St Dominic's Catholic College

When a school turns its back on a student who has lost dozens of family members in Gaza, that school has failed. St. Dominic's college has refused to acknowledge its Palestinian students by dismissing any discussion of current events nor providing reasonable support, given the gravity of emotional distress. This is simply unacceptable behaviour from teachers and a school. It goes against the fundamental kaupapa of respecting wellbeing.

Very Disappointed in St Dominics. Over the last 4 years we have been let down consistently by them and their values. A school that I felt had strong values instead turned to be the opposite. Our daughter felt overlooked, unsupported and her struggles were not managed well despite best efforts from her family to communicate. If your child struggles with anxiety or mental health in any way this would not be the school for them. P.S - Still awaiting my phone call from Term 3.

I attended St Doms in the mid 00s, and as someone who is now considering schooling options for my children in the upcoming years I felt compelled to write this review after recalling my time there. Based on my experiences, I would not send my daughter to St Dominic’s. The rules and regulations were outdated, and as someone who is trying to raise my daughter to have autonomy it is not an environment that is conducive to raising a confident young woman. The teachers at the time often scolded students as if they were dogs, usually for seemingly innocuous behaviour such as wearing gloves indoors or being too excitable. Looking back I am alarmed at the lack of emotional regulation that majority of the staff had when engaging with people who were 20,30+ years younger than them. Lastly in my particular year group it was a running joke that students of a certain ethnicity would be given less benefit of the doubt compared to others. As a coping mechanism we did laugh at how the girls of colour were swiftly reprimanded for their bad behaviour, whereas the white girls were given more leeway as to how they could stretch the rules and were allowed to have more of a playful rapport with certain teachers. I write this review with acknowledgement that my attendance at the school was a very long time ago and there very well may have been major changes since then, however I would be remiss to not point out the disrespectful culture which permeated St Dominic’s.

St. Dominic's Catholic College has faced criticism due to significant concerns in several key areas. First, it has been marked by a concerning lack of empathy and respect in teacher-student interactions, creating a hostile environment that leaves students feeling unheard and demotivated. Additionally, the school's strict adherence to uniform policies has overshadowed the fundamental purpose of education, with severe punishments for minor infractions detracting from the primary mission of nurturing young minds and intellectual growth. The teaching methods employed at the school have remained notably outdated, failing to adapt to the changing educational landscape. These methods have included monotonous textbook recitation and a lack of interactive learning experiences, leaving students uninspired and struggling to grasp complex concepts effectively. On the other hand, the proposed alternative school is designed with a progressive vision for education in mind. It emphasizes innovative teaching methods, inclusivity, and genuine care for students' well-being. This hypothetical institution, led by influential online personalities like Kai Cenat, Adin Ross, and iShowSpeed, envisions a dynamic and engaging learning environment. Kai Cenat is known for his motivational speeches and leadership skills, which could inspire students to believe in their abilities and pursue their passions. Adin Ross, a popular content creator, could introduce creativity into the curriculum, encouraging students to explore their talents in various fields. iShowSpeed, with his expertise in gaming and technology, could prepare students for the digital future by introducing cutting-edge concepts. Importantly, this alternative school would celebrate diversity in all its forms, fostering a sense of belonging that is essential for personal and academic growth. By embracing inclusivity, it would provide a safe space for students to express their individuality, learn the value of acceptance, empathy, and understanding, and ultimately offer a more inspiring and dynamic educational experience.

As a former student of St Doms, I hate to give it a 2 star rating. The school is facing construction so there is a large area being restricted, the hallways are always cramped, the stairs feel claustrophobic, I had a very hard time getting to class because of waiting for several minutes just to get through a door. Another issue I have with this school is how strict they are, you are not allowed to have your hair down, any jewelry or make up, eyelashes, you are not even allowed to wear different colored hair ties aside from black and green. They are also strict with time, they give detentions to students who are "late" who have absolutely no control over their bus or train being late, they also expect you to be in your class within 2 MINUTES, if you don't then you are marked as late. I'm hoping this doesn't happen anywhere else, but St Doms now doesn't allow students to use the bathroom during class. I know it sounds absurd but they do it to "prevent graffiti" a total of 8 graffiti's were found and what do they do? Make the WHOLE SCHOOL TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. Please please please reconsider coming to this school, their uniform is also ridiculously expensive, with some people even spending $800 per year. The catholic school also makes Religious Education mandatory, even if you aren't part of Christian or catholic religion. I am considering moving schools next year, I stayed for my friends and the few teachers who made learning fun, I'll miss St Doms. Not.

