Leading Brisbane Catholic school to take in more students

One of Brisbane’s best private schools says a planned new building will allow it to take in an extra 100-plus students a year from 2024. SEE THE PLANS

Leading Brisbane inner-west Catholic boys’ school, Marist College Ashgrove, says it will be able to take in an extra 100-plus students from 2024 when a new primary years building opens.

Head of College, Michael Newman, said MCA presently had to turn away many boys because of the strong demand.

But the new building, part of a major staged expansion program, would not only provide cutting-edge facilities for existing students, it would allow a bigger intake in coming years.

Artist's impression of how the new primary building could look.

“The major reason for a new primary building is to provide our boys with the most up-to-date and cutting edge teaching and learning spaces to ensure the best possible academic outcomes at Marist,’’ Mr Newman said.

“The college each year unfortunately has to deny many families of the opportunity to come to Marist, as we only take 135 students in Year 5.

“With a new primary building, we will now be able to take an extra 65 Year 5 students in a state-of-the-art teaching and learning space.

“This is great outcome for the many families who have missed out on attending Marist in Year 5 in the past.’’

Artist's impression of the proposed new primary building.

Mr Newman said the change would mean the school’s major intake would become the Year 5 level.

But a limited number of other places would be made available — about 40 students — in Year 7, also from 2024.

“We expect these to be distributed between boarding students and day students,’’ he said.

MCA applied to the State Government last year to demolish a number of buildings and construct a range of new buildings in what would be the school’s biggest upgrade since 1940.

Marist College has to turn away many boys, but the new building will make it easier to enrol.

A masterplan, lodged with the Government under the Ministerial Infrastructure Designation process, which bypasses Council approvals, would include demolition of the existing primary school, tuckshop and other buildings.

The Carrick Wing (senior classrooms), music room, staff building, Champagnat Centre, dining complex and Bralexis Turton Science Centre would be refurbished.

There would also be a new library, primary school buildings, sporting pavilion and extensions to existing buildings in the staged, multi-year project on the school’s huge 26ha campus.

MCA is one of Queensland’s best private secondary schools and boasts alumni such as former prime minister Kevin Rudd and football players Corey Brown and John Eales.