News and Media
Milestone Moments: Network Collaboration Days Inspire Staff Across Central and Southern Zones
DOBCEL’s 2025 Network Collaboration Days are off to a powerful start, with two energising sessions already held in the Central and Southern Zones — marking a significant milestone in our journey toward DOBCEL 2035. Last…
Three DOBCEL Schools Named Finalists in 2025 ResourceSmart Schools Awards
Three local schools have been named as finalists in the prestigious 2025 ResourceSmart Schools Awards, recognising their outstanding contributions to sustainability. Siena Catholic Primary School (Lucas), St James’ Parish School (Sebastopol), and St Patrick’s Primary…
Remembering Pope Francis
This week we join together in heartfelt remembrance and deep gratitude for the life and legacy of Pope Francis. His unwavering commitment to compassion, justice, and the transformative power of education has inspired countless lives across…
DOBCEL Board Meeting and Regional School Visits
The DOBCEL Board gathered this week at St Mary’s School in Robinvale for an important meeting focused on key areas such as risk management, the DOBCEL 2035 Strategy, policy development, child safety, and Catholic culture….
Pedagogical Coaching Program Update
Last week, the Pedagogical Coaching Program took place in the Catholic Education Ballarat Conference Room and at Red Lion, Sovereign Park Ballarat. Aligned with “Teach Like a Champion,” this program focused on empowering Middle Leaders,…
A $2.1M Upgrade for St Patrick’s Primary School Ballarat
101 years after it first opened, St Patrick’s Primary School has been enhanced with a $2.1M upgrade from the Albanese Government’s Capital Grants Program. Last Friday, Catherine King officially unveiled the new facilities, including a…
AllReady Project Update
The Catholic Education Ballarat (CEB) Speech Pathology team is trialling a different approach to support students’ communication skills through the AllReady Project. The project focuses on speech pathologists and classroom teachers working together collaboratively to…
Who We Are and How We Are session for First-Year Early Career Teachers (ECTs)
As part of DOBCEL’s commitment to supporting the professional growth of early career teachers, a session titled ‘Who We Are and How We Are’ was held this week for first-year Early Career Teachers (ECTs). Facilitators…
New Research Highlights Lifelong Benefits of Catholic Schooling
Innovative research using data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey has revealed significant lifelong benefits for individuals who attended Catholic schools. The study, conducted by the Centre for International Research…
International Women’s Day: Suggested Resources
International Women’s Day will be recognised on Saturday 8 March, 2025. We all have the power to inspire inclusion by educating early, seeking out content which supports and celebrates women, and advocating for change where…
New Principals Commissioned
New Principals in the Diocese of Ballarat in 2025 were welcomed and Commissioned by Monsignor Glynn Murphy and DOBCEL Executive Director, Tom Sexton at a Diocesan Leadership Gathering (DLG) Mass at Sts Michael’s and St…
Unleashing Greatness: A Strategy for School Improvement with Professor David Hopkins
Yesterday, 90 Principals and school leaders from Catholic schools across DOBCEL collaborated with the esteemed Professor David Hopkins, who delivered an inspiring keynote presentation titled “Unleashing Greatness: A Strategy for School Improvement” as part of…
FLARE Professional Learning – improving literacy outcomes
More than 400 teachers from DOBCEL Catholic primary schools across the diocese have participated in professional learning this week in Ballarat, Camperdown, and Horsham, as part of the FLARE Literacy Improvement Strategy. This Phase A…
CEB Initiative: Universal Speech Screening for Foundation Students – Term 1, 2025
Starting in Term 1, 2025, Foundation students across 47 Catholic schools in the Diocese of Ballarat will undergo speech screening as part of an initiative by the Catholic Education Ballarat (CEB) Speech Pathology Team. Based…
Roll-out of new Finance, Payroll and HR Systems continues apace!
The roll-out of the new DOBCEL Finance, Payroll and HR Systems (NEXUS Project) is continuing apace! The finance component of the new package has been launched this week with Business managers and key finance personnel…
DOBCEL Catholic school leaders work with Andy Hargreaves
More than 100 middle leaders and Principals from Catholic schools across Diocese of Ballarat (DOBCEL) have today worked with world-renowned education scholar, Professor Andy Hargreaves.
