We believe that a great education encompasses more than grades, results and what happens in the classroom. We encourage all of our students to take advantage of all opportunities that are presented to them, especially in our co-curricular programmes.
Whether it’s sports, music, drama, debating, chess, robotics or art… we want our students from across all year levels to get involved in as much as they can when they are at Mercedes.
We also take students off-Campus to Sports and Training Centres to share further insights about the sport they are involved in. We take part in national and international sporting carnivals to give students experiences on a bigger stage beyond their Stage. These activities add so much to ‘off court’ life skills, such independence, traveling in a group, being a gracious winner, working with different team, and are viewed as an essential part over the overall sporting experience for our students.
The sport programmes on offer at Mercedes College follows a natural evolution as our students grow from Junior through to Senior competition. How we run these sports, caters to their age and stage of personal and physical development. It’s important that students’ interactions and involvement with all sports at Mercedes, are positive, character building and rewarding. We focus on this in our Junior, Middle and Senior sport programmes, to ensure that sport complements student learning and forms a key part of a rich College life.
Sport is categorised as either Primary (typically mixed gender), from Reception to Year 6, and Secondary (girls’, boys’ and mixed), Year 7 to Year 12, with summer and winter seasons.
Statewide carnivals and knockout competitions offer invaluable opportunities for students to demonstrate their skills and experience in different competitive settings, beyond the school environment.
Students can also compete in prestigious State Championship events in sports such as Athletics, Cross Country, Netball and Swimming, provided they demonstrate consistent, high-level involvement.
A number of opportunities arise during the year for students to travel interstate and participate in tournaments against teams from around Australia and beyond. Representative teams are selected for both Open and Middle School divisions.
Our Sports Team also expands our programmes by integrating skill acquisition opportunities from special guests, including players from the Adelaide Thunderbirds Netball team and Adelaide 36ers Basketball programme.
We understand the value of creative expression, the importance of social interactions, and the benefits of physical performance.
There are a wide range of opportunities for students in the Performing Arts realm, with opportunities for students from Year 2 to Year 12, as well as private music tuition and instrumental hire.
Celebration of our Performing Arts students is ongoing through the year, with multiple showcases and cabaret-style evenings that demonstrate learning across all performance disciplines.
Music education enhances cognitive abilities, including memory, attention and problem-solving skills, and learning to play an instrument or read music improves brain functions related to language development and mathematical reasoning.
Students can explore music at Mercedes College through Choirs, Ensembles, Bands, and developmental Clubs.
Specialist teachers train musicians in Percussion, Guitar, Strings, Jazz, Rock, and Voice for soloists and groups, with students invited to increase their performance experience by participating in assemblies, Eucharistic celebrations, and other special occasions.
Our Jazz Combo, Stage Band and Vivace Choir have the opportunity to participate in the annual Generations of Jazz Festival in Mount Gambier, alongside more than 5,000 other students from around the country.
Mercedes College also participates in the annual Catholic Schools Music Festival, a week-long showcase involving approximately 2,000 upper Primary and Secondary Catholic school students.
Our Festival Choir forms part of a 374-voice combined school choir, and other performers can audition to be included as a support act.
In addition to learning music through our co-curricular programmes, students are able to take advantage of on-Campus private tutoring in a range of instruments, including voice.
For students just starting their exploration of music, or are unsure of what they would enjoy playing, the College can help arrange instrumental hire a semester at a time.
This is especially beneficial for students wishing to try something new without needing to commit to the full cost of a new instrument.
Private tuition is available in the following areas of expertise:
Register your expression of interest here
In addition to the Drama studies in our regular curriculum, students are given the opportunity to explore further dramatic techniques, stagecraft, and character development through our Drama Companies.
Middle School students have a focus on experimentation and adaptability, using weekly sessions to practice improvisation and theatre sports, whilst Senior School students work to extend their skills in various styles, including live performance experiences.
Students undertaking Drama are included in regular showcases and cabaret performances, with an additional opportunity to feature in a Musical Theatre or Dramatic Production each year.
Participation in the cast is determined through an audition process, with roles also available for students to learn the intricacies of being a member of the crew, undertaking lighting, stage design, prop management and costuming.
The interest in dance at Mercedes College continues to grow, with opportunities for exploration of rhythm and coordination in the Junior School, through to Senior curriculum in the IB Middle Years Programme and South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE).
Co-curricular dance is available across three age divisions, with our Junior and Middle School Dance Clubs focused on fundamentals, terminology, and combination sequences, with a basis in foundations of jazz, hip-hop, and lyrical styles.
Our Senior Dance Troupe offers specialised direction based in both jazz and ballet techniques, with participants working towards a number of live performance experiences.
In addition to our sporting and performing arts activities, we also look to engage students in other pursuits that challenge their minds.
We have a series of Clubs and Societies that offer students the chance to try something new or to follow one of their passions. These include Chess, Debating, Robotics, Mock Trials as well as a dedicated STEM series of clubs that allow students to expand their thinking in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics arenas.
We enter State and National competitions as well as take part in local inter-school activities – to allow our students to use these new skills in real life situations.
Across all three sub-Schools, students are invited to engage in creative pursuits that challenge new thinking and imaginative innovations that allow them to try a range of projects without the commitment to investing in extensive tools and resources.
Clubs with foundations in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics fields (STEM) are available for students right down to Reception, offering opportunities to uncover new passions and hobbies.
Our academic-based clubs offer students an opportunity to learn important skills and challenge their mental agility.
Our rich history in both debating and Mock Trials, builds and enhances public speaking skills, whilst our Chess Clubs welcome students of all levels of experience to learn the strategies behind this ancient strategic game.
