In 2013 QOH were engaged to assist Sydney Catholic Schools in the exploration and feasibility to utilise the almost empty St Thomas site to create innovative learning spaces for students with moderate disabilities and special educational needs within the Sydney Archdiocese.
The masterplan commenced with a detailed site analysis and study of the existing buildings to determine the viability of redevelopment to meet the unique needs of the future early learning through to Stage 6 students. Incorporating a portion of the site utilised by The John Berne School; a Marist Brothers delivery of education for students who aren’t sufficiently catered for in mainstream high schools.
QOH were engaged to continue their architectural services for the creation of the Eileen O’Connor Catholic College and significant upgrades to The John Berne School, having competed several stages of construction by mid-2020. The College now caters for K-12 equivalent students in new facilities and has been labelled as a “New Era” by one of the senior students as they welcomed the primary students into their new precinct.