Pursuing Potential 2023-2028
Founded in 1982, St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School was established in Warragul by local families desiring a high-quality independent school education for as many families as possible.
Forty years on, this 2023-2028 Strategic Plan, together with the Master Plan, articulates our major areas of focus as we consolidate our Warragul Campus, expand our Traralgon Campus and establish our new presence in Drouin.
At St Paul’s, we focus on being a school where everyone can ‘Learn Well, Live Well and Lead Well’, building upon our strong foundations as we pursue our potential – individually, as a school and as a community.
We believe in the potential of every child, and we pursue this potential in partnership with our families. Our students, staff and community are united in the belief that all learners benefit from a happy, safe and respectful community – a school small enough to care, but big enough to excel.
Holding this intention at the heart of the school, and as one of Australia’s leading regional independent schools, we believe every human is deserving of dignity and respect, and that we all have a responsibility to contribute positively to the world. This belief is underpinned our core school values of wisdom, integrity, compassion and respect.
Implementation of our Pursuing Potential Strategic Plan is ongoing, with a range of initiatives playing out across each of our sub-schools. Keep updated with our progress with our most recent video below:
St Paul's is a place where...
Tailored programs and individual success
- Students met at their point of need individually, by teachers who know them well
- Early identification of specific learning differences and targeted intervention
- Student interests catered for in a diverse, holistic curriculum and co-curriculum
- Abundant opportunities for individual success and recognition of personal learning journeys
Engagement and development of potential
- Learning approaches that scaffold thinking processes and explicitly teach strategies to promote diverse thinking
- An environment where open-ended questions encourage discussion and require critical thinking
- Co-curriculum, specialist and classroom programs which stretch creative thinking
- Continuous online assessment through our learning management system
Effective, timely and motivational feedback
- Learning and assessment delivered in the context of a growth mindset
- Timely, constructive, motivational feedback provided by teachers trained in effective delivery
- Opportunities for student reflection and meaningful goal setting
- Comprehensive assessment and tracking of academic progress using learning analytics
Opportunities for creative and critical thinking
- Flexibility to provide student choice and student voice in a range of subjects and options
- Promotion of each individual’s self-belief and their capability to succeed
- Dynamic lessons and learning experiences full of purpose, meaning and engagement
- Students encouraged to collaborate across peer groups, discuss thinking and apply knowledge
Known, valued, connected and supported
- Small class sizes and Head of School structure allowing each child to be individually known
- Outstanding pastoral structures and processes and peer support programs
- Personal interviews prior to entry and ongoing connection from the pastoral team
- Welcoming buildings and grounds where people feel safe and cared for
Confident, articulate, persistent and hardworking
- Learning experiences that build self-belief and confidence in students
- Solidly established routines, expectations and work habits
- Emphasis on effort, continuing to try and overcome obstacles
- High expectations of courteous and meaningful social interactions
Healthy, resilient and optimistic about the future
- Co-curriculum education programs that promote care of mind, body and spirit
- Facilitation of positive mindsets that look to plan, explore solutions and strive toward goals
- Traditions, gatherings and events that promote community and school spirit
- Positive educators and leaders who are role models of faith, hope and optimism
Self-aware and caring toward others
- Embedded values system builds good character and an understanding of place in the community
- Inclusivity and diversity in all aspects of physical, intellectual and cultural activity
- Spiritual development nurtured through Christian studies and chaplaincy
- Community service opportunities to develop compassion, gratitude and understanding of others
High expectations within a culture of personal excellence
- Demonstrated commitment to professional learning, leadership and continuous improvement
- Emphasis on excellence for academic and personal growth
- Acknowledgement and celebration of student successes
- Staff affirmed when performing well and assisted to pursue their individual potential
Excellent rapport and connection with students
- Authentic communication with, and genuine interest in, other people
- Commitment to a philosophy where student learning and wellbeing are the priority
- Availability to be present, listen effectively and support appropriately
- Willingness and commitment to take the time to know and understand students
Expertise in content and teaching practice
- Teachers who ‘know their stuff’ and are highly regarded beyond the school
- Collaborative faculties and outstanding educational leaders
- Ongoing high-quality training, mentoring and targeted professional development
