Marist College North Shore, St Mary’s North Sydney and Our Lady of the Way Parish will form part of a P-12, Co-educational precinct. From 2021, Marist College North Shore and St Mary’s Catholic Primary will combine to form a K-12 school, Marist Catholic College North Shore. The existing leadership structure will remain, with the K-6 campus to be known as St Mary’s, and the 7-12 campus as La Valla. Marist Catholic College North Shore is accepting Year 7 girls from 2021 (enrolling now).
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Parish of Our Lady of the Way
St Mary’s North Sydney • St Francis Xavier, Lavender Bay • Our Lady Star of the Sea, Kirribilli
About the Precinct
About the College
The educational and pastoral precinct is defined by the geography of the North Sydney site. This includes the parish, church, pre-school, primary school, secondary school and any other services, such as OOSH.
The educational network embraces the broader collaboration of three nearby schools (St Michael’s Catholic Primary School, Lane Cove, Blessed Sacrament Catholic Primary School, Clifton Gardens and Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, Mosman) working closely with the school at North Sydney to ensure the effective transition of students to Marist Catholic College at Year 7.
Transition and Construction
Capital works will provide contemporary learning and recreational spaces. Building will be phased over time to minimise the impact of construction on academic and wellbeing outcomes for students. In the initial phase, existing facilities at LaValla (7-12 secondary school) will be refurbished to support the introduction of co-education at Marist Catholic College North Shore. The initial phase will includes classroom refurbishment, new toilet facilities for boys and girls and a large open air covered outdoor recreation space dedicated for Year 7 2021.
Facilities and Design
Sydney Catholic Schools is now moving to a master planning phase where specific facilities will be designed. It is too early to preempt the designs, however it will be driven by an educational brief, which will draw on expertise across the system of schools. A committee has been scanning national and internal research to inform the brief.
Any new facilities will be light, flexible and tailored to support the learning needs of our young people, similar to those of the newly completed St Mary’s Catholic Primary School.
Precinct Leadership
Meet our Principals and Parish Priest
Beverly Coffey
Principal, St Mary’s Catholic Primary School
“This precinct is unique in the Archdiocese of Sydney and an opportunity for an innovative education with traditional Catholic values.”
Fr Andrew Bullen SJ
Parish Priest, Our Lady of the Way Parish
“Our parish looks forward to being part of this next chapter in our rich Catholic heritage.”
Tony Duncan
Principal, Marist College North Shore
“This will be an educational community with a dual moral purpose, our religious foundation and our great focus on teaching and learning.”
Barbara Watkins
Chief Executive: North Sydney Catholic Education Network
“I am very excited to join Sydney Catholic Schools in the brand new position CEO of the North Sydney Network. Together with energetic and professional staff we will continue to work to provide education in the Network that is innovative, flexible, holistic and faith filled.”
Uniform
Marist Catholic College will introduce a new uniform Kindergarten to Year 12 incorporating design that will accommodate all students’ infants, primary, junior secondary, senior secondary, girls, boys, summer, winter and sport. A number of options and combinations will be available across the range. The uniform supplier, Noone Imagewear has worked with their designer Jonathan Ward, the school and community in a design and consultation process over the past 12 months.
The new uniform will be introduced to Kindergarten, Year 7 and Year 11 in 2021 with a transition plan in place that will see all students in the new uniform by the beginning of 2023.
Master Plan
North Sydney Catholic Education Precinct will unite Parish and community around innovative education and Catholic values.
Source: WMK Architecture
Miller Street Looking North
The reinvigorated education precinct will support students from early learning to year 12, to new and exciting pathways beyond school. The precinct will bring together Our Lady of the Way Parish with St Mary’s Church at the centre and join together St Mary’s Catholic Primary School and Marist College North Shore as one K-12 co-educational school – Marist Catholic College North Shore, from 2021.
The precinct will continue to grow a learning community that is focused on excellent outcomes for students, as they transition through the stages of their education.
