During a time when there has been such an evolution in teaching, curriculums, technology and digital tools, educators face many challenges while still encouraging students to build on their potential, encourage their curiosity, and celebrate their courage and growth.
A key focus of a new school in the Diocese for 2027 is to inspire their students through skilled and enthusiastic teaching, shared respect, building confidence, and a love for lifelong learning anchored on a platform of parental and pastoral support. To encourage students to be authors of their own success.
Siena Catholic College, a Kindergarten to Year 12 co-educational college will open its doors next year, launching a seamless learning journey from early years to graduation.
Bringing together Sacred Heart, Pymble and Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, West Pymble, the new Siena Catholic College follows 18 months of consultation by Catholic Schools Broken Bay which showed parents wanted both continuity and renewal – honouring the rich histories of both schools while responding to the evolving needs of future generations.
They were keen to embrace coeducation where their children had the opportunity of a K-12 pathway.
Siena Catholic College will provide for Kindergarten to Year 4 students at the West Pymble campus, while Years 5-12 will be on the Sacred Heart site on the corner of Bobbin Head Road and the Pacific Highway. The College will welcome its first Year 7 students at the start of the 2027 school year, with the full Kindergarten to Year 12 transformation scheduled for completion by 2030. While providing educational opportunity for families on the North Shore, the College’s close proximity to public transport provides access to the wider Sydney region.
It is part of Catholic Schools Broken Bay (CSBB) five-year strategy, Shaping Tomorrow, Together in Faith, and is responding to the needs articulated by families, staff, and clergy.
“This is such an exciting development where we can build an extraordinary future for our students,” the new Principal, Brenda Timp said.
“We hope to put students into the world as citizens who are able to participate meaningfully in all aspects of society.”
A former teacher, planning and strategic systems leader and Principal of Mercy Catholic College, Chatswood, Brenda explained the naming of the College is based on the lives of two saints from Siena – Saint Bernardine and Saint Catherine of Siena. St Bernardine was an influential 15th century Italian Franciscan priest and missionary preacher who devised the symbol IHS, the first three letters of the name of Jesus in Greek, in letters on a blazing sun.
“This symbol will be one of the icons of the Junior Campus,” Brenda said.
“St Bernardine was very mindful of the importance of making the Gospel accessible so his preaching was easy to understand. He will be a wonderful guide for our junior students.
“Saint Catherine on the other hand was formidable. She taught herself to read and write, was very well educated
and influential amongst the clergy, even convincing the Pope of the time, who was in residence at Avignon, to return to his pastoral duties in Rome!
“I think she will really inspire students to think about their place in the world beyond school, to understand who
they are and how they can contribute to the world.”
Brenda agrees there has been an evolution in education where teachers are no longer only subject matter experts but have to understand 21st century skills such as critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration.
“We have to inspire our students with probing questions and establish a supportive and engaging classroom where they can inquire and collaborate in order to move from concepts initially to a place of mastery of learning.
“The most fundamental change has been the shift in the use of technology which is wonderful however we also
need to interrogate the way we are using technology.
“It is not a matter of students coming into a classroom and having the content downloaded and teachers not engaged with the individual.
“Teachers need to have a deep understanding of how students learn, stages of development, and of psychology. They need to have an acute awareness of each child’s wellbeing.”
Siena College will adopt a CSBB program of collaborative coaching where every teacher is given time to work with colleagues to analyse student data regularly. Teachers believe this is a key reason why NAPLAN results for CSBB continue to outperform most schools in NSW and across the country.
Another growing challenge for educators is the spotlight on how social media is impacting the behavior of young people along with the rise in mental wellbeing concerns and even compulsive social media addiction.
“I think it is really important for schools to be in partnership with parents on this, because we have to be giving our students consistent messages.
“However, I have so much faith in our young people. They really do understand the imperative to respect one another. In our Catholic schools we talk with students about the dignity of each and every person. We talk about how everyone is created in God’s image, and so that does give a sense of the importance of treating one another well, of upholding one another, of celebrating one another’s successes, of encouraging one another when we’re perhaps not going as well as we would like to. I see examples of that every day.
“ It is early days but in the years ahead what memories would Brenda like Siena Catholic College graduating
students to take with them?
“I would like them to say they engaged in the best learning. That it set firm foundations and really launched them into the future. That they left Siena with a really strong sense of who they are and how they can contribute to the world. That they left with a wonderful group of friends who will support them as they move into their next chapter.”
For further information including |tours of both the Junior and Senior Campus and Open Days
