A Hunter school is in a class of its own after recording a 61% rise in Kindergarten enrolments.
Three sets of twins – Willow and Nate Stewart, Audrey and Charlotte Lawton, and Charlotte and Luca Coleman – are among the influx of students set to start at Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School in Tarro this Tuesday 2 February.
Principal Cheryl Henderson, who is entering her seventh year in the role, says she’s thrilled with the result.
“The really special thing, as leader of the community, is there are lots of new families, including non-Catholics, coming to us,” she said.
“We expect families that enrol their first child will continue to enrol all their siblings but, when new families are looking to come into Catholic education, that’s such a gift to us.
“I like to think we’re known in the community for caring for kids and guiding their growth in learning.”
The school continues to survive and thrive following a difficult two-year period, fuelled by the Royal Commission into the Catholic Church, as well as the detection of per-and-poly-fluroalkyl substances (PFAS), and the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2019, Fire and Rescue NSW investigated the presence of PFAS in soil after Tarro Fire Station used fire-fighting foam on the site for several years when it was a vacant lot.
A few months later, Our Lady of Lourdes then joined other schools across the state in adapting to the coronavirus, with teachers taking up online tools such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom while students learned from home.
Despite the challenges, Mrs Henderson believes the school’s positive standing in the community is unwavering.
“The crimes of the past have impacted on Catholics everywhere,” she said.
“For families to be seeking Catholic education, even after [the Royal Commission], speaks volumes about how successful we are in nurturing our families.
“My staff are amazing and work so hard to make sure we meet the needs of our kids and give them the best possible academic outcomes, as well as sending them off on their way in life.
“It’s a big responsibility but also a privilege.”
Term 1 2021 began on Wednesday (27 January) for many students within the public and private education systems.
