A tradition of learning, alive in today's students.
A Catholic coeducational college in Kilbride, Years 7 to 12 — seventy years of formation, and a genuine care for every young person who walks through our gates.
A tradition of learning, and a community that knows you.
For seventy years, families in Kilbride have trusted St Canice's with something precious — the forming of a young person. What has kept them coming is not our history for its own sake, but what that history still makes possible today: teachers who know their students by name, a chapel at the centre of the day, and real learning in every classroom.
We would love to show you the College as it actually is — on an ordinary morning, with the doors open.
— The Principal
Where we came from still shapes how we teach, care and serve.
St Canice's was formed in 1998 from two founding schools — a Sisters of Mercy girls' college and a Marist Brothers boys' college — and carries their dual charism still: Mercy's compassion and justice, Marist family spirit and presence. Our patron, St Canice, was a sixth-century Irish teacher associated with learning and light — the idea our motto draws upon.
Luceat Lux Vestra — “Let Your Light Shine”
Learning & Pathways
How learning grows here
It begins in Year 7 with the Lumen Program — literacy, numeracy and inquiry, and above all belonging. Through the middle years it broadens; by the senior school it deepens into around forty subjects. Our strongest students are stretched through the Aquinas Scholars — the da Vinci Decathlon, Olympiads, Mock Trial — mentored in the Champagnat Centre. And the Futures Program follows every student beyond the gate, with careers counselling, work experience and alumni mentoring.
Three pathways, held level:
- UniversityStrong ATAR pathways and first-preference tertiary offers.
- VocationalVET certificates and the St Canice's Trade Training Centre.
- ApprenticeshipsSchool-based apprenticeships that begin a career early.
Faith you can see in an ordinary day
The Chapel of the Holy Name sits at the centre of the campus, and the College gathers there through the year — Founders' Day, Mercy Day, the Feast of St Canice. But faith here is mostly quieter than that: a Year 11 walking a Year 7 to class, a House turning out for Mercy in Action, a Year 12 cohort returning changed from the Emmaus retreat.
A full life, and a place in it for everyone
Known
House-based pastoral care and homeroom mentors who know each student by name.
Nurtured
The Thrive program, two counsellors, a chaplain, and Year 11-to-Year-7 peer mentoring.
Challenged
Being known is where flourishing begins — every student encouraged to their next step.
This term at St Canice's
Aquinas Scholars place at the National Science Olympiad
Two medals and a commendation — a year of extension in the Champagnat Centre, finding its mark.
Mercy Day marked with liturgy and service
The College Musical returns to the McAuley
- 12MARCollege Open DayWhole College · 9:00am
- 21MARFounders' Day MassChapel of the Holy Name · 10:00am
Come and see the College first
The best way to know St Canice's is to visit — walk the grounds, meet our community, and see an ordinary day for yourself. The rest follows from there.
About St Canice’s
A Catholic coeducational college where a strong academic tradition, a living faith and genuine care for every student prepare young people for the world beyond our gates.
Luceat Lux Vestra“Let Your Light Shine” — Matthew 5:16
Seventy years of formation, worn lightly
St Canice's College was formed in 1998 from two founding schools — a Sisters of Mercy girls' college and a Marist Brothers boys' college — and carries a dual Mercy and Marist charism, now led by a lay team in partnership with the Diocese of Carrenford. Our patron, St Canice, was a sixth-century Irish missionary and teacher associated with learning and light — the very idea our motto draws upon.
Today we are a Catholic, coeducational college of around 1,180 students and 150 staff. Our heritage enriches who we are; it is not a backstory a family must decode. What you notice first is the College today — real students, real learning, and a community that knows its students by name.
A college led with care
Our leaders and staff are referenced by role — a real college shows its own people.
The Principal
Leads the College community and its mission — formed in faith, ready for the world.
Director of Faith & Mission
Holds the dual charism across liturgy, service and pastoral life.
Head of Senior School
Guides senior study, pathways and the Futures Program.
Learning & Pathways
From the Lumen Program through senior ATAR, VET and apprenticeship pathways at genuine parity — scholarship shown as proven, and useful.
The Lumen Program & the Kilbride Journey
Years 7–9 — transition, belonging and formation, named for the light of our motto.
In Year 7, the Lumen Program settles every new student into the College through integrated inquiry, a literacy and numeracy focus, and a strong sense of belonging. In Year 9, the Kilbride Journey pairs outdoor education with an urban social-justice immersion — formation of the whole person, in and beyond the classroom.
ATAR, VET and apprenticeships — held level
Around forty senior subjects plus vocational offerings, with genuine parity of esteem.
University
Breadth of ATAR pathways, strong tertiary offers across medicine, engineering, education, law and the creative industries.
Vocational (VET)
Nationally recognised certificates delivered at the St Canice's Trade Training Centre and with partners.
