One of Sydney’s oldest Catholic schools has welcomed the return of female students for the first time in almost 60 years. Source: News.com.au.
Shortly after 8.20am yesterday, a wave of pupils, boys and girls, ushered through the gates St Mary’s Catholic College in Sydney’s CBD, marking almost six decades since girls last attended the school.
St Mary’s Cathedral College first opened in 1824 and is the latest school in New South Wales to transition from an all-boys’ school to co-ed for kindergarten to year 7, following in the footsteps of Newington College in Stanmore and Cranbrook School, which will begin accepting girls from 2026.
St Mary’s is ushering in a new era alongside Catholic school St Paul’s in Manly, which will also welcome girls for the first time this year.
However, unlike the others, St Mary’s will not introduce senior female students into the school, instead slowly staggering 60 female pupils into year 7 and gradually phasing out the all-boys year levels over the next five years.
St Mary’s last welcomed female pupils in 1967.
Principal Kerrie McDiarmid said the change was an “exciting moment for the school and Catholic education right across the city”.
To accommodate the influx of new students, St Mary’s has opened a new campus on Williams Street, a five-minute walk from its main school grounds. It will be used as a “home base” for older male students in years 9 to 12 for the next two years.
Ms McDiarmid said the new campus would allow the students a “smooth transition” as the school expanded its number of students.
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St Mary’s welcomes first female pupils as Sydney school goes co-ed (Alexandra Feiam, News.com.au)
