The Creative and Performing Arts evening, Winter Stories, was a wonderful celebration of the creativity and talent of the CAPA students.
Held last Wednesday, 24th June families, students and staff enjoyed an evening of exceptional visual art displays, inspiring music recitals and performances, and a highly entertaining drama production.
With around 200 guests in attendance, the event provided a fantastic opportunity to showcase the outstanding work of students across the Creative and Performing Arts courses. The photos and student media reports featured below capture some of the highlights from this memorable evening.
Jenolin P and Katrina N Year 9 Student Media Team
Catherine McAuley Westmead
More News
08 Jul 2026
CSPD students recognised in Refugee Week Creative Competition
Over 125 students from 10 Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese (CSPD) schools have been recognised for their empathy and powerful storytelling as part of the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Australia Refugee Week Creative Competition.
08 Jul 2026
Year 11 Biology Field Study at Camp Kedron
Last Friday, June 26th, Year 11 Biology students travelled to Camp Kedron, located within Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, for an immersive fieldwork excursion.
08 Jul 2026
Winter Stories Showcases Student Creativity
The Creative and Performing Arts evening, Winter Stories, was a wonderful celebration of the creativity and talent of the CAPA students.
06 Jul 2026
From Facebook
📸✨ STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS ✨📸 We are delighted to announce that the following students have been selected as finalists in the 2026 Alchemy Photography Competition Exhibition: Year 11 Photography: 🌟 Johanna D. 🌟 April Z. 🌟 Johanna O. 🌟 Orla B. 🌟 Clio E. 🌟 Leah S. 🌟 Fernanda O-C. Year 9 Visual Arts: 🌟 Yuktha P. Being selected as a finalist is a wonderful achievement and recognition of each student's creativity, technical skill and artistic vision. We are incredibly proud of their dedication to photographic practice and the outstanding work they have produced. The winners will be announced at the exhibition on Tuesday 18 August 2026. We wish all of our finalists the very best and congratulate them on this significant accomplishment. Your school community is proud of you and looks forward to celebrating your success. Good luck in the finals!📷🎉 - Ms S. Malek
06 Jul 2026
Serving with Compassion at the Parramatta Homeless Memorial
Catherine McAuley students volunteered at the recent Parramatta Homeless Memorial Service.
05 Jul 2026
From Facebook
NAIDOC WEEK 5th July - 12th July 2026 🖤💛❤️ As part of this year’s commemorations, students at Catherine McAuley, in collaboration with the Jarara Cultural Centre, have created a significant collaborative artwork titled Our River, Our Sky, Our Country, Our Story. The piece has been developed to honour the 2026 theme, “50 Years of Deadly”, marking half a century since the formal establishment of NAIDOC Week. The artwork will be gifted to the school community and displayed during the NAIDOC Week period at Westfield Parramatta, located opposite SUPRE, throughout the school holidays. It will be formally presented to the school in Term 3, Week 2, at the school assembly. Created by the Catherine McAuley Indigenous ‘Strong Sisters’ group, the artwork reflects deep cultural storytelling and connection to Country. The fifty woven raffia circles represent the practice of intergenerational knowledge sharing through weaving, symbolising the ongoing strength and continuity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. The composition is divided into three sections representing Country, waterways, and sky. The Parramatta River features as a central element, acknowledging its significance to the Burramattagal, Wangal, and Wallemudegal peoples. The night sky includes constellation markings, including the ‘emu in the sky’, a celestial guide used for navigation and seasonal understanding. The earth-toned section reflects the Strong Sisters’ collective commitment to cultural learning, unity, and shared identity, expressed through student handprints layered into the work. This artwork stands as a powerful expression of culture, connection, and community, and a meaningful contribution to NAIDOC Week 2026 celebrations.
03 Jul 2026
From Facebook
END OF TERM 2 2026 😀 Look forward to seeing students when they return for Term 3 on Tuesday, 21st July 2026.
