Our Lady of Mount Carmel Primary School is a Catholic School, catering for both boys and girls from Kindergarten to Year 6. It is located in Bonnyrigg in the South West of Sydney and is part of the Catholic Education Office Sydney system of schools. At Our Lady of Mt Carmel, we are truly blessed in the rich tapestry of the multicultural community that IS Mt Pritchard!
We welcome people from a wide range of national, linguistic and cultural heritages; We savor and respect the diversity of customs, music, and traditions, all of which enhance and reinforce the “special-ness” of our community. But in unity, as Australians living and learning today at the beginning of the 3rd Millennium, a spirit of humanity, generosity and a willingness to work through the challenging issues-permeates in all we do.
Early History
In late January or early February of 1952 (1st term) the Mt Pritchard Catholic Primary School was opened in an old C.U.S.A. hut that was placed on the second block purchased in 1947. It was on the corner of Humphries & Cabramatta roads – where the St Vincent De Paul Centre currently stands. It was known as St. Peters Primary School.
It was staffed by two Sisters of Charity. Sister Mary Le Merci Walsh was the first principal and Sister M. Brendan O’Flaherty was in charge of the infants.
From the humble beginning of only one fully enrolled student, the school grew to 253 students by 1960, and extensions had to be made to the original building. However, it was the Housing Commission developments in the area that saw the growth and prosperity of the school.
Since 1952 the Sisters of Charity have always been associated with the school and its development either directly or indirectly.
On the 24th Jul 1964 a fire destroyed 5 of the 10 classrooms at the St Peters school, causing 3000 pounds worth of damage.
On the 16th Oct 1964, approval was granted for the building of 7 new classrooms, staff rooms, toilet block and a septic tank at Mt Pritchard.
In 1965 the new school replacing the rooms that were damaged by the fire was opened and blessed by Cardinal Gilroy.
With the continuing growth in student enrollments a new school was approved and a new primary school on the new site beside the presbytery, was opened by Bishop David Cremin on the 7th Oct 1979 and in 1983 the remaining classrooms from the old St Peters site were relocated to the new site.
Together with additional demountable classrooms, the school reached its maximum of 930 pupils in 1988, making it the largest primary school in Sydney.
Click on the link below to visit the OLMC Primary School Website
