School Community

Columba Catholic Primary School is situated in the township of Bunyip, 85km East of Melbourne. Established in 2001, Columba is in the centre of a farming district, with the central township becoming predominantly a residential town for people wanting a quiet country town lifestyle. The school operates 9 classes with specialist classes conducted in the Performing Arts, Fine Arts, Music and LOTE Italian.

At Columba, the spiritual development of the children based on a faith centred education is why the school exists. Our students are our inspiration and our reason to be. Guided in their faith by the Scriptures, our students live out their Christian way of ‘being’ in their world – nurtured to be Christ-centred people. Columba is an authentically Catholic learning community that is dedicated to providing the very best opportunities for our young people. It is a place where academic rigour is developed through rich relationships, deep integrity, lifelong learning and extraordinary care for its children. There is a commitment to whole school improvement and an enthusiasm in approaching the many new initiatives and increasingly complex demands of learning in a contemporary environment.

Within this context, the heart of the school is a sense of community that is highly valued by the school’s families. Columba works to promote a respectful community that nurtures pastoral and personal awareness for all its members and works to ensure that Columba is an open, welcoming place of learning and living. The school gives high priority to maintaining a safe, secure environment where all children experience a sense of belonging. Parents are valued as active participants in the education process of their children.

Columba is blessed to have a close, nurturing, effective staff who work tirelessly to ensure that the education of their students is purposeful and engaging. Staff value collaborative practices within learning teams where they share ideas and support each other to improve their teaching and learning, for themselves and for the benefit of their students. Our educators place students at the centre of the learning process. We share the belief that effective learning takes place when positive relationships are developed in an atmosphere that balances challenge with support. There is a whole of staff approach to managing issues which ensures that every effort is made for each child to enjoy success as they grow and develop within our supportive school community. Most importantly, children at Columba have the opportunity to take responsibility for their learning and utilise appropriate learning technologies to support their learning.

Columba uses the Victorian Curriculum to provide a single, coherent and comprehensive set of prescribed content and common achievement standards, and plans learning programs, assesses student progress and reports to parents based on this curriculum.

It is a privilege to work within a community that is committed to a culture of discovery; a collaborative community where creative thought, word and action are nourished, where paths to success are varied and where positive relationships thrive. We have a deep commitment to living wholeheartedly in the footsteps of Jesus and bringing to life the school mission and motto, ‘Let Your Light Shine’.