Melbourne Catholic girls school Presentation College Windsor to close in 2020

Topic: Religious Schools

An old stone school building with a well manicured garden in the foreground.

The school grew out of the Presentation Convent Windsor, which was established in 1873. ( Facebook: Presentation College Windsor )

One of the oldest Catholic girls schools in Victoria has announced it will close at the end of next year, leaving students, parents and staff shocked.

Key points:

  • The school, which has about 700 students, will close at the end of the 2020 school year
  • The Victorian Presentation Sisters say falling enrolments have made the school unviable
  • There are concerns many teachers at the school may struggle to find new jobs

Presentation College Windsor (PCW), which was founded 146 years ago, has told the parents of about 700 girls enrolled at the school that it will shut its doors at the end of the 2020 school year.

The congregational leader of Presentation Sisters Victoria, Sister Maria Lazzaro, told parents in a letter the "sad and difficult decision" had been made due to falling enrolment numbers.

"Despite our best efforts to sustain and grow our learning environment, enrolments have continued to be a challenge for us," Sister Maria wrote.

"Comprehensive reviews of the college in both 2002 and 2018 indicate that the number of students intending to enrol in the college in the next decade are unlikely to recover to the level needed to resource a successful Catholic secondary college in the 21st century."

A sign outside Presentation College Windsor calls for Year 7 enrolments for 2021.

Despite a sign outside the school Tuesday morning, it will close at the end of next year. ( ABC News: James Hancock )

The news has left parents reeling as they plan where to send their daughters in 2021 and has also left dozens of teachers facing potential unemployment.

Premier Daniel Andrews ruled out a providing a Government bail out and said it was a matter for the Catholic Education Office.

"I'm not announcing that we're going to try to keep the school open. It is a private school," he said.

Year 11 student Kiara Katiforis said news of the closure was "a bit shocking".

"It's just very sad because suddenly we're going to be losing our friends … but you know what I think, we'll be able to pull through this, and I think you know we'll form tighter friendships because, like, this is just going to bring us together," she said.

Fellow Year 11 student Luka McMahon said the idea of students merging with the nearby Christian Brothers' College had been raised as a possibility.

"We'll always be a community no matter what," she said.

Nearby private schools charge higher fees: parent

Sam Baker, whose daughter is in Year 8 at the school, said she had been "blindsided" by the announcement.

"We were never told this was on the plate … this is all news to us," she said.

She said she had chosen the school for her daughter because of its small size.

"We actually don't know where we are going to go. Every other Catholic school in this area is full to the brim."

Sam Baker and Janet Mitchell stand outside Presentation College Windsor.

Sam Baker (left) and Janet Mitchell, who have daughters in Year 8, said the closure announcement was unexpected. ( ABC News: James Hancock )

Janet Mitchell, whose daughter is also in Year 8, said she was angry that the school community had not been given a chance to save it.

"There's a very strong alumni network … and those alumni will be feeling just as bad as we do [Tuesday] morning and I'm sure they would be more than happy to support the school in an organised and ongoing way.

"I'm not prepared to give up — I know a lot of other parents are not prepared to give up.

"This is something worth fighting for."

Stieve De Lance, the mother of a Year 10 student, said her daughter was in the process of picking her subjects for Year 11 and 12.

An open gate to the Presentation College buildings bears a sign reading 'Presentation Convent Visiting Hours 9-5'.

The college told parents "comprehensive reviews" had found enrolments were unlikely to be able to sustain the school in the future. ( ABC News: James Hancock )

Ms De Lance said she wasn't sure where her daughter would finish school, but was considering home education, or the prospect of travelling to another suburb.

"The only local school is Prahran High and because at the moment because it's brand new, they only have a Year 7 class," she said.

She said some other nearby schools charged $35,000 a year.

"This is the only place that you can get a cheap education for your girls," she said.

Ms De Lance was cynical about the school's motivations for closing, saying other schools operated successfully with fewer students.

"I suspect the real estate value of the highly desirable location might be a leading driver for the decision," she said.

"I would wonder whether the property the land is situated on is more valuable than ongoing girls' education."

A black and white historical photo of eight nuns dressed in habits and a priest wearing a top hat posing in a garden.

