Sacred Heart Girls' College

The crown symbolises a reward for excellence. It is mentioned several times in the Christian Scriptures as a reward for those who have persevered in doing right. (1 Peter 5:4; 2 Tim 4: 6–8; Revelations 2: 10)

The palm or laurel branches symbolise victory. In ancient times the winner of a race was given a laurel wreath in recognition of their victory; at Jesus’ triumphant entry to Jerusalem, the crowds waved palm branches as a sign of his coming victory over death. We are reminded that our lives can be seen as a struggle to win the prize of victory given to us when we uphold our Christian faith. The leaves of our crest are symbolic of reward and victory. St. Paul reminds us that we should not make material rewards our only goal but strive towards eternal and spiritual rewards.

The shield signifies protection. The training and ideals imparted to us during our College life will act as armour and be a source of strength in our future lives. (Eph 6:10–23; Ps, 5: 13.) The letters V and K stand for Virtue and Knowledge which reminds us that learning is important but even more important is our living out of our Christian ideals. The letters S and H stand for the Sacred Heart, symbolising the great love that Jesus has for us all, and that we should strive to spread that love to others.

In ancient times, any important document was written on a scroll. Hence our motto and the name of our College are written on scrolls to emphasise their importance. The College motto is "Semper Superne Nitens" which means 'Always Striving Upwards'. Every student is encouraged to strive towards higher standards – in spiritual development and a closer familiarity with God, in personal behaviour and character development, and in pursuit of higher academic standards.

The Bede House colour is red. Bede House was named in honour of Mother Mary St. Bede. She was a pioneer member of the congregation in England and a great educator who gave constant encouragement to the Sisters during their difficult years when establishing a school in Western Australia.

The Paul House colour is gold. Paul House was named in honour of Paul the Apostle. He was fired with great missionary spirit and used sporting examples as a picture of the Christian life. In 1 Corinthians 9:24–26, he challenges us not just to race, but to race to win, saying, "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air."

The Trinity House colour is blue. Trinity House is named in honour to the Trinity; the existence of God as three divine persons: the Father, Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit. Although they operate according to their own unique properties, at the same time, they commonly operate grace and creation; a symbol for harmony and teamwork.

The Xavier House colour is emerald green. Xavier House was named in honour of Francis Xavier by Sister Mary Clement who was a sports mistress. The missionary Francis Xavier had three virtues: a great desire to bring souls to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, an heroic obedience, and a great spirit of sacrifice. He is the patron of missionaries in foreign lands, and of Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Mongolia, New Zealand and Pakistan.