College Profile

Holy Spirit College is located in Mackay, a tropical haven half way between Brisbane and Cairns. The Mackay Region coastline stretches 200 km north from St Lawrence to Laguna Whitsunday’s, and inland to the town of Clermont. The region’s colourful past is economically founded upon coal, sugar, beef and tourism.

Holy Spirit College is a co-educational Catholic college which seeks to nurture all types of learners through quality curriculum and through supportive pastoral care, based on the life and values of Jesus.  Guided by our patron, the Holy Spirit, we strive to achieve a sense of positive community for all, laying the foundation for a successful and fulfilling future for our students.

At Holy Spirit College, students enjoy the benefits of a complete secondary schooling environment – from Year 7 through to Year 12 – a structure which offers continuity, a plethora of opportunities and broad curriculum offerings.  Each student has the opportunity to discover where and how his or her skills and abilities are best developed. Holy Spirit College has a current enrolment of over 1100 students from Years 7 – 12.

Years 7, 8, 9

Our Year 7 Transition Program at HSC introduces students to the full breadth of learning areas, enriched by the ‘secondary school’ experience of access to specialist teachers and facilities. A core focus of our Year 7 curriculum is to support students – as they make a successful transition from primary schooling – to develop confidence as a new member of our College.

Our Year 8 Program is focussed upon supporting students to identify their interests and abilities as they take their first steps in choosing electives. In Year 8, students now have the opportunity to undertake and accept more self-responsibility across the College community.

In Year 9, students make more focussed subject choices which begin to reflect their evolving and emerging future aspirations for a life-direction beyond their schooling years. Students are supported to take their next step into Senior schooling at HSC (Years 10, 11 and 12).

Years 10, 11, 12

Year 10 at HSC is a ground-breaking year for students. HSC’s pioneering and innovative Year 10 Transition Program has been applauded as a Lighthouse Project across Queensland and has been adopted as a model approach by other schools. Our Year 10 Program is focussed upon providing targeted opportunities for students to reflect further – with growing levels of maturity and self-direction – upon their academic and personal strengths, including ‘Introduction to Senior’ subjects in Semester 2. Year 10 Students are now already well-advanced along their all-important journey in Senior schooling at HSC. Students wear the Senior uniform for the first time in Year 10.

Years 11 and 12 students at HSC savour the unique opportunity to make their own special contribution to the leadership of and the quality of our College community. With mentoring support, Senior students at HSC have selected from an extensive range of subjects – best suited to their abilities and interests – designed to provide successful pathways to their future careers and to facilitate them to secure university and employment places!