The school was established by the Presentation Sisters, who came to Melbourne from Ireland. ( Presentation Society of Australia and Papua New Guinea )

Another parent, Jacinta Scott, told ABC Radio Melbourne her daughter Jamie had started in a Year 7 cohort of about 70 girls, which had shrunk to about 50 by Year 10.

"They're a very, very small class … and they've had quite a few classes cancelled over the years due to numbers — so their drama classes, which is one of the reasons why I sent my daughter to the school, French classes got cancelled this year.

"Being in Year 10 and the school only being open for another year means Jamie could stay at the school for the end of Year 11 but then what does she do for Year 12?"

Principal says 'families are spoilt for choice'

Principal Filina Virgato said the decision to close the school had been a "really hard" one.

"PCW has always been a school that's really fought for women's education," she said.

"We're a unique school. The girls are fantastic, they come from all parts of Melbourne, they don't just come from this area here, but despite that we are a very close-knit community, and it's going to hit us very hard."

Ms Virgato blamed competition from other schools for a decline in enrolments.

"There are a lot of schools here — families are spoilt for choice.

"There are a lot of new government schools that are opening, and we just weren't able to sustain the number of enrolments that we need to really be able to offer our girls [the] robust and rigorous curriculum that they deserve."

Filina Virgato, a woman with long blonde hair, dressed in a suit jacket and a colourful scarf, stands outside the school gate.

Principal Filina Virgato said the student population included girls from right across Melbourne. ( ABC News: James Hancock )

The school held a special assembly this morning for the students and will run information nights next week to brief parents.

Ms Virgato said Tuesday's assembly would be an opportunity for students to "grieve" the loss of the school.

"But I also want the girls to still be proud. I want us to go out on a high. I don't want this next 18 months to be a funeral, I want these next 18 months to be a celebration of the great school that we are and the amazing people that make it up."

Michael Elphick, a consultant assisting PCW with the school's closure, told ABC Radio Melbourne the school would not reverse its decision, despite public support for it to remain open.

"The decision has been made … it's not reversible.

"It's great to think the community value the school enough to want it to stay open, it's a good school and people love this place … but the economics are just not there.

"It's just a matter of demographics … there's a lot of schools in the area, both independent and government schools.

"They're good, well-run, they've got the numbers, they can offer a wide range of opportunities to the kids, things that a small school with these numbers can't compete with."

The director of the Grattan Institute's school education program, Peter Goss, questioned why enrolments were dwindling at a school in a growing part of Melbourne.

"Parents are voting with their feet," he said.

"In a suburb with a growing population, a school that is delivering the goods should be seeing increased enrolments."

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Tuition and fees for the academic year may be found at https://www.presentation.edu/tuition-aid .

At Presentation College the payment of tuition, fees and all other charges are recorded on the student billing account at the time of registration. An electronic billing statement will be available through the student portal at the time of registration and will itemize student payment obligations to the College including but not limited to the following: tuition, room, board, course fees, and any other charges. The billing statement will also itemize any credits known at that time which are due to the student for the term, such as grant or loan aid, the deposit made, etc. Any changes in the student’s obligations, caused by a change in schedule or in aid for the term, will be itemized on the student’s electronic ledger available through the student portal. It is the students' responsibility to check their ledger periodically throughout the term.

All students are required to sign a Disclosure Statement. The form is available online at  https://www.presentation.edu/tuition-aid/student-accounts/payment-forms , it must be completed and submitted to the office of Student Accounts prior to beginning classes. Failure to complete this form will result in a HOLD being placed on the student’s account and will prevent future registration or release of transcripts. The Disclosure Statement contains the official explanation of the College's payment policies.

Students are expected to pay any balance due to the College by the first day of classes. The balance due is calculated based on the term charges less payments made to date and less the pending financial aid shown on the statement. Any Student with a remaining balance after the first day of classes will be auto enrolled in a Payment Plan. All balances are subject to change until the last day to add/drop of the term, fines/fees may be added at any point in the term as needed. Students must make their tuition deposit (non-refundable) and suite deposit prior to moving on campus, participating in practice (as a student-athlete) or attending class. Administrative, clerical, or technical billing errors do not absolve the student of financial responsibility to pay the correct amount of tuition, fees and other associated financial obligations assessed as a result of registration at Presentation College.

