CathWest Innovation College

19 Jul 2026

From Facebook

Welcome to Term 3, Week 1A

17 Jul 2026

What's It Really Like to Send Your Kid to a Catholic School?

If you've ever assumed that attending a Catholic school means you have to be Catholic and that the fees are expensive, you're not alone. It's a common perception, but for many families, the reality looks quite different.

Photo: Primary Artwork Winner, Maria Gerges from St Patrick’s Primary Guildford

08 Jul 2026

CSPD students recognised in Refugee Week Creative Competition

Over 125 students from 10 Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese (CSPD) schools have been recognised for their empathy and powerful storytelling as part of the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Australia Refugee Week Creative Competition.

06 Jul 2026

From Facebook

A BIG thank you to the whole Cathwest community for contributing to the Vinnies Winter Appeal - Snack Pack Drive. As a school we donated over 2000 items and packed over 450 individual snack packs! Thank you for being the hands and feet of Jesus to those in need during these winter months. 🤲🦶 "Love is shown more in deeds than words." St Ignatius of Loyola🥰 @catholicschoolsparra @metparracatholic @vinniesnsw Vinnies Australia @vinniesnsw

05 Jul 2026

From Facebook

Celebrate NAIDOC Week! 🖤💛❤️ This week, we join the nation in celebrating NAIDOC Week—a time to honor the history, culture, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Let’s listen, learn, and celebrate. #NAIDOC2026 #NAIDOCWeek #50YearsOfDeadly @catholicschoolsparra

03 Jul 2026

From Facebook

Our Year 12 students came together at our Loyola Campus for an inspiring Encounter Day centred on the theme, "Go and Do Likewise." Throughout the day, students were challenged to consider how they can use their future careers and gifts to serve others.🧑‍🍳👩‍🚒 We were privileged to hear from former diocesan student, Australian Paralympian and Guinness World Record holder Matt Caruana , whose powerful story reminded students that, like the Good Samaritan, we are called to stop and help those in need, while also finding the courage to keep moving forward on our own journey with hope and resilience. "Nothing is Out of Reach". 💙💜 Students also participated in engaging workshops led by Vinnies, The God Squad, Parramatta Mission and Little Wings, exploring practical ways they can use their skills and passions to make a meaningful difference in their communities beyond their high school years. A day of inspiration, reflection and challenge, encouraging our Year 12 students to be the hands and feet of Christ wherever life leads them. @mattshares Matt Shares @vinniesyouthnsw Vinnies NSW Catholic Schools @parracatholic @metparracatholic @littlewingsaustralia @catholicschoolsparra

01 Jul 2026

From Facebook

☕🥤 Year 12 Hospitality Service Success! 🥤☕ Over the last few weeks Year 12 Hospitality students have put their skills into practice by running a beverage service period and inviting Holy Family and Our Lady of the Way parishioners to enjoy a selection of hot and cold drinks. This was a fantastic hands-on learning experience, allowing students to develop their customer service, communication, teamwork, and hospitality skills in a real-world setting. We are incredibly proud of the professionalism and enthusiasm they demonstrated throughout the service. The feedback from our customers was overwhelmingly positive, with many commenting on the excellent service and the delicious range of drinks on offer. Well done to all of our Year 12 Hospitality students for making this event such a success! 🌟👏 #Year12Hospitality #LearningByDoing #HospitalitySkills #CustomerService #FutureHospitalityProfessionals #HandsOnLearning #SchoolCommunity Holy Family Parish, Mt Druitt @c@catholicschoolsparra @parramattacatholicservices

29 Jun 2026

From Facebook

🌟 Year 11 Early Childhood Education and Care 🌟 Recently our Year 11 ECEC students put their learning into practice by planning and setting up engaging learning experiences for children. 🧩🎨📚 It was fantastic to see students applying their knowledge of child development and play-based learning while creating experiences that encourage curiosity, creativity, and learning. A highlight of the lesson was seeing some students design and create their own resources. Their ideas were thoughtful, imaginative, and demonstrated a wonderful understanding of how learning materials can support children's development. 👏✨ We are so proud of the creativity, initiative, and enthusiasm shown by our students as they continue to develop the skills needed for a career in Early Childhood Education. #ECEC #Year11 #FutureEducators #LearningThroughPlay #CreativityInEducation #HandsOnLearning #StudentSuccess #earlychildhoodeducation @stlukesmp @carolinechisholmglenmorepark #stpatricksmaristcollegedundas @catholicschoolsparra

