How To Enrol

A Message from our Principal

It is a real pleasure to know you are interested in enrolling your child at our College.   

Enrolling a child at any school does require a lot of information sharing, discussion, and enquiry. I want to outline why this is the case and highlight the importance of transparency, honesty and clarity in the enrolment process. 

Every child who approaches our College is unique, which means that even the most straightforward enrolment is not simple.  We do ask for a lot of information about prior learning habits, any additional learning needs, peer relationships, living arrangements, previous schooling and behaviour.  We are an inclusive, mainstream setting, and having this information complete enables us to know how to best support your child in transitioning to our College.  Similarly, if your child is moving to Mary MacKillop from another school, we will always contact that school.   This is to get the perspective of other education professionals which will aid us in allocating support and resource during transition. 

There are some student enrolments that are more complex.  Blended or separated families, involvement in the family court system, significant behaviour issues that have resulted in absence from learning, recent or ongoing medical diagnoses and intervention are just some backgrounds to enrolment that will likely encourage deeper questioning from the College.  These enquiries are about ensuring a positive and sustainable transition.  I acknowledge that in some cases families may be reluctant to disclose challenging circumstances – but please be assured that as Principal I seek this information to ensure the best support for your child.   

Following the gathering of information, you will be offered an interview with a member of the College’s executive leadership team.  This discussion is the final step before being offered a place at Mary MacKillop Catholic College.   

We have many elements of this information gathering streamlined into online forms. I hope you find the process easy.  If you have any questions about this, your first port of call is our Enrolments Officer. 

Take care, many thanks 

Chris Gabbett 

Principal

Recommended stages of enrolment
  1. Call our friendly Enrolments Officer.
  2. Book a Tour to visit our beautiful Highfields Campus and meet the staff and students that make up our great College.
  3. Complete an online Enrolment Application Form and pay a $50 Application Fee.
  4. Book an Entry Interview with the Principal.
Admissions Process

Due to demand for spaces, we encourage early application to any year group in the College, but particularly for the traditional points of entry (Prep and year 7).  In all cases, to provide transparency and support admissions processes, we use admissions criteria which are applied to all applicants at the end of every term.  These are copied verbatim below:

Admissions Criteria

In recognition of the importance of family and parish community the following criteria will establish the priority for accepting enrolment.  

  1. Siblings of children already enrolled at Mary MacKillop Catholic College at the time of enrolment application.
  2. Children of alumni of Mary MacKillop Catholic College or Mary MacKillop Catholic School
  3. Children who are baptised Catholics.
  4. The date of enrolment application, with the earliest application having priority.

The Principal may exercise discretion regarding applications where pastoral considerations apply and therefore may determine a child’s eligibility beyond the stated criteria.

For example:
  • There are 75 spaces available in Prep.  If 60 students apply for Prep between January and March for admission in the following year, we will apply the Admissions Criteria at the end of March.  All 60 students will be offered an interview and, if successful, a place in the College for the following year.  If 40 students apply for a place in Prep from April to June, the Admissions Criteria will be applied to discern the top 15, who will be offered an interview.  The year group will then be considered full, and a waitlist created.  The Admissions Criteria will apply for the waitlist as well. 
  • There are 100 spaces available in year 7.  In this case though, the College year 6 students have priority and transfer to year 7 without needing to apply.  If there are 75 students in year 6 transferring to year 7, then the remaining 25 places will be allocated using the Admissions Criteria.  If 40 students apply for year 7 then the remaining unplaced students will be ranked according to the Admissions Criteria and places allocated as they become available. 

Please note that the Admissions Criteria apply for every full year group once a waitlist is formed. 


Accepting the Offer

Following a successful Entry Interview and eligibility based on the above criteria, you will receive an Offer Letter.

  1. Complete online offer form.
  2. Pay the Acceptance fee of $200.
  3. Receive your Welcome Pack from us, with information about purchasing books and stationery, uniforms and any devices required for your child.
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