St Agnes College (as it was originally called) was established in 1962 by the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary. St Agnes opened with twenty nine girls as students, was staffed by three nuns from the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary and has catered for students in Year 7 to 10 in the Rooty Hill community for over 50 years.
The original building, which is now the administration block, has an interesting history of its own. Its actual age is difficult to determine but according to local residents it is over 100 years old. One claim is that it was built by Dr Mackay who was the first person to embark on wine production on the Minchin Property (Minchinbury Estate). This property was granted by Governor Evans to Captain Minchin, a stationmaster at Rooty Hill, in the late 1880s. Since then it has passed through many hands. It was completed in 1936 by Mr Carpe, a German wool buyer, and the house was called “Fairholme”. Mrs Carpe ran Fairholme as a guesthouse, as did Mrs Cassidy, the next owner. Mr Rolfe ran it as a golf clubhouse and then sold it to the Epileptic Society, who in turn sold it to the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary to run a high school to educate students in Western Sydney.
In 1976, the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary handed the school over to the Sydney Archdiocese and the school was placed under lay administration. In 1979, the first boys were enrolled in Year 7. In 1999, St Agnes became a campus of Christ Catholic College but returned to its prior status in 2004 and was named St Agnes Catholic High School, offering continuity of enrolment, curriculum and pastoral care with all systemic schools in the local area. The first Stage 6 classes commenced with Year 11 in 2019 and these students graduated at the end of 2020. With this came additional classrooms and facilities including the refurbishment of older classrooms and the construction of new buildings which reflect contemporary learning. St Agnes Catholic High School endeavours to maintain the Franciscan Charism of simplicity, acceptance of all and a deep personal love of Jesus. Indeed the handing on of these values has a very important part in the life of the students. The strength of the school lies in the students, in their openness, the joy they have of life, their friendliness and optimism.
In 2022, St Agnes celebrated 60 years of Catholic Education with a Mass held at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Parramatta.