02 Jul 2026
From Facebook
🔬📚 LEARNING BEYOND THE CLASSROOM 📚🔬 On Friday, 26th June, Year 11 Biology students ventured to Camp Kedron in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park for an immersive fieldwork experience. From comparing the unique Ridge and Valley ecosystems to testing water and soil quality, identifying native tree species and discovering fascinating creek macroinvertebrates, students brought their classroom learning to life through hands-on scientific investigation. 🌱 Despite the cold weather and muddy conditions, the students embraced every challenge with enthusiasm, teamwork, and a genuine commitment to their studies.
02 Jul 2026
From Facebook
The Catherine McAuley Weekly Review for Thursday, 2nd July 2026 is now available:
02 Jul 2026
From Facebook
FOOTBALL GALA DAY ⚽ A fantastic effort from the Years 7-10 PDSSSC Football Gala Day Team! Competing at Jamison Sports Park last Friday, the team remained unbeaten throughout the pool rounds, recording two impressive 2-0 wins and two determined 0-0 draws without conceding a single goal. Their outstanding teamwork and defensive strength secured them a place in the semi-finals, where they were defeated by a strong Gilroy side. Ms I. Ticchio said that throughout the day, the students demonstrated resilience, determination and outstanding sportsmanship, supporting one another and representing the school with pride in true Mercy spirit. Congratulations to all players on an excellent tournament! 👏 👏 👏
01 Jul 2026
From Facebook
On Friday 19 June, a group of Catherine McAuley students volunteered at the Parramatta Homeless Memorial Service held at St Patrick’s Cathedral, supporting the event through practical service and meaningful connection with members of the local community. Students assisted with setting up the service, served soup, and spent time speaking with attendees. Year 10 student Jillian D-B. reflected that the experience encouraged her to see all members of the community as equals, deserving of unconditional respect, love, and compassion.
01 Jul 2026
From Facebook
🎭 SHAKESPEARE SUCCESS 🎭 On Sunday 21st June, a group of talented students proudly represented the school at the 2026 Sport for Jove Shakespeare Carnival State Final, achieving outstanding results as they brought home 1st and 2nd place in their categories. The Ensemble team was awarded 1st place in the state for their performance of Othello, whilst the Physical Theatre team achieved an impressive 2nd place, demonstrating exceptional creativity, commitment and passion for the performing arts.🏅 The Sport for Jove Shakespeare Carnival is a festival that brings together hundreds of like-minded drama students from across New South Wales. Students present performances inspired by the works of William Shakespeare through a range of theatrical forms including physical theatre, dance, music, ensemble performance, smart film and more. The crown is displayed proudly in the library. Congratulations to the students for achieving such great wins!
01 Jul 2026
From Facebook
SCHOOL DEBATING 🗣 Congratulations to the Year 11 Debating Team on reaching Elimination Round 3 of the 2026 Catholic Schools Debating Association (CSDA) Competition. The team concluded their campaign after a closely contested debate against St Vincent's College, Ashfield, tackling the topic of globalisation and inequality. Well done to the Year 11 Team on making it this far in the competition and well done also to all students who represented Catherine McAuley in CSDA Debating this year. It has been another successful season.
30 Jun 2026
From Facebook
🎵 LIP SYNC GRAND FINAL 🎵 The stage came alive at lunchtime yesterday, Monday 29th June, as finalists brought unforgettable performances, incredible energy and crowd-favourite hits in the battle to be crowned this year's Lip Sync Champions! From the iconic moves of Michael Jackson to Pitbull party classics, the students pulled out all the stops for the title. Congratulations to ‘Jackson 6–7’ for taking out the 2026 title, and well done to every performer who took to the stage and made the event one to remember. 🎤 A heartfelt thank you to the wonderful guest judges, Julia Flemming from Women's Community Shelter and Tania Smith from Parramatta Women's Shelter, for joining us and supporting this special event. And a huge thank you to everyone who came together to support such a worthy cause, demonstrating proudly the Mercy values of the school. 🫶
30 Jun 2026
Shining Lamps: Be the Light of Mercy
A group of Years 10 and 11 students recently attended Session 3 of the Australasian Mercy Secondary Schools Association (AMSSA) Conference.