Financial aid will be posted to students' accounts within three (3) days of receipt of the funds from the U.S. Department of Education. If a student's payments, including financial aid, exceed the charges shown on the statement, the student will have a credit balance and will be issued a refund within 14 days of the date financial aid funds are received by the College. Students are encouraged to complete a form (available at  https://www.presentation.edu/tuition-aid/student-accounts , under “Helpful Forms”) for automatic deposit of their refund checks in order to receive the refund as quickly as possible. Refunds not made by automatic deposit will be mailed to the student's billing address on record.

Presentation College offers the benefit of a payment plan. A $60 payment plan service fee is charged to all participating accounts for the calculation and maintenance of the plan. The payment plan breaks the original balance due for the term plus the payment plan fee into three monthly expected payments, two monthly expected payments in the summer term.

Fall Term: September 15 th Payment Due: half of the original balance due plus the payment plan service fee October 15 th Payment Due: 50% of the current balance due November 15 th Payment Due: the remaining balance for the term

Spring Term: February 15 th Payment Due: half of the original balance due plus the payment plan service fee March 15 th Payment Due: 50% of the current balance due April 15 th Payment Due: the remaining balance for the term

Summer Term: June 15 th Payment Due: half of the original balance due plus the payment plan service fee July 15 th Payment Due: the remaining balance for the term

This breakdown is calculated by the Manager of Student Accounts and is communicated to all students at the beginning of the term to their PC emails. Students who fail to pay any balance due at the specified time each month will incur a $25 late fee and a finance charge of two percent (2%), this includes any delinquent or alternative payment plan agreements. Accounts with balances after the first day of classes will be auto enrolled in the payment plan.

Students with unpaid balances with the College will have a HOLD placed on their account. A HOLD means the College will not issue degrees, transcripts, employment placement credentials, final grade reports, or statements of honorable dismissal. Students with business holds may also not be permitted to register for subsequent terms.

Students who fail to pay any balance due at the specified time may be administratively withdrawn from the College. Delinquent accounts may be transferred to a collection agency; fees for this service will be added to students' accounts.

Students who fail to pay any balance due at the specified time each month, or another agreed upon time, may have their Moodle access suspended. A suspension will remain on the student's Moodle account until the amount due is paid. If lack of payment continues the student may be administratively withdrawn from the term. In the case of administrative withdrawal due to an unpaid account, a grade of “W” will be recorded on the student’s transcript.

During the time in which Moodle access is suspended, faculty have the purview to uphold late work policies, as stated in course syllabi. Faculty are not required to provide special allowances to accommodate students during the period that Moodle access is suspended.

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Students who wish to withdraw from a registered course and receive a tuition/fees adjustment must initiate the necessary process with their academic advisor. In some cases, financial aid that has been awarded or disbursed to the student may require adjustment.

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Students who wish to withdraw from a scheduled course after the publicized add/drop period must complete the necessary process with their academic advisor. In some cases, financial aid that has been awarded or disbursed to the student may require adjustment.

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Official withdrawals.

Students who wish to withdraw from the College must contact their academic advisor or the Registrar's Office.

When students officially withdraw from the College or stop attending all of their classes during the early weeks of the semester, they may be eligible to be assessed only a percentage of costs assessed for the term; they may also be eligible to retain a percentage of their federal, state and institutional financial aid to assist them with the payment of their costs due to the College.

Students must officially withdraw by using the appropriate forms and completing the withdrawal process. When students complete the official withdrawal process, the date on which the withdrawal form is received is used to determine the percentage of tuition and other account charges the College will assess. Students who wish to withdraw from the College should contact their advisor or the Registrar’s Office and complete the official withdrawal process.

If an amount owed is still owed after withdrawal, the payment must be received, or payment arrangements must be made within 30 days of notification of the withdrawal date or the student's account will be considered delinquent.

College Initiated Withdrawals

The College reserves the right to administratively withdraw a student for reasons such as non-payment, disciplinary, academic, lack of engagement, or other extenuating circumstances.

