Kids on the new block

NEXT ERA: The updated St Augustine's Boy's College campus at St Dominic's College was offically opened on Sunday. PHOTO/LEWIS GARDNER

This morning boys from St Dominic's College will be settling into the new school block they've watched rise over the past six months.

The new block at the St Anthony's Catholic Parish school officially opened yesterday with a service and the unveiling of a plaque.

The building will house the Year 7 to Year 13 students of the St Augustine's Boys' College campus while the bottom level will be used for parish and school administration.

Father Andrew Cranshaw said the building was designed to complement the existing structures on site as the school grows.

"It was the need for bigger rooms because of the increasing roll," he said. "And also for a better public profile."

The building sits along York St facing the road. "It tells people what we are about," Mr Cranshaw said.

"It's going to offer more learning space. It's a multi-purpose classroom so it can be used for multi-purpose things." St Augustine's has about 30 boys at the moment with an overall roll (including St Dominic's Girls' College and St Anthony's Primary School) of about 130.

Mr Cranshaw said the idea for the building pre-dated his appointment as principal in 2012 but the design and build process had taken just over a year.

"Everything's been right on track," he said. "The funding came through the bequest of one of our faithful. That allowed the project to go ahead."