Why Choose Padua College in Kedron
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Padua College is the only school in Australia under the care of the Order of Friars Minor. Inspired by the teachings of St Francis, the Franciscan Friars established Padua College as a school to cater for boys from Years 5 to Year 12.
Over sixty-five years on, the College has grown to more than 1450 students and while there have clearly been some educational changes over this time, it still holds its Franciscan heritage very close to its heart. The College offers a holistic education including an engaging religious formation and pastoral care program, an inclusive and comprehensive curriculum, many co-curricular opportunities and a developmental outdoor education program. It inspires and engages its learning community by being leaders in boys’ education through a learning culture underpinned by self-efficacy and excellence. Padua College delivers dynamic, innovative pedagogy in the three phases of learning from Year 5 through to Year 12.
Facilities at Padua College
The College provides a host of facilities for students across its campuses, including:
- Assisi Campus: Middle School and Senior School Campus
- Library
- Learning Enrichment Centre (LEC) and College Counsellors
- Auditorium
- Purpose-built Drama Room and Art Rooms
- Purpose built Music classrooms with rehearsal rooms and recording studio
- Instrumental Program with a dedicated space including rehearsal spaces on both the Assisi and Greccio Campuses
- La Cordelle (Indoor Sports Centre/Auditorium) – 1 basketball court, 2 volleyball courts, badminton courts
- Outdoor pool 25m 8 lanes
- Gymnasium
- Assisi Sporting Field and Stadium
- Assisi Oval (Cricket Pitch, Nets)
- Assisi Outdoor Courts (Tennis/Basketball)
- Padua Bus Transport (Thompson’s F1 Private Bus Service) and BCC Bus Services – for both Assis and Greccio Campuses
- Chapel
- Greccio Campus: Junior School Campus
- Library
- Learning Enrichment Centre (LEC) and College Counsellors
- Greccio Dome (Undercover Sports Arena) – 2 basketball courts, 2 volleyball courts, 2 tennis courts, 2 futsal courts
- Greccio Sporting Field
- Greccio Oval (Cricket Nets)
- Padua Sports Fields, Banyo – 3 x turf Cricket ovals, 3 x rugby fields, 3 x football fields, 3 x rugby league fields.
- ‘Amaroo’ – Padua’s private outdoor educational facility (62 acres) at Pomona, Noosa Hinterland, featuring overnight accommodation for more than 80 students and staff; onsite catering facilities; 3 climbing courses (high/low ropes, bouldering, climbing walls); orienteering trails; mountain biking tracks; personal challenge courses, zip lines; water equipment including surfboards, canoes, kayaks, ocean rafts for use at nearby Lake Cootharaba and Noosa Beach.
As a joint project, Padua College along with Mount Alvernia College, have taken ownership of a five-hectare site bordering the Padua campuses, to be developed into a shared sporting and cultural precinct.
What are the sporting/extra-curricular options at Padua College?
Padua sporting program
Padua College is affiliated with the Associated Independent Colleges (AIC) sporting competition. Students are encouraged to participate in various sports offered across the four terms. These sports include AFL, Cricket, Swimming, Volleyball, Basketball, Tennis, Chess, Cross Country, Football, Hockey, Rugby Union, Rugby League, Track and Field, and Water Polo.
Padua Music Program
Padua College’s rich musical tradition continues today under the auspices of the Franciscan College’s Instrumental Program (FCIP). The FCIP was established to provide tuition on the complete range of band and orchestral instruments for the students of Padua College, Mount Alvernia College (Padua’s sister school) and St Anthony’s Primary School. The FCIP is a co-curricular ensemble-based program and forms an integral part of the cultural and academic life of Padua College. Every second year the Senior Franciscan Colleges’ Instrumental Program ensembles undertake a music tour with recent tours including Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and New Zealand.