Unofficial Withdrawals

When it is not possible for students to complete the official withdrawal process or they stop attending their classes without providing notice, the College will determine their withdrawal date once the College becomes aware that a student is no longer attending classes.

The Official withdrawal date will be determined in one of the following ways:

  • The date the student began the process or official notified the College of intent to withdraw; or
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The following account charges are eligible for proration ("COSTS ELIGIBLE FOR PRORATION"):

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Before or on August 25, 2022              100%
On or after August 26, 2022              No proration
   
 
Before or on October 20, 2022 100%
On or After October 21, 2022              No proration
Before or on January 23, 2023 100%
On or after January 24, 2023              No proration
   
 
Before or on January 12, 2023 100%
On or after January 13, 2023              No proration
   
 
Before or on March 16, 2023 100%
On or after March 17, 2023              No proration
Before or on May 30, 2023 100%
On or after May 31, 2023              No proration
   
 
Before or on May 18, 2023 100%
On or after May 19, 2023              No proration
   
 
Before or on July 5, 2023 100%
On or after July 6, 2023              No proration

The FAO performs a calculation of return of Title IV funds that is separate from the College refund calculation. That policy is in the Financial Aid Office section of the College Catalog.

Refer to the institutional policy on students called to active duty under Academic Policies, Active Duty .

A college or university that received qualified tuition and related expenses on your behalf is required to file Form 1098-T with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).  Educational institutions are required to file and furnish a Form 1098-T to students whom payments for qualified billed tuition and related expenses were received in the calendar year.  The information being reported to the IRS verifies your enrollment with regard to certain eligibility criteria for the American Opportunity Tax Credit, the Lifetime Learning Tax Credit and the Higher Education Tuition and Fees Deduction. However, the enrollment information by itself does not establish eligibility for either credit or deduction. Students will receive their 1098-T statement electronically, no paper 1098-T statement will be mailed. When statements are ready, an email will be sent to students with instructions on how to access 1098-T statement online.

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Our heritage, st mary’s college is a co-educational secondary school – an authentically inclusive school where girls and boys learn together, side by side..

The school, formerly an all-boys school known as CBC St Kilda, was reimagined in 2020 to incorporate its renewed vision and purpose of sustaining quality Catholic secondary education in the precinct.

The decision to become co-educational was prompted by the announced closure of our sister school Presentation College Windsor.

The two schools and their stories are interwoven. Connected by an overpass, they have worked closely together for many decades, sharing classes, musicals, immersions and community events. Their charisms are also connected through Presentation Sisters and Edmund Rice Education Australia.

St Mary’s College will continue to preserve and promote the prophetic response of Nano Nagle and Blessed Edmund Rice to the times and challenges of our contemporary world.

Our History

Where it all started:

Christian brothers college st kilda (cbc st kilda), for over 140 years, cbc st kilda has been a catholic secondary college for boys in st kilda east. established in 1878, its beginnings may be traced back to the efforts and foresight of dr corbett, parish priest of st mary's, who was responsible for securing the arrival of the christian brothers and presentation sisters from ireland..

These dedicated men and women left their homes in the nineteenth century with little expectation of ever seeing them again, and travelled around the world to St Kilda and Windsor to serve and educate the children of the Irish immigrants they followed.

CBC St Kilda was established to provide an education in the Catholic tradition as an alternative to the state system that was to be phased in after the passing of the Education Act of 1872. After speaking to Brother Ambrose Treacy, who agreed that the Brothers would do well in colonial St Kilda, Dr Corbett wrote to his half-brother John Patrick Corbett - a Christian Brother in Ireland, to secure for him a couple of Brothers for St Mary's Boys School. Brother John Patrick Corbett, the school's first Headmaster, and seven companions left Plymouth on the SS Kent on the 17 May 1878. Since then, the CBC St Kilda has educated thousands of young men to fulfil valuable roles in society.

The Christian Brothers were part of the Congregation formed by Blessed Edmund Rice. Inspired by the work of Nano Nagle who founded the Presentation Sisters, Edmund commenced his mission to provide education for boys living in poverty. His handful of helpers later became the Christian Brothers. This education broke the cycle of poverty and marginalisation. More than 150 years after his passing, Edmund was beatified by Pope John Paul II. His legacy lives on in the work of Christian Brothers around the globe, and through more than 50 Edmund Rice Education Australia schools across the nation including St Mary’s College.

