St Paul's Grammar School

Infobox Secondary school
name = St Paul’s Grammar School

motto = " in Christo futurum"
'In Christ the future'
established = 1982
type = Independent Co-educational P-12
affiliations = AHISA
principal = Mr John Collier
primary principal= Mr Nigel Walker
chairman = Mr Don Harwin
enrolment = 1360
grades = Pre Kindergartern–12
campus = Taylor Road, Cranebrook
city = Sydney
state = NSW
country = Australia
website = [http://www.stpauls.nsw.edu.au/]

St Paul's Grammar School is a private primary school, middle school, and high school in New South Wales. The primary school covers pre-Kindergarten to Year 6, the middle school years 7 to 9, and the senior school years 10 to 12. This school is a member the Association of Independent Schools of New South Wales, and the Association of Australasian International Baccalaureate Schools (AAIBS).

St Paul's Grammar School, established in 1983, is an independent, non-denominational Christian coeducational school that welcomes students from all cultures and backgrounds. It has both day and homestay students attending. There are 1360 students from pre-Kindergarten to Year 12.

Philosophy

A Christian world-view permeates and engages the curriculum. The school’s challenge is to reflect the fact that Christianity is an all-of-life matter. The school does this by only employing teacherswho have pastoral backgrounds, and through their extensive Christian Living program. This program is one added to normal studies (ie. Mathematics, English, History, etc. ) to show students howChristianity can be part of a normal, natural life.

Location

The school is situated on 28 hectares of bushland in Western Sydney next to the wide open spaces of Blue Mountains National Park. The school’s physical environment emphasises Australian flora with large native gardens a distinctive feature of the school’s open spaces. However, unfortunately, in the summer of 2006, a bushfire was started on the premises and destroyed the entire equestrian shed. Apart from this drawback, the schools grounds are part of an exquisite school.

Curriculum

The school offers the New South Wales Board of Studies courses from Kindergarten to Year 12. The major certifications are the School Certificate and Higher School Certificate awarded to students graduating from Year 10 and 12 respectively.

Since 1989, St Paul's has more students studying Chinese than any other school in Australia. It is a compulsory subject from Kindergarten to Year 7 and an optional language course from Year 8 to Year 12. Given the globalised environment of the 21st century and the close relationship developing between China and Australia, such an emphasis is thought to be timely.

The courses offered in St Paul's curriculum are quite extensive, ranging from Biology to Psychology.

International Baccalaureate programmes

In addition to Board of Studies courses, the school offers all three International Baccalaureate Organization educational programmes. St Paul’s is the only school in NSW to offer all three IBO programmes and is the largest International Baccalaureate school in Australasia.

The Primary Years Programme (PYP) is taught in conjunction with the Board of Studies curriculum to 550 students from pre-Kindergarten to Year 6. The Middle Years Programme (MYP) is taught in conjunction with the Board of Studies curriculum to 600 students from Year 7 to Year 10.

In Year 11 and 12, students who do not study the HSC may study the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. With over 60 students (half the senior school) completing the Diploma in each year, the school has the largest Diploma Programme offering in NSW and one of the largest in the Asia Pacific region.

Academic achievement

The school has a long history of academic excellence. The 2007 Dux had an IB score of 43 (out of the maximum possible score of 45) or Universities Admissions Index result (UAI) of 99.80 (out of the maximum possible score of 99.95). Both the 2005 and 2006 Duxes had IB scores of 44, equal to UAIs of 99.90. In 2006, six other students had UAIs above 99, (In 2005, six students had UAIs above 99). The school's average IB Diploma score over the last six years is 34 from over 250 graduates.

Facilities

Within its spacious grounds, the school has generous student recreation facilities, including a full-sized athletics oval and smaller sports fields and tennis courts.

The school include a small farm near the rear to increase agricultural knowledge and works.

Extensive information, communication technology (ICT) support for students includes a broadband wireless network throughout the school to support the many class sets of wireless enabled notebooks available for student use. Eight dedicated rooms are also available with desktop computers. Data-projectors and smart-boards are progressively being installed across the school.

The school has a multi-function sports centre with two full-sized basketball courts and spectator seating. This centre is also used for major school functions with seating for 2,500 people.It has recently opened a purpose-built Performing Arts block featuring a theater, dance studio, professional music recording studios and Visual Art exhibition space.

Co-curricular

The school offers the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, with over 200 students participating at the different levels of the scheme. There are annual school musicals and drama productions. Music groups include: string ensemble, wind orchestra, jazz band, vocal groups, an a cappella group, percussion groups and junior and senior choirs. Verse-speaking groups and debating are offered in many Years.

The school has its own Rural Fire Brigade with its own fire station and tanker. Christian fellowship and Bible study groups operate from Year 3 to 12.

Sports include: athletics, basketball, cricket, hockey, indoor soccer, netball, rowing, rugby, soccer, softball, tennis, touch-football, volleyball, water-polo and white water sports at the International White-water Centre near the school. Equestrian events are popular, including dressage, eventing and show jumping.

References

See also

* List of Non-Government schools in New South Wales
* Cranebrook, New South Wales

External links

* [http://www.stpauls.nsw.edu.au/ Official Site]
* [http://www.aisnsw.edu.au/ Association of Independent Schools of New South Wales]
* [http://www.aaibs.org/ Association of Australasian International Baccalaureate Schools (AAIBS)]