An Exciting New Chapter for Our College
There is a genuine sense of excitement across Catholic Regional College Caroline Springs as we prepare to welcome our inaugural Year 11 cohort in 2027. This is a defining milestone in our journey to becoming a complete Year 7–12 College and reflects years of careful planning, thoughtful preparation, and our commitment to providing an outstanding Catholic education.
I am delighted to share that we have already reached another important milestone. Our Year 10 students have completed their preliminary Year 11 subject selections and have now been officially notified of their allocated subjects for 2027. It has been wonderful to see our students embracing the opportunities ahead and beginning to shape pathways that reflect their interests, strengths, and future aspirations.
In 2027, our Senior School will offer an extensive range of opportunities, including 34 VCE subjects, the VCE Vocational Major (VM), and a broad range of VET programs through CRC Sydenham and the Brimbank VET Cluster. These pathways ensure every student can pursue a program that best supports their goals beyond secondary school.
A defining feature of our Senior School is our commitment to maintaining smaller VCE classes wherever possible. We have deliberately invested in this approach because we believe students thrive in learning environments where they are well known, well supported, and challenged to achieve their personal best. This investment allows us to provide an impressive breadth and depth of subjects while delivering personalised teaching, strong relationships with teachers, and meaningful opportunities for discussion, collaboration, and academic growth.
Behind the scenes, significant work has already been completed to ensure we are ready for this exciting next step. Our curriculum, staffing, subject offerings, and organisational structures are well advanced, providing confidence that our inaugural Year 11 students will commence their senior years in a College that is fully prepared to support their success.
One of our greatest strengths is that our students are already known by us. Having journeyed alongside many of them since Year 7, our teachers understand their academic abilities, aspirations, and wellbeing needs. This continuity enables us to provide a personalised education that supports every student to flourish.
As always, our Catholic identity remains at the heart of everything we do. Together with St Catherine of Siena Parish, we will continue to nurture our students academically, spiritually, and personally, encouraging them to live fully, act justly, and make a positive difference in the world.
The future of Catholic Regional College Caroline Springs is incredibly bright. We are ready for this exciting next chapter and look forward to welcoming our first Year 11 students in 2027 as we continue building a thriving and future-focused Year 7–12 College.
Senior School Building Works About to Begin
We are excited to share that we are just weeks away from breaking ground on our brand-new Senior School building, with construction set to commence shortly.
This significant milestone marks another exciting chapter in the growth of our College as we continue our journey to becoming a fully-fledged Year 7–12 school. Scheduled for completion in time for the start of the 2028 school year, the building will welcome our senior students and coincide with the graduation of our very first Year 12 cohort.
Designed to inspire learning and success, the contemporary facility will feature 14 modern classrooms, three senior science laboratories, dedicated staff workspaces, a purpose-built VCE Student Lounge, and a dedicated Pathways Centre. Together, these spaces will provide students with outstanding opportunities to learn, collaborate, and prepare confidently for life beyond school.
The commencement of this exciting project reflects our commitment to providing exceptional facilities and opportunities for every student. We look forward to sharing regular construction updates with our community as we watch this vision become a reality.

Update on the Future of the Catholic Regional College Federation
Across Melbourne's north-west, demand for Catholic education continues to grow, presenting an exciting opportunity to strengthen and expand the educational opportunities available to students throughout their secondary education.
As you know, earlier this year we announced that Catholic Regional College Caroline Springs will transition to a Years 7–12 educational offering. This important milestone responds to the significant growth across our region and ensures our College is well placed to meet the needs of our expanding community. We are excited to welcome our inaugural Year 11 cohort in 2027 and will become a complete Years 7–12 college with the introduction of Year 12 in 2028.
Earlier this week, families and staff at Catholic Regional College Sydenham, Catholic Regional College St Albans and Catholic Regional College North Keilor were informed of the next stage in the future development of the Catholic Regional College Federation.
From 2028, these three colleges will transition from operating as separate schools to a single Years 7–12 college across three campuses. While students will continue to attend their existing campuses, the campuses will operate as one school with a shared leadership structure, curriculum and educational offering.
This next stage builds on the strong foundations that already exist across the Catholic Regional College Federation and reflects Father O'Reilly's original vision of responding to the evolving needs of the community while ensuring young people have access to a high-quality Catholic education, now and into the future.
The new school model will provide greater continuity for students throughout their secondary education, integrated pastoral care across one school community, increased collaboration across campuses, and the sharing of resources and best practice. Together, these initiatives will create an even richer and more diverse learning experience for students across the Federation.
I would like to reassure our families that this announcement does not change the plans or direction for Catholic Regional College Caroline Springs. Throughout 2027, each of the three Federation schools will continue to operate as they do today, while our College remains firmly focused on the successful introduction of Year 11 next year and our transition to a complete Years 7–12 college in 2028.
There is still considerable planning to occur over the coming months as the new Federation school model is developed. This includes enrolment planning, curriculum and subject offerings, staffing and operational arrangements. Planning is also underway regarding how the three campuses will be organised and which year levels will be located at each campus. As these decisions are confirmed, they will be communicated directly to the respective school communities.
A comprehensive transition plan will also be developed to support staff, students and families and to ensure these changes are implemented thoughtfully, strengthening the mission and future of Catholic education across Melbourne's north-west.
This is an exciting time for Catholic education in our region. These developments represent a significant investment in the future of our students and our communities, while ensuring every young person continues to benefit from an outstanding Catholic education.
As further information becomes available, I will continue to keep our College community informed.
Thank you for your ongoing support as we continue our exciting journey towards becoming a complete Years 7–12 college in 2028.
A Magical Journey Under the Sea
What an extraordinary series of four performances our College community shared as students brought Disney's The Little Mermaid to life on stage.
From the opening curtain to the final bow, audiences were captivated by an energetic, colourful and thoroughly entertaining production. Every song, dance and scene reflected the remarkable talent of our students, but more importantly, the months of commitment, perseverance and teamwork that made the performance possible.
As Principal, I could not be prouder of every student involved. Whether performing on stage, operating lighting and sound, or working behind the scenes, each student contributed their unique gifts to create something truly special. As St Paul reminds us, "There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them" (1 Corinthians 12:4). This production was a wonderful example of our students sharing their God-given talents in service of one another and our community.
Beyond the outstanding performances, the musical created something even more lasting. Friendships were strengthened across year levels, confidence flourished, and memories were made that will remain with our students long after the costumes have been packed away. These experiences are an important part of College life, helping young people discover new talents, support one another and grow in courage.
I extend my sincere thanks to Grace Maddern and Jack Wilkinson from GJ Productions for their creativity, expertise and encouragement throughout the production. My heartfelt appreciation also goes to our dedicated staff, Victoria Lalor, Courtney Smith and Carla Tarquinio, whose countless hours of planning and support ensured the success of the show.
Finally, thank you to our families for your ongoing encouragement, flexibility and support throughout rehearsals and performances. Your partnership enables opportunities like this to flourish.
Congratulations to our entire cast, crew, staff and creative team for delivering a production that showcased not only exceptional talent, but also the spirit, community and joy that make Catholic Regional College Caroline Springs such a special place. As Jesus reminds us, "Let your light shine before others" (Matthew 5:16). Our students certainly did just that.

Student-Free Day – Friday 28 August
Please note that Friday 28 August will be a Teacher Professional Practice Day.
On this day, teaching staff will participate in professional learning, curriculum planning, and collaborative practice to support the ongoing enhancement of teaching and learning across the College.
The College offices will remain open; however, scheduled classes will not take place, and students are not required to attend on this day.
We thank families for their understanding and support.