Exciting year ahead as 18,600 students return to 63 Catholic schools across the Diocese of Ballarat
More than 18,600 students and almost 3,000 teachers and staff will return to 52 Catholic primary schools and 11 secondary colleges across the Diocese of Ballarat next week – from Mildura in the north, to…
Welcoming our group of new Principals to the DOBCEL office
This week we were delighted to welcome our talented and committed group of new Principals to the DOBCEL office as they prepare to take up their roles bringing the ‘fullness of life’ to students and…
Mitchell Anderson from St Mary MacKillop College, Swan Hill has been awarded the Fr James Wall Bursary for the Diocese of Ballarat
Congratulations to Mitchell Anderson from St Mary MacKillop College, Swan Hill who has been awarded the Fr James Wall Bursary for the Diocese of Ballarat by the Catholic Development Fund. The bursary recognises Mitchell’s outstanding…
The true meaning of Christmas
Yr 2’s joined Yr 4 buddies to plan and celebrate an end of year Mass at St Joseph’s, Warrnambool last Friday. The buddies travelled together on buses and prior to Mass spoke about their Religious Education topics for…
St James, Sebastopol win Victorian Schools Garden Award
A huge congratulations to St James Parish School, Sebastopol community for winning the prestigious Kevin Heinze Perpetual Award at the 47th Victorian Schools Garden Award Presentation Ceremony. Check out the amazing award winning garden –…
Calling for Nominations – DOBCEL Board Consultative Committees
The DOBCEL Board is now inviting people interested in helping shape the direction and development of Catholic education in the diocese to nominate for a position on one of six consultative committees commencing in 2025….
DOBCEL at VIT ‘Welcome to the Profession’ Conference in Melbourne
Today, Sarah Hanley (Talent Acquisition Partner) and Fiona Murphy (Organisational Development Manager) attended the VIT ‘Welcome to the Profession’ Conference in Melbourne. This event is a great way for employers to share information about the…
The Energy Breakthrough – Diocesan school participation
Best wishes to the five Diocesan schools – Damascus College, Ballarat, St Joseph’s College, Mildura, St Joseph’s Primary School, Red Cliffs, St Augustine’s Primary School, Maryborough, and St Patrick’s Primary School, St Arnaud participating in…
Our Diocesan Community for November
Take a look at the latest edition of Our Diocesan Community for November. This issue also features stories about DOBCEL’s 2024 Ireland Spiritual Heritage Pilgrimage, the Our Lady Help of Christians Soup Bus food drive,…
Ongoing child safety training is vital
The care, safety and wellbeing of children and young people is a central and fundamental responsibility of Catholic Education. As we prepare to roll-out a training program specifically for Learning Support Officers (LSOs) working in…
DOBCEL works to improve secondary student outcomes in English
Today, DOBCEL facilitated an English Curriculum Project Planning Day providing an opportunity for English subject teams to review and recreate their curriculum with a focus on mapping a developmental sequence of skills and knowledge for…
Farewell and thank you
The final leadership gathering in Horsham for 2024 included a farewell to Principals who are concluding their tenure or retiring from our DOBCEL schools.
Catholic Education Ballarat welcomes Bertalli Family Foundation support for literacy in remote schools
Ten remote Catholic primary schools across the Diocese of Ballarat will benefit from additional support to implement a structured literacy approach in 2025 thanks to a $100k grant from the Bertalli Family Foundation.
Today is World Teachers’ Day!
