developed their academic potential, value good health and physical pursuits and show tolerance, compassion and social awareness in their relationships with others, young women who have a living faith and a sense of spiritual awareness and Christian service and who are ably equipped to be effective citizens of the nation. Care of, and concern for, the individual child is a priority.
Facilities: As an inner-city school of longstanding, Somerville House has a blend of facilities — heritage-listed and new — which include air-conditioned classrooms, networked computer laboratories, a state-of-the-art music centre, a gymnasium and an Olympic pool. In 2010, the School opened its brand new Junior School (Preparatory to Year 6) and a purpose-built Boarding House featuring open living and leisure spaces and ensuites for boarders.
Curriculum: Somerville House has a preparatory to Year 12 curriculum, which focuses on excellence in scholarship, the arts and sport. Three sub-schools — junior, middle and senior — provide curriculum and pastoral guidance to girls in their care. Core learning outcomes are used across nine Key Learning Areas in the junior and middle schools to specify the knowledge and skills that girls are expected to acquire.
Junior and middle schools: The core curriculum for girls from preparatory level to Year 9 includes English, Mathematics, Science, Studies of Society and Environment, Religious Education, Technology, Health and Physical Education, and the Arts. Girls are exposed to Languages other than English from Year 5 and can elect to pursue Japanese, Chinese, French or German in the middle school.
Senior school: Year 10 is a transition year, drawing on extension outcomes as well as the objectives and criteria of senior subjects. During Year 10, many of the Key Learning Areas become specific subjects. This also serves to better inform girls of curriculum choices for later years. Subjects in Years 11 and 12, which contribute to a student’s overall position, include English, Mathematics A, B and C, Physics, Chemistry, Biological Science, Modern History, Ancient History, Geography, Economics, Legal Studies, Accounting, Business Communication and Technologies, Art, Drama, Music, Music Extension, Physical Education, and Information Processing and Technology. Subjects with a more vocational emphasis include English Communication, Hospitality and Social and Community Studies.
All senior girls participate in Christian Education, Health and Physical Education and Life Skills.