Lourdes Hill College in Brisbane has welcomed its first Year 5 and 6 students into a purpose-built Junior School. While the new building, Santa Teresa, now sits proudly at the heart of campus, this milestone has always been about more than bricks and mortar. It is about creating a space where students feel seen, known and inspired to grow.
The intention behind the Junior School was to design an environment that reflects the College’s core values: hospitality, community, and the Benedictine call to “listen with the ear of the heart”.
These values shaped every design choice. The classrooms are filled with natural light and feature flexible furniture and breakout spaces that support collaborative learning. The surrounding Seiwa Court – a vibrant outdoor space – encourages community gathering, connection, and movement between learning and play.
Image: Lourdes Hill College.
The Junior School project is a key component of the College’s broader Master Plan, which outlines a long-term vision for enhancing learning spaces and student experiences across all year levels.
This Master Plan seeks to honour the rich heritage of Lourdes Hill College while ensuring the facilities reflect the needs of contemporary learners. The completion of Santa Teresa and Seiwa Court has been a significant step forward in the vision to create an inspiring and welcoming environment that strengthens both student wellbeing and educational outcomes.
A key element of this development was not just the construction of physical spaces, but the creation of learning environments that support the emotional and spiritual growth of the youngest students.
The decision to embed the Junior School within the central flow of the College campus speaks to the importance of visibility and connection. Junior School students are part of the whole school community – sharing in assemblies, liturgies, and co-curricular activities while having a space to call their own.
But it is the students who have truly brought the space to life. In just a short time, the Junior School students have become active contributors to the College’s culture and rhythm.
From music rehearsals to sporting teams, service groups to lunchtime activities, these young students are not waiting to be shaped by the Lourdes Hill College experience, they are helping to shape, develop and inspire it.
Recently, Year 5 and 6 students participated in their first Junior School Spirituality Day. This reflective day allowed students to pause and consider what it means to be part of the Lourdes Hill College community.
They spent time at the College Grotto, explored stories of the school’s Benedictine tradition, and reflected on the ways they are called to bring light into the world around them. In a simple yet powerful moment, they wrote their hopes and prayers on stars, anchoring their experiences in both faith and purpose.
Image: Lourdes Hill College.
It also served as a reminder that spirituality can be lived out in simple, daily actions — in kindness shown, in friendships formed, and in the way students begin to understand their place within a larger story. These early experiences in faith and formation are developing young hearts to become future leaders rooted in values.
From their first steps on campus, Junior School students are immersed in an environment of care, respect and expectation. They are learning not only academic foundations, but also how to be in community, how to lead with kindness, and how to reflect on the world with curiosity and compassion.
The integration of specialist programs is helping students discover their unique gifts and passions from a young age. These programs have been met with enormous enthusiasm and show that the appetite for creativity, challenge and curiosity begins well before the senior years — and that the desire to connect, develop and inspire is already present in these early learners.
With the addition of younger students, Lourdes Hill College has extended the journey of formation. A space has been created where young students can begin their secondary education with a strong sense of belonging, purpose and hope.
It is not just building classrooms – it is building courage, building connection and building the future.
Lourdes Hill College continues in the tradition of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan and belongs to the community of 10 schools across Australia called Good Samaritan Education.
Image: Lourdes Hill College.
