Address: Church St (P.O.Box 230) Mayfield NSW 2304
Phone: (02) 4968 3315
Fax: (02) 4967 7653
Email: stcol@telpacific.com.au

Principal Mr Michael Doyle

Hello and welcome to the St.Columban’s Primary School Website. St Columban's is a systemic catholic school, with a population of 210 students. The school was founded by the Dominican sisters in 1917.

St. Columban's is a unique school community that boasts the largest multicultural population in the Maitland-Newcastle Diocese. St Columban's serves the inner city parishes of Newcastle and integrates learning impaired students from our partner school St Dominic's Centre for the Hearing-Impaired Children. Children with other special needs are also integrated into St Columban's. The site also accomodates San Clemente High School for junior secondary students with whom we participate in a variety of activities like extension programs in many key learning areas.

The learning environment at St. Columban's reflects sensitivity to individual needs, which is as varied as the nature of its student/parent clientele. Staff at the school have been proactive in generating educational and classroom contexts. A sense of achievement and positive self worth is promoted by the whole school community to give each child the ability to enhance his/her own desire to learn, and to become life long learners. Among the significant programs implemented at the school are:

SWELL an intensive literacy program addressing low-literacy levels in early years of schooling

Various remedial programs for support and development of primary students

ESL Program to assist children of non-English speaking backgrounds

A full-time pastoral support worker

Red Cross breakfast program Award winning PE/H/PD program –awarded to school by NRMA and ACHPER

‘Seasons’ program to support children experiencing grief or loss

Italian and Indonesian LOTE programs.

Aboriginal Programs supported by Aboriginal Teachers aide.

Links with Newcastle University – the school promotes the professional development of student teachers by offering class placements and support.

Visiting music teacher – teaching instrumental and percussion.

An innovative technology Project that has opened up the classroom to the wider world and generated a source of information across the cultural and distance barriers that can enrich and enhance the lives of life long learners.

The relationship with Father Bill Burston and the parish is very important in the life of the school and the education of the children. The school exists to support the parish and the family in the religious development of the child.

We are proud of the Dominican tradition surrounding St Columbans and the success the school has enjoyed over many years in every field of endevour.

OUR VISION

St. Columban's endeavors to provide a Catholic Christian environment in which children can grow socially and participate in the life of the Church.

We recognise that parents are the primary educators of their children and in this we hope to support and supplement their efforts.

We aim:

• To lead children to a deeper and more personal love of God, in imitation of Jesus Christ. We also aim to develop a heightened awareness of membership in the Catholic Church.

• To challenge children to develop their potential.

• To provide an atmosphere where children will be happy, well adjusted members of the school community; where children, parents and staff relate in a relaxed and caring way: where the basis of the parish is experienced and where we become aware of the wider community.

• To develop the talents and interests of children by leading them to recognise and appreciate the talents of others, and to utilize their talents through art, drama, music and by writing for others.

• To develop each child's level of ability and skill in physical activity.

SCHOOL PROFILE

St. Columban’s Mayfield is situated within the confines of the industrial area of Newcastle.

Within the community of Mayfield there is a significant migrant population of both first and second phase language abilities.

The school also has a high Aboriginal population.

Unemployment in the Mayfield community is high, thus the population is unstable. Families are mobile and influenced by their decision for employment.