St Catherine of Siena School is a Catholic co-educational primary school in Armstrong Creek, Geelong. We are a welcoming and inclusive learning environment, open to all families who are supportive of the Catholic mission and traditions of Catholic education.
Our school doors opened for the first time in January 2020 with 135 students. In subsequent years our enrolment has grown strongly and in 2025 the school supports an enrolment of more than 500 students in Prep - Year 6.
St Catherine’s school is enlightened by Gospel values. We model Catholic Social Teaching and embrace the Catholic tradition. We rejoice in diversity, knowing all children can learn.
Our school enhances each child’s wellbeing to enable and empower them to excel. We have created a positive, safe school of learners with a particular focus on enriching each child’s wellbeing. At St Catherine’s we emphasise the building of positive relationships with self and others, for each member of our school community.
All students are energised with quality and innovative learning. We have a particular focus on explicit literacy and numeracy education and encourage all students to pursue excellence. We know each of our children and we develop learners from what they know, establishing high expectations and providing constructive feedback.
At St Catherine of Siena, we have a strong commitment to life-long learning, encouraging students to take responsibility for their own learning through an enriching and stimulating curriculum. We cultivate active and engaged learners who learn to work collaboratively, to respectfully express themselves and to grow spiritually, academically, socially, emotionally and physically.
It is our plan that students are empowered to discover and follow their strengths and passions so that they can be who they were created to be and set the world on fire.
The essence of St. Catherine of Siena – Engage, Empower, Excel.
We are Respectful.
We are Learners.
We are our Best Selves.
St Catherine’s delivers state of the art, purpose built, research-based brand-new facilities. Stages 1 - 2 of our school were completed between 2019 and 2021 and include two-storey teaching, learning and administration buildings, three adventure playgrounds, large, covered basketball, tennis and netball courts, kitchen garden and grassed play areas with AFL goal posts, as well as a soccer field. Stage 3 opened in 2024 and includes additional classroom spaces, as well as a specialised STEM space.
St Catherine’s is a dynamic school community steeped in a sustainable learning style, respectful of our Indigenous heritage. We are stewards of creation and journey in harmony with God’s creation to be ecological and respectful in all learning. All students participate in fortnightly Kitchen Garden sessions and Exploring our Environment Sessions. This provides our students with pleasurable food, environment and community education that teaches positive, sustainable habits through fun and hands-on learning.
St Catherine of Siena School, through living the Gospel values in words and action, supports all in growing in faith as part of the Nazareth Parish community. Our school provides a nourishing education, journeying in faith with Jesus, informing, forming and transforming each child to enable our world to be a vibrant, living community.
Child Safety
St Catherine of Siena Catholic Primary School is committed to providing a safe environment for all students and young people. The care, safety and wellbeing of children and young people is a central and fundamental responsibility of Catholic education. At St Catherine of Siena we want all children in our care to feel safe, happy and empowered. St Catherine of Siena school is committed to strengthened practice for the protection of children and their fundamental right to be respected, nurtured and safeguarded by all. In accordance with requirements of the Victorian Government Child Safety reforms and Ministerial Order 870, St Catherine of Siena school promotes an absolute commitment to child safety and in meeting its obligations and responsibilities in Child Safety Standards.
About St Catherine of Siena
Catherine was a member of the Dominican Third Order. This meant that she chose not to marry, but to devote her life to preaching and doing good deeds as a layperson.
Catherine’s major accomplishment was in persuading the Pope to return from Avignon, France to the Vatican in Italy. Turmoil in Rome and conflict with the emperor had forced the popes to retreat to Avignon in southern France. Catherine shared the popular Italian desire to restore the papacy to Rome.
Throughout her life she displayed a strong vision and passion for learning, a desire to bring the love of God into everyone’s hearts and the courage to make a difference through her actions.
Catherine died when she was only 33. She was canonized in 1461 and proclaimed a Doctor of the Church in 1970. She is the patron saint of Italy and all of Europe.
We can draw inspiration from her powerful words of wisdom:
“Be who you were created to be and you will set the world on fire”
Her Feast day is on the 29th of April.