| GUIDING
VALUES
The Board of Governors, Staff and Students continue to engage in the preparation of material designed to capture the essence of Frensham - to introduce those who do not know us to what insiders - current and past students, parents and staff describe as the Frensham experience… We know words are not enough - you must visit, talk to students and staff, take a student-guided tour of the magnificent facilities set in a special environment - or speak to our recent graduates - to find out for yourself why Frensham is ‘Education that inspires…’
Julie A Gillick, Head of Frensham
FRENSHAM
Education that inspires...
• the pursuit of excellence
• emotional and intellectual maturity
• respect, support and celebration of gifts differing
• passionate engagement with school life
• responsibility to develop and share one’s talents
• willingness and confidence to contribute to the wider world
Frensham offers...
• A values-based education
• A rigorous academic programme
• Individual nurturing and growth
• A sense of community
• Flexible boarding
• Creative and intellectual challenge
• A special environment
• ... that Frensham experience...
A values-based education
Frensham was founded in 1913 by Winifred West, an inspirational educator.
The School’s values and educational ethos are founded on the philosophical position that our moral purpose in life is to develop our talents and use them for the common good – to make a contribution to the world. This ethos is embedded in the school’s daily life.
A Frensham education offers a values framework which emphasises:
-
the unselfish pursuit of excellence
-
the responsibility to be the best one can be in order to be of service to others
-
the duty to support and encourage others in their development
-
the need to reflect and challenge in order to improve
-
the need to discern what is good and reject what is second rate
-
the duty to care and be purposeful
-
the duty to exercise tolerance and respect
-
the need to build the spirit as well as the intellect
A rigorous academic programme
Frensham offers a rigorous academic programme which focuses on a core of challenging and stimulating subject choices. Each student’s academic needs are assessed on entry and are monitored closely to keep her on track to achieve her full academic potential.
Progress and achievement are regularly reviewed, with accelerated or additional studies programmed according to individual need.
Frensham has a world-class science and technology centre, outstanding performing arts facilities, and incorporates the pre-eminent Sturt design centre.
Frensham graduates are represented in a diverse range of tertiary studies in Australia and overseas. Frensham provides girls with the skills, confidence and academic discipline to excel in their further studies.
Individual nurturing and growth
Frensham is a small school where each girl is known. One of the key benefits of this is the time taken to support each girl’s growth on an individual, personal basis. With staff working as a team, we take a deeply considered view of each student.
Class sizes are small, and individual attention is core to our approach to teaching and learning.
As a girl progresses, focused goal setting is undertaken, in partnership with parents, to assist her to make the best possible decisions when important choices arise.
Academic and personal growth is important to us. We review this in a number of ways:
Half-yearly reporting to parents
-
Report Reading involving a student with her Form Tutor
-
Regular cross-faculty staff meetings focused on overall student progress and involvement
-
Student-led discussions or interviews with the Head or Directors of Teaching and Learning, Studies or Boarding
-
Individual interviews with Senior Staff, based on a student’s reflection on her academic and personal achievement and progress
A sense of community
A Frensham education provides a strong sense of community for all girls. Each day the school gathers together for reflection on a range of issues and priorities, both internal and external to the School. There are also many unique occasions in our calendar such as the School’s birthday, the end of year Carol Service, the School play and our Jamieson Week, where student activities focus on contribution within the Southern Highlands community.
We also regularly celebrate the achievements of those amongst us in all fields of activity, in academic studies, in service to others, in sports, in the arts and in environmental care.
But what gives Frensham its strongest sense of community is the values we share as we strive to achieve excellence in what we do, in a spirit of service, humility and contribution to our community and beyond.
Flexible Boarding
Frensham is a boarding school, with options of full boarding, weekly boarding and day boarding. Day boarders are integrated into the House system, and participate fully in weekend school activities. Day boarders are encouraged to stay for after dinner prep, and are full members of their boarding houses.
As well as providing the opportunity for a strong sense of community to develop, and for values to be shared and reinforced, the boarding environment also provides substantial academic learning benefits which include:
- fixed study times
- extended access to learning resources
- evening workshops and tutorials
- Prep [homework] supervised by academic staff
- individual study plans supported by a teacher mentor
- culture of mutual support and encouragement
Creative and intellectual challenge
Frensham girls are passionate, confident, articulate, spirited, supportive, involved, and purposeful. In the senior years, girls take responsibility for organising many aspects of school life. The school climate is positive, with each girl responsible for contributing to its quality.
A support system operates whereby each senior girl is specifically responsible for keeping an eye out for a junior. And, more generally, all senior girls are expected to get to know and set a good example for the junior girls.
As well as striving to be the best they can be in the development of their own individual talents, Frensham girls support and encourage each other to achieve their personal best.
A special environment
“Who has not felt grateful for these…..the white crisp morning, the sparkling of the frost in the sunshine, the blueness of the sky and the wonderful sunsets” - Winifred West
Winifred West, the school’s founder, had a deep love of nature and believed that its beauty nourished the inner spirit. At Frensham, beautiful and extensive grounds create a peaceful, special place which uplifts and inspires.
Playing fields, gardens, jogging tracks and bush areas accommodate active or reflective outdoor pursuits. The natural bush area provides a particular focus for bush regeneration work undertaken by students, making an important contribution to the local environment.
... that Frensham experience...
Frensham offers a rich experience that engages girls in a diverse range of activities in addition to the academic programme. Participation levels are extraordinarily high, reflecting the school’s ethos that girls have a responsibility to develop their talents and enrich both their creative and intellectual selves.
Frensham’s size makes it imperative that all contribute to our instrumental ensembles, choral and drama groups, debating, equestrian and sporting teams as broadly as possible. Frensham girls shoulder this challenge enthusiastically and skilfully.
The richness of Frensham life provides girls with the environment in which both emotional and intellectual maturity can develop. Frensham’s success is well measured by the confident way that girls carry themselves beyond school, to make a positive contribution to the wider world.
|
