A hope-filled future

Armidale Catholic Schools

Providing Catholic Education across the New England & North West regions of NSW

There are 24 systemic schools in the Diocese of Armidale; 19 primary, 2 central (K-10) and 3 secondary (7-12) across the New England and North West region of NSW.

The Catholic Diocese of Armidale is the second-largest diocese geographically in NSW. Within our boundaries are the major centres of:

Our Diocese includes 13 other towns: Barraba, Boggabri, Glen Innes, Guyra, Manilla, Mungindi, Quirindi, Tenterfield, Uralla, Walcha, Walgett, Warialda, and Wee Waa.

Schools

Primary

Central (K-10)

Secondary (7-12)

Students

Employees

Indigenous Students

0 %

Students identifying as Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Careers

Join one of our 24 Catholic School Communities

The Armidale Catholic Schools Office supports schools across the Diocese in building a Catholic Professional Learning Community for almost 1,000 employees in teaching and non-teaching roles, and 6,000 students.

Our schools are located amongst some of the most beautiful landscapes in regional NSW. The North West and New England regions of NSW feature tablelands west of the Great Dividing Range. Spend your weekends watching glorious sunsets, walking in nature or take a trip to the coast to unwind. Armidale Catholic Schools have an array of system initiatives providing support.

Our Schools

Committed to improving the faith, learning and wellbeing outcomes for our young people and communities

As a Catholic professional learning community, we work together to ensure literate and numerate students for a hope-filled future. Our system is culturally diverse with 15.4% of students identifying as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander.

Providing a Catholic education to 6000 students and employing approximately 1000 staff, our Catholic School system works closely with our Parishes and Parish Priests to further the mission of Jesus.

We have a strong system of schools that are led by the Armidale Catholic Schools Office to make a difference in our students’ lives.

News & Upcoming Events

Christmas Message from Chairman

Christmas is traditionally a time when we focus on buying gifts, writing Christmas cards, and making sure everything is ready for a day spent with loved ones. Yet, as we prepare for Christmas, we are also given a wonderful opportunity to look beyond the material gifts we give, and instead embrace the chance we have each and every day to share the gift of our presence. In simple ways, we can touch the lives of others—through our interactions in the classroom, on the playground, with a letter, a visit, a phone call, a text message, or a conversation. These small gestures can help warm and transform someone else’s life. We might never fully know the impact that a smile or an unexpected text could have on someone having a tough day.

If we look to the example of Jesus, we see that He rarely gave material gifts. Instead, He offered His personal presence and gifts such as self belief, peace of mind, compassion, forgiveness, dignity, and justice— things that any one of us can offer to others. Yet, in the modern Christmas rush, sharing our presence rather than presents can feel like a difficult task when we are so busy. At times, we become like the innkeeper, indirectly saying, “There’s no room” to open our hearts to the gift of personal presence for those who might need us.

If we take a moment to reflect this Christmas season, we are invited to consider whether our hearts and lives are too full for Christ to find a place. To have Christ in our lives and to truly put Him back into Christmas, we must create time for Him—time for those in need, time for hospitality, time for celebration, and time for prayer. It also means making room for the unexpected people we encounter who might be in need. More than two thousand years ago, the innkeeper missed the opportunity to welcome the stranger. Today, the itinerant strangers still knock at our door. Perhaps they need our smile, our comforting words, our praise, or our thanks. Maybe they just need us to listen and show

love as our first gift to them.

Without a doubt, this Christmas we will have opportunities to create room in the inn of our hearts—if only we look hard enough. Thank you for your ongoing support of Armidale Catholic Schools throughout the year, whether as a parent, grandparent, teacher, staff in our schools and office, Parish Priest, consultant, someone working in administration, the library, or a member of a school committee.

Your efforts are deeply appreciated and valued. Your contributions help make our Catholic Education system the valuable treasure it is.

Wishing you a peaceful, safe, and joyful Christmas season.

Peter L Maher

Chairman

Armidale Catholic Schools.