A school in Brisbane’s inner-west is combining city convenience with a warm community feel by nurturing students who are achieving excellence across many fields.
Tucked away in a pocket off Waterworks Rd, Mater Dei Catholic Primary School, Ashgrove West, takes advantage of its prime location and size to maximise the benefit to its students.
Principal Donna Jones said the smaller school environment provided students with unique experiences and opportunities, such as mixing across age groups, which created informal mentoring and confidence building.
“We are a school of high achievers who are accomplishing big things unrestrained by their age” Ms Jones said.
This all-round strength has resulted in impressive achievements, even when competing against larger schools.
Ms Jones said at this year’s Brisbane Catholic Education STEM Make a Difference (MAD) Showcase, Mater Dei placed second in “The Future is STEM” category and came third in the Overall Primary category at STEM MAD Nationals, competing against Catholic schools from 10 dioceses across Australia.
“This followed the school winning the prestigious Executive Director’s Award at the BCE STEM MAD showcase last year, as well as winning the Andy Thomas Space Foundation: STEM in Space (primary) award at STEM MAD Nationals in Melbourne. No matter the project, our student’s shine because they like challenges and are solution focused.”
Ms Jones said Mater Dei was a school that not only provided an excellent education but was also a place where students felt acknowledged and visible.
“Our Catholic values of compassion, kindness and service are just as important and are embedded into everything we do at the school,” she said.
“It is a school where everybody is known by name and takes an interest in you.”
Ms Jones said because the Brisbane Catholic Education school was hidden from the main road, passersby may be unaware of the school’s modern facilities situated in a serene bushland site.
“This is an inner-city school located in a picturesque bush setting that promotes wellbeing, a connection with nature and an education beyond the classroom.”
She said the school had a broad extra-curricular program, including robotics club, dance, drama, instrumental music, chess, and sport.
“Because of the broad range of extra-curricular activities offered and our size, there are enormous opportunities for our students to try many different activities and discover their passions along the way,” Ms Jones said.
“We also ensure school activities are mostly held at the school, which is convenient for parents.”
Ms Jones said this combination of size, exposure to opportunities, focus on holistic education, and the embedding of strong Catholic values was creating exceptional future leaders, with many students becoming school captains at local secondary schools like Marist College, Stuartholme School, Mt St.Michael’s and All Hallows School.
Looking to the future, Ms Jones said the school had developed a masterplan for the school grounds and planned to build Prep into two streams, taking that volume through the rest of the school.
Learn more about Mater Dei Catholic Primary School, Ashgrove West.
