Our Philosophy & Values - Queenwood

A liberal education instils a love of learning for learning’s sake, and develops the practice of inquiry across all disciplines.

• It is founded on a commitment to the life of the mind beyond the bounds of externally imposed curricula.
• It rests on the conviction that every student needs to experience both success and frustration to achieve full intellectual, social and emotional development.
• It commits to the search for truth, including the acquisition of skills to navigate contemporary sources of information and argument.
• It equips students to engage meaningfully from an informed and respectful perspective, in a wide range of contexts and through different media.
• It develops the habits and dispositions which allow young people to manage complexity, diversity and change.
• It is underpinned by the quality of relationship between teachers and students, including responsiveness to the differing needs, readiness and interests of students.

Independence equips our students to rise to the challenge and to chart their own course in a complex world.

• Independence is embedded in our curriculum and programs, as we encourage each girl to develop confidence, autonomy and self-respect.
• Our program of activities supports girls in finding their voice and building fluency across different forms of expression.
• Our structures, programs and relationship with parents are informed by high expectations and individual support, so that each girl can grow into independence
• Through carving out space for girls to make both decisions and mistakes, we affirm our confidence in our students’ capacity and need to acquire wisdom and resilience through their own experience.

The capacity to seek and integrate differing world views is built through engagement with diverse experiences and perspectives, and a mature understanding of our place in the world.

• We are internationally minded, developing in every student inter-cultural understanding, respect and an awareness of contemporary social and political issues. This helps them better understand and appreciate their own culture and national identity.
• Through local and global partnerships, we aim to create sustainable, long-term relationships with mutual engagement and learning as the foundation.
• With a strong outward focus, we ensure that students engage with current affairs and gradually deepen their understanding of the historical, cultural, political and religious cross-currents which continue to shape our world.
• By engaging with differing world views and generating meaningful links with people with different lives, we protect against entitlement and develop an expansive perspective as the first step to seeking justice, peace and prosperity for all.

Our ultimate objective is to produce young women of character, generous in spirit and motivated to apply their gifts and energies in the service of others.

• We aim to inculcate gratitude, integrity and a sense of individual and communal responsibility so as to inspire the desire to contribute.
• We foster the skills and dispositions needed to be effective leaders and agents of change: listening and communication; flexibility; collaboration; self-regulation and initiative.
• We encourage our students and families to use skills and resources generously to support the needs of young people, especially girls and women, across Australia and the world.