Philosophy of the School

Frensham Junior School (Gib Gate Campus) is a non-denominational school based on Christian values. A proven specialist in Gifted and Talented Education, we offer boys and girls a personalised, broad-ranging learning experience. A unique culture of ‘learning to learn’ through adventure, belonging, challenge, doing, excellence and service, develops students who are curious, collaborative, creative, globally-minded and who know how to learn.

Using an inquiry approach to learning, embedded within a culture of critical thinking, students are actively engaged and suitably challenged across the curriculum in areas of personal interest. Core literacy and numeracy skills - expertly taught - allow students to access rich literary and scientific texts and engage in higher-order mathematical thinking. The development of scientific literacy, carefully scaffolded from Preschool to Year 6, ensures students think critically about the world around them and develop a sense of local and global responsibility.

Servant Leadership is encouraged at every level, with each Year 6 student given the responsibility for leading the School’s Peer Support and Buddy Programme, as well as assuming individual roles of responsibility in service of the School.

Learning to Learn through: adventure, belonging, challenge, doing, excellence and service.

Mission Statement and Guiding Values

We commit to developing Frensham Schools* as a pre-eminent educational community, founded on Christian principles, renowned for its unique combination of values which focus on:

• health and happiness – providing a caring and supportive environment in beautiful surroundings close to nature, and encouraging a sense of wellbeing through teamwork, friendship, self-management and tolerant beliefs
• unselfish pursuit of excellence – exceeding what would otherwise be possible in terms of development, contribution, achievement and leadership, across the totality of the educational experience
• individual growth – challenging and inspiring each member of the Frensham Schools community to define, plan for, and work towards the achievement of personal goals with passion, resilience, and commitment
• service to others – living the challenge of our founders, ‘In Love Serve One Another’, being active and compassionate in recognising the needs of others and responding with generosity, self-assurance, leadership by example, integrity and humility in all matters, in a global community
• broad experience – recognising the need for multifaceted development of each individual, enhancing his or her intellectual, spiritual, aesthetic, social and physical powers, emphasising academic requirements and other long-term life skills
• innovative and adaptive approaches – developing a spirit of enquiry and a love of learning, with a future focus and the capacity to discern, so that students and staff experience the adventure of experimentation and the excitement of breaking new ground

*Frensham Schools:  Frensham Junior School, Frensham and Sturt – is owned and operated by Winifred West Schools Ltd