Our College offers a wide range of quality educational opportunities that foster the Spiritual, Academic, Cultural and Sporting development of students. These are known as the Four Pillars. We strongly encourage students to be very busy and very engaged in their College.

 

A highly successful extracurricular program is offered to students. Participation in these activities provides students with the opportunity to earn House points, socialise with a variety of peers, build skills and knowledge, expand interests and more. The College has established an outstanding reputation for excellence based on our outstanding achievements across the Four Pillars, making enrolment a highly sought after option for Catholic families in the community.

 

Involvement in activities at the College earns students points which are put towards a Pillar Award. This prestigious badges are presented at a Whole School Assembly once the student has earned 100 points in a Pillar over their time at the College. 

 

There are a number of opportunities available to students, including but not limited to:

  • Spiritual
    • Kimberley Mission: A group of Year 11 students who fundraise and attend our annual Kimberley Mission, in collaboration and support of the RNDM Sisters. The students help build and redecorate boarding houses, volunteer alongside local not-for-profit organisations such as Feed the Little Children and build genuine friendships and bonds with local students
    • Make A Difference: Games, activities and socialising with the Mary MacKillop Centre students on Wednesdays at lunch time.
    • Peer Mentoring: Year 11 students who are a 'buddy' to a small group of Year 7 students.
    • Social Justice League: A group who gather once a week to write letters/emails to voice social injustices and human rights violations.
    • Special Minister of the Eucharist: Year 12 students who undertake an official course to be a Special Minister of the Eucharist and serve Communion at College masses.
    • Young Vinnies: A group of students from Years 7-12 who meet once a week and promote fundraising for the homeless, disadvantaged, sick and other causes. They also participate in many activities including cooking for homeless shelters, the Young Vinnies' Fun Day Out for disadvantaged children and Edmund Rice Games Afternoons.

  • Academic
    • Art Club: A group of students from Years 7-12 who meet once a week to work on special art projects, including props and sets for the College musicals.
    • Astronomy Club: A group of students from Years 7-12 who use telescopes, our Observatory and other technologies to learn about space and the world.
    • Australian Mathematics Competition: A national competition where participants are given 75 minutes to solve complex maths problems, which get more challenging as the competition progresses, inspiring and challenging students of all abilities.
    • ICAS Competitions: A national competition which provides the opportunity for students to test their knowledge in Writing, Spelling, Digital Technologies and Mathematics. 
    • Just Start IT: Year 9 Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) students design and pitch their own start ups (in the form of an app) to a panel of judges. Students have the chance to represent the school and WA.
    • Lions Youth of the Year Quest: Run by Lions Club, students prepare and present a prepared speech to an audience on a given matter. They have the opportunity to participate in Regional, Metro and National Finals.
    • Mock Trials: Students are presented with a simulated court case in which they must contest a fictitious legal matter presented in the Western Australian court system.
    • Pedal Prix: Students design, create, pilot and test their own kart to race against other teams at Busselton Foreshore in August.
    • Petroleum Club: Year 8 GATE students learn about the gas and oil industry and provide innovative solutions to a panel of judges.
    • Philosothon: Students use their critical thinking and problem-solving skills to answer and debate broad questions about the world.
      RoboCup: Students in Years 7-12 design and program their very own robots and compete against other teams in either Robo Soccer, Robo Dance, Maze Rescue or Line Rescue. Students have previously represented the school, state and even Australia!
    • The da Vinci Decathlon: An academic interschool competition designed to challenge and stimulate the minds of students. The competition has many sections including cartography, code breaking, engineering, art and poetry and more. Students have the chance to represent the school, WA and even Australia.
    • Tournament of Minds (TOM): In teams, students work to solve a given problem in a particular discipline, including The Arts, Language Literature, Social Sciences and STEM. Students have previously represented the school, state and even Australia!
    • WA Debating League: Students create teams to debate for or against a given topic with other schools.
    • WA Picture Book Competition: Year 7 students write and illustrate their own picture books which are then entered into this state-wide competition.
    • World Scholar's Cup: Students form teams to compete as both an individual and a team in disciplines including Team Debate, Scholar's Bowl and Collaborative Writing. Students have previously represented the school, state and even Australia!
  • Cultural
    • Angelico Art Exhibition: Students may have their art chosen to feature in this Art Exhibition featuring work from students in Catholic schools.
    • Act-Belong-Commit - Youth on Health Festival (YOH! Fest): The Year 10, 11 and 12 Drama classes rehearse and perform to a panel of judges against other schools. The performances promote a positive message/theme such as 'Belonging'.
    • Arts Tour (London or New York): A biennial Tour that allows students in Years 10-12 with a passion for The Arts to immerse themselves in the world of London or New York and attend workshops, performances and places of inspiration.
    • Bands (Junior Concert, Senior Concert, Rock, Swing): Students rehearse in their particular band before performing at College events, Catholic Schools Performing Arts Festival and our Jazz 'n' Shiraz evening.
    • Catholic Performing Arts Festival: Held during Term 3, students travel to other Catholic schools/venues to perform their musical pieces either as an soloist, band or ensemble to judges. They have the opportunity to earn Outstanding, Excellent or Merit Awards.
    • College Production: Run biennially, students have the opportunity to participate in the cast, chorus, band or tech crew at our much esteemed College Musical Productions. The Year 12 Drama students run their own exclusive Productions every year.
    • France Tour: French students in Years 10-12 have the opportunity to visit France to immerse themselves in the language and culture before meeting with students from Toulon School.
    • Humanities Tour (Canberra and Sydney): A biennial Tour partially funded by the Australian Government that allows students in Years 10-12 with a passion for Humanities to visit sites such as Parliament House, the ANZAC Day Memorial and Sydney Holocaust Museum.
    • Japanese Exchange Program: A biennial Tour where students studying Japanese in Years 10-12 immerse themselves in Japanese culture and visit Tokyo, Hiroshima and Kyoto, before staying with a Japanese family for a couple of days.
    • Music Ensembles (Brass, Clarinet, Flute, Guitar, Saxophone, String and Percussion): Students rehearse in their given Ensemble before performing at College events, Catholic Schools Performing Arts Festival and our Jazz 'n' Shiraz evening.
    • Music Tour (Singapore): A biennial Tour where students involved in College Ensembles or Bands attend Singapore Music College and perform in various venues in Singapore, including at the Botanical Gardens and Hard Rock Cafe. The students use the time to rehearse for the Catholic Schools Performing Arts Festival.
    • Sorrentones: A boys singing group who perform at College events, the Catholic Performing Arts Festival and our Jazz 'n' Shiraz evening.
    • Various Dance Teams: Dance teams are currently run in Years 7-12, each performing their own choreographed material. Years 11 and 12 students are offered the opportunity to choreograph performances for the lower school groups. 
  • Sport
      • NAS (Northern Associated Schools) Sports Summer season (Term 1):
        • Basketball
        • Mixed Indoor Cricket
        • AFLW
        • Indoor Beach Volleyball
        • Frisbee
      • NAS Sports Winter season (Term 2):
        • Soccer
        • AFL
        • Netball
        • Volleyball
        • Badminton
        • ACC (Associated Catholic Colleges) Athletics Carnival
        • ACC Swimming Carnival
        • ACC Cross Country Carnival
        • Sacred Heart Netball Club
        • Inclusive Carnivals
        • WA School Surfing Titles

