Student mobile phone use will be banned across 80 Western Sydney Catholic schools from the beginning of the 2026 school year. The restriction presents a positive opportunity to enhance student outcomes, both in academic excellence and wellbeing.
Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese Chief Executive Officer Jack de Groot feels that consistent restrictions with clear parameters are necessary to support both students and staff.
“Though the majority of our schools already have a phones-off-and-away approach, it’s important to make clear that this is the right approach for all our students,” Jack said. “Of course, there is a place for mobile phones in our lives, but that’s not at school.”
Parent representative George Giovas agrees that school is not the place for mobile phones.
”It is important to have a consistent, proactive and collaborative approach to the issue of mobile phones,” George said.
The safety and wellbeing of all our children and teachers during school is paramount. This is something that needs to be understood, respected and adhered to.
With the social media ban for children and young people under 16 coming into effect in December, the move to restrict phone use feels particularly timely. It also provides an opportunity to encourage students to prioritise real-world interactions and build social skills accordingly. School staff will receive support in implementing this policy throughout the school day, including guidance on appropriate consequences for breaches.
Of course, a small number of carefully considered exceptions to these rules will be allowed. For example, some students with diabetes use mobile phone apps to monitor their blood sugar levels and require access to a phone for safety reasons. Digital literacy will continue to be valued, but the ban certainly supports boundary-setting and perspective.
Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
www.parra.catholic.edu.au
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05 Dec 2025
From Facebook
Fifteen of our students headed to Bucklands Nursing Home this morning with Mr Badman, Mr Silvestrini and Nicky to share some Christmas cheer through song. Our Japanese exchange student, Ryoka, brought an extra touch of magic by gifting residents beautiful origami Christmas decorations - she hand-made more than 100! - along with crocheted stars lovingly created by staff and students. This is our third year visiting Bucklands to sing carols, and it’s a tradition that continues to bring so much joy to the residents. Our students absolutely love the experience too and always come away feeling uplifted and inspired. A heart-warming morning all round. Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
04 Dec 2025
From Facebook
Did you catch this story in the Blue Mountains Gazette a couple of weeks ago? Since then, two of our incredible Year 7 students, Elsie Watson and Lucy Roberts (along with another friend), have powered through their goal of swimming 82 kilometres, twice the length of the Gaza Strip, in a remarkable act of solidarity and compassion. We are so proud to share that the girls have now completed every one of their kilometres and have raised an extraordinary $4,720 to support children in Gaza through UNICEF. Their determination, empathy and quiet leadership are truly inspiring. Congratulations to these young women for showing what can be achieved when courage meets kindness. Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
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05 Dec 2025
From Facebook
Fifteen of our students headed to Bucklands Nursing Home this morning with Mr Badman, Mr Silvestrini and Nicky to share some Christmas cheer through song. Our Japanese exchange student, Ryoka, brought an extra touch of magic by gifting residents beautiful origami Christmas decorations - she hand-made more than 100! - along with crocheted stars lovingly created by staff and students. This is our third year visiting Bucklands to sing carols, and it’s a tradition that continues to bring so much joy to the residents. Our students absolutely love the experience too and always come away feeling uplifted and inspired. A heart-warming morning all round. Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
04 Dec 2025
From Facebook
Did you catch this story in the Blue Mountains Gazette a couple of weeks ago? Since then, two of our incredible Year 7 students, Elsie Watson and Lucy Roberts (along with another friend), have powered through their goal of swimming 82 kilometres, twice the length of the Gaza Strip, in a remarkable act of solidarity and compassion. We are so proud to share that the girls have now completed every one of their kilometres and have raised an extraordinary $4,720 to support children in Gaza through UNICEF. Their determination, empathy and quiet leadership are truly inspiring. Congratulations to these young women for showing what can be achieved when courage meets kindness. Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
04 Dec 2025
From Facebook
From 10 December 2025, some social media platforms will have to take steps to prevent Australians under the age of 16 from having an account. The age restrictions are intended to keep young people safe from digital harm. For many teens under 16, losing access to their social media accounts will be a challenging change and some young people may struggle to manage the period of transition. ReachOut Australia has put together the following guide to help families better understand how this change may affect teens' emotions and wellbeing, and to suggest some ways to support them. https://assets.ctfassets.net/qr4fhhcghyn4/4yyfkHRWvYgWp2pWFQwvzW/3a2c444404c7c35cd96ceb9e0e279355/Parents_Guide_to_SMMAR.pdf
02 Dec 2025
From Facebook
Yesterday our Year 12 Music 1 students immersed themselves in a full day of focused preparation for the HSC year ahead. They joined students from 14 other schools across the diocese for an HSC workshop, hosted by CAPTIVATE at Marian Catholic College, Kenthurst. The day began with a session on aural skills and performance practices. Students then moved into specialised workshops focusing on the elective strands: Composition, Musicology, and Performance. It was a highly productive and inspiring experience, filled with opportunities to connect with peers from across the diocese, share works in progress, receive valuable feedback, and gather new ideas as the students step confidently into their HSC year.
