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Students playing soccer on the school oval at St Andrews Primary School Marayong

Commitment to Close the Gap clear for Western Sydney Catholic schools

21 Mar 2025

3 CSPD students wearing Traditional Aboriginal Paint

Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese (CSPD) has released its first annual Closing the Gap report. This report outlines its contribution to improving socio-economic outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, particularly students and their families.

CSPD Chief Executive Officer Jack de Groot said the report reflects the dedication of CSPD’s 6 500 staff in fostering reconciliation and equity through the organisation’s 80 outstanding school across Western Sydney and the Blue Mountains.

“We’re strongly committed to great outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students through education grounded in excellence and inclusion,” Jack said. “Our Catholic tradition puts people in need first and there is still so much more to do to Close the Gap for First Nations people in Australia, including in our Catholic schools.”

The annual report is an additional commitments CSPD has included in its forthcoming Reconciliation Action Plan. While not exhaustive, the report highlights some of the meaningful efforts being made through CSPD schools and services across Western Sydney and the Blue Mountains. Some highlights include:

  • a year-on-year increase of approximately 7.5% enrolment growth for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students (bringing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to 1,217 total)
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students maintained an attendance rate above 87% in both 2023 and 2024, compared to 85.1% in 2022
  • increasing HSC participation with 65 HSC candidates in 2025, in contrast to 10 HSC candidates in 2016
  • steady improvement in HSC results, with the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students achieving top-band awards rising from 7.69% in 2016 to nearly 30% by 2024
  • achievements in Vocational Education and Training such as St John Paul II Catholic College Schofields student Tataya Curry-Jones being named NSW Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year and St Agnes Catholic High School Rooty Hill student Jewel Osborne won the prestigious Aurora Award at the Western Sydney and Blue Mountains Region at the 2024 NSW Training Awards.

The report celebrates the strengths-based work of the CSPD Jarara team based in Mount Druitt and Family Liaison Officer Aunty Roz Webb, an Aboriginal Elder embedded within CSPD’s Student Support Directorate. Other successful initiatives include the Murama Youth Ambassador Program, cultural learning programs such as Sky Country Dreaming and the Up and Go Bus that provides students with transport to school (and brekky on the road), an initiative to support student attendance.

Looking ahead, opportunities to increase CSPD’s contribution to national efforts to close the gap include considering scaling the Family Liaison Officer model, expanding transition support, and strengthening vocational pathways will be key priorities. Deepening partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisations, universities, and employers while increasing access to targeted wellbeing services will further enhance student outcomes. By refining exisiting programs and fostering strong community collaborations, CSPD can continue to make a contribution to sustained progress towards parity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

Closing the Gap report

Aboriginal Education CSPD News Executive Director General

Written By

Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese

Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
www.parra.catholic.edu.au

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    10 Apr 2025

    Photos from St Andrews Primary School Marayong's post
    Today, some of dedicated members of our school's FIAT team; with Mrs Parks and Mrs Hyson, were blessed 🙏with the opportunity 🤩 to participate in the Diocesan Big Walk for Water at Parramatta Park. Together we walked 🚶‍♀️💓🚶‍♀️💓🚶‍♀️💓🚶‍♀️💓🚶‍♀️ in solidarity, with over 2 BILLION people worldwide, to acknowledge and support the humanitarian issue of people across Africa, Asia and the Pacific who have to travel great distances to access clean water every day. It was truly affirming 🥰 to unite with other schools in the Diocese with the common goal of walking for justice and dignity for all.
    870148851588051_1067429331860001-1

    10 Apr 2025

    Photos from St Andrews Primary School Marayong's post
    Sport Recap Last Wednesday, we had our school Cross Country. All students who participated in the race tried their very best. Congratulations to the students who qualified for the Diocesan Cross Country. We wish you the best of luck! On Friday, we were lucky enough to have Nathan Katz visit our school and talk with Stage 2 and 3 students. Nathan competed at the Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games in Judo where he medalled. He talked to the students about resilience, overcoming challenges and setting goals.

