The Medowie primary school will connect both the existing St Nicholas Early Education Centre and Catherine McAuley Catholic College which, from next year, will cater for students Years 7 to 12, providing families with a continuum of education from the early years through to the HSC.
This new primary school will enrol its first students in 2026 and commence with Kinder through to Year 2. It is another example of the Diocese responding to the community and having a clear focus on providing Catholic education where it’s needed. I know there is great excitement in the community, with many already asking, “when will the primary school be built?”
The project will be funded by loans from the Catholic Community Fund and by parents through their contribution to the school building levy. The levy ensures that all schools, including new developments, can leverage limited resources to ensure existing schools are of a high quality. It also ensures that new schools are available to growing communities, and that contributions are fairly distributed across the system. The many significant projects that the Diocese has undertaken in recent years require careful planning and of course prudent fiscal management, so that Catholic education remains an affordable option for parents.
Similarly, our community has been telling us that they want education resources where their children most benefit - the classroom and at their schools. This means having the best teachers working with children to grow, learn and deepen their faith. Families value the work of teachers in the classroom, and I am pleased we have acknowledged that with recent significant remuneration increases. However, that has not been matched by increased government funding and we have tried to limit the burden on families as they juggle mortgages, power price increases and other cost of living pressures.
Catholic education is not free. Certainly, families who are struggling do receive support, but families contribute their tax dollars as well as fees to their children’s schooling so that they can exercise their choice in how their children are educated. Particularly, to ensure they enjoy their faith traditions. So, we must ensure that each child receives the education that meets their needs.
The Diocesan Catholic education has always been known for the way it supports children with additional and diverse needs, and this is something that will continue, both at St Dominic's Catholic College in Mayfield and across all our schools.
I was fortunate to have recently addressed the Catholic Schools NSW High Potential Gifted Education network and I also had the pleasure of addressing the principals of Diocesan schools. My focus for both of those days was to highlight the outstanding work Catholic schools do to support the needs of academically gifted students and to reinforce how important it is to ensure these students also receive the educational opportunities they deserve.
Diocesan schools provide many opportunities for these children – activities such as the Virtual Academy or external events like participation in the da Vinci Challenge, as well as support from their classroom teachers and other specialists in Catholic schools. Far from being elitist, these programs ensure students remain engaged and reach their full potential in Catholic education.
As a system we will continue to strengthen what we do in this area to make sure that Catholic education is the first choice for families who want their children to achieve academically, but still receive the wellbeing support and spiritual nourishment that develops the whole person.
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