Loreto Normanhurst

Loreto Normanhurst is a leading Sydney independent, Catholic day and boarding school for girls from Years 5-12. Established in 1897, the school is part of a worldwide network of Loreto schools under the care of the Loreto Sisters (IBVM), and is one of seven Loreto schools in Australia.

We are most proud of our 123 years of excellence in girls’ education. Our foundress, Mary Ward, a simple and devout English woman who lived from 1585-1645, believed that, “Women in time to come will do much …” Immersed in an education grounded by the Loreto values of felicity, justice, freedom, sincerity and verity, our students will transition into the world with these values as their educational and moral compass.

Located in Sydney’s leafy Upper North Shore, less than 30 kilometres from the Sydney CBD, the school is set on over 25 acres of glorious grounds, and offers state of the art facilities for approximately 1,100 students, over 150 of whom are boarders from Country NSW.

The award-winning Loreto Normanhurst Student Growth Model focuses on the development of students in a holistic sense, utilising the key areas of faith, academic, community and extra-curricular to focus on individual student growth. This model of education is innovative and dynamic and fosters critical thinking, curiosity and joy in learning.

Loreto Normanhurst seeks to affirm and encourage the development of young women who will take their place in the world as leaders and people of commitment, inspired by gospel values.  The school fosters a liberal education, with self-motivated learning and pursuit of personal excellence central to its teaching and learning philosophy.  Each student is encouraged to fulfil her personal and academic potential in an atmosphere of freedom, care and respect for the individual.

A Loreto Normanhurst education prepares our students to respond to the needs of the world. Our Foundress, Mary Ward, a simple and devout English woman who lived between 1585-1645, believed that “Women in time to come will do much…”  This still resonates with us today.  In our school, we live out Mary Ward’s vision through the Loreto Values of Freedom, Justice, Sincerity, Verity and Felicity.

At our school, relationships and learning are of equal importance. The Loreto Normanhurst Student Growth Model (LNSGM) is an award-winning model of education which develops students holistically in the areas of Faith, Academic, Community and Extra-curricular (FACE curriculum).

A Loreto Normanhurst education assists our students to be young women who are passionate about learning, compassionate to others and have a strong sense of faith and social direction which underpins their values to achieve their personal best and guides their decision making. We aim to encourage our students to be lifelong learners who are curious and critical thinkers with a broad vision for the future.

The academic pursuits and the practical application of the holistic education that students gain through the Loreto Normanhurst Student Growth Model will shape the world we live in, and we look forward to seeing the impact of their education continue to unfold.

We celebrate and recognise the growth of all students across each element of the FACE curriculum (Faith, Academic, Community, Extra-curricular) each year. Every student from Years 5-12 achieves growth in these key areas, and we are proud of their efforts as they continually strive to achieve their own personal bests.

It takes a village of people for success to exist – parents who love and encourage, friends who support and accept, and staff who inspire and challenge our students to achieve their very best by encouraging a life-long love of learning.

Our school is set in spacious grounds of over 25 acres, on the edge of bushland, and is a pleasant mix of historic and modern buildings, with beautiful ovals and a large sporting and aquatic complex.

The school’s facilities, opened in 1897,  incorporate the traditional, heritage buildings that houses over 200 country boarders, to our state of the art facilities for Science and Integrated learning.  Other facilities of note include the Chapel, built in 1953, and the Learning Resource Centre which was built in 2000.  Our ovals, tennis and basketball courts, gymnasium and Aquatic Centre with a 25 metre indoor swimming pool make up the superb facilities that support our day and boarding students.