PRESENTATION COLLEGE WINDSOR

The presentation story in victoria began in 1873, with the establishment of presentation convent windsor. seven sisters arrived in melbourne after a three-month journey by ship, determined to provide catholic education to young people in the region..

Mother Mary Paul Mulquin led her six Presentation Sisters in work steeped in the tradition of Nano Nagle, providing a holistic education, with great emphasis placed on social justice, together with the well-being of the individual and the nurturing of community. This collaboration with parents, students and teachers in a lively educational environment continued until the school’s closure at the end of 2020.

Nano (Honora) Nagle, was the founder of the Presentation Sisters, also known as the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Nano Nagle was born in 1728, in Ballygriffin, Cork, Ireland. At the time, Catholic education was forbidden, so Nano’s parents arranged for her to leave Ireland to be educated in France. Nano lived a privileged life, but it was here that she first became aware that many people lived in poverty.

Nano believed that education was the key to alleviating poverty. She knew that without it society could not change. On her return to Cork, Nano began to open small schools, and in 1775, she founded the Congregation of the Presentation Sisters. In 2013 Nano Nagle was declared Venerable by Pope Francis.

Over the years both the Presentation Sisters and Christian Brothers have made a significant contribution to both Church and nation through their education of generations of young people who, from their schooling in St Kilda East and Windsor, have taken up positions of influence across Australia and internationally.

Junior Hurdles

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Join us for a 90-minute Talk and Tour morning at St Mary's College! Experience our vibrant school community firsthand with guided tours led by our enthusiastic student ambassadors. This is a fantastic opportunity to explore our facilities, learn about our programs, and get a feel for student life at St Mary's College. You'll also have the chance to meet our Principal, Mr. Darren Atkinson, and ask any questions you may have about our school.

We look forward to welcoming you and showing you all that St Mary's College has to offer!

Local news:

In pictures: Cleanup begins after one-in-100-year storm

Melbourne's prestigious presentation college windsor announces its closure.

Digital Staff

School with smallest class ever

Parents of a prestigious Melbourne school forced to close down have questioned why management spent millions of dollars on pricey renovations when it knew it was already struggling to keep its doors open.

Four hundred students have been left in limbo after Presentation College Windsor - one of Melbourne's oldest Catholic schools - announced it would close at the end of 2020.

Watch the video above: Is this Australia's smallest class?

Falling enrolments have been blamed for the decision.

There were emotional scenes outside the school gates this morning as parents, students and staff came to grips with the shock decision.

Some students were too upset to attend classes and have been allowed to head home.

"I still can't get my head around it," Year 8 student Nellie-May said. "I'm pretty upset."

Students have shed tears after Presentation College Windsor announced it would close at the end of 2020.

Mum Janet Mitchell said she didn't know what the future held.

"I've hardly slept all night," she said. "I don't know what our options are."

One parent, Danny, told radio 3AW, he was absolutely dumbfounded.

"They took on a couple of million-dollar extension on the school which started this year. I don't know why they would be spending millions of dollars," he said.

"It would have been in the wind since 2012 so I wouldn't spend a couple of million dollars on a house if I knew it was going to have a freeway put through the middle of it."

Stability needed

The school had only recently made additions to its uniform.

He said his daughter, like so many others, was at the pointy end of her education and needed stability.

"I just think it is quite harsh," the father said.

In a statement, the school acknowledged the decision was a difficult one.

" 'For our community ... this announcement will come as heartbreaking news.' "

"For our community, particularly those with a long history of connection to the college, this announcement will come as heartbreaking news," it said.

"Despite our best efforts to sustain and grow our learning environment, enrolments have continued to be a challenge for us."

The school said discussions were underway with Catholic partners regarding the future of Catholic education in the area.

"We hope to provide the community with more information as to future options for their daughters as it becomes available."

