Previous research has suggested that organisational communication may be related to job satisfaction and occupational stress of primary school staff. However, few studies have attempted to relate job satisfaction and stress of school staff members to a comprehensive set of organisational communication variables that include direction of flow, function of messages, features of communication and methods of communication. Given recent moves toward greater staff member participation in school decision making and quality assurance measures, there is a need for a theoretical basis for the study of organisational communication in Catholic primary schools.