FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Welcome to Aquinas College, a community where your child will experience belonging and be both challenged and supported to reach beyond their boundaries. In partnership with families, we build positive relationships that enable your child to thrive and exemplify our College motto, Illuminare et Ardere: ‘To light up and be on fire’. As the new Principal of Aquinas from 2024, I can attest that Aquinas is a place in which hospitality is valued and a warm welcome awaits from all members of our community: students, staff and families.For over 60 years, our Catholic secondary college has built a tradition as a dynamic and innovative learning community, creating a safe and welcoming environment which motivates, rewards and challenges students to achieve their personal best. Our Mission is to promote quality education while developing an awareness of God in our lives, the value and connectedness of all human relationships, a sense of justice, a hopeful spirit, and a love of learning. In all that happens at Aquinas, there is great enthusiasm and we make every endeavour to provide an enjoyable and challenging Catholic secondary education
As a Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic School, our founders had a vision of high quality, affordable, Catholic education for local people and we proudly boast strong inter-generational connection to many families residing in the Maroondah Deanery. While we prioritise enrolment of children baptised in the Catholic Church, we welcome inquiries from all seeking co-educational secondary schooling in our faith tradition.
At Aquinas College, we are committed to educating our students to take their place in a global environment and to view the world from multiple perspectives guided by the message of Jesus Christ and our College values: spirituality, belonging, perseverance, compassion, stewardship and justice. We interweave learning and wellbeing, knowing that students who feel safe at school are inclined to learn more successfully and take greater advantage of school life and its many benefits. Our wide-ranging co-curricular activities, liturgical experiences, student leadership opportunities and faith development ensure your child will graduate as a responsible global citizen imbued with faith, hope and love.
We are accredited with the highly regarded Council of International Schools, which has over 700 members across the world. At the same time, we are committed to every student experiencing success in their personal learning and life development. We value strong relationships with students and partnership with families to support your child’s learning journey. Your child will be known and catered to by our expert staff, who are committed to enhancing the learning experience, encouraging differentiation and promoting individual resourcefulness. Our aim is to assist students to embrace and harness their unique gifts by providing a broad comprehensive curriculum in the Middle Years, with increasing opportunity to pursue specific areas of interest as students proceed to the Senior Years. Students seeking University entrance have access to a wide variety of subjects in the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE), with those interested in exploring vocational pathways accessing the VCE Vocational Major (VCEVM) and a broad range of Vocational Education and Training (VET) certificates. Please explore our website to discover more about the range of subjects and the vast array of co-curricular options available to Aquinas students.
At Aquinas we support every student to find opportunities to embrace their spirit, develop positive relationships and “discover their place” in a welcoming and inclusive community.
Mr David Broadbent
- VISION
- MISSION
- VALUES
Inspired by Gospel values and mindful of our Catholic identity, our Vision is to ignite the fire of learning and shine as a beacon of excellence, hope and love in the world.
‘Illuminare et Ardere’
Our Mission is to promote quality education while developing an awareness of God in our lives, the value and connectedness of all human relationships, a sense of justice, a hopeful spirit and a love of learning.
We proclaim this Mission at Aquinas College by embracing six Core Values.
Belonging: We are mindful of our diverse local and global community; we are culturally inclusive and respect the dignity of each individual.
Stewardship: We encourage our community to respond to the need for sustainability in our contemporary world in the light of the Gospel and its call to action.
Perseverance: We are challenged to continually strive for excellence in all aspects of our learning.
Justice: We promote opportunity and equity through awareness and support of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights.
Compassion: We promote the service of others through education and experiences that are based on kindness and generosity informed by Catholic Social Teaching.
Spirituality: We nurture a connectedness to God and a Catholic faith that is informed by scripture, tradition and the regional parish communities.
The College supports and promotes the principles and practices of Australian democracy.
To learn more view our Statement of Democratic Principles.
CATHOLIC LIFE
Aquinas College is a committed and active Catholic community. Embracing the ideals of St Thomas Aquinas, as well as the charisms of our team patrons: St Dominic, St Mary of the Cross MacKillop and Blessed Edmund Rice, our staff and students strive for wisdom and inspiration. Formed by a comprehensive Catholic education, Aquinas College endeavors to bring Christ to the world as witnesses of God’s word.
