The Friends’ School is a coeducational Quaker school based on fundamental values such as the intrinsic worth of each person, the recognition of ‘that of God’ in everyone, the desirability of simplicity and the need to establish peace and justice.
As a learning community, we are concerned for the academic, cultural, physical, social, emotional and spiritual development of each person in our care.
We seek to help our students develop as people who will think clearly, act with integrity, make decisions for themselves, be sensitive to the needs of others and the environment, be strong in service and hold a global perspective.
We believe that these aims can best be achieved with the active support of all members of our School community.
At The Friends’ School, we encourage our students and community members to live simply. This means using natural and financial resources carefully, valuing the spirit over material objects and avoiding the distraction of “things” to focus on what is truly important (such as family, friends and giving back to the community). We aim to nurture our student’s wellbeing through service learning and teaching them to value people over objects.
The Friends Peace Testimony is as follows: “We utterly deny all outward wars and strife and fightings with outward weapons, for any end or under any pretence whatsoever. And this is our testimony to the whole world.” From “A Declaration to Charles II,” 1661. At The Friends’ School, we put this testimony into action by building conflict resolution skills by fostering effective communication and alternatives to violence. We also see conflict as a springboard to moral growth, using conflict situations to encourage creative problem-solving.
We encourage students to “let their lives speak” through their outward actions reflecting their inner intentions. We also nurture each student’s inner moral compass, cultivating inner motivation and encouraging them to treat others with respect and honesty.
Our students are encouraged to connect with all members of the community, with planned school activities that enable students to bridge differences and create connections with the broader community. We nurture a safe, caring atmosphere where students can share all sides of themselves, such as asking questions and making mistakes. We gather in silent meeting for worship and listen to other people’s thoughts without judgement or comment. We organise outside school hours events where families can come together to celebrate student achievements and spend time together as a family in the Friends’ Community.
We teach respect for different people, ideas and cultures through learning and celebrating other cultural activities, learning from people with diverse backgrounds and inviting members of various nationalities, faiths and backgrounds to share their stories with our students.
We walk lightly on the Earth, recycling and reusing whenever possible while doing our best to reduce the amount of energy we consume. We teach students to appreciate their world via scientific inquiry, artistic expression, outdoor education adventures and thorough exposure to natural resources.