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PRESENTATION COLLEGE WINDSOR

In 2015, Presentation College Windsor Melbourne celebrates over 140 years of sustained commitment to education for all, inclusion and social justice. PCW Melbourne has always been a school of its time — looking forward, taking risks, providing challenges. In the 1880s our graduates were at Melbourne University, establishing a tradition of achievement and leadership that the College continues to embrace and reflect. As of 2014, our school is to now known as PCW Melbourne. Identification of our school with Melbourne reflects our inner-city location as well as our emerging identity as a school with an international focus and engagement, especially with Asia. Our diverse community reflects the contemporary Australia this generation of young women will lead —internationally connected, interested in excellence, innovative and open to change.

Facilities:  We are at the forefront of contemporary educational technology with in-classroom electronic applications, iPads for all students and staff, 24/7 online communications for students, staff and families including regular, live, constructive and ongoing feedback on assessments.

PCW Melbourne is a learning-teaching school, with highly qualified, expert staff and a very wide range of studies and programs. As a base school for Melbourne University’s Masters of Teaching, PCW Melbourne is a leading educator of emerging teachers. Research partnerships with Monash and Swinburne Universities contribute to the knowledge of staff and maintain a vital connection with the contemporary education discourse.

Curriculum:  Our curriculum promotes academic achievement leading to further education, training and work. Subject selection and careers advice is a 1:1 program, ensuring each student has opportunities to experience success and find their pathway beyond school. The twenty-two year partnership with CBC St Kilda provides co-ed senior classes in 36 VCE studies as well as 18 VET studies and Intermediate and Senior VCAL. Our Year 9 program ‘Eachtra’, offers a year of adventurous learning. Being located 5kms from the CBD, enables us to create a dynamic curriculum that extends well beyond the classroom.

School Information

  • Type: Independent
  • Faith-based: Catholic ID, 'shc_religion_note', true)) ?> -->
  • Year: Year 7 - Year 12 ID, 'shc_years_note', true)) ?> -->
  • Day/Boarding: Day School
  • Interview Required Upon Enrolment: No
  • International Baccalaureate Programs offered:
  • ESL Support: N/A
  • Scholarships Available: No
  • Gifted and Talented Program: N/A
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  • Fees: Available on website.
  • Address: 187 Dandenong Road, Windsor 3181
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Phone: 03 8517 2777
  • Fax: 03 9525 2367
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This was published 3 years ago

'Part sadness, part joy' as historic inner-city Catholic schools merge

By adam carey and madeleine heffernan, save articles for later.

Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time.

Two of Melbourne's oldest single-sex Catholic schools will merge into one co-educational school next year, although boys will outnumber girls about five to one.

Boys' school Christian Brothers College St Kilda will merge with girls' school Presentation College Windsor under the new name St Mary’s College.

Students of CBC St Kilda and Presentation College Windsor will attend a merged co-ed school next year. From left: Nick Howard, Audrey Smart, Maddie Leroi, principal Terry Blizzard and Raj Johnston.

Students of CBC St Kilda and Presentation College Windsor will attend a merged co-ed school next year. From left: Nick Howard, Audrey Smart, Maddie Leroi, principal Terry Blizzard and Raj Johnston. Credit: Justin McManus

The new school will incorporate both campuses and have about 450 boys and 90 girls.

Presentation College shocked families last year when it announced it would shut at the end of 2020 because of sliding enrolments. Neighbouring CBC St Kilda then invited Presentation students in years 10 and 11 to complete their secondary education there.

While many Presentation students have departed for schools including Sacre Coeur, Star of the Sea, Firbank and Prahran High, some stayed on and will become St Mary’s College students.

CBC principal Terry Blizzard will also lead St Mary’s College. He said the merged school was "in it for the long haul", with hopes of one day having a more even gender mix.

"Our dream is to have a fully functioning two-campus school with equal numbers of girls and boys working together," he said.

But with girls so heavily outnumbered, Mr Blizzard conceded this would not be easy.

"This might take a little while for us to build up numbers. I’m told that’s not unfamiliar when schools go from being single sex to co-ed."

The school’s new governors, Edmund Rice Education Australia, have taken out a five-year lease on the site of Presentation College Windsor and students will use both campuses. Next year, students will wear their respective boys' and girls' uniforms, before a new uniform is phased in over three years.