Today is World Teachers’ Day. It is a very special and important day for our DOBCEL community. 🍎 Our Executive Director, Tom Sexton would like to personally thank and congratulate the 1,700 teaching staff across…
WORLD TEACHERS’ DAY – This Friday 25 October 🍎
World Teachers’ Day honours the dedication, hard work, and passion of teachers who play a crucial role in shaping the minds and futures of our children. World Teachers’ Day is a wonderful opportunity to reflect…
Catholic education leader recognised in commemorative publication launched at Westminster Abbey today
Diocese of Ballarat Catholic Education Limited (DOBCEL) Executive Director Tom Sexton has been recognised as a thought-leader in education in Australia in a publication marking the 75th anniversary of the formation of the Commonwealth launched…
DOBCEL leaders learn with Canadian colleagues
Alongside the co-design of the new DOBCEL 2035 strategy, our diocese has continued to grow partnerships with Canadian colleagues who have travelled similar journeys of education system improvement in recent years. A delegation including Terry…
DOBCEL Principals and leaders on Irish Pilgrimage
A number of Principals and leaders from across the DOBCEL community are currently in Ireland on a Spiritual Heritage Pilgrimage. The pilgrimage provides an important opportunity for the leaders to understand more deeply the profound…
Parents encouraged to participate in student wellbeing and learning survey.
Catholic School Parents Australia (CSPA) is running a parent survey in partnership with the University of New England, AU to learn more about Student Wellbeing and Learning. All parents/carers of children attending Catholic schools in…
Every Conversation Matters – National Child Protection Week 2024
The safety and wellbeing of the children and young people in our care is the highest priority for DOBCEL schools. This week, during National Child Protection Week 2024, we are all encouraged to consider the…
Collaborative School Camp at Sovereign Hill in Ballarat
This week, 43 grade 5/6 students and 7 staff members from four of our smaller rural schools came together for a very exciting collaborative camp at Sovereign Hill in Ballarat. The camp is a wonderful…
Our Lady Help of Christians School Soup Bus food drive
Our Lady Help of Christians (OLHC) students in Wendouree had a special visit from the Soup Bus today to learn more about its work and hand over food cans generously donated by the children and their families. The project was organised by OLHC teacher Angelique Greene, who volunteers with the Soup Bus and is herself a fantastic role model within the school community.
Communication Your Way – Speech Pathology Awareness Week
Next week is Speech Pathology Awareness Week with the theme “Communication Your Way”.
At DOBCEL, we have a talented and dedicated team of speech pathologists and visiting teachers supporting and advising our students, teachers, and families about communication.
Early Career Teachers Retreat
41 teachers have gathered in Halls Gap last week for a two-day retreat.
Marian College, Ararat recognised in The Age’s 2024 Schools that Excel
Marian College Ararat has been awarded The Age’s 2024 Schools that Excel winner for non-government schools in rural/regional Victoria.
Catholic schools are leaders in student wellbeing, according to new research
Students attending Catholic secondary schools rated their emotional and mental wellbeing the highest of any Australian school sector.
Refurbished learning spaces for St Columba’s
St Columba’s, Ballarat North students and teachers have this term moved into beautifully refurbished learning spaces
Catholic Education Ballarat leader recognised in Commonwealth commemorative publication
Diocese of Ballarat Catholic Education Limited (DOBCEL) Executive Director Tom Sexton has been recognised as a thought-leader in education in Australia and invited to participate in the British Parliament Trust’s commemorative book marking the 75th anniversary of the formation of the Commonwealth.
Regional Dioceses Work to Grow School Leaders
Three country dioceses – Ballarat, Sandhurst and Wagga Wagga – have collaborated to offer an intensive 7-day residential leadership program to help develop Catholic school leaders.
Catholic Education Ballarat welcomes Victorian Government support for new and upgraded facilities
Nine Catholic school communities across the diocese of Ballarat will benefit from funding for new and upgraded facilities announced by the Allan State Government today. Catholic Education Ballarat Executive Director Tom Sexton says the funding…
‘Our Diocesan Community’- July edition now available
Read about the great work happening across our diocesan schools, parishes, and agencies. The July edition of “Our Diocesan Community” is now available for reading or downloading. Download July edition
New learning facilities coming for St Mary’s, Ararat
The St Mary’s Catholic primary school community in Ararat is to benefit from a $3,000,000 upgrade
Schools benefit from IT infrastructure
Benefiting from a decentralised, efficient IT infrastructure with he implementation of Paessler’s PRTG Network Monitor
St Patrick’s Cathedral, Ballarat $1000 Choral Scholarships – 2025 Applications Now Open!
