Our Story
Australia's first joint Anglican and Catholic College
St Columba College, located in the Northern Suburbs of Adelaide, is the first joint venture, coeducational school in Australia. It was established in 1996 as an ecumenical initiative of Archbishops, Ian George and Leonard Faulkner, at that time the Anglican and Catholic Archbishops of Adelaide.
St Columba College is an R-12 co-educational school, renowned for our commitment to high standards in all areas of school life. The College takes pride in its students' achievements in academic programs and vocational education and training. We are committed to working in partnership with parents to help students be successful and prepare them for life after school. Student wellbeing is of the highest priority to ensure they have a sense of belonging. We deliver an engaging, academically challenging and socially relevant framework that equips our students for the future. The essence of College life is summed up in our vision statement:
St Columba College seeks to inspire in our students a relationship with God, a love of learning and a passion for life.
To support this the College is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, excellent staff and modern resources. Our students' pride in their College is nurtured by a sense of belonging through pastoral care and specialised inclusive education support. Everything the College does emanates from our Christian heritage and Anglican and Catholic traditions. We strive to ensure our students are both successful and happy.
History
St Columba College is a combined Anglican and Catholic College, opening in 1997, the first ecumenical educational venture of this kind in Australia. The College was an initiative of both the Anglican and Catholic Dioceses of Adelaide.
Intensive planning for the College began in 1995 and continued throughout 1996 with an Anglican and Catholic Schools Committee being established. This group had the important task of initial planning, and preparations for a 1997 opening. In support of the College's development the Hickinbotham Group generously donated the land for the Primary site.
In June 1996, the inaugural Principal, Ms Madeleine Brennan was appointed and an Interim Management Committee began to coordinate work at the 'local level'.
Building work on the Primary site commenced on Monday 16 September 1996 enabling the planned opening of the College in January 1997. 207 students began their educational journey at St Columba College in that first year of operation. Extensive work then began on seeking approval for the College to become R-12. In October 1999 the College received notification from the Government regarding the success of its application to extend into secondary education. In the year 2000, St Columba began its journey to becoming an R-12 College.
Today the College has an enrolment of over 1400 students. It has outstanding facilities and provides students with the best possible learning outcomes. The success of St Columba College is a testament to the vision and commitment of those who worked so hard in establishing our College - a place of educational excellence.
