St Patrick's College is an independent Roman Catholic co-educational secondary day school, located in Sutherland, Southern Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The college provides a general and religious education for students from Year 7 to Year 12.
The school traces its founding to Christian Brothers College, established as an upper primary school in 1956 by the Congregation of Christian Brothers. In 1992, it merged with Mary Immaculate College, which had been founded in 1959 by the Presentation Sisters of Wagga Wagga. The school takes its name from St. Patrick's School, a primary parochial school, which had been founded in 1924 by the Sisters of Mercy of Cronulla, and of which Mary Immaculate College had been established as a secondary department.
St Patrick's College is connected to St Patrick's Catholic Parish Sutherland and St Patrick's Primary School.
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College house system
There are eight college houses – Nagle (blue), Leary (gold), Rice (green) and Wiltshire (red) MacKillop (purple), Gilroy (silver), Dunlea (orange), O’Connor (pink). The houses are named after important members of college history
School hymn
The school hymn is sung to the tune of Gustav Theodore Holst's "Jupiter" theme from The Planets (also known as "I Vow to Thee, My Country").
Extracurricular activities
This includes sporting events, band, debating, public speaking, the Duke of Edinburgh Award, Social Justice and Youth Ministry.
College sports
Many students participate in internal, grade and representative sport. Various internal and grade sport includes soccer, basketball, softball, AFL, water polo, cricket, surfing, tennis, swimming, life saving, rugby, hockey, oztag, golf and many more. Representative sport is a major part of college culture with the college competing in various prestigious sporting competitions such as the SCCC (Shire Combined Catholic Colleges), SSCCC (Southern Sydney Combined Catholic Colleges) and the NSWCCC (NSW Combined Catholic Colleges). Sports such as football, AFL, rugby league, rugby union, touch, hockey, waterpolo, netball, soccer, tennis, softball, baseball, basketball and cricket are representative sports the college competes in on a yearly basis.
College bands
The St. Patrick's College bands include the Marching Band, Junior and Senior Band, Stage Band, Guitar Ensemble and Drum Squad.
Debating and public speaking
The college encourages students to participate in Debating and Public Speaking. Junior and Senior teams participate regularly in the Catholic Schools Debating competition which provides students with the challenge of competing against students from a number of other Catholic Colleges.
In addition, teams have been involved in a Shire Debating competition organised by the Sutherland Rotary Club and a History Debating competition organised by the NSW Department of Education.
Duke of Edinburgh Award
The Duke of Edinburgh's Award program involves three progressive levels which, when successfully completed, lead to a Bronze, Silver or Gold Duke of Edinburgh's Award. There are four sections at Bronze and Silver level and five at Gold. With assistance from adult Leaders, participants select and set objectives in each of the following areas: Volunteering, Physical, Skills, Expedition and, at Gold level, Residential. Each section must be done for a minimum period of time. It must be monitored and then assessed by someone with knowledge of that particular activity to achieve an Award.
The Duke of Edinburgh's Award it has become a significant program to develop the skills of college students. Currently the college has of the largest programs on offer in NSW with an increasing demand for places each year. Students of the college may apply to commence the program in Year 9, with the opportunity to continue through to Year 12.
2021 NSWCCC Tennis Team
In 2021, St. Patrick's College Sutherland put in their first ever team into the Combined Catholic Colleges Team Tennis Event. The Team consisted of Orlando Manciameli, Adam Glowacki, Cyrus Wong and Callum Stanger. They finished 3rd and lost in the semifinals coming short of the eventual champions St. Augustine's College. Wong became the youngest player to participate in the event at 11 years and 321 days. The previous youngest player was Adam McDermott at 12 years and 14 days. Additionally Wong qualified for the 2023 NSWCCC Tennis Team. He became the first tennis player from St. Patrick's College ever to do so since the induction of the school into the CCC system.
Notable alumni
Chris Downy, NSW state politician – NSW Minister for Sport, Recreation and Racing 1993–1995, Liberal MP for Sutherland 1988–1997
Alex Gersbach, professional footballer
Kimberlee Green, netballer
Michael Egan, NSW state politician, NSW Treasurer 1995–2005
Ruby Fields, singer-songwriter and guitarist
Maryanne Stuart, NSW State Politician, Labour MP for Heathcote 2023–present