Why choose us?
Marist Catholic College Penshurst is a vibrant, dual campus Years 7–12 coeducational school. We are a community where dynamic teaching and personalised learning encourages every student to achieve their personal best.
We cultivate an environment that fosters student wellbeing through the Catholic faith, developing courage and resilience. As educators in the Marist tradition, we challenge and encourage our students to be persistent, lifelong learners.
Our school motto, ‘Agnoscere et Diligere’ – To Know And To Love, is at the heart of everything we do. Our students are nurtured with opportunities, inspired to work hard and empowered with the knowledge to realise their aspirations.
Principal’s Message
History
The College was established, at the urging of Father Joseph Breen, the Parish Priest of St Declan’s, as Marist Brothers Penshurst in 1953 when Kogarah Marist could no longer accommodate the boys from the Penshurst area. Three Marist Brothers, Brother Leopold Smith, the first Director, Brother Basil and Brother Sixtus formed the first community and opened a Fourth Class to Sixth Class Primary School with 160 boys in three classes. The school was re-named Penshurst Marist High in the early 1980s, then as Marist College Penshurst in 1997 before becoming Marist Catholic College Penshurst in 2015.
The first secondary class started in 1954 and in 1956 the school presented its first candidates for the Intermediate Certificate. With the introduction of the Wyndham Scheme the school presented its first candidates for the School Certificate in 1965. Primary classes concluded at the end of 1993 and the College remained a Year 7-10 boys school until the end of 2014. The enrolment of the College during this time varied with a maximum enrolment of approximately 500 students.
The Brothers’ community was withdrawn from the school at the end of 1980, though the school continued to be run by a Marist Brother until 2005. In 2006 Mr. Tony Duncan was appointed as the first lay Principal and marked the end of 53 years of Marist leadership at the College. However, the Marist spirit and legacy continued to be nurtured and valued.
The year 2015 was significant for Marist College Penshurst as it became a Year 7–12 co-educational school, with girls commencing in Year 7 and the first Year 11 classes began. It changed its name to Marist Catholic College Penshurst, with a new crest and school uniform being introduced. To accommodate these changes an extensive building program was undertaken. In 2020, the College became a dual campus school using the existing Mortdale site and a new site in South Hurstville. It also had its first coeducational group graduate from the College. In 2021, the College had an enrolment of 1100 students.
History
The College was established, at the urging of Father Joseph Breen, the Parish Priest of St Declan’s, as Marist Brothers Penshurst in 1953 when Kogarah Marist could no longer accommodate the boys from the Penshurst area. Three Marist Brothers, Brother Leopold Smith, the first Director, Brother Basil and Brother Sixtus formed the first community and opened a Fourth Class to Sixth Class Primary School with 160 boys in three classes. The school was re-named Penshurst Marist High in the early 1980s, then as Marist College Penshurst in 1997 before becoming Marist Catholic College Penshurst in 2015.
The first secondary class started in 1954 and in 1956 the school presented its first candidates for the Intermediate Certificate. With the introduction of the Wyndham Scheme the school presented its first candidates for the School Certificate in 1965. Primary classes concluded at the end of 1993 and the College remained a Year 7-10 boys school until the end of 2014. The enrolment of the College during this time varied with a maximum enrolment of approximately 500 students.
The Brothers’ community was withdrawn from the school at the end of 1980, though the school continued to be run by a Marist Brother until 2005. In 2006 Mr. Tony Duncan was appointed as the first lay Principal and marked the end of 53 years of Marist leadership at the College. However, the Marist spirit and legacy continued to be nurtured and valued.
The year 2015 was significant for Marist College Penshurst as it became a Year 7–12 co-educational school, with girls commencing in Year 7 and the first Year 11 classes began. It changed its name to Marist Catholic College Penshurst, with a new crest and school uniform being introduced. To accommodate these changes an extensive building program was undertaken. In 2020, the College became a dual campus school using the existing Mortdale site and a new site in South Hurstville. It also had its first coeducational group graduate from the College. In 2021, the College had an enrolment of 1100 students.
Mission
Our College holds the Gospel of Jesus Christ at its heart. As a Catholic community, we seek to live out our response to the Gospel with the same faith, hope and love as Mary, the Mother of God. Our Marian approach is to nurture, to teach, to gather, to reconcile and to stand with our students. Our approach to education is embodied in the College motto: Agnoscere et Diligere – To Know And To Love. Our mission calls us to seek the truth, know deeply and love intimately: God, oneself and other people.
The Archbishop’s Charter
The Archbishop’s Charter for Catholic schools outlines the mission and purpose of Catholic schools in its introduction…
“CATHOLIC SCHOOLS have a unique role in the evangelising and educating mission of the Church.”
The Charter has eleven tenants that Catholic schools are called to enliven. The first of these is to:
[1] Archbishop’s Charter for Catholic Schools“Give witness to their distinctive educational, spiritual, moral and social purposes within the evangelising mission of the Church, founded on faith in Jesus Christ, and express this in a Mission Statement that identifies their traditions and charisms.”
Our College brings the Gospel alive in our community by sharing in the values of the Catholic Church.
The parish, families, students and staff work hard to help those less fortunate. In addition, our school recognises its role within the culture of the local community and has strong ties with local groups and organisations.
Our interaction with the parish includes:
- Parish Programs
- Weekly Mass
- Regular Reconciliation
Visit our parish websites at St Declan’s Penshurst and St Raphael’s South Hurstville.
I am pleased to present our Strategic Plan: The Next Level – Towards 2027. This comprehensive plan has been carefully developed, taking into account the unique context of our school, and serves as a roadmap for our community. It is grounded in a strong history of faith and values, responsive and relevant to the present reality and to the future.
Our strategic priorities continue St Marcellin Champagnat’s dream of transforming the lives and situations of young people through offering them a holistic education, both human and spiritual, based on an encounter with Jesus Christ and lived out in our relationships with each other. At the core of our strategic priorities is our unwavering belief in the right of each child to pursue personal excellence.
We recognise our responsibility to create the optimal conditions that enable every student to achieve their full potential.
Through our strategic plan, we want to ensure that our commitment to quality teaching, student learning, and fostering an exceptional environment for growth and opportunities is well-known and understood by all stakeholders. This document serves as a guide for the future of our school, and we are immensely proud of the possibilities it presents.
With this strategic plan as our compass, we look forward to the journey ahead and the positive impact it will have as we take the entire school community to the next level. Together, we will work towards creating an aspirational environment where each individual can flourish and realise their dreams.
