Parent engagement & BCE Connect

Communicating with your school

BCE Connect

BCE Connect is a managed mobile application developed by Brisbane Catholic Education to serve as a central hub for school-related communication and engagement. Designed for parents, guardians, and school staff, it provides secure and easy access to school and student information. BCE Connect makes it easier to stay informed, keep track of school updates, and stay in touch - anytime, anywhere.

Let BCE Connect become your ultimate school companion!

Key Features:

New Home Page Experience
Instantly access your children's profiles, log absences, and stay updated with school news, blogs, and events—all from one central hub.

Streamlined Navigation
Quickly find what matters most with direct links to Reports, Parent Slips, and the Assessment Calendar - no more digging around.

Important Links at Your Fingertips
Access the school newsletter, directory, and essential documents with ease through quick links designed to simplify your day.

Personalised for You
Tailor your experience with options like Dark Mode, password updates, and seamless access to the Parent Portal - just the way you like it.

Getting started with BCE Connect

Download BCE Connect

Troubleshooting >>

For steps on how to set up your BCE Connect account, click here or refer to the video below

Our Frequently Asked Questions

When I login it says I have the wrong username and password.

There could be serval factors causing this message, we suggest stepping through our BCE Connect - Quick Fixes Checklist and then trying the following these steps.

Ensure the email address you're using is the one you provided your school at enrolment. If you are unsure, please contact your school.
You selected 'Brisbane Catholic Education' on the login page. If they are both grey, hard close the app and open it again. This will automatically select the correct option.
Reset your password for your account. Please note. it can take up to 10 minutes for your new password to be updated.
Try manually typing your email and password into the log in page, rather than using password auto-fill. If you can log in, update your email and/or password in your auto-filled passwords settings on your device.

I have reset my password, but I still can't log in.

If you still can't log in and you have waited 10 minutes, please ensure that your device isn't auto filling your log in details and you have hard closed the BCE Connect App. If you are still experiencing difficulties, please ask your school to reset your password for you.

I have updated my details, including changing my email address. When can I log in with my new email address?

Please note, once your school has updated your email address in their system, it can take up to 24 hours for the change to be reflected in ours. If you're having trouble logging in with your new email, please contact your school directly.

I tried to log in, but it sends me back to the log in page

This can happen occasionally or when you don't have a stable internet connection. Please hard close the app and try again.

Every time I use the app it asks me to log in.

Your personal information and your child's information is important to us, and we want to ensure it is safe and secure. As an additional security measure you are required to enter your credentials every 12 hours.

We recommend enabling biometrics in BCE Connect, so you can simply sign in using your face id/thumb print when you open the app, rather than typing in your credentials.

If you want to set up biometrics on your phone, you can do using your device settings.

I am not sure what email address I use to log in. How can I check?

You can check with your school and confirm your email address or you can try resetting your password using the forgot password form.

When I open the app, it doesn't show all my children, how can I fix this?

It sounds like you need to get the most updated information from your school, please try hard closing your device.

If they are still not displaying, it could be that your child has just started at a BCE school, parents are generally granted access 30 days prior to the student's enrolment start date. Please contact your school for further assistance.

Is BCE Connect a third-party app?

No, BCE Connect is owned and developed by Brisbane Catholic Education. All your data is protected under the highest industry security standards.

Should I change my email address if I still have trouble accessing?

If your email address fits within our BCE email guidelines, then there is no need to ask your school to change your email. Please try resetting your password again or contact your school for additional assistance.

I am having trouble downloading the BCE Connect app from the app store?

In order to download the BCE Connect app you will need at least 150MB of storage available and you will also need a strong internet connection.

I don't have a phone, can I access the information via an online website?

At present, BCE Connect is accessible exclusively through our mobile app. If you prefer to access it via a website, you can use your school's Parent Portal. However, please note that the full experience of the BCE Connect app will not be available through the website.

I am a new parent, how can I log in?

That is amazing and we can't wait for you to be able to access BCE Connect, however, you won't be gain access right away.

If your child's enrolment has been accepted, you'll get access to the BCE Connect/Parent Portal about 30 days before their official start date. This short delay helps us set everything up properly for all families.

For example, if your child starts on the first day of Term 1, you'll usually get access around January 11.

Once this time has passed you can start setting up your account. We also recommend taking a look at our Getting Started Video for a simple walkthrough.

When I logged in nothing loaded, why is this?

To speed up loading times we have cached information (stored data) on your phone, however, sometimes this information can be out of date, and you will need the latest information. We suggest that you perform a hard close of the BCE Connect app. This will allow your device to get the latest information.

I am not getting notifications from my school in BCE Connect

This could be because you have turned off notifications for BCE Connect. To turn notifications on:
1. iPhone: Go to Settings > Notifications > BCE Connect, then turn on Allow Notifications
2. Android: Go to Settings > Notifications > BCE Connect, then turn on Show Notifications

Another possibility is that the school has published the blog post without enabling notifications. In this case, the post will appear on your homepage, but you won’t receive a notification.

I already have a child at a BCE School. Will I lose access over the holidays?

No, you won't lose access. If your child is continuing at the school next year, your access will stay active from January 1 to December 31 — even during the school holidays. Please note. During the summer school holidays timetable data will not be available in BCE Connect, and no absences can be logged for the following year until the new timetables are released by schools (late January).

My child is leaving the school or is finishing; will I still be able to use BCE Connect?

If your child leaves the school during the year, you'll still have access to the BCE Connect app and Parent Portal for 14 days after their last day.

If your child finishes on the last day of the school year and won't be returning, you'll still have access until December 31. 

Family engagement in learning and wellbeing

The influence of the family at home can have a significant impact on their child's educational achievements.

Families are highly influential when they:

Have high expectations for their children’s conduct and courtesy, punctuality, sense of responsibility andengagement in family and school activities
Show interest in their children’s learning by helping them connect what they are learning in school to realworld experience
Are supportive of the work of all school staff and ensure their child attends school every day, with a positiveattitude to learning
Model the behaviours of successful learners
Support their child’s interests and provide opportunities for children to extend their engagement in these areas
Discuss their children’s educational and career aspirations and encourage them to set goals for their progress
Engage with school activities to learn more about how to support their child’s learning and wellbeing
Feel welcomed at the school from the first point of contact (e.g. enrolment interview/school tour).

Communicating

School staff keep families informed about their child’s learning achievement and progress through both formal and informal contact.

Formal contact may include:

Parent information meetings
Parent-teacher interviews
Report cards, including progressive reporting
Occasional formal meetings requested by teachers and/or parents for specific purposes
Email/digital communications

When a formal meeting is required, an appointment should be made to meet at a mutually convenient time. Families should contact the school office to arrange such an appointment with their child’s teacher. Occasionally, circumstances dictate an immediate meeting, however, generally, families can expect that meetings will not be scheduled during class time.

There may also be opportunities for informal/impromptu communications. All interactions must be considerate of staff responsibilities with regards to supervision, preparation time and other duties.

Family involvement in schools

Schools utilise a range of processes and platforms to engage and encourage family involvement, such as:

The Family and Religious Life of the School

At BCE we honour our partnership with families and recognise the vital role that they play in the religious life of our schools. We encourage and value their active participation in Masses, liturgies, and other religious events, as well as involvement in our work of solidarity supporting various charitable works. This engagement not only strengthens the faith community but also enriches the spiritual development of our students. By participating in these activities, families model the importance of faith and service, fostering a deeper connection to our Catholic values and traditions. Together, we create a vibrant and supportive faith-filled learning community.

Volunteering

Volunteering at your school assists in providing services and opportunities for children’s learning which might otherwise not be possible. These may include supporting small group class activities, supervision on excursions, assisting in the uniform shop, coaching sporting teams, training and conducting eisteddfod choirs, contributing to stalls for the school fete and participating in school community activities. Families may be asked if they are interested in volunteering for these types of activities. All volunteers must complete an induction program to understand conduct and student protection requirements/obligations. Volunteers who are not legal guardians of a student in the school must provide a positive notice Working with Children Blue Card.

Consultation (formal and informal)

Families bring valuable insights to decisions affecting the priorities and future direction of our schools. Therefore, they can expect to be invited to provide formal and informal feedback to review and improve the school. Families can contribute as a member of a focus group, a forum or as a participant. School bodies such as the Parents and Friends Association (P & F), School Pastoral Board or a locally developed model are the most prominent formal groups for family involvement in providing consultation or advice in decision-making processes.

Parents & Friends (P&F)

The role of the P & F is to support the school and follow BCE processes. Activities may involve a variety of areas. P & F activities may involve a variety of areas. Social events like Welcome BBQs, movie nights, and year level dinners build community among families. Pastoral support provides assistance during significant events such as births, deaths, or illness through food banks, school drop off/pick up, or sympathy cards. Resourcing may involve supplying classrooms with items like books or art supplies, while financing may cover costs for buses, camps, or extra lessons. Fundraising may include events like a school fete, colour runs or disco. Families also contribute to the school environment through activities such as working bees. Finally, curriculum-focused efforts engage families through discussions, education evenings, or seminars to enhance their skills and involvement.

School Pastoral/Advisory Board

The School Pastoral/Advisory Board comprises members of the community with the primary purpose being to provide support and advice to the principal with:

articulating and enacting the school’s vision, mission, Catholic (or ecumenical) ethos and culture
promoting education programs, faith formation and development
developing school procedures to enact Brisbane Catholic Education policies
developing the school strategic and annual improvement plans
forming the annual school budget and managing other financial matters
master planning, capital resources and maintenance.

Other Family Engagement Models

Hybrid, or locally designed models (such as the PFG, PEG, FACE or PACE) bring together elements of the P & F and the School Pastoral Board as appropriate to the individual school community.

(NB: PFG – Parent and Friends advisory Group; PEG – Parent Engagement Group; FACE – Family and Community Engagement; PACE – Parent and Community Engagement)

These models include opportunities for families to meet and engage on matters which enhance their child’s school experiences or to contribute through specific working parties. Meetings are scheduled during the year to focus on key priorities of the school’s strategic plan and annual improvement plan. These meetings are to garner family input to provide opportunities to grow their understanding of how they can support their children. Working parties may be formed to undertake specific tasks, manage events or lead initiatives linked to the school’s strategic plan and annual improvement plan. These are determined through the school leadership team and confirmed at meetings.

Agreed Expectations

The Family Engagement in BCE schools document is supported by the BCE Code of Conduct for Parents and Visitors to our community and the BCE Employee Code of Conduct. Families agree to expectations outlined in the BCE Code of Conduct for Parents and Visitors and the Family Engagement in BCE schools document at enrolment. School staff agree to the BCE Employee Code of Conduct when signing their employment contract.

Relevant Codes of Conduct are available on each school and the Brisbane Catholic Education website.

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