The precinct will include new piazza spaces accessible to our neighbours and connections with local businesses, both onsite and close by, supporting both students and the local economy.
The project will be delivered over 10 years in a series of stages ensuring minimal impact for Parish, students and neighbours throughout construction.
Source: WMK Architecture
Piazza looking West
Sydney Catholic Schools will lodge a State Significant Development Application with the NSW Government for:
- Demolition of existing buildings along Miller Street and Carlow Street, including the childcare centre and terrace houses.
- Adaptive reuse of the existing Presbytery.
- Construction of a six-storey educational building on the corner of Miller Street and Carlow Street.
- Construction of a six-storey building along Miller Street, accommodating teaching facilities, an early learning centre, auditorium and space for potential third-party education provider. Construction of a new basement car park for approximately 51 vehicles.
- High quality landscaping, and a shared Piazza.
‘One school – unlimited possibilities’
The future of education is dynamic, flexible and student-centred.
As North Sydney grows to be an essential hub for education and businesses on the lower North Shore, Marist Catholic College, with its new facilities and 21st century flexible learning spaces will be a new and sought-after school that has not existed in the past.
- Marist Catholic College North Shore will increase its student capacity incrementally from 1,200 students today, up to 2,000 students by 2030, including a 90-place early learning centre.
- Construction of a six storey, state of the art building on the corner of Miller and Carlow Street, will support the flexible learning of the new K-12 school.
- Construction of a six-storey building along Miller Street will complete the school, accommodating contemporary learning facilities, an early learning centre, auditorium, and space for a potential third-party education provider.
- The Presbytery building will undergo a full restoration and a landscaped piazza will invite Parishioners to connect in lovely gardens outside St Mary’s Church. The piazza area will provide green space and complement surrounding parklands.
- Construction of a new basement car park for approximately 50 vehicles. Two designated under-ground drop off zones for the school community.
Co-education in the heart of North Sydney
From 2021, Marist Catholic College North Shore will provide a unique, Catholic co-educational opportunity in the heart of North Sydney.
Access, traffic and parking
A significant consideration is managing traffic and parking. A traffic and parking assessment is being undertaken as part of the project. Included in that analysis will be existing and future transport needs as well as an assessment of staff and visitor car parking.
A Green Travel Plan will encourage sustainable and active transport modes to be used by Parish, school community and visitors.
Managing school drop off zones to minimise impacts for neighbours will be considered as part of the project. It is anticipated there will be two drop off zones; one for St Mary’s Campus (primary) and one for the La Valla campus (secondary). Both drop off zones will be utilised at busier times to minimise possible congestion. Both drop off zones will be underground.
Sydney Catholic Schools
Sydney Catholic Schools is the system of 150 Catholic primary and secondary schools operating across the Archdiocese of Sydney. The new K-12 school will be operated by Sydney Catholic Schools.
ABOUT THE PRECINCT
The Vision
The North Sydney Education Precinct will foster inspired teaching and cooperative learning. New and dynamic learning spaces to encourage collaboration, flexibility and curiosity will be built over the coming years to meet the needs of the students that will attend the new school.
The precinct will offer connections beyond the school boundaries, with opportunities for supporting facilities incorporated to enhance the lives of those in need within the local and wider community.
Beginning in 2021 the precinct will be delivered in a series of stages over approximately 10 years. These new and necessary buildings will be planned to minimise impacts on the Parish, school community and its neighbours.
Our Lady of the Way Parish
The Parish has a long history of supporting communities locally and across Greater Sydney. Connections throughout the Parish are facilitated through regular celebrations of the Eucharist, through the development of a strong and vibrant youth group as well as running food drives for the local and extended communities and by providing many other support services.
Contact Us
More information on the proposal
Sydney Catholic Schools is committed to keeping school and Parish communities, as well as near neighbours and the broader community informed about Marist Catholic College North Shore project plans and providing easy and available ways to provide feedback.
