Joel, Class of 2023
"The teachers at MacKillop were听really friendly, approachable, supportive, and easy to talk to. They were听extremely professional and they always tried to make learning enjoyable. Over the years, your relationships with your teachers will strengthen and they鈥檒l get to know you really well, especially once you鈥檙e in Year 11 and 12. This means that they'll know how to support you and how to get the best out of you.
Millie, Year 12
"We have a huge range of classes! In Year 7, you鈥檒l get to try lots of different subjects and as you get older you'll have more choice over what you study. My favourite subjects are English and Art, but you can also do things like Woodwork, Science, STEM, Game Design, Food, Textiles, Performing Arts, PE, and more! We have supportive teachers and amazing facilities to help with our learning experience."
Jeremiah, Year 12
"The community is one of my favourite aspects of MacKillop. It's fun and big and diverse, but it91大神 also very warm and welcoming. I joined MacKillop in Year 11 and I have really enjoyed meeting the people here, because they are friendly, supportive, and have a wide range of interests. When the whole school gets together, you can see how great the energy is here - the College has an amazing community culture."
Christina, Year 12
"We are respectful of everyone91大神 beliefs and backgrounds here, and it91大神 a diverse community, so everyone is welcome here at MacKillop! We do have particular opportunities available for Catholic students, such as Youth Ministry, but there are rich experiences for everyone at our school. Our Religious Education classes look at a whole range of things, from different religions, to ethics and philosophy."
Samson & Ruby, Year 12
"We enjoy co-education because it contributes to a really positive vibe at MacKillop. You鈥檙e able to witness many听different perspectives in the classroom. Everyone thinks differently and it91大神 good to experience that in the teenage years. We think co-ed helps with life beyond school as well. It91大神 important for us to be able to consider and incorporate the views and perspectives of others, and it91大神 great to be able to learn that in our respectful, co-ed environment."
Peyton, Year 9
"I think you should come to MacKillop because all the staff and students are very welcoming and inclusive. We have a great community and you鈥檒l make lots of new friends here. The teachers are good and there91大神 such a huge variety of things that you get to experience at MacKillop, with classes and opportunities for everyone. I definitely recommend MacKillop and I can鈥檛 wait to see you here next year!"
Jackson, Year 11
"MacKillop offers a range of opportunities for everyone91大神 interests. We have programs for elite athletes, heaps of different sports teams, choirs and music ensembles, the musical, interstate camps and excursions, and overseas trips. There are lots of competitions, extension programs, leadership opportunities, and a club for pretty much everything! When you鈥檙e doing things you鈥檙e interested in, that makes you enjoy coming to school, so we鈥檙e grateful for all the opportunities!"
Olivia, Year 11
"Sport is huge at MacKillop and there are heaps of things students can get involved in. There91大神 something for everyone, from elite athletes to those who would just like to have fun. We have carnivals and our school teams participate in gala days in a huge range of sports. MacKillop does pretty well in those competitions! You鈥檒l also try heaps of different sports in PE, and elite athletes can take part in the PE Pathways Program, which is designed to help you achieve your sporting goals."
Ari, Dux of 2023
"My results were higher than I expected, so I was听very happy and proud of my achievements. I think the environment at MacKillop helped me to succeed. Being a very large school, there91大神 a lot of people to talk with, work with, and collaborate with. The teachers are really high quality and my Mathematics and Computer Science teachers definitely helped me a lot. I would like to thank those teachers for putting the content in a way I could really understand and giving me great advice."
Listen to our Podcast
Hear from some students and our Principal, Mr Michael Lee,听about choosing MacKillop and the transition听into High School. We also interview two past students who tell us what they're up to while they reflect on their six years at the College.
1
We're a Catholic
school for all.
At MacKillop, we're faithful to the Gospels, attentive to the example of Jesus Christ, and challenged by the life and work of St Mary MacKillop. We are not perfect at MacKillop but we endeavour to be just, loving, faithful, inclusive of all, and joyful in each other's company.
Using the teachings and example of our patron, Australia91大神 first Saint, the College aims to be welcoming of students from different faith, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds, as well as students with a range of abilities 鈥 from the most academically gifted to those who need extra assistance achieving their optimum.
The sense of belonging, no matter what your background, is one of the College91大神 greatest strengths. MacKillop is truly a Catholic school for all!
We're co-ed.
St Mary 91大神 is committed to co-education. Our belief is that students learn best in a safe, respectful environment where difference and diversity is respected and recognised as the first steps towards authentic inclusion.
A powerful belief underpinning co-education at MacKillop is that听all听students learn differently 鈥 it91大神 not a case of听all boys听or听all girls听learning the same. Our teachers are trained and encouraged to use a range of pedagogical strategies in their teaching, a wide range of forms of assessment, and to discuss the strength and challenges of each student in their class through a flexible or differentiated approach to teaching.