    A more detailed list of opportunities is available below:

    {rsfiles path="Four Pillars Points 2022.pdf"}

  • EXTRACURRICULAR TOURS 

    A list of the tours offered to enrich students' knowledge in the Four Pillars are available below:

     

    TOUR
    TOUR

    DEPARTMENT/YEAR GROUP/ SIZE

    2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028

    Vietnam/Kimberley Mission

    Departs late November

    Approx: $2,000**

    Religious Education/Campus Ministry

    Year 11

    20 students

               

    Humanities (Canberra/Sydney)

    April holidays

    Approx: $2,500**

    Humanities

    Years 11 and 12

    35 students

          X   X

    Japan (Tokyo)

    April holidays

    Approx: $3,500**

    Languages

    Years 10 and 11

    20 students 

        X   X

    France

    Last week of Term 1 and Easter holidays

    Approx: $5,500**

    Languages

    Years 10, 11 and 12

    20 students

      X     X

    Science (TBA)

    June/July

    Approx: $5,000**

    Science

    Years 10 and 11

    25 students

               

    NASA (U.S.)

    Last week of Term 1 and Easter holidays

    Approx: $7,000**

    Gifted and Talented/Science/Technologies

    Years 10, 11 and 12

    30 students

        X   X  

    The Arts (London)

    July holidays

    Approx: $5,000**

    The Arts

    Years 10, 11 and 12

    40 students

      X   X   X

    Music (Singapore)

    July holidays

    Approx: $2,500**

    The Arts

    Years 10, 11 and 12

    40 students

          X   X
                   
    PRODUCTIONS YEAR GROUP/S 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028
    Whole School Production Years 7-12 X   X   X  
    Minor Productions (Upper School/Lower School)     X   X   X
  • * Students are only permitted to take one trip per year.
    ** Please see the Excursions and Tours Policy.