School History
St Benedict’s opened in 1962 and was staffed by Sisters Cabrini and Anne Mary of the Sisters of St Joseph, Lochinvar. Over sixty children were housed in wooden buildings transported to the present Edgeworth sight from the Greta Migrant Camp. When a fifth hut arrived from Greta it was used as the convent. The original school and convent was officially opened and blessed by the Bishop of Maitland J.J Toohey in January 1964. Father Bernard Kennedy, Parish Priest, was also in attendance. As the area developed the school population increased and it became necessary to expand.
By the late 1980’s, new facilities were built to accommodate increasing enrolments including a new administration block and two classrooms were built by Fr Peter Rees and blessed and opened by Father Kennedy in 1987, the school’s Silver Jubilee. A further two classrooms and modern canteen facilities were added in 1994. In 1997 the old Kindergarten / canteen building was destroyed by fire and was replaced by a new parish building.
St Benedict’s School serves an area of continued rapid population growth. In 2007 six new classrooms and a new library were built. In addition, the school’s covered outdoor learning area (COLA) was extended, and the administration block was refurbished. The building project was blessed and opened by Father Peter Rees. In 2011, the school moved into three (3) new classrooms and saw the completion of the school hall. An Out Of School Hours (OOSH), St. Nicholas Centre, a much needed facility in the community, is housed within the hall. In 2020, four more temporary classrooms were installed complete with decked outdoor learning areas. The school now has the capacity to house 14 classes, an integrated Learning Support Hub, a specialist teaching room and an integrated learning hub in the Library. In 2021, the COLA was extended again to provide weather protection for the full student cohort of 350 students.
There are currently 352 children enrolled. Last year we celebrated our Diamond Jubilee (60th).
Sr Cabrini Boyle RSJ accompanies children from St Benedict's across the road (left) in 1962 and again fifty years on (right) in 2012 where she still assists at the school.