St Patrick’s Cathedral, Ballarat is inviting applications from Years 3 – 6 students with musical interest and aptitude, for a Cathedral Choral Scholarship for 2025. The Choral Scholarships are modelled on similar approaches operating in…
Diocese of Ballarat Catholic schools well-advanced on structured approach to teaching literacy
Executive Director of Diocese of Ballarat Catholic Education (DOBCEL), Tom Sexton, says Catholic primary schools in the Diocese have been moving towards an explicit instruction, phonics-based approach to teaching reading, as part of a structured…
Improving literacy in the secondary years (ILSY) an ongoing focus for Diocese of Ballarat Catholic schools
A focus on improving the literacy and learning outcomes of secondary school students across the diocese of Ballarat continued today with professional development led by project partner the University of Melbourne Faculty of Education. Initiated…
St Patrick’s, Port Fairy named Sustainability Victoria’s Community Leadership School of the Year
Huge congratulations to St Patrick’s, Port Fairy on receiving Sustainability Victoria’s ResourceSmart Schools award for “Community Leadership School of the Year,” alongside Tecoma Primary School. St Patrick’s Principal, Olga Lyons said the award was wonderful…
Grandparents share stories of life and learning at St Patrick’s Primary School, Ballarat
More than 60 grandparents visited St Patrick’s Primary School, Ballarat today to share their stories as part of a school-wide focus on ‘story’ and recognition of the school’s centenary on its Drummond St site. ‘Today…
St Columba’s leads the way with STEM resourcing initiative
St Columba’s Primary School, Ballarat is one of the first schools in Victoria to better support student engagement with the Digital Technologies curriculum by utilising a range of learning tools available for borrowing from the…
Reconciliation an ongoing commitment for Catholic education
National Reconciliation Week 2024 – Now More Than Ever Catholic school communities across the diocese of Ballarat will next week join all Australians in marking National Reconciliation Week (27 May – 3 June) and recommitting…
Embedding Child Safe Standards Workshops
This week leadership team members from schools across the diocese are participating in Child Safe Standards Workshops delivered by expert consultant in the field, Sarah Morgante. The full-day workshop, delivered in each of the four…
Maths teachers upskill with Michael Ymer
Internationally recognised mathematics teaching practitioner Michael Ymer has this week led professional learning for teachers from across the Diocese. Michael explored the challenges of mathematics classrooms, managing a range of abilities, and modelled practical ways…
State Budget: Catholic school families miss out on blatantly unfair support package
The Allan Labor Government has excluded the vast majority of Catholic school families from the $400 School Savings Bonus announced in today’s State Budget in a move described by Diocese of Ballarat Catholic Education as…
Message Sticks begin their journeys
To mark the 150th anniversary of the Diocese of Ballarat, and in recognition of, and sensitivity to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sisters and brothers, four Message Sticks will simultaneously journey to each Catholic school…
Outstanding contributors to Catholic education recognised
Outstanding contributors to Catholic education in the Diocese of Ballarat were recognised with Spirit of Catholic Education Awards and 30 Year Service Awards at a Catholic Education Week Mass and dinner in Ballarat on Friday…
St Alipius students and teachers benefit from new learning spaces and facilities
Students and teachers at St Alipius Catholic Primary School, Ballarat East are benefitting from recently completed building works and refurbishments that were officially opened and blessed today (Friday 3 May). The building project at the…
Catholic schools prepare to celebrate
Catholic Education Week (29 April – 3 May) is an annual opportunity for Catholic schools across the Diocese of Ballarat to celebrate their distinctive ethos and mission with their school and wider communities. In 2024,…
New facilities blessed and opened at St Mary’s, Robinvale
Congratulations to the St Mary’s, Robinvale school community on the official blessing and opening of its wonderful new facilities today. The significant project includes refurbishment of four classrooms, a new classroom, outdoor learning areas, and…
DOBCEL launches advertising campaign
From 22 April – 19 May, Catholic education in the Diocese of Ballarat is running a diocesan-wide TV and radio advertising campaign to let more families know about the wonderful opportunities a Catholic education can…
Teaching excellence runs in the Dwyer family
