As a school in the Edmund Rice tradition, we are called to build an inclusive community and to stand in solidarity with those who have been marginalised. Our First Nations Program, led by our Aboriginal Education Worker, Kyle Wallace, reflects this calling: it is our commitment to ensuring that First Nations students and families are not just welcomed at St Patrick’s College, but genuinely seen, supported and celebrated throughout their time here.

About the Program

Our First Nations Program is woven into the life of the whole College - it is not a separate stream or an add-on, but an expression of who we are as a community.

Country and Culture

We begin every significant College event with an Acknowledgement of Country, recognising the Wangal clan of the Darug people as the Traditional Custodians of this land. The Wangal people’s territory, known as Wanne, extended across what is now the inner-west of Sydney, and their relationship with this Country - including their stewardship of the mullet in the local waterways - is honoured in our College’s First Nations mural on the Hodda Building.

We mark Reconciliation Week every year as whole-College moments, inviting students and staff to learn, reflect and act. This looks slightly different every year to showcase various elements of culture. We also offer opportunities at other times of the year to delve further into a genuine understanding of our First Nations peoples, including experiences for staff and students on Formation events.

Immersion and Experience

Each year, a group of senior students travels to Alice Springs to take part in an immersion experience at St Joseph’s Catholic Flexible Learning Centre. This program offers our students a profound encounter with First Nations communities, culture and perspectives - and an invitation to understand reconciliation not as an abstract idea but as a lived commitment.

Curriculum Integration

First Nations histories, cultures and perspectives are embedded in our curriculum across learning areas - not confined to a single subject or unit, but present throughout a student’s journey from Year 5 to Year 12. English and Drama select appropriate texts, Studies of Religion delves into Aboriginal Spirituality, while History and Geography develop the foundations of truth telling, and Visual Arts and Music celebrate First Nations culture; just to name a few.

First Nations Bursary

St Patrick’s College offers a First Nations Bursary to support First Nations families in accessing an education in the Edmund Rice tradition. We are committed to removing financial barriers where we can, so that every young man who belongs here has the opportunity to be here.

For more information, please contact the College and we will place you in touch with the relevant people, or use the enquiry form below.

Bursaries are given based on eligibility, value, and application details. We here to assist you in any way that is needed.

Our Reconciliation Journey

In November 2023, our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) was approved by Narragunnawali, the national framework for reconciliation in education. Our RAP is a living document — reviewed regularly and used to drive meaningful change across the College, with a focus on strengthening relationships, deepening respect, and creating genuine opportunity.

National EREA has also developed an Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan, reflecting the shared commitment of Edmund Rice Education Australia schools to reconciliation across the country.

Reconciliation at St Patrick’s College is not a project with an end date. It is an ongoing commitment to listening, learning and walking together.

Enquire About the First Nations Program

If you are a First Nations family considering St Patrick’s College for your son, we would love to hear from you. Whether you have questions about the program, the bursary, or what life at St Patrick’s looks like, please reach out.