St Catherine’s Primary School, Lalor | Fees, Address, Admission, Vacancies, Reviews & More

ex-student here. The school was great back while I was attending, teachers were good at what they did, encouraging students too their full potential and try their best. The school had programs such as Energy Breakthrough which was one of the best experiences of my life (which they don’t participate in anymore)

Though since the arrival of a new principal the school has fallen off. Many great teachers have left in the past 2 years of this new principal. More focused on irrelevant renovations around the school than actual education. Bullying has increased and teachers just turn a blind eye to it. Teachers don’t know how to handle loud classes, kids are just all over the place. This school has lowered its standards over the past few years.

Personally I wouldn’t send my kids here.

As an ex-student, my time at the school was rather good. It had good teachers, engaging classes and little bullying. However, ever since the school has gotten a new principal after the last one left, the quality of the school has deteriorated. Within a year of her appointment, at least a quarter of the teachers left to find work elsewhere. When I was attending, that astronomically high number was unheard of, with only a maximum of around three teachers leaving at once. Instead of focusing on the bettering of education, the new principal is focusing on improving the looks of the school to outside viewers. Several current students have also reported that bullying has increased, with the students getting only a ‘slap on the wrist’. A friend has stated that in some classes, the teachers aren’t even able to keep students in line, with kids screaming in class, walking out the door during class to kick the footy and students bullying other students right in front of the teacher and not even getting told off.
The curriculum has also worsened. As I attended, there was a large group of advanced students who would learn algebra and the area and circumference of a circle, but these days there is no advanced mathematics group, with year 6 students dreadfully behind what I was learning in the same year.
St Catherine’s used to be one of my favourite places, but now I am simply disappointed and left with a feeling of sadness that the school will never reach the standard that it did when I attended.
The school’s standard has dropped to average, and I advise new parents not to send their children here, as in the coming years, who’s to say that the school’s condition isn’t to deteriorate further?

this school was very good untill all the good teachers left infact it got so bad that 13 teachers left the school at once after the new principale came. the school was very good untill the new principal came and started making irellevent renovations instead of making changes to our children’s education

This school has a lack of facilities and it is essential that they expand. I would not personally recommend it to any parent seeking a good education but instead as a school for people in need of a temporary solution. Is nothing if not average

Very happy with the school and staff