Sydney Catholic Schools has commissioned Urbis Engagement to collect your feedback about project plans. You can contact the team on engagement@urbis.com.au or call 1800 244 863.
Information Webinars
The health and safety of the community is important at this time. Webinars will be hosted rather than face to face information events to ensure the community can find out more about the proposal and ask questions.
Community updates
Questions and Answers
1. What models and structures for the schools have been considered and why has this decision been made?
Sydney Catholic Schools has approved St Mary’s Catholic Primary School and Marist College North Shore, becoming an educational precinct offering co-education for Year 7, from 2021. The primary will be called St Mary’s and the secondary will be called La Valla. Staff have begun to work collaboratively in the areas such as Catholic Identity, Learning and Well-being.
The model provides for the enrolment of girls into Marist Catholic College at Year 7, as well as support for the effective transition of all students between Year 6 and Year 7. The integration of co-education through the secondary school also reflects the modern workplace for which we are preparing our young people.
2. What is an educational and pastoral precinct and network?
The educational and pastoral precinct is defined by the geography of the North Sydney site. This includes the parish, church, pre-school, primary school, secondary school and any other services, such as OOSH.
The educational network embraces the broader collaboration of three nearby schools (St Michael’s Catholic Primary School, Lane Cove, Blessed Sacrament Catholic Primary School, Clifton Gardens and Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, Mosman) working closely with the schools of the North Sydney educational precinct to ensure the effective transition of students to Marist Catholic College at Year 7.
3. What model of co-education might exist and how would transition through a middle school be managed?
Co-education into Marist Catholic College will commence with Year 7 in 2021 and will gradually build to become fully co-educational in 2026. Care will be taken to ensure a balance of male and female in each cohort of students.
A dedicated senior leader has been appointed in 2019 to focus on the transition process for boys and girls as they journey from Year 6 to Year 7 and beyond and to establish a curriculum, that will be inclusive of female students.
The wellbeing of students will be paramount.
Curriculum offerings and class structures will reflect the current international best practice and meet the NSW Educational Standards (NESA) requirements.
4. What are the anticipated enrolment numbers, process and pre-school size?
Marist Catholic College North Shore will increase its student capacity incrementally from 1,200 students today, up to 2,000 students by 2030, including a 90-place early learning centre.
5. How will transition arrangements be managed with relation to construction?
Capital works will provide contemporary learning and recreational spaces. Building will be phased over time to minimise the impact of construction on academic and wellbeing outcomes for students. In the initial phases, existing facilities will be refurbished to support the introduction of co-education at Marist Catholic College North Shore.
6. Will there be a lack of space especially during construction?
The expansion of both schools will not only maintain the existing space, but will provide more functional facilities for all students.
Sydney Catholic Schools and the School Leadership Team have continued to develop relationships with North Sydney Council who recognise the need for young people to enjoy green open areas. The schools will continue to access the large open parklands on our doorstep for regular classes and sporting options.
Parking and traffic management will continue to be a prime consideration when it comes to the safety of our young people. A significant consideration during the master planning process will be the needs of parents/carers for drop-off and pick-up and access to the excellent public transport options available.
7. How is the development being funded?
The capital works program will be paid for over a number of years through Government, system and local contributions.
Families at St Mary’s Catholic Primary School and Marist College North Shore will not see school fee increases as a direct result of these building works. Sydney Catholic Schools looks to provide the highest quality Catholic education at an affordable price
8. What facilities and design features will there be?
Sydney Catholic Schools is now moving to a master planning phase where specific facilities will be designed. It is too early to preempt the designs, however it will be driven by an educational brief, which will draw on expertise across the system of schools. A committee has been scanning national and internal research to inform the brief.
Any new facilities will be light, flexible and tailored to support the learning needs of our young people, similar to those of the newly completed St Mary’s Catholic Primary School.