Latest News More news

870148851588051_1067790235157244-1

10 Apr 2025

Photos from St Andrews Primary School Marayong's post

Today, some of dedicated members of our school's FIAT team; with Mrs Parks and Mrs Hyson, were blessed 🙏with the opportunity 🤩 to participate in the Diocesan Big Walk for Water at Parramatta Park. Together we walked 🚶‍♀️💓🚶‍♀️💓🚶‍♀️💓🚶‍♀️💓🚶‍♀️ in solidarity, with over 2 BILLION people worldwide, to acknowledge and support the humanitarian issue of people across Africa, Asia and the Pacific who have to travel great distances to access clean water every day. It was truly affirming 🥰 to unite with other schools in the Diocese with the common goal of walking for justice and dignity for all.

870148851588051_1067429331860001-1

10 Apr 2025

Photos from St Andrews Primary School Marayong's post

Sport Recap Last Wednesday, we had our school Cross Country. All students who participated in the race tried their very best. Congratulations to the students who qualified for the Diocesan Cross Country. We wish you the best of luck! On Friday, we were lucky enough to have Nathan Katz visit our school and talk with Stage 2 and 3 students. Nathan competed at the Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games in Judo where he medalled. He talked to the students about resilience, overcoming challenges and setting goals.

870148851588051_1062105625725705-1

03 Apr 2025

Photos from St Andrews Primary School Marayong's post

To the wonderful St Andrew's Community!!🤩 The FIAT team would like to thank you all for your enthusiastic and reverent participation during the Big Water Walk yesterday on Caritas Day. Our community has raised $4396 just on our Project Compassion online fundraising page! 😍 That does not count all the coin donations from the Project Compassion boxes, the lolly guessing competition and the sale of the bracelets. We will update you with the full total next term, but we know that we raised over $5000! $4000 will fund a water tank for a school in Samoa! Thank you for putting your faith into action!

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01 Apr 2025

Photos from St Andrews Primary School Marayong's post

Check OUT...Our passionate 🥰 FIAT of students (Faith In Action Team), who have been busy working behind the scenes to help prepare us for our Caritas Day this Thursday the 3rd of April!! They've been working hard on; 🧡 designing and making promotion posters to mark this community event at our school, creating 💙 creating beautiful, bead bracelets to sell on Caritas Day ($2 each), &... 💜 it was their idea to have a lolly guessing competition ($1 a guess 🤔) We are so blessed to have so many year 5 and year 6 students that have a passion to live out their FAITH by volunteering their time every Thursday lunchtime. Please join us for 'The Big Water Walk' on Caritas Day. When: 9:30 - 10:50 am, and please don't forget to sponsor your child through our online fundraising page. Thank you St Andrew's community for your continual support. God Bless 🙏

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01 Apr 2025

Photos from St Andrews Primary School Marayong's post

To the wonderful St Andrew's Community, it has been lovely to see so many staff and parents join us for the Lenten prayer 😇 each Thursday morning! 🤩 Please 🙏 join us for our last two Lenten prayers for the year, Thursday mornings at 8:30 am in the library. We hope you all have a wonderful week.💜

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27 Mar 2025

Photos from St Andrews Primary School Marayong's post

HARMONY DAY 2025 Despite the poor weather, and having to cancel our picnic it was great to see so many families come to celebrate Harmony Day during our open classrooms! 2of 2.

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27 Mar 2025

Photos from St Andrews Primary School Marayong's post

HARMONY DAY 2025 Despite the poor weather, and having to cancel our picnic it was great to see so many families come to celebrate Harmony Day during our open classrooms! 1of 2.

