Oakhill College
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Oakhill College |
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Motto: Deo Duce 'God our Leader' |
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Established | 1937 |
Type | Independent co-educational secondary |
Principal | Br Chris Gorringe fsc |
Chaplain | Rev. Fr |
Rector | Rev Fr |
Students | 1500 |
Grades | 7–12 |
Location | Castle Hill, NSW Australia |
Campus | 12 acres |
Colours | Maroon and White |
Website | www.oakhill.nsw.edu.au |
Oakhill College is a Catholic co-educational school conducted by the De La Salle Brothers in the tradition of St. John Baptist De La Salle. Founded in 1937, it is a member of the Independent Schools Association (ISA).
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[edit] History
The De La Salle Brothers purchased the Oakhill property in 1932. In 1937 a small school for boys (10 day and 20 boarding students) commenced which served the then rural area of the "Hills". The College grew slowly until in 1953, its enrolment reached 100.
In 1974 the decision was taken to phase out the boarding school and, in 1976 Oakhill College became a co-educational senior school. The phasing out of primary classes commenced in 1980, and by 1983, Oakhill College was enrolling only secondary students.
Today the total enrolment of the College is 1500.
In the year 2006, the 100th year of the Brothers in Australia was celebrated with a mass at St Mary's Cathedral.
The property was initially used as a training college for brothers; the school came later. The training college for brothers evolved into a training college for Catholic lay teachers, which was then merged into the Australian Catholic University in the 1980s, which then became the Castle Hill campus of the ACU. Finally, in the 1990s, the ACU decided to consolidate their campuses in Sydney, and abandoned their Castle Hill facility, which then reverted to the De La Salle brothers. Since then, parts of the University campus have been sold to developers (mainly the playing fields), some buildings have seen some use by the school and some have been leased. However, much of the former University campus adjacent to the school remains disused today.
[edit] Vision Statement
Oakhill College is conducted by the De La Salle Brothers as a Catholic Secondary School in the tradition of St. John Baptist De La Salle.
Its mission is to provide a quality education in the setting of a comprehensive school curriculum. In particular, the College strives through a planned and carefully considered management of resources, to permit the realisation of the following goals for each of its students at a level of personal excellence:
- the realisation of one's potential
- the improvement of one's character
- a sense of personal well-being
- a commitment to the truth
[edit] Pastoral Care
Pastoral Care at Oakhill involves classroom based programs in years 7 and 8 and a House System from years 9-12. The Houses Include:
- Benildus House - named after St Benildus
- La Salle House - named after John Baptist de La Salle
- Miguel House - named after St Miguel
- Mutien House - named after Peter Bowden
- Solomon House - named after Blessed Solomon
- Turon House - named after a house where De La Salle Brothers stayed while in danger