28 Jun 2026

From Facebook

Last week four of our Year 12 leaders attended a CSPD Leadership Breakfast at Novotel. Keynote speaker, Joy Adan spoke about the importance of having our self value based on our individual strengths and using them for good. She also highlighted the negative side of our society, as we put too much trust in AI and social media to define our worth . 🥰 Our students were able to network and discuss this topic in more depth with other school leaders. A common theme that kept arising was that Cathwest’s approach to Catholic Education aligned with this view of placing our value in our skills but more importantly, how we treat others. 💜 @joyadan.life #cdspfaithinaction @catholicyouthparra Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese @catholicschoolsparra

26 Jun 2026

From Facebook

🌟 Future Educators in the Making! 🌟 Over the past month, two of our fantastic CathWest students spent four consecutive Wednesdays at Nirimba TAFE and completed the YES Program - Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC)! This multi-week experience gave them an in-depth look into the industry, including a wonderful opportunity to visit the on-campus ECEC centre to see real-world teaching practices in action. 🧸 The Foundation of Early Learning During their time at TAFE, our students explored the core philosophies that drive quality early childhood education. All TAFE NSW Children’s Centres follow the National Early Years Learning Framework, which focuses deeply on: 👶🏼Nurturing children's sense of self 👶🏿Developing their sense of belonging 👶Encouraging ongoing development 🚀 The Power of Play-Based Learning Across the 4-week course, our students got a firsthand look at how intentional, play-based learning programs are designed to spark children’s imagination in a positive environment where they are encouraged to play together. This interactive environment is crucial because it enables children to: 💜Build strong confidence 💙Develop vital socialisation skills 💜Express and explore their own ideas 💙Engage meaningfully with the ideas of others 💼 Inspiring the Next Step The best part of this extended experience? It completely solidified their career goals! Spending four Wednesdays witnessing the framework in action has given both students the confidence to officially pursue ECEC as a career pathway for their ongoing studies here at CathWest. Opportunities like this allow CathWest students to step into real-world environments, test-drive their career passions over multiple weeks, and lock in their future with clarity and certainty. We are incredibly proud of our students for committing to this course with curiosity and enthusiasm. The future of early childhood education is looking bright! ☀️ #CathWest #NirimbaTAFE #EarlyChildhoodEducation #VETPathway #FutureEducators #LearningByDoing #ECEC #CareerPathways #vocationaleducation #ECEC #FutureEducators #SkillsNSW TAFE NSW @ambroseearlylearningandcare #InspiringYoungMinds @catholicschoolsparra

24 Jun 2026

From Facebook

🛠️ "Jesus was a tradie." Talk about faith in action! Our CathWest Innovation College community recently transformed a 'Brick & Block' workshop into a sacred space for a incredibly special Mass celebrating Saint Joseph the Worker.👷 Hand-built by our students, the altar stood at the centre of a beautiful liturgy celebrated by Bishop Vincent Long, reflecting our unique blend of trade, innovation, and Catholic identity. From a student-built sacred space to a rockin' rendition of 'Working Class Man' by our staff band, it was an unforgettable celebration of community, humility, and hard work.🪇🎹🎼 👉 Read the full story and see how our students are building their futures—and their faith—on our website https://cathwest.parra.catholic.edu.au/news-events/news/2026/06/10/02/35/build-it-and-they-will-pray @Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese @catholicyouthparra #cdspfaithinaction Catholic Schools Parramatta DioceseCatholic Schools Parramatta Diocese

