Diocesan Schools Ethos Statement

The Canberra and Goulburn Anglican Schools Commission: Ethos Statement for Anglican Schools operating under the Anglican Schools Commission of the Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn.

The Canberra and Goulburn Anglican Schools Commission aims to provide access to affordable and excellent education in the Anglican tradition. Its Schools are founded on Christian beliefs, values and ethics. The Schools welcome students from a variety of Christian and non-Christian backgrounds and cultures provided that their families subscribe to the ethos of the Schools.

Each Anglican School is governed by its own Board and is a significant element of the Church's mission with the following goals:

Goals

1. To provide a coordinated and integrated approach to education so that Christian spirituality, values and belief are encouraged throughout life.
2. To provide excellent education, offering a broad academic curriculum and a wide range of extra curricular activities.
3. To provide an opportunity for children and their families to relate to the Christian faith, recognising that many would not have had contact with traditional parish life; and to develop a significant worship community which demonstrates Christian compassion in caring for others and which builds and maintains close links with one or more local parish churches.
4. To prepare students within a disciplined school community to be broadly educated, responsible, confident, empathetic and compassionate contributors to the wellbeing of society.

In seeking to achieve these goals, each School will use its best endeavours in relation to the following key components:

General development - Education of the whole person

The School will coordinate and integrate Christian spirituality, values and ethics with the development of each student's full intellectual, physical and emotional potential.

The School, as part of the church, must do everything a secular school does and do it very well. Schools will provide excellence in education across the key learning areas and a wide range of extracurricular activities. Each student will be cared for, respected and guided towards fulfilment of his or her special gifts as a preparation for life. This approach will be integrated across the curriculum.

Students will be developed as rational people, and opportunities will be provided for them to learn that they have a spiritual nature and to develop ways to nurture that throughout life.

Spiritual life

Christianity will be presented as part of the ongoing life of the School in a very practical sense. Religious and Values education will also be included formally in the curriculum. The School will seek to enhance the knowledge, skills, attitudes and spiritual awareness needed by students to understand themselves, their relationship with others and their relationship with God.

Worship will be a regular part of school life and draw particularly on the richness of Anglican spirituality and liturgy. Any student who wishes will be prepared for Baptism, Holy Communion and Confirmation. At appropriate times, the worship life of the School will be open to all members of the school community, and also to the wider community.

The School will strive to recruit dedicated and gifted teachers who subscribe to this ethos and who are excellent practitioners in their teaching profession and disciplines. All staff must support the Christian ethos of the School and maintain the highest standards in their duty of care for students.

The total School community will be encouraged to demonstrate Christian values in their own lives.

Intellectual and physical development

The School will provide a balanced curriculum which caters for students with a wide range of abilities and which develops each student's intellectual, emotional, physical, spiritual, personal and social being.

The School will offer excellence in the key learning areas and academic programs as set down by the relevant government authorities. It will encourage a spirit of inquiry, and in all activities encourage students to give of their best. Attention will be paid to the individual student, responding to his/her intellectual potential and special needs.

The School will develop appropriate cultural interests and sporting skills, both individual and team. Such activities will also aim to foster a sense of cooperation and belonging, facilitating social growth.

Relationships

The School will assist students in their community relationships to demonstrate commitment to the common good of the School and of the wider community, reflecting the Christian mandate to advance the Kingdom of God.

The School will provide a well-managed, safe and friendly environment conducive to self-discipline and learning. This will be underpinned by respect for authority and for the integrity and worth of each individual, by tolerance of difference, and by high standards of courtesy.

Due regard will be given to traditions and dignity within school worship and school life.

The School will be at the centre, and not the fringe, of the community and will engage with it, welcoming visits and involvement by people in the local community and going out to help and serve the community. The Christian tradition of care for creation will also be encouraged.

Personal development, individual responsibility, leadership and cooperation will be key concepts in every area of endeavour and relationship in the life of the School. Students at all levels will be involved in decision-making in appropriate ways.

Fees and enrolment policy

Within the constraints set by government policies, the Schools will be accessible schools with a fee structure affordable by the average family. The Schools will have enrolment policies which are non-discriminatory, cater for exceptional circumstances, encourage parents to have sympathy with, and support for, the educational philosophy and ethos of the School, and give consideration to students with special needs subject to resource availability.

The Schools will be co-educational with the ratio of sexes in each year kept as close to 1:1 as practicable.