Residents of Stockland’s Elara community in Sydney’s north-west are celebrating the announcement that an innovative new college will soon be under construction within walking distance of their homes. The proposed St Luke’s Catholic College at Marsden Park is an innovative new college that will educate students from preschool to Year 12 and will ultimately accommodate more than 2,000 students. 

Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta said expressions of interest for enrolment are now open and the first intake of selected years of Kindergarten to Year 6 is scheduled for the start of the 2017 school year.  The Diocese also confirmed it will progressively build the preschool, primary and secondary college, which will cater to post-school options with links to tertiary studies. 

Gavin Tonnet, General Manager Residential Communities at Stockland, said the new school was exciting news for young families making their home at Elara. “This ground-breaking new college will combine the best elements of contemporary learning and teaching to deliver a high-quality education experience unlike any other,” Mr Tonnet said. “Elara appeals to a wide range of buyers, including first-home buyers, families upgrading to new homes and investors. Having a school that will take children all the way from preschool to Year 12 is a huge plus for parents.”

Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta Executive Director of Schools, Greg Whitby, said the diocese was excited to be a part of the growing Elara community. Mr Whitby said the proposed St Luke’s Catholic College would respond to the growing demand for Catholic schooling in north-western Sydney. He said it would reflect contemporary research in education and learning space design.  “Today’s schools need to respond to individual learning needs, interests and abilities of students and provide a flexible curriculum that offers learners multiple pathways to success from early learning to after school,” Mr Whitby said. “We are educating students today for careers that haven’t been invented yet, so we need to provide an education that equips students with the skills they need to thrive in a rapidly changing world.”

When completed the proposed St Luke’s Catholic College will have a communal learning space called The Hub and a central area called The Marketplace to be used for learning, sport and community events. The college will also feature:

•             Modern and adaptable learning spaces to support 21st century skills like collaboration, critical thinking, creativity and communication.
•             Opportunities to apply learning in a real world context and be part of a growing learning community.
•             State-of-the-art technology and connectivity across the whole campus, including outdoor learning areas.
•             A Catholic Early Learning Centre (pre-school for 3-5 years olds).
•             A support unit for students with disabilities and additional learning needs.
•             Out of school hours and vacation care.