Servite College facts for kids

Servite College is a school in Tuart Hill, Western Australia, a suburb of Perth, Western Australia. It's an independent school, which means it's not run by the government. It's also a Catholic school that teaches both boys and girls (co-educational). The school is for secondary students and is run by the Servite Order, a religious group.

History of Servite College

Servite College was started by members of the Servite Order. They arrived in Perth in late 1951. In 1958, the Servite Friars opened St. Philip’s Regional High School for Boys in Tuart Hill. The school was named after St. Philip Benizi, an important early leader of the Servite Order. He is also one of the College's patron saints.

The school first opened with 95 students. They were taught in two classrooms. At that time, it was only for boys in years 5 and 6. In 1968, the school's name was changed to Servite College. Then, in 1973, it became the first Catholic secondary school in Western Australia to teach both boys and girls. Girls from the nearby St Kieran school, which is now a primary school, joined Servite College.

For the first two years, all the teachers at the school were priests or brothers. In 1960, the first teacher who was not a priest or brother was hired. The first principal who was not a priest or brother was Jack Shanahan, who started in 1976.

How Servite College Works

School Leadership and Students

The College is guided by the College Council and the College Executive. The Council helps with big plans for the school. It includes parents and business leaders from the Servite community. The Executive team manages all the daily activities of the school.

Students also have a say through the Student Executive. This group includes the head boy and head girl. It also has leaders from Years 7 to 12. These student leaders help with community events, sports, culture, technology, and religious activities.

As of 2025, there are more than 1,030 students at Servite College.

School Houses and Homerooms

When students join Servite College, they are placed into one of six priories, also known as factions. These are:

• Annunziata (gold)
• Senario (black)
• San Clemente (green)
• St Mary (blue)
• Our Lady of Sorrows (purple)
• St Anthony (red)

Each of these names is important to the history of the Servite Order. The order was started in Florence in the 13th century by the Seven Holy Founders. Students are also put into vertical homerooms. These homerooms have about 25 students from different year groups. Siblings are often placed in the same homeroom.

School Campus and Facilities

The school campus is located between Cape Street and Morgans Street in Tuart Hill. It has several important buildings:

• Alexis Research Centre: This building has the library and classrooms.
• Jack Shanahan wing: This wing contains general classrooms.
• Fra Paolo Sarpi Science wing: This area has science labs and classrooms.
• Learning Diversity Centre: A special place for students with different learning needs.
• Seven Holy Founders Centre: This building includes a gymnasium and an auditorium.
• Montorsoli Practical and Creative Art Space: For art and design classes.
• St Philip Administration Centre: The main office building.

The College has had many updates since 2015. In 2016, the Alexis Research Centre was updated to create a new library space. In 2020, the central courtyard was dug out to make a new open area between classrooms. Some of the older buildings were also renovated. The Seven Holy Founders Centre has a gym with a rock climbing wall, a dance studio, and a weights room. It also has a 200-seat auditorium for drama and music shows.

Also in 2020, a new Learning Diversity Centre opened. It replaced the Blessed Joachim Centre. This new space is designed for students with different needs and abilities. It helps students learn practical skills for living independently.

The middle part of the campus is a nice outdoor area where students can meet and relax. A large arts building is located across Cape Street. It is used for visual arts, design technologies like woodwork and cooking, and applied information technologies.

Servite College uses the nearby Grenville Oval for sports. The school also recently bought the swimming pool next to it. Servite College's sport and swimming carnival days are held at the State Athletics Centre.

In 2020, the College bought a large rural campus near Nannup. This campus is in the south west of Western Australia. It is called the Monte Senario Campus. It is used for school camps and retreats and can sleep 60 students.

In 2025, Servite built new carparks, a basketball court, and a multi-purpose playing field. Construction of a new gymnasium and a learning hub called the Montorsoli Building is planned to begin later in 2025. A new administration building and chapel are also planned for the future.

Educational Programs

The College offers different programs for students. Some programs prepare students for university. Other programs focus on vocational education and training, which teaches skills for specific jobs.

For students in years 8-10, the college offers many choices for electives. These include:

• The Arts (Media, Fine & Visual, Performing)
• Computer Studies (Digital Creator, Computer Studies, Rise of the Hackers + More)
• Sport (Outdoor Education)
• Business and Accounting
• Wood Technologies
• Food Science
• And many more!

Sports and Athletics

Servite College competes in the Northern Associated Schools (NAS) league. They also take part in the Associated Catholic Colleges' yearly swimming and athletics events. Some of their NAS competitors in Perth include Sacred Heart College, Chisholm College, Newman College, and John XXIII College.

Well-Known Alumni and Staff

Here are some notable people who have attended or worked at Servite College:

• David Michael (politician)
• Francis J. Sullivan (was a student and a teacher)
• Justin Burford
• Alessandro Circati
• Nick Kommer (teacher)

See also

• List of schools in the Perth metropolitan area
• Catholic education in Australia