FAQ's

Questions new parents often ask us:

How many children attend your school?
We currently have 150 children in our school. Our maximum capacity is 175.

How big are the classes?
On average we have 20-25 children per class.

What is your teacher student ratio?
On average the ratio is 1:12. This allows us to cater for every child's need. We look at the learning curve of each student and what they need. 

Will my child make enough friends in a small school?
By the end of prep, your child will know 150 other children. Because we are a small school they quickly get to know who is who. We have Y6 buddies for our preps, Y4 buddies for our Y1s and our St Columba's Kids program. For this, students across the school come together in small multi-age groupings which are led by our Y6 leaders and supported by teachers. The purpose is to enhance connectivity across the school and to build social and emotional skills. We see children branching out and making friends through various year levels. 

Do you have straight classes or composite?
At St Columba's we have straight classes. Each class has a full time teacher and learning support who support the teacher and work in small groups with the children. For our specialist program we have dedicated teachers: Mandarin, Visual Art, Performing Arts, PE and STEM.

Do you have to be Catholic to join your school?
No, at our school we welcome everybody regardless of faith. We do incorporate the Catholic values and beliefs. We start the day with prayer and meditation and we teach the students to care for others and to respect and include people from all back grounds.