Apprenticeships
School-based apprenticeships and traineeships that begin a career while a student completes senior study.
The Aquinas Scholars Program
Named for St Thomas Aquinas, patron of scholars — extension, mentoring and academic competition.
Aquinas Scholars are stretched through the da Vinci Decathlon, Olympiads and Mock Trial, mentored by staff in the Champagnat Centre for Science & Innovation. Extension here is never separate from formation — our strongest students are also among our most involved, in music, service and House life.
Enrolments
An invitation to visit first. Book a tour, meet our community, and picture your child formed here. The best decisions about a school are made in person.
Book a Tour → Enquire → Apply
Book a Tour
See the College in an ordinary day — the Chapel, the classrooms, the Houses.
Enquire
Ask us anything, and we'll send a prospectus and key dates for your child's year.
Apply
Submit an application when you're ready — we'll guide you through each step.
Start with a conversation
Tell us a little about your family and we'll be in touch.
Faith & Mission
A dual Mercy and Marist charism, a chapel at the heart of the campus, and faith carried into action in the world.
The Chapel of the Holy Name stands at the centre of our campus, and of our story. The College gathers here for College and House Masses and feast-day liturgies through the year — Founders' Day, Mercy Day on 24 September, and the Feast of St Canice.
Year-level retreats at every stage give students room to reflect, culminating in the Year 12 Emmaus retreat.
Service, with real hands in it
Mercy in Action
The St Vincent de Paul conference, the soup van and local outreach across Kilbride.
Marist Youth
Remote-community and overseas immersions, led with presence and courage.
Our Community
Families, the parish and the Old Canicians — a community across generations.
Student Life
Six Houses, a strong music program, Saturday sport, the arts and the Kilbride Journey — with wellbeing woven right through.
Named for founders and saints
Each House carries a colour and a patron virtue, and a year-long House points cup.
Music, sport, the arts & leadership
Music
The Schola Cantorum, concert band, string ensemble and the annual College Musical.
Sport
Around twenty sports, weekly fixtures and the swimming, athletics and cross-country carnivals.
Arts & Activities
The Luceat visual-arts exhibition, debating, robotics, chess and the Duke of Edinburgh.
Wellbeing
Our wellbeing framework in three words already lived across the College: Known · Nurtured · Challenged.
Known
House-based pastoral care, Pastoral Leaders and homeroom mentors, a Head of Wellbeing — every student known by name.
Nurtured
The Years 7–9 Thrive program, two College counsellors, a chaplain, peer mentoring and restorative practice.
Challenged
Digital wellbeing and positive-relationships education — being known is where flourishing begins.
Wellbeing at St Canice's is never a clinical box to tick. It runs under everything — House life, the classroom, the Chapel and the co-curricular program — so that care is felt as people and habits, not a policy. Year 11 students mentor Year 7s; the Head of Wellbeing aims to know every new student by March.
News & the Newsletter
Term news and stories from across the College — and our own community newsletter, The Canician.
Aquinas Scholars place at the National Science Olympiad
A team from the Aquinas Scholars Program returned from the National Science Olympiad with two medals and a commendation — the fruit of a year of extension and mentoring in the Champagnat Centre.
Mercy Day marked with liturgy and service across the College
On 24 September the whole College gathered for the Mercy Day Mass in the Chapel of the Holy Name, before Houses turned to a day of outreach with Mercy in Action partners across Kilbride.
The College Musical returns to the McAuley Performing Arts Centre
Months of rehearsal by the Schola Cantorum, the concert band and the cast come together for a four-night season — a College tradition that fills the McAuley theatre each year.
Trade Training Centre apprentices complete first builds
Senior students in the Building & Construction pathway completed their first supervised projects at the St Canice’s Trade Training Centre, held at genuine parity with our ATAR and VET pathways.
The Canician
Our College's own community newsletter — the only Schoolzine product we use — delivered to families each fortnight.
The CanicianCollege Community NewsletterEvents
Upcoming dates across the College — Open Day, Founders' Day, the College Musical and the House carnivals.
- 12MARCollege Open DayWhole College · 9:00am – 1:00pm
- 21MARFounders’ Day MassChapel of the Holy Name · 10:00am
- 04APRYear 7 2027 Information EveningMcAuley Performing Arts Centre · 6:30pm
- 09MAYHouse Cross-Country CarnivalCollege Ovals · all day
- 27JUNSenior Pathways & Futures ExpoFrayne Library & Learning Commons · 4:00pm
Contact
We'd love to hear from you — by phone, by email, or in person on a College tour.
St Canice's College, Kilbride
1 Chapel Way, Kilbride
Diocese of Carrenford
Phone: (07) 5555 1954
Email: enquiries@stcanices.demo
Hours: 8:00am – 4:00pm, term time