Mother and daughter teachers, Sharon, and Eliza Dwyer, are among the 17 nominees for this year’s Spirit of Catholic Education Awards, recognising outstanding contribution to Catholic education in the Diocese of Ballarat. Sharon, who teaches…
Our Lady Help of Christians (OLHC), Wendouree teacher and author launches creative writing guide for children
Our Lady Help of Christians (OLHC) School, Wendouree teacher and author, Jodi Toering, is passionate about inspiring children to write creatively and has collaborated with fellow author, Sue Lawson, to publish a practical guide for…
Catholic school teachers gather for conference as Auslan grows in prominence
With Auslan becoming an increasingly popular choice of second language for Catholic schools in the Diocese of Ballarat, more than 200 teachers and Deaf community members will come together today (Monday 15th April) for professional…
Calling all student teachers
Any student teachers enjoying the term break and thinking about where to begin their teaching career next year might want to take a look at the opportunities on offer in the Diocese of Ballarat. From…
DOBCEL achieves ST4S security and privacy certification for school data system
DOBCEL has now been awarded Safer Technologies 4 Schools (ST4S) certification recognising the high-level of safety and security standard of its SIMON platform. ‘The security of data across all 58 of our DOBCEL schools and…
More families choosing a Catholic education in the Diocese of Ballarat
February school census data has revealed more families in the Diocese of Ballarat are choosing a Catholic education with 2024 enrolments across 63 primary and secondary schools increasing by 273 students or 1.5%, representing more…
Early Career Teacher Induction
Around 30 beginning teachers from around the Diocese gathered today for the first of our early career teacher program days – a three-year integrated program designed to support early career teacher induction into the diocese…
2024 Spirit of Catholic Education Award Nominees Announced
The Spirit of Catholic Education Award is aimed at continuing to recognise the outstanding service and leadership within Catholic education throughout our Diocesan school communities, and Catholic Education Office. It is with great pleasure that…
DOBCEL schools committed to supporting students with diverse learning requirements
Catholic schools in the Diocese of Ballarat are committed to delivering best practice approaches to supporting students with diverse requirements to fully flourish across their learning and wellbeing. Key among these commitments is having a…
NAPLAN – GUIDE FOR PARENTS
NAPLAN tests start next week on 13 March and run until 25 March. An information guide for parents, families and carers of students participating in NAPLAN is now available and includes frequently asked questions. The…
Teacher and author brings love of writing to students every day
It’s not often that children have the opportunity to develop their reading and writing skills with guidance from a published children’s author. But at Our Lady Help of Christians (OLHC) Primary School in Wendouree, this…
Spirit of Catholic Education Awards
One of the highlights of Catholic Education Week (29 April – 3 May) in the diocese is the presentation of the Spirit of Catholic Education Awards. These awards aim to recognise outstanding service and leadership…
Catholic education confirms purchase of land in Mildura
Diocese of Ballarat Catholic Education Ltd (DOBCEL) has confirmed the purchase of a 7.3 ha parcel of land at 720 Deakin Avenue, Mildura, adjacent to the Mildura South Sporting Complex. Executive Director, Tom Sexton, says…
Globally recognised education innovators guide plan for Ballarat Diocese Catholic schools
Globally recognised Finnish educator Professor Pasi Sahlberg and Director of Future Schools Australia Dave Runge will work with Catholic Education Ballarat to advise and guide development of a strategic plan to shape directions for the…
Ballarat Diocese Catholic schools proactively supporting students and families with new wellbeing initiative
All 58 Catholic Education Ballarat (CEB) primary and secondary schools now have access to a leading online mental health and wellbeing platform designed to proactively support families and students and strengthen parent-school partnerships. SchoolTV is…
Exciting year ahead as 18,000 students and 2,200 staff return to Ballarat Diocese Catholic schools
More than 18,000 students and 2,200 teachers and staff this week return to 52 Catholic primary schools and 11 secondary colleges across the Diocese of Ballarat, from Mildura in the north, Portland in the south,…
Catholic School Fee Relief Available as Cost of Living Pressures Rise
Cost-of-living pressures are front of mind for Catholic school principals as children return to school next week, with Catholic Education Ballarat moving to re-assure families experiencing genuine hardship that fee relief is available. ‘Catholic schools…