St Francis Catholic College, Edmondson Park, unveils $30M of new student-centred facilities

In just five years a southwest Sydney school’s student population has increased seven-fold, which has necessitated a multi-million dollar expansion. See the exclusive images.

An Edmondson Park school that grown from 178 students to 1250 in just five years has revealed the new facilities that were developed under a $30 million transformation.

The multi-phased project at St Francis Catholic College started in 2016 with pre-planning, with the school registration and temporary school establishment opening in mid-2017.

The state significant development application was submitted in August 2018 and approved in January 2019 before construction started later that year.

New music facilities at St Francis Catholic College.

The new facilities include 18 new general learning areas, purpose-built technologies, science, creative and performing arts facilities and a 1700-seat multipurpose hall.

The hall also doubles as an indoor all-weather playground space complete with two indoor sports courts for basketball, netball or volleyball.

College principal, Simon Abernethy, said the new facilities were critical to ensuring families in Edmondson Park and surrounds had the opportunity to choose the school that was right for them and their children.

New hall at Francis Catholic College.

“Our new facilities have transformed the way we teach and learn and created many more opportunities for the wider Edmondson Park community to come together,” he said.

“We are an incredibly diverse community, offering families of all backgrounds a welcoming and inclusive experience, inspired by the model of Jesus.”

St Francis was founded in 2017 with just 178 students from Kindergarten to Year 7 and has since grown to 1250 students from Kindergarten to Year 12.

St Francis Catholic College.

“We have experienced phenomenal growth since we opened our doors,” Mr Abernethy said.

“We continue to see high demand from Catholic families, as well as families from other faith backgrounds and those who hold no religious beliefs.

Peter Hill, Simon Abernathy, Rev Brian Mascord, Bishop of Wollongong and Father Bosco Son at the opening of the new facilities.

“Families choose St Francis because we share the same values they’re teaching at home, including courtesy, compassion, honesty and reliability, as well as the value of hard work.”

The project was funded by $11.4 million in state government grants, along with just over $22 million in contributions from Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong community.