- Understanding and application of current pedagogical research and best practice
Ability to inspire, challenge, engage and nurture
- A love of the teaching profession and a love for learning
- Connection and empathy with each student’s education journey and a lived understanding of their motivational needs
- An ability to create a teaching atmosphere that promotes trust and belonging
- A growth mindset and capacity to lead change that is role-modelled to students
Embedded Anglican values and ethos
- Development of the whole person where body, mind and spirit form an integrated individual
- Promotion of academic excellence and achievement, taking seriously our responsibility to serve the world well
- Focus on wellbeing and care for others as we do for ourselves
- Modelling of hard work, character and personal ownership of decisions
Strong community and connections
- True partnerships with families where students’ best interests are prioritised
- A place of connection for former students, families and friends
- Active contribution to the local, wider and global community
- Inclusive, responsible conduct demonstrating a strong moral compass
Sustainable business management
- Effective planning, accountability and prudent financial management
- A balance between desired educational outcomes, school community expectations and business sustainability
- Growth strategy to maximise enrolments and expand opportunities
- Sustainable practices in school operations, behaviours and facility design
Prudent forward planning
- Understanding of our place in the wider Gippsland educational landscape, and active contribution to it
- Strategic guidance set by the Board, exemplifying high standards of professional conduct
- Capacity building at all levels including Board, staff and students
- Careful yet proactive governance of the school and its resources
Learn Well
Our team recognises that students bring with them a wealth of experience and learning from which they develop an understanding of how the world works.
These understandings inform the teaching and learning process, allowing our educators to tailor programs to student need and incorporate real-life activities and lessons that evoke fascination and a deeper understanding.
Learning programs are research-based and personalised to give our students an edge while uncovering and extending their individual strengths and passions. We deliver teaching and learning that recognises the unique and changing social, emotional and educational needs of each student within our changing world – providing authentic opportunities for the next generation to engage with existing and emerging strategies and technologies.
Live Well
We are and always have been an innovative, forward-thinking school where happiness is at the heart of our practice.
Educating children from Early Learning through to Year 12 means we know and understand the children we work with, and this knowledge allows us to support children in transitions throughout their learning journey. We believe that living well comes from feeling known, valued and connected, and these principles inform all we do. This makes St Paul’s a place where children can flourish and find their passions.
A strong sense of ‘family’ permeates the school, and all our students thrive in an inclusive, safe and caring environment where every child is recognised, embraced and celebrated. With the support and guidance of our expert staff, students acquire the knowledge and skills needed to meet life’s challenges, knowing that a comprehensive support network is behind them every step of the way.
Lead Well
We are in a unique position to empower individuals to believe in themselves and each other; people who commit to the growth of others and to becoming citizens that the world requires now and into the future. St Paul’s provides all learners with the skills and knowledge they need for school, but equally as importantly, for life.
Beyond academia, we equip children with the kindness, compassion and emotional intelligence to contribute to a community that praises students not just for mastery of material, but also for effort, curiosity and creativity.
Our educators know and understand how students learn and meet students at their point of readiness, tailoring feedback and moving them forward whilst nurturing and encouraging them to improve. With a range of skills and tools at their fingertips, our educators inspire, pique interest and build relationships designed to bring out the best in each student.
Grow Together
A school does not stand in isolation; it is the beneficiary of generations of families who have given not only of their time, but of themselves.
Their efforts and financial resources ensure our learning environment exists, is well maintained and can cater to the changing demands of students over time. Although education is our mission, having excellent planning, management and financial structures in place to safeguard the School’s future is of equal importance. This will ensure our sustainability and delivery of the facilities and programs that each and every one of our students deserve.
As we move into our fifth decade, we are proud that our original Anglican values and ethos remain strong. Students and families new to our school are welcomed and included, quickly becoming part of a community that has a strong sense of trust and belonging, a sense that continues long after they leave us.