Catholic School Parents Australia’s 30 Catholic schools and colleges in Far North Queensland are located from Waibeni (Thursday Island) in the Torres Strait, in and around the Cairns area, west to the Atherton Tablelands and south to Innisfail and Tully on the Cassowary Coast.
We have two Prep to Year 12 colleges, 20 primary schools and 7 secondary colleges.
The College is committed to providing a Catholic education that is holistic in nature, paying attention to the academic, spiritual, physical, social and emotional growth and learning of all students. The facilities provide a modern and contemporary environment which provides a 21st century education to all students. The extensive use of information and communication technology (ICT) and an expanding 1:1 laptop program provides the ideal platform for students to engage with their learning in a variety of ways that challenge and inspire them to reach their potential.
GCPS believe children more easily reach their full potential when parents are more active and involved with life at their child’s school. The teachers and staff at Good Counsel are highly motivated and dedicated to provide a rich and exciting learning environment for their students. The school has much pride, a rich history, and is inspired that its students will take their place in the world and contribute positively to the life of the church and wider society
An inclusive and culturally diverse Catholic primary school, Holy Cross School is committed to educational excellence, through differentiated teaching and learning practices, a variety of innovative enrichment programs and creative use of technologies. The school has a strong commitment to service and outreach, environmental initiatives, community building and parent engagement, nurturing relationships between students, families, staff and the Parish.
Holy Spirit College is a Year 7 to 12 co-educational Catholic youth assistance college offering a second chance for young people who have found mainstream schooling unsuitable. The school values a Christian way of living that promotes a commitment to building relationships, respect and responsibilities through care, service and respect for justice and compassion. Holy Spirit operates under guiding principles that underpin and permeate all aspects of the life of the College.
Holy Spirit College is a Year 7 to 12 co-educational Catholic youth assistance college offering a second chance for young people who have found mainstream schooling unsuitable. The school values a Christian way of living that promotes a commitment to building relationships, respect and responsibilities through care, service and respect for justice and compassion. Holy Spirit operates under guiding principles that underpin and permeate all aspects of the life of the College.
MacKillop Catholic College is committed to joining with families in partnership for the development of their students. The college do this by providing a safe, caring, and disciplined learning environment. As a Catholic school, staff teach in a way that gives life meaning, purpose and direction. The school aims to be a safe, nurturing and welcoming community and offer the best quality teaching methods and practises, and curriculum.
The school strives to foster successful learning based on both the Gospel values and the tradition of the Mercy Sisters. Mother of Good Counsel School stands firm on its capacity for effective, life-giving relationships and collaboration involving all those within its school community.
Mount St Bernard College offers a quality Catholic secondary education for young people. The College is located in Herberton, less than 1.5 hours away from Cairns in Far North Queensland and offers day and boarding opportunities for boys and girls from Year 7 to 12. Boarding students come from a wide geographical area including the Torres Strait, Cape York communities and Northern Territory.
Newman Catholic College is a co-educational Catholic secondary college co-located with James Cook University at Smithfield, opening in 2022. It is the 30th Catholic school in the Diocese of Cairns, the newest secondary college in the Far North Queensland region and the first Catholic school in Australia located within a university precinct.
Our Lady Help of Christians School is committed to helping all students reach their potential and make a difference. OLHOC has the values of Respect, Justice, Community, Empathy and Forgiveness. Students of OLHOC strive to embody these values in both word and action. OLHOC seeks to provide a safe and supportive learning environment for all by using contemporary learning practices together with a range of technology.
Set in the beautiful location surround by 270 islands. Their Early Childhood campus on Hammond Island and Prep to Year 6 Primary campus on Thursday Island are signs of their commitment to providing strong learning foundations that nurture students in communities; strengthening the students’ sense of identity, communication skills, connectedness and wellbeing.
The College has a highly successful academic Prep – Year 12 curriculum with a full range of QCAA/ATAR subjects, vocational education courses and a Trade Training Centre. High education standards ensure a strong record of results in academia, honours and extension classes. The College offers Centres of Excellence in Music and Performing Arts.
St Anthony’s offers quality education based on faith and values, focusing on each individual child in a safe, fun, caring family environment and nurturing the attributes for which St Anthony’s has become well known. These attributes include respect, social justice, care, good behaviour, high academic expectations, affordable fees and providing a welcoming environment for all students and their families.
St Augustine’s College focuses on the intellectual, spiritual, physical, moral and emotional development of their students. They encourage students to find meaning and value in their lives to become compassionate, contributing members of society. The College’s three year plan is focused on continuous, sustainable improvement across the College community and supported by the teachings of the Catholic Church, the Marist Charism and the family spirit which permeates all that they do.
