Community
11 November, 2026
Fight to save school far from over: Parents
The fight to save St Michael’s Catholic School in Mittagong from closure is far from over, parents have warned.
The fight to save St Michael’s Catholic School in Mittagong from closure is far from over, parents have warned.
As reported by The Southern Wire, The Bishop of Wollongong, Most Reverend Brian Mascord DD, last week ‘revoked’ the decision to amalgamate St Michael’s with St Thomas Aquinas in Bowral pending further consultation with key stakeholders.
While parents have welcomed the Bishop’s announcement, they stress the proposal to amalgamate the two schools from the commencement of the 2029 school year remains active.
They are rallying to ensure the consultation process provides a genuine opportunity to save the 135-year-school from closure.
They are seeking assurances that feedback will be formally recorded for the Bishop and that the consultation will genuinely consider the school remaining open.
“The Bishop’s pause is welcome and families are grateful he listened to concerned parents,” parent spokesperson Jai Bernard said.
“The decision was revoked, but the proposal still stands.
“It is only genuine consultation if keeping St Michael’s open remains a real option, rather than simply working out how to repurpose our campus.”
Parents have already raised concerns about an online survey that was announced as part of the consultation because it doesn’t ask whether or not St Michael’s should stay open but instead focuses on options for the site being repurposed.
They have also questioned the demographic and financial data used to underpin the proposal and have written to the Bishop asking that it be made available.
Mr Bernard – who is part of the parent-led Save St Michael’s Mittagong campaign – said Diocesan enrolment data reflects stable, resilient demand at St Michael’s over recent years, with 190 students in 2023, 182 in 2024 and 180 in 2025 rising to 186 in 2026.
For 2027, Kindergarten enrolments stand at 27 children at St Michael’s compared to 22 at Bowral, with an active waiting list of 18 children.
“Enrolment numbers reflect who received a place, not the total number of families asking for one,” Mr Bernard said.
“With 18 children on a waitlist and strong early Kindergarten numbers, the demand for Catholic education in Mittagong is clear.”
He said growth figures further supported the need for local school capacity.
Wingecarribee Shire Council residential forecasts (forecast.id) project approximately 1,259 additional dwellings in the Mittagong District by 2041 – an increase of more than 27 per cent.
Mr Bernard also pointed to the school’s academic performance.
On national benchmarks, St Michael’s students scored 25 to 26 points above the national average across Year 3 and Year 5 NAPLAN assessments.
Parents are now turning their attention to a November 18 parish meeting convened by Parish Priest Father Sean Cullen.
Initial communications framed the gathering for ‘parishioners’, causing concern among non-Catholic and mixed-faith school families who feel an integral part of St Michael’s.
Father Cullen has since reassured parent representatives that all school families will be welcome to attend the meeting.
Mr Bernard said parents were now seeking clear confirmation from the Diocese that all families were invited regardless of faith background.
He said every St Michael’s family was directly affected and must be fully included in the consultation process.
Mr Bernard said Bishop Mascord had served as a primary school teacher for six years before his ordination and should understand firsthand “that a school’s heartbeat is its community”.
“We respectfully ask Bishop Brian and Father Sean to meet directly with all St Michael’s families and publish the underlying data behind the proposal before any final decision is made.”
He said parents wanted an open dialogue to explore alternative funding models or two-campus operational structures that preserve Catholic schooling in both towns.
Bishop Mascord said the month-long consultation process would include the online survey as well as roundtable discussions with office bearers from the Parents and Friends (P&F) Association, staff members from both schools and the Parish Pastoral and Finance Councils.
He said correspondence received after the original decision was made would also be taken into account.
Bishop Mascord expressed regret over the shock the original announcement had created
“I trust this formal period of consultation goes some way to rectifying the situation so that the voices of school staff and parents and carers of students are heard,” he said.
Wingecarribee Shire mayor Erin Foley has since come out to express her concern over the proposed amalgamation.
“At a time when we are planning for more families and future growth, maintaining access to local education facilities should be a priority,” Cr Foley said.
“While council does not determine the future of non-government or government schools, we do have a responsibility to advocate for the long-term interests of our community.
“I will be advocating strongly for St Michael’s to remain open and urge the Diocese to carefully reconsider this decision and genuinely engage with families and the wider community before any irreversible steps are taken,” Cr Foley said.
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