Religious Education is an essential and compulsory part of our curriculum from Years 7 to 12 and works in conjunction with our liturgical and social justice activities to enhance our Catholic Life program. As a Catholic school dedicated towards developing an awareness of God and cultivating personal spirituality, there is a clear expectation for all members to participate in the Catholic Life of the College.
Catholic Life at Aquinas provides a range of experiences for the whole school and also particular to each year level, including pilgrimages, patrons' feast days, indigenous immersions, retreats and reflection days. At Aquinas we are boundless and borderless in our approach to Catholic Life. In line with our Catholic Social Teachings, we encourage our community to be active advocates for the needs of others. We contribute to significant social justice causes, established organisations such as Caritas and St Vincent de Paul and individual appeals should a crisis arise.
Our outreach to those in need takes place in many ways and students are invited to be creative in their approach to alleviating the suffering of those around us and those far away.
GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP
Aquinas College is proud of its accreditation with the Council of International Schools and our strong international focus. Students are encouraged to see themselves as global citizens with the capability to see the world from multiple perspectives. We focus on global competencies: effective communication; fluency in 21st Century technology; an inquiring mind; adaptability; resilience and an awareness around sustainability. Our sister schools offer students the opportunity to interact with peers from France and China, and tours of Borneo and Central Australia help build appreciation of indigenous cultures. Aquinas as a registered CRICOS provider, has a strong international student program which offers homestay for our International students. Annual College events such as Harmony Day provide an opportunity to celebrate the many cultures that contribute to our community and our Long Walk for Reconciliation helps raise awareness of the ongoing issues facing Indigenous Australians.
Global Citizenship Definition
Intercultural Competencies
Attributes of an Aquinas College Student
School Philosophy Statement
International Affiliations
OUR HISTORY
Aquinas Boys’ College was established on 8 February 1961. Administered by the Christian Brothers at the request of the founding parish priests, opening the doors to welcome 130 boys in Forms 1 and 2.
Aquinas Girls’ College became a reality in February 1967 with different Orders of Religious Sisters supporting the College. During the second week of February they welcomed 84 girls into Form 1. As the numbers were diminishing in the Religious Orders, it became necessary for the sisters to withdraw their services at the end of 1978.
At the beginning of 1979 the Boys’ and Girls’ Colleges amalgamated and became known as Aquinas College under lay administration. It incorporated the structure of three sub-schools; Junior Girls and Boys (Years 7-10) and Senior co-educational (Years 11-12) with an overall student population of approximately 1400.
Aquinas Masterplan
We are excited to share with you the new Masterplan for Aquinas that provides the footprint for the next 15+ years for our College.
- Rejuvenating the landscape
- Providing new facilities for students and the wider community
- Improving safety for pedestrian flow
- Providing a new Wominjeka welcoming garden as the entry point for the College
- A dedicated Performing Arts building
- New gymnasium
- New technology precinct
In collaboration with Kosloff Architects, Staff, Students and Parents, Aquinas have created a plan for the School's future. The masterplan is divided into multiple stages, each designed to upgrade and expand the schools capacity.
We will keep you updated with details on the Masterplan via our website and social media over the coming months.
To help with the Masterplan please consider a donation to our Building fund. The Aquinas College Building Fund was established to financially support the planned improvements at the College.
By contributing to this fund, you invest in the future learning facilities for our students, enhancing their educational experience.
Here is the LINK to the Trybooking donation page.
Our Principal Mr David Broadbent further explains the Masterplan and how it will all happen in the video below.
"To ensure the design reflects the needs and the aspirations of the Aquinas College Community"
Kosloff Architects
Planning
Throughout Term 2, the College consulted staff, students and parents as part of the process of compiling and creating our Master Plan in conjunction with Kosloff Architecture. The plan has now been endorsed by our governing body, MACS.
Stage 1
Planning for Stage 1 began in September, 2024. This will include a new Year 9 Building, a Wellness Centre for all students and revitalised garden, recreation and outdoor learning spaces for the Middle Years precinct.
We will keep you updated via the Lighthouse and the College website as further updates emerge throughout the project.