Message from the Executive Director of Schools

Earlier in this Jubilee Year, I had the opportunity to fulfil a lifelong dream and walk the Way of St James, the Camino de Santiago. A pilgrimage is a rite of passage: it purifies and regenerates, renews and restores, forgives and reconciles.

This profound experience gave me the time and space to:  

• Reflect on our work as Catholic educators in the Diocese of Wollongong, and on the incredible difference we make in the lives of children and young people
  
• Pray for each of you and all our students, as I placed a stone from Wollongong’s Belmore Basin at the foot of the Cruz de Ferro—the Iron Cross. (If you’d like to know more about this centuries-old ritual, see here.)

Pope Leo XIV recently said, “We are all pilgrims and we are always pilgrims, walking as we seek to follow the Lord, and as we seek the path that is truly ours in life. That’s certainly not easy, but with the help of the Lord, the intercession of the saints, and by encouraging one another, you can be certain that, as long as you remain faithful, trusting always in God’s mercy… it will bear fruit throughout your lives”.

Upon my return, my pilgrimage reflections were reinforced by my visits to schools. Personal highlights from last term include:

• The unnerving wisdom and depth of thinking demonstrated by senior secondary students during our dialogues with Bishop Brian. Two questions they asked in the company of their peers have stayed with me: “How do you balance what you want and what God wants in your life?” and “I don’t want to be a lukewarm Christian. What advice can you give me?” I pondered similar questions as a pilgrim and I continue to be in awe of the young people in our schools.
• The joy found in the noble work of teaching, as students proudly showcased their latest learning and took pride in demonstrating mastery.
  
• The dedication of teachers and support staff I had the pleasure of speaking with in staff rooms across the diocese who are making an impact on improved student learning growth and achievement.

Best NAPLAN results in three years

While the impact of our work extends far beyond standardised tests, they do provide valuable insight as we continually reflect on our effectiveness. I’m pleased to report that the 2025 NAPLAN results indicate a positive trend across the diocese, with four of the five domains showing the highest percentage of students achieving Strong or Exceeding since the new proficiency levels were introduced. The domains with the best results in three years were Reading, Writing, Spelling, and Numeracy. Overall proficiency across all cohorts (Years 3, 5, 7, and 9) improved in four domains compared to 2024, with the fifth domain equal to our 2024 result.

We continue to meet the challenges and complexities of our school communities and the world in which we live. We do this as Pilgrims of Hope, always striving to realise our mission. While self-praise is no recommendation, CEDoW schools are doing this at least as well as anywhere I’ve seen—this is your impact.

CEO Objectives | Term 2 Report Card

Beyond the regular services provided to schools by the Catholic Education Office, we are making meaningful progress against the priorities essential to bringing Lighting The Way to life. A report card on our Term 2 progress is now available on the CEO Objectives site.

As the rhythms and routines of school life resume, go gently and walk humbly.

Peter Hill
Executive Director of Schools