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23 Mar 2025

St Andrew's Primary School - Marayong - Project Compassion 2025

To our St Andrew's Community, As part of our catholic mission for social awareness and justice, we’re taking part in supporting 'The Big Water Walk' organised by Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion. The goal is to raise awareness of the challenges faced by so many to access basic needs and rights. Therefore, during Lent we are Uniting Against Poverty by taking part in Caritas Australia's Project Compassion, by raising funds to empower people living in poverty around the world. On Thursday the 3rd of April we are having our BIG Caritas day. On that day we are participating in 'The Big Walk' for Water. We encourage you to sponsor your child and to collect sponsors for them through our St Andrew’s online donation page, which can be found in the newsletter or on our Facebook page. (If you have already donated you don’t need to donate again). On Caritas day (3/4) the walk will start at 9:30am and will finish by 10:50 am in the classrooms. The walk will be held within the school grounds, and all parents and carers are welcome to participate. On the day students can bring coins for: 1) the lolly guessing competition, which will be $1 a guess, and 2) Caritas bracelets will also be available to purchase for $2. Thank you for standing with us, as we Unite Against Poverty through Project Compassion this Lent.💜💜💜

3 CSPD students wearing Traditional Aboriginal Paint

21 Mar 2025

Commitment to Close the Gap clear for Western Sydney Catholic schools

Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese (CSPD) has released its first annual Closing the Gap report. This report outlines its contribution to improving socio-economic outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, particularly students and their families. CSPD Chief Executive Officer Jack de Groot said the report reflects the dedication of CSPD’s 6 500 staff in fostering reconciliation and equity through the organisation’s 80 outstanding school across Western Sydney and the Blue Mountains.

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06 Mar 2025

From Facebook

Dear wonderful, St Andrew's Community. This is just a reminder that tomorrow is a 'Day of Difference' to celebrate Catholic Schools week!🙏 The theme of the Jubilee year is, 'Pilgrims of Hope'. The colour of hope is green 💚💚💚💚💚 and all students are invited to wear this colour. You are invited to attend our 'Catholic Schools Week' Liturgy at 9:00am, following the morning assembly. Throughout the day students will participate in a variety of activities around the theme of hope and faith. In addition, teachers (from each grade) will also be selecting kid's work completed on the day to be displayed onto our school's community board in the COLA; to showcase that at St Andrew's Primary are a community focused on peace, hope and joy. We hope to see you at the liturgy! ☺️

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06 Mar 2025

Photos from St Andrews Primary School Marayong's post

Check out the mathematics fun taking place in Year 5. Students worked in teams to solve a math mystery. 🧐 It was a session of collaborative learning where each child had to apply a range of strategies and concepts learnt during their math lessons in the areas of- place value, rounding, addition, subtraction and multiplication. Each team had to work out a series of clues to crack the code of the anti-hero causing chaos in Math-hatten. It was amazing to see our students being curious 🤩 & engaged in solving problems in a creative context. #WelovemathinYear 5😍

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06 Mar 2025

St Andrew's Primary School - Marayong - Project Compassion 2025

Dear St Andrew's Community, We’re taking part in Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion by taking part in The Big Water Walk. (More information to come) We're Uniting Against Poverty this Lent by taking part in Caritas Australia's Project Compassion! This Lent, we're raising funds to empower people living in poverty around the world. Did you know that every day, millions of people around the world face unimaginable challenges just to access basic essentials like clean water, healthcare and safe shelter. Project Compassion helps to change that, by providing critical resources and opportunities for people to reclaim their lives with dignity, resilience and hope. But we need your help. Together, we can give people the dignity, safety, and opportunities they deserve. Please support us, as we Unite Against Poverty this Lent. Every dollar we raise will help to create real and lasting change for vulnerable communities around the world! Thank you for standing with us, as we Unite Against Poverty through Project Compassion this Lent. Today is a dollar match day, so if you donate today your donation will be doubled! PLEASE 🙏 donate through our St Andrews Project Compassion fundraising page, by clicking on the below link. Thank you for your compassionate support...💜

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