02 Dec 2025
From Facebook
St Columba’s band, The Bowerbirds, were crowned champions of this year’s CAPTIVATE Battle of the Bands competition! The pop four piece joined other bands from the Parramatta Diocese for the annual competition, held this year at Patrician Brothers College, Blacktown. Each band played two songs, showcasing incredible depth of talent and stage presence. The Bowerbirds delivered vibrant renditions of “Wannabe” by the Spice Girls and “HOT TO GO!” by Chappell Roan. Their strong camaraderie, evident passion for music, and polished professionalism combined to produce a standout performance. As the 2025 winners, each member of The Bowerbirds received a $50 gift voucher, and the band’s name will be engraved on the CAPTIVATE trophy. Congratulations to The Bowerbirds on a stellar achievement! We are already looking forward to the 2026 competition and are excited to see which bands will next represent St Columba’s.
01 Dec 2025
From Facebook
This weekend, our incredible Year 10 student Ellie Taylor showcased her talent, determination and school spirit on the big stage and we couldn’t be prouder! On Saturday, Ellie proudly represented St Columba’s at the NSW All Schools Championships at the Sydney International Regatta Centre. Wearing the St Columba’s zootie, she powered through challenging high-wind conditions to claim 1st place in the Division 1 Year 11 Schoolgirl event. Then on Sunday, rowing for her club Nepean at the NSW Sprint Championships, Ellie delivered a phenomenal performance, placing 1st in her single, double and quad events. Ellie’s dedication, resilience and passion for rowing are truly inspiring. The entire St Columba’s community is so proud of her sensational achievements. Congratulations, Ellie! You are a star on the water and a wonderful ambassador for our College! #StudentSuccess #RowingExcellence Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
28 Nov 2025
From Facebook
After a Baseball tournament in Canberra, Ryder Hall of Year 7 was selected in the Ozball's 2025 Aussie Baseball Team as a pitcher and shortstop. Throughout the year, he has represented Australia in two World Series tournaments in America. We are immensely proud of Ryder's hard work and dedication. #baseball Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
28 Nov 2025
From Facebook
Great to see our students out in the big, wide world exploring possible careers for the future. Well done Billy and thanks Merrick Property Group for supporting our students!
27 Nov 2025
From Facebook
Our Year 9 students spent the morning immersed in a STEM based science show and an environment sustainability panel. They enjoyed a dynamic STEM show featuring exciting demonstrations (including a crowd-favourite robotic dog) before taking part in a Sustainability Q&A panel. The panel included Lis Bastian from the Blue Mountains Planetary Health Initiative, Roger Attwater from Western Sydney University, Michael Laws from Teaching Tech, and our own Earth and Environmental Science teacher, Mrs Vicki Dodson. Students prepared thoughtful questions, engaged with experts, and deepened their understanding of human impacts on the environment, climate change, and sustainable futures. Thanks to Mrs Stephanie Wilkie for organising this fantastic morning of learning! Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
25 Nov 2025
From Facebook
After a highly successful debut in 2025, St Columba's Catholic College is proud to announce the return of the St Columba's Art Prize for 2026. This year's event offers a prize pool of more than $14,000, including a $10,000 Open Prize and $2,000 worth of Youth Prizes. Submissions open 1 December 2025. For all the details visit the St Columba's Art Prize website: https://columbasartprize.com.au/
24 Nov 2025
From Facebook
Today, our Year 10 students had the profound honour of spending time with three Kinchella Boys Home survivors; Uncle Bobby, Uncle Will and Uncle Terry, who generously shared their stories in a powerful truth-telling session. We express our deepest respect and gratitude to the Uncles for their courage, wisdom and strength. Their voices are vital in helping our young people understand the truth of our shared history and the importance of walking together towards healing and justice. We also extend our heartfelt thanks to Gloria, Lesley and DJ for their support and guidance throughout the visit. Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
24 Nov 2025
From Facebook
We are so proud to have two students representing our College at the 2025 Australian Athletics All-School Championships 4-7 December in Melbourne. Douglas Penecost (Year 9) in Discus and Tyson Verriere (Year 10) in Triple Jump To qualify, Douglas and Tyson achieved the following wonderful results; NSW Athletics All-Schools Championships Douglas - 3rd in Discuss (48.93m) and 6th in Shot Put (13.25m) Tyson - 2nd in Triple Jump (12.74m) and 6th in Long Jump (5.89m) NSWCCC Athletics Championships Douglas - 1st in Shot Put, Discus and Hurdles. He was awarded NSWCCC Age Champion for the second year in a row. Tyron - 1st in Triple Jump Good luck to both of you - we will be cheering you on from Springwood! Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese