St. Bernard's College, Melbourne

Last updated

St Bernard's College
Location
St. Bernard's College, Melbourne
41 Rosehill Road

Northern

Essendon West
,
Victoria
3040

Australia
Coordinates 37°45′1″S144°52′56″E / 37.75028°S 144.88222°E / -37.75028; 144.88222
Information
Type Independent secondary school
Motto Latin: Discere et Agere
(To Learn and To Do)
Religious affiliation(s) Catholicism
Denomination Christian Brothers
Patron saint(s) Bernard of Clairvaux
Established1940;85 years ago (1940)
Trust Edmund Rice Education Australia
PrincipalDr Michael Davies
Years offered7–12
Gender Boys
Enrolment1,600
Average class size28
CampusesEssendon Campus (Years 7 & 8, 10-12): 41 Rosehill Road, Essendon West VIC 3040, Australia

Resurrection House Campus (Year 9): 6 Aberfeldie Street, Aberfeldie VIC 3040, Australia

Santa Monica Campus (Year 9 camp): 970 Great Ocean Road,

Contents

Eastern View VIC 3231, Australia
HousesAvila (red), MacKillop (blue), McAuley (yellow), Nagle (orange), Rice (green)
SloganAchieving Excellence by Learning and Doing
School feesYear 7-8: $11,182, Year 9-12: $11,917
Affiliation Associated Catholic Colleges
Website www.sbc.vic.edu.au

St Bernard's College is an independent Catholic secondary school for boys, located in the Melbourne suburb of Essendon West, Victoria, Australia. The college is named after its patron saint, Bernard of Clairvaux, and is a member of the Associated Catholic Colleges. It is also part of Edmund Rice Education Australia, a series of schools that focus on teaching the pupils in the tradition of Edmund Rice. The current Principal as of 2025 is Dr Michael Davies, and the current Vice-principal is Ms Therese Wilson.

History

St Bernard's College traces its origins to the establishment of St Monica's at Moonee Ponds in 1917, by Brothers C. O'Keefe and T. Quinn. Students at this school were taken from Grade III to Intermediate (Year 10).

In 1940, during the war period, not only were the students sent away to help in Ireland, the school was also extended to take the Leaving Certificate (Year 11), and this necessitated the building of the first St Bernard's on the Strand Moonee Ponds, with Brother Cregan as the first Headmaster. [1]

In the mid-1950s, Brother Brendan Murphy organised the purchase of the West Essendon property. While initially used as sporting grounds, building work began at this site in the mid-1960s. Since then, the site has developed with all classes being located at West Essendon by 1995, at which time the Moonee Ponds site was sold. In 2001, the college set up its Santa Monica campus on the Great Ocean Road near Lorne. This campus is most notably used by Year 9 students where they live, study, and undertake outdoor education for four-week periods as part of the standard curriculum. [2] Since 2023, [3] the college has had its Year 9 students at a dedicated campus in Aberfeldie, known as Resurrection House. Resurrection House has a rich history dating back to its establishment in 1952, [4] run by the Sisters of the Resurrection, as a Catholic primary school until they closed and sold the property for campus use to St Bernards.

Curriculum

St Bernard's College offers its senior students the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE).

VCE results 2012-2024 [5]
YearRankMedian study scoreScores of 40+ (%)Cohort size
2012953210.4284
2013983211297
2014109328.7304
2015953210.5384
2016973210.2367
2017139318314
2018130318.8327
2019172307.5339
2020181306320
2021201305.3299
2022146316.3302
2023198305.6347
2024130318363

Term dates

For the 2025 Victorian school year, the current term dates are as below. [6]

Activities

Sports

St Bernard's is a member of the Associated Catholic Colleges and competes against twelve other schools in sporting fixtures and carnivals. Students play week-end sport with the Old Collegians. St Bernards is particularly successful in Australian Rules Football, winning the Herald Sun Shield in 2017 and 2018. A number of boys from these sides have been drafted into the AFL like Noah Balta to Richmond, Xavier O'Halloran to Greater Western Sydney, (in the first round of the AFL draft) and Lachlan Sholl to Adelaide.

St Bernards had a record twelve straight Athletic championship wins from 2003 to 2014, under the coaching of Gerard Brown, a teacher with years of experience in the role as head coach of the Athletics squad and Cross Country team. [7] [8]

ACC premierships

St Bernard's has won the following ACC premierships. [9]

  • Athletics (18) – 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
  • Basketball (2) – 1991, 2016
  • Cricket (5) – 1979, 1997, 2005, 2018, 2021, 2024
  • Cross Country (10) – 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
  • Australian Rules Football (15) – 1961, 1965, 1970, 1972, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2012, 2017, 2018, 2021
  • Golf (3) – 2014, 2015, 2016
  • Handball – 1956
  • Hockey (7) – 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2018
  • Lawn Bowls – 2021, 2024
  • Football (6) – 1995, 1996, 1998, 2004, 2008, 2021, 2024
  • Swimming (3) – 1995, 1998, 2012
  • Table Tennis (4) – 2001, 2002, 2010, 2013
  • Tennis (12) – 1952, 1954, 1991, 1997, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2024
  • Triathlon – 2018
  • Volleyball (4) – 1995, 1996, 1997, 2013

Performing arts

The college has musical productions and music programs. It has combined with St Columba's College, to stage shows annually.

Recognition by Music Theatre Guild of Victoria

The college has a reputation for its musical productions and music programs. It has combined with St Columba's College, to stage shows annually, which have included Pirates of Penzance (2000), Fiddler on the Roof (2001), Anything Goes (2002), West Side Story (2003), Guys and Dolls (2004), Oklahoma (2005), Cabaret (2006), Bye Bye Birdie (2007), Jesus Christ Superstar (2008), The Sound of Music (2009), The Wiz (2010), High School Musical (2011), Jekyll and Hyde (2012), Once Upon a Mattress (2013), Shout! The Legend of The Wild One (2014), The Pajama Game (2015), The Boy from Oz (2016), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (2017), The Addams Family (2018), The Wedding Singer (2019), Grease (2020), Mary Poppins (2021), Strictly Ballroom (2022), Little Shop of Horrors (2023), Chicago (2024) and have recently finished performing Newsies (2025). The productions of Grease and Mary Poppins were both impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic during the rehearsal process, leading to both being cancelled. The college has many avenues for its students to explore the arts, including the College & ACC Art and Technology Exhibition, Battle of the Bands, Choir, Music Ensembles and Theatre Productions in collaboration with St Columba’s College. The college also has an annual 'Kick Arts' along with St Columba's College and Ave Maria College which comprises dramatic, musical and dance acts by each school.

St Bernard's College productions in conjunction with St Columba's College have been recognised by the prestigious Music Theatre Guild of Victoria, a not-for-profit organisation for the ongoing support, encouragement and development of non-professional music theatre in the state of Victoria. [10]

2024 – "Chicago"

  • Commendation for Junior Production of the Year
  • Linda Henderson, Nominee for Direction of a Junior Performance
  • Linda Henderson, Kira Neilson & Monique Zammit, Nominees for Choreography
  • Ed Chan, commended for Musical Direction of a Junior Production
  • Cooper Marin, Recipient of Best Lead Performer in a Male Presenting Role as Billy Flynn
  • Sienna Alexander, commended for Minor/Cameo Role as Emcee

2023 – "Little Shop of Horrors"

  • Commendation for Junior Production of the Year
  • Brittany Crane, Commendation for Direction of a Junior Production
  • Chris Smith & Ed Chan, Commendation for Musical Direction of a Junior Production
  • Lucas Bonnici, Nominee for Best Lead Performer in a Male Presenting Role as Seymour Krelborn
  • Cooper Marin, Recipient of Best Supporting Performer in a Male Presenting Role as Audrey II

2016 – "The Boy From Oz"

  • Nomination for Junior Production of the Year
  • Brooke Sullivan & Brendan Tollitn Nominees for Best Direction of a Junior Production
  • Ben Kelly, Nominee for Best Musical Direction of a Junior Production
  • Katherine McWaters & Jess Barlow, Nominees for Best Choreography
  • Liam McWhinney, Recipient of Best Lead Performer in a Male Presenting Role as Peter Allen
  • Nesceda Blake, Nominee for Best Supporting Performer in a Female Presenting Role as Judy Garland
  • Brigid Hanley-Leonard, Nominee for Best Supporting Performer in a Female Presenting Role as Marion Woolnough

2013 – "Once Upon A Mattress"

  • Nomination for Junior Production of the Year
  • Catherine Ohlsen, Recipient of Best Direction of a Junior Production
  • Laura Danby, Nominee for Best Musical Direction of a Junior Production
  • Ben Hargreaves, Nominee for Best Supporting Performer in a Male Presenting Role as King Sextimus the Silent
  • Jeremy Deutscher, Nominee for Best Supporting Performer in a Male Presenting Role as Jester
  • Jasmine Romanin, Nominee for Best Supporting Performer in a Female Presenting Role as Queen Aggravain

2012 – "Jekyll and Hyde"

  • Award for Excellence

2010 – "The Wiz"

  • Award For Excellence

Student leadership

View of the College Oval St. Bernard's College.jpg
View of the College Oval

The students are involved in electing their student leaders every year. A nomination from a student or from their peers is verified by the staff and senior leadership team. Staff will then endorse students from Year 11, and for specific leadership roles for Year 12 students.

The senior leadership team will then review the potential candidates based on student and staff endorsement and select the Year 11 and Year 12 members of the Student Council. The Year 12 portion of the Student Council is composed of eight council members, five House Captains, five Portfolio Captains (Arts, Sports, Ministry, Wellbeing and Academic) and the College Captain.

Year 12 Student Council members who wish to undertake House, Portfolio, or the College Captain role must undertake an interview with the Senior Leadership Team, who will decide the student for the position. The Student Council helps facilitates many important events throughout the college such as the college's Feast Day and various whole school assemblies throughout the year.

Notable alumni

Notable staff

See also

References

  1. ↑ St. Bernard's College- Christian Brothers (accessed:26-06-2007)
  2. ↑ "Santa Monica Experience". sbc.vic.edu.au. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  3. ↑ "Year 9". St Bernard's College. Retrieved 9 June 2025.
  4. ↑ "Resurrection House". Find and Connect. Retrieved 9 June 2025.
  5. ↑ "Compare VCE School Ranking | Trends - 2024". bettereducation.com.au. Retrieved 9 June 2025.
  6. ↑ "Events". St Bernard's College. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
  7. ↑ St. Bernard's College- Facilities (accessed:26-06-2007)
  8. ↑ "RESULTS: Herald Sun Shield - AFL Victoria". aflvic.com.au. Archived from the original on 3 October 2017.
  9. ↑ "Premiers & Champions – Associated Catholic Colleges" . Retrieved 9 June 2025.
  10. ↑ "2024 – Nominations & Recipients – Music Theatre Guild of Victoria" . Retrieved 9 June 2025.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 Crikey.com.au: Famous alumni on Latham's hit list Archived 2007-09-26 at the Wayback Machine (accessed:26-06-2007)
  12. ↑ Nicholson, Larissa (22 February 2016). "AFL 2016: Umpire Eleni Glouftsis breaks a glass ceiling". The Age. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
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