St Mary’s Cathedral College has marked the beginning of its bicentennial year by announcing it will transform into a Kindergarten to Year 12 co-educational model.
The school will accept enrolments for the first term of 2025 for both boys and girls from Kindergarten to Year 7.
It follows community feedback which “indicates a growing a demand for high quality co-educational opportunities in the heart of Sydney,” Sydney Catholic Schools announced.
Executive Director of Sydney Catholic Schools Tony Farley said the expansion marks “the next chapter in the story of an iconic Sydney Catholic school.”
“The last group of young women to graduate from St Mary’s Cathedral College was in 1967 and this return to co-education is both an evolution and reminder of our rich history and traditions.”
The move has been made possible by the purchase of an additional campus on William Street by SCS, which allows the college to cater for a greater number of students and is a short walk from the Cathedral.
Demand for Catholic education has been growing in the Sydney region, Farley added.
“Parents want their children to be educated in a way that leads each child to an awareness of God in their lives,” he said.
“The extraordinary levels of early interest clearly indicate that this school is set to be in high demand, becoming a coveted choice for Sydney families.”
Principal Kerrie McDiarmid says the changes mark an exciting moment in the 200-year history of the college and education across the city.
“We draw students from many parts of Sydney and feel privileged to provide a high-quality Catholic education that seamlessly blends our traditions with our pursuit of excellence,” she said.
The Archdiocese of Sydney subsequently announced the world-renowned choir of St Mary’s Cathedral will simultaneously begin admitting girls as choristers from January of the same year.
With foundations stretching back to 1818, St Mary’s Cathedral Choir is Australia’s oldest musical ensemble.
The girl choristers will form a new girls’ choir, which, in addition to the current boys’ choir, will continue to strengthen and sustain the musical life of the cathedral.
Each successful chorister will receive a full scholarship to study at the college.
“I’m pleased to support the broadening of our Cathedral Sacred Music programme to encompass the recruitment of girl choristers from 2025,” said Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP.
“Liturgical music is an important part of how we pray at St Mary’s, and I’m delighted that girl choristers will soon be able to share in singing the praises of almighty God in the Cathedral.”
Newly-appointed director of music, Daniel Justin, said it was a “great honour” to lead the cathedral choir at such a significant moment.
“The commitment to being a Chorister is significant, both for the child and the parent, but we see every day how children blossom from their experience of singing in the choir,” Justin said.
Prospective students and their families have been invited to attend the St Mary’s Cathedral College Open Day on Wednesday, 6 March 2024 from 2pm-6pm.
Applications for girl choristers can be completed through enrolment on the St Mary’s Cathedral College website with further information to come in late February.