Amazing school, I loved every single day of mi life there, I miss it so much so good for international students

Very confused about people giving this school a five star review. If I was able to give it a rating below one star I would, if you are considering sending your daughter to St. Dominics, I beg you to look at other options. The rules are over the top, it is an overall bad experience. If I could go back in time and choose to attend a different school I would. Teachers do not care about you, other students don't care about you, your wellbeing will be overlooked. There is no positive aspect of St. Doms. The staff are overly strict, making school even more miserable as it is. Everyday I wake up and dread going to the hell St. Dominics puts me through. A lot of times I don't even go, because I just can't deal with the torment of being there. I know I am not the only one feeling this way. Most of my personal problems and issues stem from attending this school. I seriously considered dropping out at one point. You are not allowed to be yourself at this school. You can't have your hair down, you can't have more than one piercing the one on your earlobes, you can't wear any kind of jewellery, you can't dye your hair, you have to wear black ankle socks, you can't wear anoraks inside, and you aren't even allowed to wear makeup as simple as mascara. All because you look "messy" and "improper" to the teachers and staff. There are probably more stupid rules I can't remember right now. Another thing, on 2 days in the week, they turn wifi off at lunchtime. Which is a dumb rule because students aren't allowed on their phones at all during the day, and you are taking away the time they are actually allowed to be on their phones, then you wonder why people use their phone during class time and form time. Think about it. The only reason I still attend school is because my friends are there. That is why this school deserves nothing more than a 1 star review. I rest my case. EDIT: I LEFT ST DOMS. if you want your kid to have a good highschool experience, don't send them here

Do not recommend!!! The teachers here are known to be very problematic and racist with bad teaching skills and most students here have either been bullied or bully other students.I know multiple people that have complained to the teachers including the principal about certain problematic teachers and bullying happening here and they've done NOTHING AT ALL. The rules here are incredibly crazy and controlling the teachers don't care about YOU they care about you're appearance and how you "represent the school" trying to make you seem "formal" and less "messy" or "unappealing" and they do this by not allowing makeup,eyelashes,jewellery,acrylic nails,unnatural hair colour,facial piercings,ear piercings and more the list goes on, they also don't care if you're piercings are new and need to heal they will MAKE YOU take it out and give it to them. It just shows how the schools cares more about our appearance than our than mental health, I suggest reading the review below this which tells more information about the rules here. Summary I do not recommend this school AT ALL. If you still plan on coming here do yourself a favour and make it temporary. And Like the other review said this school deserves nothing more than 1 star review.

St Dominics isn't a good school the teacher isn't good at teaching sometimes, some teachers just expect you to know what there teaching in a day. the school is just to harsh on us students, they don't mark tests fairly and by one little mistake you don't get the mark that you were meant to get. we can't have piercings and get in big trouble saying "its in the law that you can't have that on your body" even tho its our body not theirs. St Dominics needs to be more reasonable with the students not making them feel down or have the right to speak. some of the teachers are unfair towards people that are of colour and have more than 1 ethnicity. I do not recommend coming here before you come here look at the reviews. and don't ever come.

I was an exchange student for 2-3 months. It was great, don't get me wrong. The reason I give it 3 stars is because of the social experience I saw girls go through. Lots of bullying, to teachers and students. There is a social preassure that can be easily seen. Some of my friends had to change school because of how tired they were of it. I would recommend it if you go for temporal time. Try to be as social as possible. Teachers are great, some are not.