22 Jun 2026

From Facebook

🖤💛❤️ Uncle Ted & Taleishah Indigenous Cultural Incursion ❤️💛🖤 Recently, Our Year 12 ECEC students had the incredible privilege of learning from Uncle Ted and Taleishah from Jarara. It was an inspiring session filled with storytelling, history, and deep cultural insights to help guide our future educators. Here are a few highlights from the day: Caring for Country & Identity: Students explored traditional tools, the deep responsibility of sustainable living, and how totems foster identity and community connections. 🌿🪃✨ Inclusive Education: The group discussed practical ways to embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags, art, and language into early childhood settings to ensure all families feel welcomed and represented. History & Reconciliation: The session provided a meaningful space to learn about historical truths, including the impact of the Stolen Generations, emphasizing the importance of cultural understanding. 🏏 Fun Fact We Learned: The very first cricket team to represent Australia internationally was actually an all-Aboriginal team that toured England in 1868! A massive thank you to Uncle Ted and Taleishah for sharing your wisdom, stories, and culture with us. This unforgettable experience will beautifully support our students on their journey to becoming culturally responsive and inclusive educators. 🖤💛❤️ 💚💙🤍 #IndigenousEducation #AboriginalCulture #FirstNations #CaringForCountry #Sustainability #Totems #Belonging #CulturalInclusion #Reconciliation #Jarara #ECEC #FutureEducators #AlwaysWasAlwaysWillBe #TruthTelling #JARARA

20 Jun 2026

From Facebook

We were absolutely thrilled to welcome Susan Templeman MP (Federal Member for Macquarie and Special Envoy for the Arts) to CathWest Innovation College recently! The visit began with an insightful sit-down meeting with Paul Stenning, Principal and Samatha Boreham, Assistant Principal. Susan was eager to learn more about the CathWest model and how we empower students to dual-track their success—completing their HSC while concurrently kicking off a School-Based Apprenticeship (SBA). Following the briefing, Susan took a tour of the campus guided by our inspiring Year 12 student leaders. Every single one of these students is already employed by a local business through their SBA, gaining invaluable on-the-job experience while completing their schooling. It was fantastic to watch them show Susan firsthand how a hands-on, flexible learning environment has prepared them for the workforce. Susan’s federal focus on education, local opportunity, and youth well-being directly aligns with the culture we promote here at CathWest. Having a federal leader validate our students’ hard work and non-traditional pathways means the world to our community. Thank you, Susan, for your time, your deep engagement with our future tradespeople and entrepreneurs, and your ongoing support for educational innovation in Greater Western Sydney! #susantempleman #susantemplemanmp #nswskills #westernsydneypenrith #VocationalEducation #catholiceducation #cspd #catholicschoolsparramattadiocese #catholicschoolsparramattadiocese #bradali #riversidefitouts #stowe

18 Jun 2026

From Facebook

This week, CathWest welcomed Year 10 students from neighboring schools for an incredible 'Try a Career' day! We know it can be hard for teens to choose a career path from a textbook, so we gave them the chance to get totally hands-on and experience real industries for themselves. Here is a glimpse of what they got up to: 🚗 Automotive: Learned basic car maintenance and raced the clock in a tyre-changing challenge! 🔨 Carpentry: Got to grips with different tools and built their very own wooden mallets. 🧸 Childcare: Stepped into the shoes of an educator with painting, reading, and playdough fun. 🚧 Civil Construction: Got their hands dirty paving, digging, and battling it out in a nail-driving competition. 💇‍♀️ Hairdressing: Leveled up their styling skills by learning to braid and curl. 🩺 Nursing: Practiced life-saving basics including CPR and wound care. 🎬 Screen & Media: Brought stories to life through scriptwriting, acting, and producing! A big thank you to all our teachers who ran the workshops - It was fantastic to see so much energy and engagement. What makes completing school different at CathWest? We know parents want their kids to have the best possible start. At CathWest, our students get to roll up their sleeves and be creative every day—completing their HSC while kickstarting their careers through a School-Based Apprenticeship (SBA) or Traineeship. They do not have to choose between finishing high school and starting their career; they can do both! Head over to our website https://info.parra.catholic.edu.au/open-day/cathwest-innovation-college to book a school tour. @ambroseearlylearningandcare @anategroup Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese @catholicschoolsparra @TAFE NSW @tafensw St John Paul II Catholic College, Schofields & Nirimba @stjohnpaul2cc St Agnes CHS Rooty Hill @parramatta.marist Xavier College @xavierllandilo

10 Jun 2026

Build it and they will pray

CathWest Innovation College transformed a workshop into sacred space for a special Mass celebrating Saint Joseph, the patron saint of workers, celebrated by Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv.