John Paul II was founded by the Tasmanian Catholic Education Office in 1983, with the mission to provide an affordable education to all families who seek a Catholic education within the communities of Clarendon Vale, Rokeby, Oakdowns, Lauderdale and surrounding areas.

Our founding principal, George Toepfer had a passion to realise Archbishop Guilford Young’s hope of bringing Catholic Education to Clarence Plains. The School comes from humble beginnings and started its journey with just two teachers who worked with the local community to develop a school that would uphold the John Paul II motto: to love and serve the Lord in peace. The School has always worked hard to support all families, particularly the poor and marginalised.

Our School takes inspiration from the life of Saint John Paul II and his dedication to the service of others.  Throughout its history, the school has always encouraged students to develop their gifts as individuals and to live lives of purpose, in the spirit of John Paul II.

In recent times, John Paul II has found itself in one of the main ‘growth corridors’ of Clarence, embracing the new areas of Oakdowns and Glebe Hill, as well as the growing areas of Rokeby, Lauderdale and the South Arm Peninsula.

We welcome you to find out more about our proud history and our vision for the future.