Catholic schools enjoy huge jump

Selu Teaupa, Leon Dai, Liam Fitzgerald and Pascale Lattouf from St Michael's Primary School in Belfield. Picture: Justin Lloyd Source: The Daily Telegraph

ENROLMENTS in Sydney's Catholic schools are at record highs, fuelled by strong demand in booming south-western suburbs.

New data shows student numbers are at their highest in 25 years, with overall enrolments for the 2013 school year totalling 68,741, a 3.9 per cent increase on last year.

Schools in Sydney's growth areas such as Carnes Hill, Holsworthy and Panania have recorded the largest jump in enrolments.

Clancy Catholic College in West Hoxton led the way with a whopping 1713 per cent increase in seven years.

The number of students in Catholic schools across Australia has been a valuable bargaining chip during negotiations with the federal government for a new Gonski-style funding model.

Clancy Catholic College enrolments have soared since opening in 2006 with 55 students, and it had 997 students in years 7 to 12 this year, the Sydney Catholic Education Office said.

There were also strong gains at St Christopher's Catholic Primary School in Holsworthy and Panania, Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School in Carnes Hill and De La Salle Catholic College in Revesby Heights. Overall, there has been a 3.3 per cent increase in kindergarten enrolments at Sydney's Catholic schools this year, to 6200 students.

Executive director of Sydney's Catholic schools Dan White said student results were above the state average in national testing and year 7 students were part of the enrolment increase.

"Whilst we lose some students out of Catholic primary schools to selective high schools and private high-fee schools, we probably also gain about 25 per cent of our enrolment into year 7 from state education primary schools," Dr White said.

Across Australia, non-government school numbers continue to grow at a much higher rate than government schools.

In the past 10 years, the number of students at Catholic and independent schools has increased by 12 per cent and 31 per cent respectively, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. This compares with a 2.6 per cent increase in government schools, which continue to educate the majority of Australia's 3.5 million students.

There is also growing demand at Catholic schools in inner Sydney and eastern suburbs, particularly areas with new high-rise residential developments such as Pyrmont and Zetland - a trend also reflected in the government and independent sectors.

Over the past nine years, enrolments have jumped 99 per cent at Father John Therry Primary School in Balmain and there have also been strong increases at St Brigid's Primary School in Coogee, Our Lady of the Rosary in Kensington, St Andrew's in Malabar and St Francis of Assisi Regional Primary School in Paddington.Judy Gastin, the principal at St Michael's Primary School in Belfield, said enrolments at her school had jumped 40 per cent since she became principal in 2004.

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