History:
St Thomas Aquinas Primary School is part of the Parish of Norlane. The Norlane area was originally included in St John’s Parish, North Geelong. However, with the rapid growth of the Housing Commission area in Norlane, it was necessary in 1953 to build St Thomas Aquinas Church School. In 1954, the school was opened to an initial enrolment of over 100 children. The Sisters of Mercy commenced at the school at this time.
The school has had a number of extensions and renovations since it opened. The most recent renovations completed the refurbishment and rebuilding of the original school. This has created dynamic, contemporary learning spaces - including a kitchen, STEM makerspace and library.
Description:
Tucked away just off the highway between St Georges Rd and Sparks Rd, St Thomas Aquinas Primary School in Norlane is one of the best kept secrets of the Norlane area. St Thomas’s is a small Catholic primary school catering for families who are looking for a Catholic education for their child.
St Thomas’s offers a personalised, caring environment, based on the values of the Gospel. We strive to welcome all in our community. Small classes are a feature of our school as is the commitment of the dedicated staff to the needs of the individual.
Education is an affordable option at St Thomas Aquinas. The Family Fee is kept to a minimum and is the same no matter how many children are in your family. Our levy for books and equipment is a very reasonable charge per pupil.
We provide a comprehensive range of subjects, including religious education and an integrated curriculum. Literacy and numeracy are a major focus of our teaching with a two-hour literacy block and one-hour mathematics block each day.
St Thomas’s is forging some excellent community links with Ardoch, the Norlane Neighborhood House, the Norlane Neighborhood Renewal Project, and others in the area. We are excited about the projects that these partnerships will bring.
Features:
At St Thomas Aquinas, we have worked hard at building a school environment in which the children can learn and at the same time feel safe and have fun. There are many special features that make St Thomas Aquinas an exciting place to be.
Special Features of our school include:
• A personalised, caring environment
• A sacramental program
• Individual attention through small classes
• A caring, dedicated staff
• A comprehensive curriculum
• Intervention support in literacy and mathematics
• A Language other than English (Maori)
• A breakfast program
• Spacious playgrounds
• Links with the parish & the local community
This is not an exhaustive list of the features and facilities that make St Thomas Aquinas great, but indicative of what is available at our school.