New Catholic schools to open in Victoria’s booming growth corridors

Several new Catholic schools are set to open over the next three years in Victoria’s booming growth corridors as the demand for religious education also increases.

Seven new Catholic schools will open by 2026. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Seven new Catholic schools are set to open over the next three years in Victoria’s booming growth corridors.

The Herald Sun can reveal St Teresa of Kolkata Catholic Primary School, Tarneit North and Marymede Catholic College, Doreen Campus will open next year.

In 2025, pupils will begin learning at Carlo Acutis Primary School, Wollert West, while Kolbe Catholic College, Mickleham Campus and three other schools in Mount Atkinson, Mount Duneed and Thornhill Park, will open in 2026.

St Teresa of Kolkata Catholic Primary School principal Robyn Kelly said she was “extremely excited” to be the school’s foundation principal.

“There’s houses going up everywhere in the area, So the needs for schools are going to be absolutely paramount for coming years,” Ms Kelly said.

“I’ve already made strong connections with people in the wider community by reaching out to the kindergartens, childcare centres, and the land offices.

“I’m really passionate about being a welcoming place where families from different and diverse backgrounds are included.

“I’ve got amazing teachers coming across to the school and I’m really excited about building a community.”

Principal Robyn Kelly (right) with parents Kushagra and Malini Bendale and daughter Anika will be foundation members of the new school community. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Malini Bendale, whose daughter Anika, 5, will begin prep at St Teresa’s next year, said Melbourne’s west could become a leading education hub by 2050.

“I think a lot of parents move to the eastern suburbs, because they already have well-established schools there and in the next 10 years we hope to have the same for children,” Ms Bendale said.

“Anika is very excited to start school next year. She can’t wait to wear her uniform and carry her own lunch box, there’s a real sense of pride for her to do that.”

It comes as the latest school census figures revealed the demand for Catholic education in the Archdiocese of Melbourne continued to grow.

Enrolments across 296 Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) primary and secondary schools increased by 1329 students (1.2 per cent) this year to 114,407, up from 113,078 in 2022, representing about 20 per cent of all students.

MACS executive director Dr Edward Simons said it was pleasing that more families were seeking the distinctive ethos and values of Catholic schools for their children.

“This enrolment growth is a credit to the hard work of our principals, teachers and staff in delivering a high-quality, faith-based and affordable education option for families in communities across the Archdiocese,” he said.

Dr Simons said one of the key challenges was delivering school infrastructure quickly enough to meet increasing demand.

“Our modelling shows that demand for Catholic education is growing particularly strongly in Melbourne’s northern and western corridors, where MACS has opened 12 schools since 2018, now educating over 4750 students.

“While we greatly appreciate the support of state and federal governments to deliver this community infrastructure, we would welcome increased capital funding to further assist us to keep pace with demand.”