Enrolments are accepted all year round, but the best time to enrol your child is at the beginning of the year (Term 1) – the year before your child is due to commence school.

Enrolment interviews are held in May (Term 2). You will receive a letter or phone call inviting you and your child to come in and meet with the principal. Written offers of placement will follow towards the end of Term 2.

At St Mary’s Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School, we give your child the best opportunity to develop academically, spiritually and socially in a safe and supportive environment.

St Mary’s is a place where each student is valued and respected, developing positive relationships while working towards a hope-filled future.

We ensure every child is provided with a learning program that is contemporary and personalised, in a learning environment that is inclusive, supportive and challenges students to reach their full potential. 

What you and your child can expect at St Mary's includes:

• Growing and learning in a community based on Gospel values
• A safe, caring and inclusive environment
• Challenging and meaningful learning experiences
• Personalised learning for each student
• Preparation for tomorrow’s world
• Promoting stewardship and environmental sustainability
• Valuing social justice
• An inclusive and affordable Catholic education

Please see our What We Offer page or Contact Us for more information. 

You are most welcome! Please contact our office to make an appointment to meet with the principal and tour the school grounds and facilities.

Our office opening hours are Monday to Friday, between 8:45am and 3:45pm.
 

Our school bell times are as follows:

Morning: 
Supervision begins at 8:45am each morning.

Afternoon: 
The school day concludes at 3:20pm and parents are expected to collect their children as soon as possible after this time. Please note, no supervision is provided by staff after 3:30pm.
 

Please see our Term Dates and Bell Times page for more information.

There are many co-curricular activities on offer at St Mary's Star of the Sea!

The school has many school representative opportunities in sport, including: swimming, athletics, cross country, soccer, rugby league, basketball, netball and cricket. Children also have the opportunity to try out for diocesan representative teams and beyond in several different sports.

St Mary's also provides the chance to compete and excel in different areas of interest, including: social justice initiatives, creative arts activities and competitions, STEM learning and clubs, academic competitions, public speaking and more.

Find out more about the co-curricular activities available for students at our Co-Curricular Opportunities page.

The dignity of the human person is the foundation of all Catholic Social Teaching and inherent to the mission of our school. Essential to this is the creation and maintenance of a respectful, safe and supportive learning environment that promotes student wellbeing and enables school communities to engage an inclusive and diverse range of learners.

At St Mary's, we believe that all members of the community have the right to a learning and working environment free from intimidation, humiliation and harm. We all share a responsibility to create a culture of caring which will not tolerate bullying. We believe that bullying must be taken seriously and is not acceptable in any form. In witnessing Christian values we reject ideas, beliefs and behaviours, which marginalise or victimise people. 

Please refer to the Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong's Pastoral Care and Wellbeing Policy here.

You can also find further anti-bullying, wellbeing and online safety resources at our Resources page here.

Yes, many of our students catch buses to and from school:

• Ulladulla Buslines runs for services for families who live to the south of our school – see school bus timetable here.
• Kellam Bus Lines run services for families who live north – call (02) 4455 4444 for more information.
• Shoalbus also runs services for families who live north – see school bus timetable here.
• Premier Motor Service also runs services for families who live north – call 13 34 10 for more information.

Note: The School Student Transport Scheme (SSTS) gives eligible school students free or subsidised travel between home and school on NSW public transport, including buses and trains. For more information and to apply for a school travel pass for your child, click here.

PEAK Sports & Learning Outside School Hours Care provides both before and after school care for our students. Located at Ulladulla Public School (241 Green Street, Ulladulla), it caters for St Mary's students and two other local primary schools.

PEAK's minibus drops the children to St Mary's in the mornings after their before school care, and collects your child from St Mary's after school to take them to their after school care.

For more information, visit PEAK's website or call 1300 467 325.

The St Mary's school uniform can be purchased at school. Our uniform shop is open each Thursday from 2:40pm–3:20pm. Orders and payments can be made at the front office (EFTPOS available).

For more information on the St Mary's school uniform, visit our Uniform page.

Please see our Fees Information page for more information.

If you are experiencing financial hardship and are unable to pay fees, please discuss the situation with our principal. Your situation will be treated with care and confidentiality, and an appropriate arrangement may be made for you.

No student will be refused enrolment because of a family’s genuine inability to pay fees.

We'd love to have you! St Mary's Star of the Sea strives to be a connected and welcoming community and we value the engagement of parents and families in school life in any way they can.

This could be as simple as being interested and informed about school events and activities, supporting and/or participating in community events, school assemblies and school liturgies. 

If you are able, we also welcome and value your involvement in school activities. Parents (and grandparents!) can participate and contribute by:

• Volunteering for the canteen roster
• Assisting in the classroom with reading or mathematics groups
• Volunteering at school working bees or maintenance
• Assistance at sport carnivals and gala days

Please note: Given our commitment to safeguarding children, volunteers will first need to organise a Working With Children Check (WWCC) – information and forms can be found on the CEDoW website. 

All parents and families are also invited to become involved with our Parents and Friends (P&F) Association, who work collaboratively with the school and parish about matters that affect your child at school, as well as general issues about school life including social events, fundraising and community building.

For more information, please visit our Parent Engagement page.

If you have a concern or would like to raise any issue regarding your child’s learning and wellbeing, our staff welcome the opportunity to speak with you about your child.

We ask that you contact your child’s classroom teacher in the first instance. The best way to do this is by:

• phoning the school office and asking that your child's teacher return your call; or
• contacting the teacher via email at info@sosmdow.catholic.edu.au to arrange a time to talk.

If the matter is urgent please contact the school office on (02) 4455 2328.

We ask for your patience in response to your request as schools are busy places and the main priority of staff is the education, safety and wellbeing of the students in their care during school hours. Requests by parents for information and meetings will be responded to as quickly as possible. 

If you need to speak to your child’s teacher, we ask that you do this by:

• phoning the school office and asking that your child's teacher return your call; or
• contacting the teacher via email at info@sosmdow.catholic.edu.au to arrange a time to talk.

If the matter is urgent please contact the school office on (02) 4455 2328.

We ask for your patience in response to your request as schools are busy places and the main priority of staff is the education, safety and wellbeing of the students in their care during school hours. Requests by parents for information and meetings will be responded to as quickly as possible. 

The Lighting the Way Together Parent-School Partnership Framework outlines for parents and the school, the principles and expectations of the partnership that is formed when a child is enrolled in a Catholic systemic school in the Diocese of Wollongong such as St Mary's. It will be introduced and implemented in schools throughout the school year.

Download a copy of the Parent-School Partnership Framework and read more about this important partnership at www.dow.catholic.edu.au/partnershipframework

Parents and carers can access the St Mary's Compass Parent Portal here and log in using their login details.

For more information on using Compass, see the Compass Guide for Parents.

For further information or enquiries, please contact the school office.