Not just services for all Catholics,
but Catholic services for all.
Our name honours St. Ambrose (c. 340–397). Saint Ambrose is a Doctor of the Church. He was the Bishop of Milan, a renowned scholar, hymn writer, and the Patron Saint of Learning and Beekeepers. He is known for his compassion for children, captives and the poor. Some believe that when Ambrose was an infant, a swarm of bees visited him and left a single sweet drop of honey on his lips. To his father, this was a sign that Ambrose would become an eloquent orator, with words “as sweet as honey”. For this reason, he is often portrayed with bees and holding a beehive.
Our patron saint, Ambrose of Milan, is one of the four original Doctors of the Church.
St Ambrose was a former Roman official (shown by the toga) who served as Bishop of Milan from 374 to 397 CE (shown by the pallium and priestly vestments), and was a renowned preacher (shown by the book of the Gospels) and a learned teacher (shown by the blackboard and hand gesture). The resplendent halo symbolises his divinity and eternal life.
This icon places St Ambrose in the Diocese of Parramatta. The gathering of little eels symbolises Parramatta. The emu, the flying fox and the possum are totems of the Darug and Gundungurra peoples who have inhabited western Sydney and the Blue Mountains for tens of thousands of years. The blue-banded native bees and their hives are a reminder that St Ambrose is recognised as the patron saint of beekeepers as well as learning.
Grounded in the Catholic faith and open to all, our learning communities welcome families from all backgrounds, cultures and faith traditions.
Guided by the values of Respect, Encouragement and Care, educators support children to:
Faith and spirituality are experienced in age-appropriate and meaningful ways through:
Educators nurture children’s natural sense of curiosity, wonder and connection to the world around them while supporting them to grow as caring, thoughtful and respectful individuals.
As part of a Catholic community, children experience opportunities to build connections with:
At Ambrose, transition to school is viewed as a gradual and supportive journey where children build confidence, familiarity and a sense of belonging before their first day of school.
Throughout the year, educators intentionally support children to develop:
Families are supported throughout the transition process through:
At Ambrose, children are part of a connected Catholic school community where relationships, belonging and wellbeing are intentionally nurtured every day.
Grounded in the values of respect, encouragement and care, our nurturing learning environments support children to feel:
Social and emotional learning is embedded throughout the day through:
Through intentional play-based learning, structured routines and shared experiences, children develop:
At Ambrose, mathematical thinking is developed through intentional play-based learning, inquiry, investigation and hands-on learning experiences that encourage children to explore, question and problem solve.
The Ambrose Foundations program supports children’s learning about mathematical concepts and applying them in their play and inquiries including STEAM experiences, construction, investigation and collaborative learning.
Children become familiar with:
Teachers intentionally plan for children’s Mathematical Inquiry and thinking, supporting children to develop:
Strong literacy foundations begin with language, communication and connection. Children develop literacy skills through meaningful, hands-on experiences that connect learning to their everyday lives, interests and the natural world.
As part of the Catholic school community, Ambrose supports literacy development through a seamless continuum of learning from early childhood into kindergarten and the early years of school.
Through intentional play-based learning and literacy experiences, children build the confidence, communication skills and early learning foundations that support a successful transition into school.
