There has been Catholic education in the Diocese of Parramatta since the first catholic school was established in the Parramatta area in 1820.[1] There are 80[2] Catholic systemic schools in the diocese (58 of which are primary and 22 secondary) with a total student population of around 43,000 and a staff population of around 5,000. There are also six non-systemic or congregational (independent) Catholic schools.[3]