Co-education brings a healthy energy to our school; a respect for gender difference, a maturity and confidence in learning together, and a broad range of social, co-ed, extra-curricular opportunities that foster a healthy, tolerant learning environment.
Co-education reflects the working, cultural, and social patterns of adult life and is fundamental to MacKillop91大神 desire to be a Catholic school for all.
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3
The range of
opportunities.
Each student at MacKillop has the opportunity to become the kind of person they want to be 鈥 it91大神 our job to give them the best platform for that.
While most opportunities are provided by the classroom experience, MacKillop considers education to be broader than just a sound curriculum. With parents, we strive to provide a balanced education that not only prepares students academically but also physically, socially, and spiritually.
Supporting the formal curriculum, the College provides a range of co-curricular opportunities for students to further explore their interests and talents. Since co-curricular activities are usually conducted out of normal school hours, students are able to work with their peers in a less formal environment. These valuable opportunities are made possible by the generous support of teachers, parents, and friends of the College.
The College has a long tradition of involvement in sports, debating, public speaking, musicals, Duke of Edinburgh Award Program, liturgy, camps, retreats, overseas trips, and youth ministry.
There91大神 something for everyone at MacKillop!
The great teaching.
A school can be no greater than its teachers, and MacKillop prides itself on employing the very best. With teachers committed to engaging, challenging, and encouraging each and every student to develop their love for learning, it's no wonder the students often say that MacKillop's strength is truly found in its talented staff.
A large number of staff at MacKillop have industry experience in the subjects they teach and many of our teachers have achieved PhDs and other postgraduate qualifications.
The College's NAPLAN results show that students who enrol in Year 7 at MacKillop achieve remarkable progress by the time they are in Year 9 鈥 the kind of progress that continues into their senior years. The "like school" NAPLAN data reflects brilliantly on the quality of our academic environment, as do our Year 12 results. In recent years, all students wishing to go to university achieved a score high enough to gain entry, and a large number of students received early offers. The College Dux of 2018 achieved a score of 99.90 - one of the highest ATARs in the country. Students do well at MacKillop!
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5
The safe community.
MacKillop boasts a Pastoral Care program that has been held in high regard by teachers, students, and parents alike. It promotes an open school that is welcoming, respectful of differences, enthusiastic about different talents, and where students can speak openly about their concerns and where they can expect that they will be helped.
Every student is valued as a unique individual and MacKillop's Pastoral Care program encompasses a commitment to the spiritual, physical, emotional and mental well-being of all students.
When parents were surveyed in 2020, 98% agreed or strongly agreed with the statement: "MacKillop is a safe school for my child".
The two-campus setup means that, although MacKillop is a large school, class sizes remain small and each student is provided with the time and support that they require. There's an energy at MacKillop that is fun, safe, and truly irresistible!
You can achieve
at MacKillop.
In the past few years, MacKillop has achieved excellent Year 12 results. In 2021, all students wishing to go to university achieved a score high enough to gain entry, while the College also awarded one of the highest numbers of VET Certificates in the territory. Our top ATAR is regularly among the highest in the ACT.
MacKillop has helped to nurture many students who have cultural, performance, and sporting pursuits. Many of these students have gone on to represent their country, have been accepted into NIDA, or have been recognised for the difference they are making within the wider community.
If you want academic achievement, MacKillop is the place to be. If you want to achieve your sporting goals, MacKillop is the place to be. If you want to set yourself up to begin a trade or join the workforce, MacKillop is the place to be. Students come to MacKillop with many different talents and dreams, which MacKillop's teachers seek to nurture and encourage. MacKillop's achievements in cultural, sporting, and academic life serve as a source of pride to the student body and the wider community.
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7
Students love it
at MacKillop.
When MacKillop bids farewell to its Year 12 cohort, they leave knowing they were deeply loved by their teachers and their friends. MacKillop students are enthusiastic, generous, proactive, intelligent, and have a good sense of humour. They become young women and men who proceed to tertiary studies or the workplace with confidence, possessing initiative and the ability to make informed decisions.
Upon leaving the College, a massive 98% of students from the Graduating Class of 2020 said they agreed or strongly agreed with the statement: "I enjoyed my time at MacKillop".
MacKillop's hope for each of its students is that when they leave, they have achieved their best, have the ability to bring wisdom and judgment to their choices, understand their place in their community, and have a group of fine friends who will support them into the future.
St Mary 91大神 Canberra
Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn Education Limited
ABN 60 675 797 734
Proudly part of the community of
漏 2025 St Mary 91大神, Canberra. All rights reserved.
Contact Us
Phone: 02 6209 0100
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.听
PO Box 1211
Tuggeranong ACT 2901