The two schools already combine for many VCE subjects but will merge in years 7 to 10 for the first time next year.

Former federal speaker Anna Burke, who attended Presentation College Windsor, said she felt "part sadness and part joy" at the merger.

"I’m joyous that it is not going away; I’m joyous that it’s not going to be residential housing," she said.

"I think we need more co-ed, I think that’s what the world is and where we need to be.

"But at the same time, a twinge of sadness that it’s not going on."

She said the roughly five-to-one ratio of boys to girls was "indicative of the fact that Windsor announced more or less overnight that it was closing ", but said many newly merged schools had started out with an uneven gender mix before finding a good balance.

"Hopefully the numbers will grow … you’ve got to start somewhere," Ms Burke said.

Media personality Eddie McGuire attended CBC St Kilda in the 1970s and '80s on a scholarship, and said it "opened the world" to him.

That world included dancing lessons and drama classes with the girls of Presentation College Windsor.

He said the merger of the schools "makes sense" and would hopefully give students in inner-Melbourne an opportunity for a good education without the higher fees of neighbouring Catholic schools such as Loreto, St Kevin’s and Xavier.

Single-sex schools have fallen out of favour. In the decade to 2018, Victorian student numbers rose 15 per cent while enrolments at private girls' schools rose 2.4 per cent and boys' schools 4.2 per cent. Researcher Katherine Dix said girls' schools were under pressure as new schools tended to be co-ed, and boys' schools were converting to co-ed "out of economic necessity".

Julie Sonnemann, acting program director of school education at the Grattan Institute, said single-sex schools "might be a harder sell these days as research showed their academic benefits aren't as big as previously thought".

"Although I suspect that academics is only one small part of the reason why parents send kids to single-sex school, so I’m not sure how much the academic research influences parental decisions," she added.

Education consultant Paul O’Shannassy said the school would probably be successful in the long term because it would be different to the high-fee, single-sex schools nearby.

"This is going to take time but I’m reasonably bullish about it," he said. "They would be unique in their area in terms of co-ed and price and might even attract some non-Catholics."

Mr O’Shannassy, of Regent Consulting, said the COVID-19 pandemic had hit families hard and there was "going to be more of a market for that mid-priced offering".

Presentation opened in 1874 and was the state’s second-oldest Catholic girls' school. Once a prep-to-year-12 school with boarders, it had just 466 students last year. CBC opened in 1878.

Associate Professor Susanne Gannon, who is an expert on gender in education, said the school would need to be gentle and subtle to create a gender inclusiveness for all children.

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  1. Presentation College Windsor: New co-ed school likely to retain girls

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  3. Melbourne Catholic girls school Presentation College Windsor to close

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  4. Presentation College Windsor 温莎示范学校

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  5. Mark Klose: Too many many Presentation College Windsor girls still in

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  1. Official site

    Presentation College, Windsor

  2. Presentation College, Windsor

    Presentation College, Windsor (PCW) was an independent Roman Catholic, secondary, day school for girls, located in Windsor, an inner suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The school was founded in 1873. The brother school of PCW was the Christian Brothers College, St Kilda (CBC), located adjacent to PCW.

  3. Melbourne Catholic girls school Presentation College Windsor to close

    Presentation College Windsor (PCW), which was founded 146 years ago, has told the parents of about 700 girls enrolled at the school that it will shut its doors at the end of the 2020 school year ...

  4. Presentation College Windsor

    Presentation College Windsor, Windsor, Victoria, Australia. 1,492 likes · 515 were here. Presentation College Windsor has been a presence for the inner southeast Melbourne community for ove

  5. Presentation College Windsor: A once great school that lost its

    Like Anna Burke and her mother, I am most disappointed to read of the closure of Presentation College Windsor ("End of an era as school shuts its doors", 30/7). I was a teacher there in the mid ...

  6. Presentation College Windsor

    Presentation College Windsor. Public group. ·. 474 members. Join group. For the old and new PCW girls. And any of the CBC boys who were worthy enough to have classes there.

  7. Presentation College Windsor: 'I never questioned whether I could do

    The grounds of Presentation College Windsor, which plans to close in 2020. Indeed, my first memory of Windsor was going to morning tea to visit these nuns in the convent, a place of complete ...