Padua Cultural Program
Through Padua College’s association with Mount Alvernia College, it has long enjoyed an enviable reputation in the production of school musicals. These musicals are produced every two years in rotation with the FCIP music tours. Padua’s past musicals have included The Wiz, Hairspray, Les Miserables, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Oliver. In 2021 the College showcased the musical We Will Rock You.
Along with instrumental tuition provided by the Franciscan Colleges Instrumental Program, vocal tuition is also available at Padua. Lessons can be provided for individuals or in pairs, provided there are applicants of similar ability. The Choral Ensembles within Padua College include the Greccio ‘Rock Voices’ for Year 5 and 6 students, Assisi Vocal Ensemble for students Years 8-12, and Liturgy Group Ensemble, which includes voices from both the Assisi and Greccio campuses. The Liturgy Group performs at all House Eucharists, whole school Eucharists and various other spiritual celebrations throughout the year. The choirs regularly perform in liturgies, assemblies, awards nights, and other important events, and are featured in several special concerts during the year.
Padua College has been involved for many years with Theatresports – a fun, highly interactive team-based event where teams of four take part in ‘games’ where they must create a scene out of a ‘theme’ or ‘idea’ given to them only a few seconds prior to the beginning. Known as Youth Theatresports Queensland, it is held as a Festival across various schools in Brisbane. Padua College has been awarded the Youth Theatresports Queensland trophy three times in past years, including 2021, and it continues to be an extremely popular event with many students vying for a position within a team.
Padua Academic Program
Academic co-curricular activities such as Debating, Mooting, Public Speaking and the Space Design Competition, extend on a range of competitions and beyond the bell academic opportunities for students at Padua College. These activities foster 21st Century Skills such as critical thinking, collaboration, communication, problem-solving and teamwork.
The Australian Space Design Competition (Years 9 to 12) and the Junior Space Design Competition (Years 5 to 8) are annual events, open to schools across the country. Both ASDC and JSDC are run by the Space Design Competitions Australia organisation with support from Engineers Australia. For the seventh time in eight years of competing in JSDC, Padua College had two teams judge in the top 4 across Australia and were awarded National Champions in 2021. The Space Design program is open to all students, regardless of whether they are mathematically/scientifically inclined. Padua students compete and have previously won the right to represent Australia at NASA in the USA.
College Overseas Tours
As a Franciscan school, Padua offers Years 9-12 students the opportunity to embark on a two-week pilgrimage to Italy to follow in the footsteps of St Francis. The pilgrimage is held every two years. A Chaplain accompanies the boys as they explore historical aspects of Assisi and Rome and attend mass at the Vatican.
Senior students of the Japanese program also have the opportunity every few years to travel to Japan, interacting with Japanese schools and experiencing their schooling program and culture.
On a sporting level, students in the Senior years are also offered the opportunity to participate in various overseas sporting tours which are held every two years. These include both Football and Rugby Union programs, which have visited the UK and Europe, and the Basketball program which has travelled to various states within the USA. These sporting tours offer students the experience of interacting and competing with teams overseas as well as touring the selected countries and enjoying their culture.
What are the public transport options to Padua College?
Padua College has an arrangement with TransLink for student bus transportation with the College, through both Thompson’s Bus Services and Brisbane City Council bus services.
Thompson’s Bus Services, in conjunction with Padua and Mount Alvernia Colleges, offers a Private F1 Service that covers bus transport to many Northern suburbs including Aspley, Zillmere, Virginia, Geebung, Wavell Heights, Nundah, Wooloowin, Clayfield, Hendra, Ascot, Albion, Windsor, Wilston, Lutwyche and Gordon Park.
What are the school fees per term?
School fees, on an annual basis, are within the range of $9,745(Year 7) to $11,005(Year 12).
What are the boarding options at Padua College?
There are no boarding options for Padua College.
Does Padua College offer scholarships and how do we apply?
Padua College offers Academic scholarships for Years 7-9 and Years 10-12. In addition, the College offers Indigenous Scholarships, and Music Scholarships. Further information is available via the Padua College webpage.
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