The educational environment challenges and inspires each child to embrace higher expectations and to be rewarded with greater achievement in their spiritual, academic, emotional, ethical, social and physical dimensions. Learning and teaching at St Augustine’s is challenging, yet friendly, demanding, yet supportive, and serious in purpose, yet playful in spirit.
St Clare’s school in Tully is a vibrant community of students and their families. The school and it’s dedicated staff have a wonderful reputation in the local community. St Clare’s provides an excellent Catholic education for its students and caters to each student’s diverse needs. The school has a very close link with the church and the classes celebrate Mass regularly with Parish Priest, Fr Hilary Flynn.
St Francis Xavier’s School provides a high quality, inclusive and supportive Catholic education with smart, modern and innovative learning environments. With a strong focus on a variety of sporting, musical, technological and extra-curricular activities, the school delivers excellence in teaching to nurture each child’s unique talents and interests.
St Gerard Majella School is an integral part of Our Lady Help of Christians Parish. The school is focused on people – children, parents and teachers working together to build a Christian community inspired by love, a concern for one another and a relationship with God. Together, with engaged and supportive parents, staff create a safe and supportive environment where children have the opportunity to achieve their potential.
St John’s offers a faith and values based education which focuses on the wellbeing of each individual child. This focus is achieved through explicit teaching of social emotional learning in a caring and supportive environment. Their school values it’s community-oriented approach to each student’s well-being and family life.
St Joseph’s Parish School has at its very heart, the values of humility, justice and compassion. Together with engaged and supportive parents, staff create a safe and stimulating learning environment where each child has the opportunity to achieve his or her potential. It is a school for healthy minds, bodies and spirits.
St Joseph’s School, catering for boys and girls from Prep to Year 6, is an integral part of the Cairns Diocese and the Atherton Catholic Parish. Located approximately one hour drive from Cairns, Atherton sits within the heart of the naturally beautiful and agriculturally rich Atherton Tablelands. Despite its many changes over the years, St Joseph’s School has remained committed to providing its students with a well-balanced and relevant education and curriculum.
With new innovative learning environments our Catholic identity is visible right across the school. St Joseph’s is a community minded place of learning in the city of Cairns. We pride ourselves on collaborative learning and teaching, with an explicit focus on growing better learners as well as achievement. We provide authentic learning opportunities and real-world application, often supported by digital technologies making learning accessible for all.
St Mary’s Catholic College seeks to live Gospel values and empower students with Catholic moral principles. St Mary’s strives to make a difference in the lives of individuals and in the wider community by challenging students to find meaning and value in their lives. The College’s values include pastoral care practices, commitment to peace, social justice and service.
As a small Catholic school, St Michael’s offers a faith and values based education which focuses on the well-being of each individual child. This focus is achieved through explicit teaching of social emotional learning in a caring and supportive environment. Our school values its community-oriented approach to student wellbeing and family life.
We encourage students to develop the skills of self-motivation and flexibility required in this complex global society. Students are partnered in this by our dedicated, caring staff to achieve academically, engage in sporting and cultural activities, while being firm in their faith and committed to social justice and community service. Classes are small so teachers are familiar with students’ needs.
St Rita’s School is a small faith-based school with big spirit. The school accommodates students from prep to year six and aims to be a compassionate and supportive community. St Rita’s strives for excellence in education, enabling each child to achieve the best of their ability so they can contribute purposefully to their community, both now and in the future.
St Rita’s is a faith community, recognising Christ and seeking to live and proclaim his Gospel values. These values, combined with a comprehensive learning curriculum, will help each student develop their individual abilities to reach their full potential and become an integrated, self-disciplined student. St Rita’s endeavours to provide a secure, caring, supportive school environment to ensure each child has a sense of belonging at school.
The College fosters a harmonious, safe and nurturing learning environment that supports students in developing respect, responsibility and confidence. Students are encouraged to become independent, life-long learners capable of adapting to a rapidly changing and increasingly technological world. Students are encouraged to build successful relationships, communicate effectively and achieve their personal best.
Situated in Ravenshoe, the highest town in Queensland at 920 metres above sea level, St Teresa’s School is surrounded by the World Heritage listed rainforest with an abundance of distinctly beautiful wildlife and birds. The school and parish are named in honour of St Teresa and as a Catholic school, they are passionate about aligning their words and actions in the example of Jesus Christ.
Grounded in the traditional values and ideals of holistic Catholic education, we also have an eye for the future and all the contemporary learning practices, change and technology. St Therese’s School is responding to innovative approaches to learning around social and emotional needs, engaging in innovative learning environments and understanding how the child learns.
The things you see, the words you hear and the energy you feel at St Thomas’ should leave you in no doubt that this is a school with strong Catholic and community values. The school invites all families to come experience this for themselves. St Thomas’ is committed to supporting students as well as all parents – after all, parents are the first and primary educators of their children.