  8. Presentation College

    Presentation College offers the benefit of a payment plan. A $60 payment plan service fee is charged to all participating accounts for the calculation and maintenance of the plan. The payment plan breaks the original balance due for the term plus the payment plan fee into three monthly expected payments, two monthly expected payments in the ...

  9. Presentation College Windsor closing: Christian Brothers College tipped

    Presentation College Windsor has been thrown a lifeline, with the governing body of brother school Christian Brothers College announcing the school will become coeducational.

  10. Melbourne's prestigious Presentation College Windsor announces its

    Presentation College Windsor was Victoria's second oldest Catholic school. Credit: pcw.vic.edu.au "They took on a couple of million-dollar extension on the school which started this year. I don't know why they would be spending millions of dollars," he said.

  11. Presentation College Windsor

    Presentation College Windsor is a Catholic girl's college, educating young women in Years 7 - 12. Since 1873 we have proudly provided our students with an innovative education within an inclusive and strong community. Our students thrive in an environment that is both challenging and nurturing.

  12. PCW Alumnae

    PCW Alumnae - Women of Windsor, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. 683 likes. Presentation College Windsor has been a presence for the inner southeast Melbourne community for ove

  13. Our History and Tradition

    presentation college windsor The Presentation story in Victoria began in 1873, with the establishment of Presentation Convent Windsor. Seven Sisters arrived in Melbourne after a three-month journey by ship, determined to provide Catholic education to young people in the region.

  14. Melbourne's prestigious Presentation College Windsor announces its

    Melbourne's prestigious Presentation College Windsor announces its closure. Questions have been raised after a prestigious Melbourne school's shock decision to close at the end of next year after pricey renovations. Parents of a prestigious Melbourne school forced to close down have questioned why management spent millions of dollars on pricey ...

  15. PRESENTATION COLLEGE WINDSOR

    A Catholic girls' school in Melbourne with over 140 years of history and a focus on excellence and social justice. Offers a range of studies, programs and partnerships with universities and CBC St Kilda.

  16. Presentation College Windsor: New co-ed school likely to retain girls

    Co-ed for Presentation College girls moving closer. A $1m taxpayers' grant gifted to Presentation College Windsor - the historic school set to close this year - is yet to be spent.

  17. SPC Class List

    Eight Week - First (Aug 12 - Oct 4) Regular 16 Week (Aug 12 - Dec 6) Dynamic Date Weekend College (Aug 16 - Dec 1) Regular 12 Week (Sep 9 - Dec 6) Eight Week - Second (Oct 7 - Dec 6) Class search. (keyword, professor, course# ...) Find. Modality. Online SPC Live Online Flex Blended Independent Study Face-to-Face. Campus.

  18. At the end of last year, we...

    The photograph was taken in front of Turret Lodge, the building that was on the grounds of PCW before the Convent was built in 1884. 2. An advertisement for the Presentation Convent in The Advocate in January 1874. At the end of last year, we celebrated the Presentation Sisters who established Presentation College Windsor back in 1873.

  19. Melbourne Catholic schools Christian Brothers College St Kilda and

    Presentation opened in 1874 and was the state's second-oldest Catholic girls' school. Once a prep-to-year-12 school with boarders, it had just 466 students last year. CBC opened in 1878.

  20. Presentation College Windsor

    We take concerns about registered charities seriously. Find out what we can and can't investigate.

  21. St. Petersburg College

    Access St. Petersburg College's secure online hub for academic details, registration, financial aid, and course grades.

  22. PPT

    Saint-Petersburg - Pushkin 2014. Saint-Petersburg State Agrarian University a nd partners in PacAgro project. Saint-Petersburg State Agrarian University ( SPbSAU ) - one of the oldest agrarian educational institutions in North-West region of the Russia. Slideshow 2745630 by arissa

  23. PPT

    An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: ... Organization Chart Saint Petersburg College. Organization Chart Saint Petersburg College. Board of Trustees. Board Attorney. Board Auditor. 02/16/2007. 712 views • 1 slides. Saint-Petersburg State Technological Institute.